Power Kite Forum

Beginner questions.

algar32 - 2-7-2012 at 03:56 PM

Hello I am new here :)

I am 19 and weigh about 150 pounds. I will be using my kite at the beach as well as at a local park in south jersey.

I found a deal where I can pick up a power kite 5m for 110 dollars. It comes with everything, but it has the two handles instead of the one bar. And I don't think it comes with the around the waist harness thing.

This kite probably can't lift me right, but would it still be a good beginner kite?

Can I purchase any mountainboard and use it with this?

I live in nj and was wondering if anyone has had any success finding windy enough areas. I assume most beaches are good? Also I live practically on the Delaware river and I assume some nice winds come through there.


Any pointers or tips are greatly appreciated

mougl - 2-7-2012 at 04:52 PM

5m is a bit on the large size to start with. I was 190 when I first started and I chose to go with a 5m....big mistake. (Yes Dino, you told me so :lol: ) I highly suggest starting with something more in the range of a 3m kite. Believe me when I say it will have ample power when you are learning. Later on when your skill set increases, it will become a high wind kite for you. I STILL use my 2.6m :wee:

Is that $110 new? If it is, run away....quickly! Kites are a lot like everything else, you get what you pay for. At $110 I can't imagine the kite would be the quality I would trust with my life.

Will it lift you? ANY kite can lift you. At 210 pounds, when the wind is high enough my 2.6m will lift me out of the buggy if I'm not being cautious.

Handles vs Bar? This is an age old debate and each have pros and cons. I personally prefer a bar to handles on a board but to each their own. Both set ups will work :thumbup:

You can use a board with pretty much any kite. It's all about skill level :)


The best advice I can give here is buy something in the 3m size range. A few to consider are Peter Lynn Impulse 3m//Peter Lynn Viper 2.6//Peter Lynn Hornet 3m//HQ Beamer 3m//HQ Alpha 3m//HQ Scout 3m//Prism Tensor 3m//Ozone Flow 3m

There are many more out there, this is just a list of a few. They will cost a bit more than $110 if you purchase new but it's well worth the investment. ripsession has a thread in the for sale section of PKF right now where he is selling a Viper 2.6 for $125. This is a great deal! You could also hit up Dino over at www.dakitez.com as he sometimes has used gear if you are on a budget. Any of the dealers here on PKF are class acts!

Also consider safety gear. A helmet is a MUST. Seriously, before you even THINK about buiying a kite, buy a helmet. Mine have saved my skull on more than one occasion! Have you purchased one yet? No? Ok, go do it now, I'll wait...

...

...

...

Ok, now that you have the helmet, look into some of the kites I listed earlier to find the best match for you and HAVE FUN MAN!!!

Welcome to the addiction we call a sport :)

martinipro - 2-7-2012 at 05:03 PM

^What he said.

If you provide us with more info about this $110 kite(brand, model, year, etc.) we may be able to tell you if its worth it.
There's a few of us from NJ and meet up quite often. Where in Jersey are you?

Not many places to fly during the summer.Scout for big fields with no trees surrounding them.
Once summer is over we go to the beach(Sandy Hook, Island Beach State Park, Wildwood).

g-force junkie - 2-7-2012 at 05:31 PM

Algar32,
Get a couple lessons from the closest kite instructor, no matter what the cost, use their gear and expertise and then decide what you want, otherwise your just wasting time and money.

algar32 - 2-7-2012 at 06:52 PM

Thanks for the detailed reponse mougl. I will post when I get more detailed info. If the guy is legit he will send me some pictures soon. He "said" he bought it 6 months ago for 275 so once I get the make and model I will post back. I have read that 5m is probably a bit too much for a beginner, but this looked like one of the better deals I have found thus far, so I figured I would check it out. Maybe I will look into the 3m one for sale on the forums, but I am afraid shipping might be alot and I really only have about 120 bucks to spend on a kite. Do you guys definitely think that will be enough for a while? I don't want to have to upgrade any time soon... Also will any mountainboard work with it?

Thanks for the advice about nj martinpro. I am in avalon right now, but I live in salem county (right next to Delaware memorial bridge in south jersey). There are a couple open fields in some of the parks along the river that I think would be really nice.

Also is what junkie said true about lessons? If so, I probably don't want to get involved in this hobby. I don't have money for lessons and gear :(

Thanks.

erratic winds - 2-7-2012 at 07:04 PM

Algar-any money spent on a lesson instead of a kite is a good deal. Right now, have you even flown a multi-line kite, much less a power kite? Or are you looking to get into this because it looks like so much fun? Well, if you haven't flown a stunt kite or power kite, you'll have to do a bit of learning before you get to the fun. A lesson can make this stage last 15-30 min, or you can struggle on your own for months(I did). A lesson will get you solidly started out into what can be a VERY dangerous activity!

