Power Kite Forum

kite preferences for beginner

wrfade82 - 27-7-2006 at 10:46 PM

I'm looking for a good beginner's kite that will hold up well, is versatile and is ~$250 or less.

I live in the Chicago Area with mostly 5-15mph. winds with some very windy 20+mph. winds during the fall and winter.

I'm an athletic build and weigh 130lbs. 5'6''.

I have a lot of experience flying my stunt kites.

I want to be able to use this kite for high jumping, landboarding, and snowboarding.

Thanks in advance.:D:thumbup:

tedsfoils - 28-7-2006 at 04:22 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by wrfade82
I'm looking for a good beginner's kite that will hold up well, is versatile and is ~$250 or less.

I live in the Chicago Area with mostly 5-15mph. winds with some very windy 20+mph. winds during the fall and winter.

I'm an athletic build and weigh 130lbs. 5'6''.

I have a lot of experience flying my stunt kites.

I want to be able to use this kite for high jumping, landboarding, and snowboarding.

Thanks in advance.:D:thumbup:


The ProFoil would be a good choice beginner or expert. I could send you a demo to try before you buy.

wrfade82 - 28-7-2006 at 04:15 PM

would a bullet or a beamer II be able to pull me on a board or pull really high into the air?

DON321 - 28-7-2006 at 07:43 PM

Go with a flexifoil blade style kite, there not quite $250 bucks but there very lifty kites, awsome for landboarding......

I can get you a FLEXIFOIL 4.0M BLADE 3 for $300 plus shipping,
brand new never flown, never even opened ..... email me for more kites I carry if interested,


DSIMMONS321@hotmail.com

RETAIL/DISTRIBUTOR FOR
PETER LYYN, FLEXIFOIL
(I JUST RECIEVED MY OZONE AFFILIATION AND AM IN THE PROCESS FOR OZONE PRODUCT LINE SOON)

cbabbman - 28-7-2006 at 07:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by wrfade82
I live in the Chicago Area with mostly 5-15mph. winds with some very windy 20+mph. winds during the fall and winter.


Where in the Chicago area? I'm out in Aurora...

wrfade82 - 28-7-2006 at 08:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by cbabbman
Quote:
Originally posted by wrfade82
I live in the Chicago Area with mostly 5-15mph. winds with some very windy 20+mph. winds during the fall and winter.


Where in the Chicago area? I'm out in Aurora...

Aurora also :D:thumbup:

coreykite - 29-7-2006 at 10:39 AM

Don321,
Whoa there buddy.

How much experience do you really have?
How do you justify suggesting a beginner start with a Blade because it has lift?

That's just plain bad advice.

If that is the level of your "expertise" then please keep it to yourself.

The good readers of this forum expect and deserve a bit more.

I hope you'll treat any potential customers with more respect that evidenced in your "Blade for beginners" recommendation.

Or did I misunderstand you?


Safen Up! Buggy On!

"Often wrong... Never in doubt"

the coreylama

DON321 - 29-7-2006 at 02:42 PM

COREYKITE-
WELL LETS SEE, I HAVE SEVEN YEARS OF KITING EXPERIENCE, MAINLY WITH PARAGLIDING, HANGLIDING AND ROCK LAUNCHING (FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DONT KNOW WHAT THIS IS.... ITS ALMOST LIKE BASE JUMPING BUT YOU GLIDE OFF A TALL CLIFF AND DRIFT DOWN IN SPIRAL LOOPS) OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS I HAVE BEEN POWER KITING, RIDING BUGGIES AND LANDBOARDS,
IN THE PAST 4 MONTHS I HAVE STARTED A SMALL BUSSINESS SELLING POWER KITES AND EQUIPMENT, TO FUND MY LOVE FOR KITING AND FLYING (NOT A CHEAP SPORT)

I STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE YOU TEST MY LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE,
FIRST OF ALL FLEXIFOIL BLADE KITES ARE NOT HARD TO FLY IT DOSENT TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO FLY ONE..... "WRFADE82" WAS LOOKING FOR A LIFTY KITE SO I "RECOMMENDED" THE BLADE3

IM SURE AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER SOMEBODY TOLD YOU, "HEY THATS NOT SUCH A GOOD IDEA", BUT YOU WENT AHEAD AND DID IT ANYWAYS, AND YOU ENDED UP JUST FINE.......

