im buying my first kite next week, but at the same time im wanting to get my daughter her own kite so its something we can do together,
my thoughts so far are the
flexifoil sting 2.4m
flexifoil big buzz
peter lynn vibe trainer 1.6m
peter lynn vibe 3 1.9mRichie - 2-7-2014 at 10:16 AM
any one? im leaning towards the flexifoil sting as its a 4 line kite frankiter - 2-7-2014 at 11:07 AM
I can vouch for the Sting. Both of my daughters learned to fly four line kites on my 2.4.
It's well built too. I've had a number of new flyers on it and it's held up really well. In fact, I just upgraded the lines and made it into my high
wind kite. hardstatic - 2-7-2014 at 11:10 AM
I got my 10 year old daughter an Ozone Quattro - the little 1.6m. She loves it. I also have the Flexi Sting 2.4, but she prefers the Quattro because
the colors are nicer (yep, it's all about the colors). A two-line might be a better bet and the Peter Lynn Vibe in pink just screams 8 year old girl.WackyWindsurfer - 2-7-2014 at 11:15 AM
Does your daughter already have any flying experience with a small 2 line kite?
When your daughter does not have any experience yet, I would advice you to let her start with either a 2 or 3 line.
Does she already does have some experience, 2 4 line kite will give her more fun! But a 2.4m size for a 8yr old? That could be a little to much to
handle perhaps.
My daughter started at the age of 14 with a 2 line PL Vibe II 1.9m. The next season she progressed to flying a 4 line Ozone Flow 2.0m and still is
flying that kite up till 10/15mph. That is at her limit for now.
My observations were that a 2 line kite is easy to get into, but will possibly need more assistance from you relaunching it after a crash. A 3 line
trainer will be much easier for her to relaunch herself, a PL Vibe trainer will be a perfect start.
abkayak - 2-7-2014 at 11:15 AM
i'm the first to say 4 line, but do not see it for an 8yr old....imo 3 line on a bar will be a lot easier to grasperratic winds - 2-7-2014 at 12:00 PM
Watched a 6 year old girl learn snowkiting in two days last year. She was launching and moving around by herself! no upwind but that was due to size
of kite!
Would totally recommend any 3 line on a bar. Only reason I would not recommend a 2 line for simplicity would be re-launching. John Holgate - 2-7-2014 at 03:13 PM
My sister in law is comparatively small and she has occasionally struggled with my 2.5m Imp Quattro. The 1.5m Quattro is a much better fit for her.
What about a 1.5m Nasa Star 2 on a 3 line bar? Plenty of pull, quite zippy and if you plow it nose first into the ground....no drama.
I would definitely keep to 1 - 1.5m. 3 or 4 line. Although having said that, I had a lot of fun with my 2 line Snapshot 1.4m as my first foil -
although if you crash it, you can't really re-launch it without some help.Bladerunner - 2-7-2014 at 04:15 PM
I think the advice to go 3 line is worth considering ?
If you can teach her to re-launch from a crash on her own it will save you a ton of agro' having to set the kite up every time she crashes / allow you
to have some fly time of your own while being with her. That said, I bet she would love a pink kite!
Nasa star is an interesting idea. Definitely a girls kite. ( just joking ) ssayre - 2-7-2014 at 05:02 PM
I bought a snapshot 1.4 for my kids but I found that it's not worth trying to fly it in inland winds less than 10. 10 mph or more it was fine. They
actually prefer to fly the prism quantum 2 line stunt kite over a foil because they like the noise it makes and they like the quick turns.3shot - 2-7-2014 at 09:39 PM
HQ Symphonies are great kites as well.
A 1.4, or 1.8 would be nice.shehatesmyhobbies - 3-7-2014 at 04:41 AM
I taught my daughter on a 3-line 2.4 sting with a bar, she was 13. I taught my son on a 4 line HQ Beamer 1.8, he was 8. It was easier to teach my son
with the 4line, I think my daughter would have also learned better with the 4line.
I liked the fact that with the handles my kids learned a little more control, and were ready to release the handles anytime they felt it was too much
to handle
B-Roc - 3-7-2014 at 09:24 AM
I taught my kids when they were 6 and 8 on a 1.2 Sting and 1.5 Lil Devil. They both preferred the Sting. At that age they learn 4 line control
without problems. Worse case scenario they just execute pull turns. Best case scenario they learn to reverse launch and work the brakes. I think the
2.4 is too big. You want her to be comfortable and not scared to death in a gust. I have a 2.5 JOJO Instinct that both my kids have flown and both
have dropped it on killers. For that matter, both have dropped the 1.2 and 1.5 to killers as well but they were far less intimated on both in
conditions that they could not physically handle the 2.4. The smaller kites allow for controlled pull and thrill without scare.
Plus, the more wind there is the easier it is for a newbie to learn and that again favors smaller kites.
