Power Kite Forum

First power kite

souljas - 25-9-2006 at 03:17 PM

Hello..

I am looking to get my first power kite, I am 20 but weigh quite little (about 8 stone=52kg i think). I have been looking in the forums and have come to the conclusion that a PDK buster II 3.0m would be a good choice for me. I want to get the best kite for my money and not really looking to replace it anytime soon with a new kite.

But, does anyone think that a 4.0m busterII would give me better value for money, as I don't really want to get bored with the 3.0m version, and I dont want it to give me too little power and too little lift.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks

Pablo - 25-9-2006 at 08:06 PM

I'd personally stick with the 3m for a first kite, I'm 16 stone and have been kiting for years and still break out the 3m in big winds, that would be anything around 20-30mph for me.

If you get the 3m to learn on, you'll always have it for windy days or teaching your buddies. If you go with a 4m as an only kite, you'll have a little bit lower of a wind range, but eventually you'll have a day that it's just too windy, you'll wanna go flying anyways and that's when bad things happen.

You do have to realize that you'll eventually need a couple kites to get by as well, one for high winds, one for normal wind and one for low winds, Usually a 3m, a 5m, then something in the 7-9m range covers it for most people. If you go with a 4m, then the next size needs to be in a 6-7m range so it's not t oo close to the 4m, and that puts the last kite up at 9m min. You can try and get away with 2 kites, 4m and 7m ish, but you'll find there's times where you're really in between kites and don't quite have the right power plant.

Just my 0.02c

souljas - 26-9-2006 at 04:36 AM

thanks for your opinion, i think i might just go for the 3m then, I dont really fancy picking up any injuries any time soon!

Just another question... are there any other accessories for the buster 3m that you think I should get? I have heard of kite killers which seem to be a good idea, but i am not sure if they are readily available for the buster?

thanks

acampbell - 26-9-2006 at 06:14 AM

I do not have the depth of experience of Pablo and others but I can speak as a relative newbie with fresh experiences...

I like kite killers, esp. for my larger foils. Ozone makes a pair you can attach to any quad line kite. The leashes are tubular webbing with elastic cord inside, so they stay short and out of the way until deployed.

The first time I flew my 4.5 and 5.5m foils I was properly afraid, even in modest winds. They hlelped calm my nerves, knowing I could let go any time and intstantly convert the kite to falling laundry without losing the kite or wrapping a line on somebody. My wife thinks I'm nuts and checks my life insurance policy every time I leave for the beach, so explaining their function calmed her fears too.

The downside to kite killers I have found is that they make set up and tear-down more cumbersome, as they can get wrapped in the lines and the velcro makes them stick to each other, worsening tangles. For this reason I am considering quick disconnects at the handle end.

The other thing you'll need are weights to hold down your kite by the trailing edge while you are setting up. Zip lock bags filled with sand are good. Put them at the the trailing edge between the brake lines so they just roll off when you launch. Theyare also handy when packing up to hold one end down while you are folding the other, and so forth.

That brings up another disadvantage of larger foils for a beginner: They are a lot of cloth to manage and can be real beasts to control both in the air and on the ground. I have made a fool of myself a few time wrestling a flogging 5.5 meter and getting all tangled up with the kite wrapped around me. My 2.5 m is a cinch to pack up neatly on the beach by myself, but my larger foils almost always require re-packing at home in the shade and shelter of the back yard for the sake of neatness, clleanliness (pulling out sand and dried seaweed) and freeing up tangles.

About 3m is definately the "sweet spot" for your kite bag and as such will give you more value for the money in the long run.

Have fun.

souljas - 26-9-2006 at 08:23 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by acampbell
I do not have the depth of experience of Pablo and others but I can speak as a relative newbie with fresh experiences...

I like kite killers, esp. for my larger foils. Ozone makes a pair you can attach to any quad line kite. The leashes are tubular webbing with elastic cord inside, so they stay short and out of the way until deployed.

The first time I flew my 4.5 and 5.5m foils I was properly afraid, even in modest winds. They hlelped calm my nerves, knowing I could let go any time and intstantly convert the kite to falling laundry without losing the kite or wrapping a line on somebody. My wife thinks I'm nuts and checks my life insurance policy every time I leave for the beach, so explaining their function calmed her fears too.

The downside to kite killers I have found is that they make set up and tear-down more cumbersome, as they can get wrapped in the lines and the velcro makes them stick to each other, worsening tangles. For this reason I am considering quick disconnects at the handle end.

The other thing you'll need are weights to hold down your kite by the trailing edge while you are setting up. Zip lock bags filled with sand are good. Put them at the the trailing edge between the brake lines so they just roll off when you launch. Theyare also handy when packing up to hold one end down while you are folding the other, and so forth.

That brings up another disadvantage of larger foils for a beginner: They are a lot of cloth to manage and can be real beasts to control both in the air and on the ground. I have made a fool of myself a few time wrestling a flogging 5.5 meter and getting all tangled up with the kite wrapped around me. My 2.5 m is a cinch to pack up neatly on the beach by myself, but my larger foils almost always require re-packing at home in the shade and shelter of the back yard for the sake of neatness, clleanliness (pulling out sand and dried seaweed) and freeing up tangles.

About 3m is definately the "sweet spot" for your kite bag and as such will give you more value for the money in the long run.

Have fun.

Pablo - 26-9-2006 at 09:06 AM

The Buster II comes with Kite Killers, Weight bags to hold down the kite, ground stake. Pretty much all the goodies you should have to kite safely so you won't be needing to pick any of that stuff up seperately.