MY 12 YEAR OLD BROTHER FLYS A 6.6 METER BLADE 3 ON HIS LANDBOARD AND HAS NO PROBLEMS (HES ALSO A BIG 12 YEAR OLD)..... I TOLD HIM IT WAS TO BIG FOR HIM BUT HE LIKES GETTING HIGH IN THE AIR....

NOBODY HERE ON THIS FORUM WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW PEOPLE (YOURSELF NOT ONE OF THEM... NO PUN INTENDED) IS AN EXPERT
IT TAKES MANY MANY YEARS TO BECOME AN EXPERT AT ANYTHING....

DONT TAKE THIS AS A RUDE POST TOWARDS YOU, JUST UNDERSTAND THAT ITS A FORUM. YOUR NOT THE ONLY PERSON HERE WITH AN OPINION..... ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS..... IF HE WANTED ONLY YOUR OPINION HE WOULD HAVE DIRECTED THE POST TOWARDS YOU ! NOT TOWARDS EVERYONE..........
SO TRY NOT TO CRITISIZE (NOT SURE IF I SPELLED THAT RIGHT?) SOMEBODY ELSES OPINION.....

DON321 - 29-7-2006 at 02:50 PM

1 MORE NOTE ON THE SUBJECT:

If you would have fully read his post you would notice he says:

"I have a lot of experience flying my stunt kites."

THATS MORE THAN A BEGGINER IF YOU ASK ME .....

stunt kites can mean a number of things..it could be triangle shaped stunt kites, 2 line kites or 4 line power foils, ETC..
he didnt say.........

code - 29-7-2006 at 05:58 PM

Not challanging anyones expertise ( and this is all coming from someone with knowledge of a lot of things but expertise of absolutely nothing. All based on personal opinion as well. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin to it)...If you don't know the level of a persons ability or the amount of common sense they have it's really difficult to suggest anything other then something on the safe side.

Don noted that the original post stated that wr had stated he had experience flying a stunt kite (what is meant by that none of us know). Personally, not knowing would lead me to either question that before suggesting or suggest something with little chance of someone getting hurt.

Granted some people pick things up easily, moreso then others. That doesn't mean that everyone does or doesn't.

For the most part, it appears as though a lot of people purchase a powerkite for land without any intentions of getting lessons. If they decide to go the water route it seems the general census is to get lessons first. Ground lessons if an option in the area would be my suggestion. I didn't take lessons when I first started flying and I got so beat up and bruised, so frustrated, etc. that I was about to give up when someone that knew how to fly traction kites stopped by while I was out and showed me what I was doing wrong. I lucked out. That was back in 97' . Just this past year I took a ground school course from a PASA certified instructor..which definitely helped me figure out a lot of other things.

Are lessons necessary? IMHO, No. But they help bring out the fun faster then trying to learn by yourself, unless you have a friend or more that also traction kite, and could help you get thru the basics.

If you've never flown a 4 line kite you're bound to get bumped and bruised along the way. Without someone that has knowledge of flying a 4 line kite you're just hieghtening those chances, along with the frustration of trying to figure it out. Then add a kite with lift into the mix.... and this is just my opinion..you're asking for loads more of frustration and hurt.

My guess is that everyone here that suggest anything to a new person entering the sport is that they want that individual to have as much fun as the rest of us.?. When you're frustrated attempting to learn something new, getting beaten up along the way, etc. it doesn't make for a fun experience. And unless you're a glunton for punishment you'll be lucky to even have the want to come back and try it again if you have a really bad first time experience. Minimize the complexity, minimize the risk of getting bruised and battered for the newbie and let them baby step up having fun along the way...
just my .02

~Joe

DON321 - 29-7-2006 at 08:08 PM

JOE-
Your post was good, I do agree with you on alot of the things you listed,
I look back, And yeah I probably should have asked him what he ment by ALOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH STUNT KITES,
(I know for next time)some people learn fast and some slow.... he just kept saying that he wanted to go high , he wanted lift,he wanted to jump, .... so I recommended what I thought was best, people are going to do whatever they want anyways, why not recommend at-least the correct kite for his request....

lessons are a good idea but not manditory for this sport, even if you know how to do it you can still learn alot of easier ways to do stuff from lessons..