Once you gain skill in piloting the kite and powering a board, that transfers to any discipline(water/land/snow). People out there do every version of the sport on every kind of kite, nothing is impossible, just some things are tough. We can help you struggle less, so keep us around!

It can be scary expensive when you look at the costs involved, but don't let sticker shock scare you away from the most fun you could have. ;) Good deals on used gear abounds, if you keep looking.

OmniSmurfZ - 2-7-2012 at 07:22 PM

My 4m Scout II can get me rolling in like 5 mph winds on my landboard, and much more than rolling in anything higher. I will always be able to use it. I weigh 150lbs as well and if I took out a 5m for my first 5-10 times in anything over 10-12mph I would have probably hurt myself. Whats the wind like by you usually?

Pretty much any landboard will do, you can usually find one for about 100 bucks on the forums at all times here. +1 On the helmet, always. Skateboarding knee/elbow pads are nice too.

abkayak - 3-7-2012 at 05:50 AM

Don’t just buy a kite based on just its price, go need first.. Sure if you can afford an xtra foil snap it up,and put it away for latter. Right now it's your first kite and it has to cover most conditions. With what’s in front of you 3m will have you outside flying the most.......and you'll always be glad you own that size..... I have a 2le 5m kites now, if I had started out w/ them I would have halved my fly time for sure, or worse...bad things might have happened

algar32 - 3-7-2012 at 08:56 AM

Already have a helmet, don't know if has to be specially designed for this though.

Thanks for your responses. Do you guys think if I pick up a 3m I will still need lessons? obviously I will need a lot of practice and research without them, but that is typically how I like to do things. Also, to my nj friends is there any place around sj or specifically wild wood that gives lessons? If not could I just meet up with you guys sometime? Also if I am going to put out more cash for a kite, I think I will try to pick up a cheap board for 50 bucks. I was reading on other forums that it really wouldn't hurt to just pick up a 50 dollar mountain board for a beginner. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.

Also from what everyone is saying should I wait until fall to even buy anything?

B-Roc - 3-7-2012 at 09:03 AM

Start with a good-quality, small (3m) kite in low (less than 10 mph) winds and you won't "need" a lesson. If you can hook up with fliers at wildwood that would help so you can learn the basics by observation or comment.

Start with a kite only and learn to fly, launch, relaunch, pack, and direct the kite all over the window before you worry about the board.

kite boarding is tougher than it looks. I wouldn't recommend going out and trying to do that and learning to fly at the same time.

If starting on a kite with handles (not a bar) than you don't need a harness. If starting on a fixed bridle kite than a harness is NOT recommended during the learning stage. If starting on a fixed bridle kite than kite killers ARE recommended and to protect you and your investment and those around you, make sure you get a kite that comes with them.

algar32 - 3-7-2012 at 09:03 AM

Also, this thread says ripsession is selling the viper for 175 not 125 :(

OmniSmurfZ - 3-7-2012 at 09:09 AM

You won't need a lesson, I've never had a lesson and I've been alright. Just make sure to do a bunch of sessions with the kite only first to learn how to fly like b-roc said. Any help would be great though, I know I still have a ton to learn and would love to soak up some knowledge from anyone.

algar32 - 3-7-2012 at 09:32 AM

Okay thanks for the advice. Do you think the viper 2.6 would be good for me? I don't want it to not have enough pull and be forced to buy a new kite within 6 months of learning. It is posted at 125 now. I was looking at the wrong thread before. Is this a good deal? Thanks.

Just found the edit button the forums :)

Edit: also this is being sold locally. What would be a good price to pay for this?

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/bar/3090923585.html

algar32 - 3-7-2012 at 09:35 AM

also would it be wise for me to pick up the kheo kicker mountain board he is selling for 100 dollars?

OmniSmurfZ - 3-7-2012 at 09:43 AM

I've never flown a Viper so I can't comment on its pull specifically...

Quote:
Originally posted by algar32I don't want it to not have enough pull and be forced to buy a new kite within 6 months of learning.


Key word being 'forced', any kite you get you'll 'want' to get another one within 6 months haha. That kite you will always be able to use though, I just got my gf a NPW 2.5m kite and it can pull like a truck. I was flllying in a buggy in 25 mph winds with it, ya know... Was showing her how to use it :singing:

abkayak - 3-7-2012 at 09:54 AM

Forget the board.....go get a proper kite. You've got to be a pilot before your a rider. A 2.6 would be great get some kite killers for sure....eventually no matter how little $$$ you have you will have a dozen kites come to grips w/ that. It's not a sport, it's an addiction. Try to avoid marriage and even girl friends ,unless they have kites.