All you may want to invest in is your own personal safety gear, Helmet, elbow/knee pads etc. Depends on how crazy you're planning on going off the start. Once your moving on a board or bug, I'd say a helmet is a minimum.

souljas - 26-9-2006 at 03:02 PM

sorry my post above did'nt come out very well...

If I was to get the 4m would it actually pull me off the ground very high on days with not very much wind. Where I live we don't really get that much wind, and I will not really be taking it to the beach. Do kites like the buster 4m actually pull you off the ground even if you don't intend on doing a jump?

Pablo - 27-9-2006 at 09:58 AM

It's pretty hard to get lofted with a buster unless your in really gusty wind and overpowered badly. When you get into the larger sizes they have more potential to get you, but the 3m and 4m are fairly safe. I've gotten spanked by the 9m though on more than one occasion. The last time it was 15 gusting to 25 and the last fellow to borrow my kite left it on the max lift setting. I flew for the first 20ft, then proceeded to body drag across the park for another 50-60ft before getting things under control.

acampbell - 28-9-2006 at 06:22 AM

Another thing I forgot that I have added to my kite bag are sailing gloves, available at any marine store. They are leather with reinforced palms and are open at the fingertips, so you can still work knots and work fine things.

They are useful if you need to grab a line under load for whatever reason, as they will help prevent cuts or burns. My primary motivation is that twice now I have had a primary line part under load, and in both cases the whiplash of the line - no matter wher the failure occured - cuased slight lacerations betwen by thumb and forefinger. In both cases, in my efforts to secure the flgging kits, I did not notice the cuts until I saw the blood on the kite!

Once, a knot securing the pig-tail inside the handle let go, and last night, the bridle loop knot let go or more likely the cord failed at the knot. Both times it was on my 4.5m foil in about 12-14 mph, so there is some concern there but that is another thread...

From now on the gloves go on every time. I think they will make long buggy rides more comfortable too.

souljas - 1-10-2006 at 08:30 AM

thanks for your help guys!..

I have some gloves which I used for weight lifting which have the finger tips cut out, that should do the job I think.

do you guys know if there is a difference between the pull of the Buster original and the Buster II?

Pablo - 1-10-2006 at 09:56 AM

Buster I has a hare more grunt and speed, but way less forgiving than the Buster II. They toned it down just enough to make it super stable and forgiving to learn on. No more having the kite luff, then power up and rip your arms off. The buster II's also way more stable in poor wind conditions, the bridal adjustment on the Buster II's also way easier to use, better bridal material and flying lines. This has come at the cost of a little speed and power though. So both the kites have their strong points.

mozza - 4-10-2006 at 11:45 PM

I have a beamer 7.0 I flew it on the beach and I was way overpowered, it was 20+ mph! I didn't lift me unless I jumped, I just scudded for miles :p A 3-4m shouldn't really lift you unless you jump.

pea - 5-10-2006 at 01:50 AM

Hey i'm 18, weigh 8 stone AND have a buster 2 3m.

Quote:
A 3-4m shouldn't really lift you unless you jump.


It doesn't really unless you're in wind that's too fast. It lifts me enough with pendulum jumps though, and it's perfect for scudding.

I bought weight lifting gloves too but the handles are comfy enough anyway. It was my first proper power kite. I'm addicted :(

souljas - 5-10-2006 at 07:17 AM

hey Pea, looks like we are pretty similar :thumbup:

BUT, i ended up buying a buster 2 4m!:karate: It only came this morning, but I have not yet flown it! I looked out of my window and it didnt really look windy, so I walked to my local park but when I got there I got scared and had second thoughts. The ground was wet and the windspeed in the open field area appeared to be much faster than around my house (possibly due to house cover?).
Forecasts for 2m seem to be more windy and more wet! I really want to take it out but I dont want to get dragged on my chest on wet grass for like 100m and make me look like am egg :no:

pea do u ever get bored of the buster 2 3m? I got the 4m because I thought I might get bored of the 3m...

animal - 5-10-2006 at 02:01 PM

hq crossfire all the way mate great value for money with plenty of floaty lift (4mtr)

souljas - 5-10-2006 at 05:06 PM

i would not have minded a crossfire, however im a bit low on £££ atm! I will certainly consider it if I get another kite soon

Pablo - 5-10-2006 at 05:20 PM

Couple weeks ago we were buggying and boarding on 2-3m busters, no one was putting anything larger in the air. You never get bored of a small kite if the wind's right for it. I have to say, my favorite size of kite to fly is a 3m on 25m lines. So quick and responsive, no luffing, you want to turn around and you're there before you finish thinking about it.

It all comes down to the available winds.

pea - 6-10-2006 at 10:33 AM

souljas, second time i took it out, there was about 25mph winds and i was lifted about 5ft up :P. I can't say i've ever been bored of it. It's not likely to drag you, one handle sometimes slips out of my hand but because they're connected, the kite doesn't spin as fast as it could, plus you have kite killers which are really good..I've never been dragged.

Just remember where the power zones are. If it feels too powerful, just take it up to the top or sides of the window or land it.

souljas - 7-10-2006 at 02:26 PM

thanks for your help!

Just one question........How do the kite killers attach? There are 2 red bits and 2 blue bits on the kite. Do the kite killers attach to the 2 red bits, or does one connect to red and the other one to the blue? and also do the kite killers attach lines which attach to the handle side which is longer or shorter?

pea - 8-10-2006 at 02:06 AM

they attach to the same connections the breaks connect to, so if you let go it would be like pulling on the breaks. Red connects to red and blue connects to blue but it's not important

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