I dont want to see anyone hurt !! belive me alot of us have been there, It changes your mind really fast about this sport, "why the hell am I doing this again?" and your not having fun wich is why were doing this in the first place....to have fun, But you do have to understand its a wind sport, somewhat an extreem sport and you can get hurt, you will have some close calls and you will get yanked around a bit, but thats what motivates people, the thrill..

So if "WR" ment 2 line kites or single line kites as stunt kites, I would def. ADVISE HIM NOT TO GO OUT AND TRY TO START JUMPING OR LIFTING UNTIL HE HAS THE HANG FOR A SMALLER 4 LINE KITE, YOU CAN GET REALL HURT AND NOT EVEN KNOW IT HAPPENED.
about 2 weeks ago A good buddy of mine 280 pounds was flying a 6.6 blade 3 in, id have to say maybe 30-35 mph winds at the beach ,(not smart) the wind gusted and lifted him about 10-12 feet off ground (rough guess-timate) and slammed him back down like no tommorrow he was pretty banged up, good thing he was wearing a helmet, he dosent want to fly kites anymore and hes been doing this for about 2 years.... just goes to show what expirenced DOSENT mean.....

Ive recommended the beammer to alot of people they seem to really like the kite especially the price for what you get, good kite a little slow on the turning side, but stable... maybe 3-5 meters max for a newbie..... just my opinion :smug:

wrfade82 - 29-7-2006 at 11:16 PM

Sorry for being vague. I fly two line stunt kites. I can do rolls, guide them around near the ground and have the ability to keep them stable at the top of the window. That's all I know, but I've been doing it for years. I think I shouldn't buy a blade 3 ( for experience and budget reasons ). I stated that I wanted a lot of lift because I want something that I won't become bored with too soon. Would a beamer or a bullet be able to lift me pretty high and pull me pretty fast? Which of those kites performs better or is more preferable? What are some good alternatives ~$250?

code - 30-7-2006 at 07:08 AM

No reason to be sorry wrfade about being vague.. I also understand the budget as when I re-entered the sport my wife was a bit skeptical and only gave me a few bucks to see if I was "actually" interested again. If you can't afford the lessons at the moment, just be prepared to come back here or ask others in person that may be kiting for help. There's nothing wrong with asking questions..it'll definitely spare you some of the frustrations and bruises.

In the winds that you're talking about and with your size and weight you'll probably be okay with a beamer 3.6 to learn, get some pull and in higher winds you'll be able to get some lift out of it as well. It won't lift you like a blade, and probably won't be as smooth going up or coming down as a blade or some of the other lifty kites.

IMO, it's not a bad idea to buy the first kite as a used kite if you can get one from someone respectable (which seems to be the trick when you're first getting into the sport and don't really know anyone). People like Scoop and some of the others may have access to something used like a beamer or equivalant to that, that you can get started on..then resell or whatever if you grow bored of it. This isn't a cheap sport to get into, and you'll notice that people typically have more then one kite in their quiver (for lighter and stronger winds, and also depending on what types and style of traction sports they're interested in). You may find later on that the 3.6beamer is awsome, gives you boost, and exceptional pull for boarding and / or buggying , but only in the higher winds. Eventually you'll probably want a larger kite for lighter winds, lift, etc.

Having flown a 2 line stunt will definitely help you out to some extent. It did with me. Powerkites fly pretty similar, only you're adding brake lines, pull and possibly lift. Whatever you decide to get, the first time you fly...take it out in light winds until you feel comfortable with it..then work your way up in the wind spectrum. It'll pretty much stink if you do this the right way for a bit, but you'll be thrilled once you hit the higher winds with it and you'll be more prepared too.