B-Roc - 3-7-2012 at 09:58 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by algar32
I don't want it to not have enough pull

Newbies :rolleyes:

I mean no disrespect by that but you really don't know what you don't know until you know it. :wow:

Any kite in the right winds has enough pull :wee:

If the pull is too little - get a bigger kite; too much - go smaller. That is why everyone who has been doing this for a while has many kites (because we never want to be skunked).

The key to starting out is getting a small kite and learning to fly it in winds lower than it is intended. This makes you a skilled and confident flier. Then you go out in more moderate winds for the kite and you can control and make use of the power it delivers.

There is no magic bullet. You NEED multiple kites if you always want to ride. But when starting out, go small and develop your skills in low wind days and ride in high wind days. There are no shortcuts without spending lots of money.

That kite and the board are likely fine. Any kite / board of decent quality is a good first kite / board if it gets you going safely.

algar32 - 3-7-2012 at 10:09 AM

figured I would get a post back like broc's :wink2:
Obviously, any kite can beat the crap out of you in the right conditions (especially if you are a noob). The reason I asked about it having enough pull, is because I want something that will keep me entertained after the 6 months to a year that it will take to use it somewhat properly. Right now I am on the edge trying to decide whether this could be a worthwhile investment or not. It looks fun, time consuming and very difficult. I like that aspect of it, but the costs everyone is talking about scares the #@%$#! out of me. I am a poor college kid, who won't even have that much time to ride during the winter due to schoolwork (engineering school sucks :thumbdown: ) and really doesn't have 1000 dollars to spend on kites. So let me know what you guys would do in this situation. If this sport really is all about spending a lot of money, I think I am going to have to stay away from it :(

B-Roc - 3-7-2012 at 10:25 AM

It is a costly sport but only if you want to ride all the time (low wind, high wind, moderate wind, smooth wind, bumpy wind). If you don't have a lot of money (like most in college) then you have to determine when and where are you going to typically fly (inland in bumpy, shifting winds or at the beach in smooth, stronger winds)?

I weigh 150#s and I have owned or still own and have used all of the following 1.2, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5,5, 6, 7, 8.5m fixed bridle kites. So you should see that if I have used kites smaller then yours (and significantly larger) then your kite is useable but its only useable in a limited wind range (just like every other kite listed above).. I bought a full quiver of kites because I don't have a lot of time to fly so when I have it I want to make sure I can fly and if I only had one kite and the wind wasn't right for it when I had time then it would not be a good investment. But you've got to start somewhere if you want to start.

I would encourage you to learn more about the average wind speeds in whatever you think will become your primary flying location during your primary flying months and then buy accordingly. Be smart, be safe, use your head and all safety gear and you'll be OK. If you're an engineer in training, I'm going to assume you've got a decent head on your shoulders. Use it and buy wisely or just get started and build your quiver slowly. There are no wrong decisions only safe and less safe decisions to be made.

OmniSmurfZ - 3-7-2012 at 10:26 AM

Personally thats why I went for the Scout II 4m. (I hadn't planned on buying any others for a while). If I only had this kite still, about a year into kiting, I would have still had many great times with it and will continue to use it forever. I know everyone else here is very concerned about the sport as well as the riders (as am I), they don't want to see someone pick up the sport and get hurt right off the bat, be out of it, and cause a negative ripple from that person out to all the people they know. It can be done with something a little bigger, but you just need to be really really smart about it and not take it out in over 10 mph winds the first 5-10 outtings. Oh and don't try jumping with it, almost ever. I hate jumping on my scout now that I have bigger ones. Many bruised heals/twisted ish ankles from it. Where as I've jumped over 30 ft with the bigger kites and nothing bothered me (all static jumps, I have yet to jump with the board).

algar32 - 3-7-2012 at 10:40 AM

Thanks for the good advice Broc, I suppose I will wait and see how everything works out. I will check out the wind speeds at my local park and see how they are on average. I will be at the beach about 3 weeks out of every year, and if I did own the proper kiting gear, would be interested in using it during that time as well. I will post back and get some feedback from you guys once I get home and head up to the park.


Omnismurfz, that's what I was kind of hoping to do if I bought a kite just a tad above a beginners head. I was hoping I could just go out in as low wind as possible and ease my way into it. That way I hopefully wouldn't need to buy a kite for a while, but as others are pointing out to me each kite has a limited window of use in different winds. I guess what I really need to find out is what the local wind is like on average and then decide. I really just want to buy whatever kite will allow me to fly in most conditions.

Also tell me what you think about this one being sold locally. What would be a good price for it? Or would it even be worth buying for me?

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/bar/3090923585.html

Kober - 3-7-2012 at 10:55 AM

B-roc ..
I love reading you comments .... I really think that you have very good way of explaining things.... Lots of goos info here that I will use when talking to my "well informed" friends trying get to the sport ......

algar ... once you start kiting you will try fill up you piggy bank as fast as possible to get another kite related item ..... don't forget about safety gear !!!! Helmet is a must .. ....

B-Roc - 3-7-2012 at 11:53 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kober
B-roc ..
I love reading you comments .... I really think that you have very good way of explaining things.... Lots of goos info here that I will use when talking to my "well informed" friends trying get to the sport ......



Thanks :embarrased: :smilegrin:

Suds after thuds - 3-7-2012 at 12:36 PM

+1 for the scout.
I'm at my fighting weight of 66kg and it got me moving great when
I started with it back in February and have loved it ever since. My only really big mistake was taking my wife with me on my second day with skates in 17- 23 mph winds. She saw a couple of spin cycles on the ground and got impatient with my fight back up wind to where I'd left her. Wait I made another no no too, I wanted to go fast so I went out in 30 mph winds... I was fine thanks to the pads and learned about being overpowered, but I wound up nosediving the kite and has to go two weeks cold turkey while it had the center cell sewn together.

By April I was fed up with working the kite up and down like mad and still getting passed by the boosters with bigger kites, so I bit the depower bullet. Seems like most people have a spell of doldrums when they get a new kite, but I ran into the other side of the coin. I got way overpowered and was heading full speed from the Tarmac at the old Russian airbase in Großdölln toward the racetrack where the race motorcycles were cruising. That was a good bail out, my new harness wears duct tape now.

Lesson I learned was to take the time to fly new kites static in low winds before finding out how fast they are.
(I wonder if I can stick to this)
Also good pads=more courage, and brain bucket is a must

ikemiester - 3-7-2012 at 10:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by B-Roc
There is no magic bullet.



Debatable.... the 19 syn kicks some serious butt, and I bet the 15m arcs do too.

Also, :thumbup: on ALWAYS wearing a brain bucket

AND :thumbup::thumbup: for some buttpads if you're really getting into it. They save me more often than my helmet (but not from as major of stuff)

Also, grab that beamer and board. Learn to fly and get ripping! College engineer here too. It's possible, check the quiver!

algar32 - 4-7-2012 at 08:03 AM

Thanks for the advice guys. Ikemeister, you think I should pick up that 3.6m beamer off craigslist? What would be a good price to pay for something like that? I am also considering buying the 2.6m viper for sale on the forums, but I would rather not pay for shipping if I don't have to.

Thanks again for all of your help :)

Edit: I will also check out the scout, but I am looking to hopefully find whatever I buy used and as cheap as possible ;)

ikemiester - 4-7-2012 at 10:44 AM

I would def recommend picking up the beamer... seems like a good deal for 100 or whatever. Just make sure there are NO HOLES! Also, check that the lines are in good condition. The last thing that you want is one of your lines snapping. Just make sure you don't take it out in real big winds. I would say less than 10mph, but check with the other guys on the forum. I wouldn't buy both, but that's me with my wind conditions (I've flown nothing less than my 19m for the past 2 weeks). Best of luck getting into the sport. I look forward to seeing you rip it up.

BoomKapow! - 7-7-2012 at 05:32 AM

I posted a review of my HQ Rush Pro 3.5. I absolutely love it. It's pretty large for a beginner kite so it still has a lot of pull. easy set up and break down. Just something to consider. But this sport is dangerous (I mean, Red Bull is starting to do stuff with it so it has to have some extremeness factor, right?) so I would also go down the 2.5-3.5 for a starter route. Also, the Hydra can do water restarts so that wouldn't be a bad choice either.

WELDNGOD - 1-9-2012 at 06:02 AM

spam reported

WELDNGOD - 1-9-2012 at 06:04 AM

I can't say enough about these http://www.pkdkitesusa.com/products/Buster-Soulfly.html .. But ,I might be a bit biased:lol: "Let your Soulfly!"

Chicagokitejumping - 1-9-2012 at 11:09 PM

I was using an ozone flow 5.0 and i was 164 ...great kite with handles for ATB , is the only kite that i had an accident ...i was lifted so bad in a jump and fall ..no broken bones guess ...

Becarefull with handles if is very windy and gusty

Chicagokitejumping - 1-9-2012 at 11:10 PM

I was using an ozone flow 5.0 and i was 164 ...great kite with handles for ATB , is the only kite that i had an accident ...i was lifted so bad in a jump and fall ..no broken bones guess ...

Becarefull with handles if is very windy and gusty

jamtmann31 - 2-9-2012 at 09:35 AM

The Progression DVD series is a good informative video series.
http://www.progression.me/videos/type/dvds/progression-kite-...

jamtmann31 - 2-9-2012 at 09:37 AM

The Progression series is informative...
http://www.progression.me/videos/type/dvds/progression-kite-...