~Joe

tedsfoils - 30-7-2006 at 07:33 AM

wrfade I have offered before and will offer again. Try before you buy. I have demo kites I can send to you. I would suggest a 2.5m Profoil to start. Once you have flown a kite that size then move up to a larger one. There is more power in a foil vs. delta. try not to be concerned with jumping right away.
Everyone is concerned when suggesting a large power kite. I know of quite a few people that have been hurt by them including me. You could get an unexpected gust of wind that will take you for a ride if you are not ready. Most of the injuries I have seen have been from smaller kites.

kitemaker4 - 30-7-2006 at 08:47 AM

If there is no one around you that will let you fly a four line kite just to see how much power they have I would say take Ted up on sending a demo. You will get a good idea of the power and not have any money invested. It is always smart to start small and then work your way up to bigger kites. You have to realize that you can get hurt real bad with these kites. I know of many broken bones that traction flyers have suffered. It is better to fly small and stay safe when you are learning then to spend time in the hospital. You can always pick my out of a group of buggyers because I am the one flying the smallest kite and also I have never broken a bone yet. Better to be safe than sorry.

Susan

DON321 - 30-7-2006 at 09:44 AM

CODE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE BEAMMER 3.6M Its a good kite, I have never had the chance to fly one of Teds PROFOILS but looking at his website they look like great kites, and the price is great as well, you should take him up on his offer for a demo, not sure if Ted demo's out beammers,
try Teds profoil then once you fly it yo can tell us what you think from a beginners point of view here in the forum....

If you really want to try a beammer too check back with me I have a 3.6 and a 5.0 that I demo out....

code - 30-7-2006 at 04:01 PM

Don, check your u2u's...had a question for ya.

wrf... If you can demo a kite and I don't quite know why someone wouldn't. Than go that route. Not much to loose doing that if you ask me (or several others on here).

~Joe

coreykite - 31-7-2006 at 11:26 AM

Sorry to dump on you there Don321, but the first answer wasn't good enough.
Your second, more detailed post, explained your postion much better.

That's what I wanted.

Better answers.

I figured I'd have to poke a bit to get the response.

Good on you for your experience.
Please remember, most out there don't share your background.
Consider where they're coming from.
Careful with your assumptions of skills and learning the process.
Things we do "naturally" are actually learned through a process.
Reading or hearing about something doesn't teach like "doing".

I've been in the kite business (in various forms) since 1977.
I started with a 3-stack of 6' Flexi Power Kites and have never looked back.
I've been playing with and teaching power kiting since 1977.
I've been teaching buggy skills since 1991.

Knowing how to do something and knowing how to teach it are not the same.
I specialize in helping folks wanting to teach themselves.
I've developed a pretty good program to help them accomplish that.

Building skills with the kite, on land, is a great way in.
But overpowering someone with too much kite, before they have the appropriate experience, is not the right way.

Consider that folks unwilling to put in the relatively small investment of a kite and the time to learn the basics discover, before wasting all that money (not to mention the potential for injury) that kiting isn't their cup o'tea.

Many just want a "ride" and don't understand what modern kites are all about. Better for them behind a boat, or on a jetski.

I try to keep my suggestions to entry-level flyers, on this forum, away from products I'm selling.
I wish other sellers would show the same restraint.
I have a web site that sells.
Here, I try to help.

Safen Up! Buggy On!

"Often wrong... Never in doubt"

the coreylama

DON321 - 31-7-2006 at 05:21 PM

Coreykite:

In the kite bussiness since 1977.. wow okay thats a long time so you are very well expirenced, thats good,
Im glad to see there are still people left out there willing to help others, its tough because we cant always be right when somebody is asking for what there not ready for, and we havent gotten all the facts right.....

Its tough to teach a person who has never done this before, And I have a lot of respect for those who teach. I remember trying to teach my little brother, he just wouldnt listen or try what I suggested, It took a long drag down the sandy beach while I was yelling as loud as I could "let go of the kite, are you hearing me, let go!!!" to knock some sense into him, now he listens.... His excuse was he just got that kite for his birthday and didnt want to ruin it.... (no kite is more important than your health or life)

"Knowing how to do something and knowing how to teach it are not the same."- coreykite
............I agree 100%