Shemy - 5-4-2007 at 03:58 PM
Ok, well I want to use the kite for just jumping in the air and maybe getting an off road skateboard or whatever they are called. Spending around £60
or looking on Ebay.
Bladerunner - 5-4-2007 at 05:05 PM
Some info that will help is :
What kind of area do you fly in ?
Do any others kite around there to take lessons from or at least teach you ?
Do you have a local shop ?
How big are you?
Even without that info you need to know that you can't safely buy a kite big enough to jump with and fly it straight off !!!!! What everyone will
tell you is best is to pick up a 3m (or 4m if you are huge) foil and learn to fly it with your eyes closed and lying on your back. Then you'll be
prepaired for ending up that way with a big kite AND YOU WILL !!!!!!
You will never regret having that 3m kite in your bag even once you move up. You'll use it in nuking winds and for introducing friends and so on. So I
suggest you buy a decent quality one. 3m foils are not too expensive.
To jump safely you need something 5.5 or bigger depending on your size and location but that should be your second kite.
No such thing as one kite suits all. Typically you need 2 or 3 to cover different winds. Small for big wind , big for small. Flysurfer in the middle,
and more and more! :smug:
Shemy - 6-4-2007 at 12:58 AM
Hello and thank you. I am around 5 ft 8 and weigh 8 stone 9 pounds. The area I will kite in is huge and you could land a singles engined aircraft on
it!
Bladerunner - 6-4-2007 at 09:22 AM
Local flyers ??
Local shop / lessons ?????
All very valuable things !!!!!
Either way, you won't regret starting with a 3m. Don't be fooled it will have plenty of power. It can even potentially lift you. ( but it's too
small to jump with ) I've used mine on rollerblades, Skis , the buggy, teaching tons of people and having TONS of fun.
scott540 - 6-4-2007 at 01:55 PM
I started with my 2.5 Beamer and still love flying the little guy. We were even getting some little 3-4 jumps last weekend in winds gusting over 30.
That was after I had the Montana out long enough to get some really big jumps with really crushing falls and being scared to death. The 2.5 is great
in big winds for gettng drug on your butt across the field. Plus when it's calm my 10 year can fly it or neighbors/friends that are just interested
in trying it out.
canuck - 6-4-2007 at 08:38 PM
I started quadline with a ProFoil 5.5m but had too many days of bigger winds so recently looked for a 3m. I don't think you will find a 3m for £60 on
ebay. I picked up a Radsail 3m on ebay from sky_high_kites for £87. There was a later auction for an HQ Beamer III 3m that ended at the same price.
The Radsail pulls my 200lb bulk around on skiis in winds over 10mph. You can get a ProFoil 3.5m for £56 but you have to add a lineset.
Don't forget to get a good helmet.
Sthrasher38 - 8-5-2007 at 04:35 PM
You say at least a 5.0 to jump being200lbs.? Will the 4.5 drop you faster or what? thanks.
Bladerunner - 24-5-2007 at 04:34 PM
Sthrasher,
This may come as slightly bad news because I know how excited you are but............. I'm pretty sure you are waiting on a Bullet. If jumping is
your #1 desire it's not exactly the right kite. Bullets are designed with downwind pull as there strong point. Add to that the fact a 4.5 doesn't have
much canopy for floating 200lbs.. Unfortunately when trying to jump with them sometimes their pulling charactarstics can come out of no where and
before you know it you get slammed. Be ready for that and let go quick !
They are a GREAT kite with plenty of power and you will love it. Just not for the things you are hoping for. Look at it as the starter you'll
never want to sell and be prepaired to realise you will NEED a larger kite to learn to jump . Learning to jump will be a lot easier and safer with a
bigger more lifty kite. My 4.5 bullet gets some of the most use in my bag due to it's wide usable wind range + my connection to it. I just use
different kites when jumping is the goal .
Sthrasher38 - 24-5-2007 at 08:34 PM
Thank for your help. How about a 6.6 blade 3? Or a Beamer 5.0? are those kites work for me? Thanks. My bullet just got here today! No wind about 3 mph
maybe.Barely enough to fill the kite. Did go up but not for long. I think I need to adjust the brakes a little. Seemed a little long may be due to
lack of wind.Kite went up to zenith fine. slow turns,but the brakes seemed a little less responsive. Could that be because of wind also? When is a
good time to ajust? I have heard to only shorten about a 1/4inch at a time. I'lll try that.
Bladerunner - 25-5-2007 at 09:55 AM
6.6 blade
tridude - 26-5-2007 at 11:16 AM
I can tell you one kite under 5m that wont hump and dump you, the Bego 400 but yes if youre gonna jump it is recommended that you go for a 5m minimum.
Concur with Pablo on the B3 6.6, great kite! Even though the Beamer can give you air, it is designed to pull rather than lift. The 5.0 and 6.3 HQ
Crossfires offer nice bang for the $$. Good lift and soft landings--nice quality kites! Dont you just hate options? If it were me with the winds you
described and you do have 4 line experience, Id go for a B3 6.6. I bought a B3 8.5 a little over a month ago and honestly when I took the kite out of
the bag , I got somewhat nervous. No brainer it has power and lift but so stable I soon got over the case of nerves. I started in lower winds and as
my exp and confidence grew, I moved up the bft scale. Dont let the thought of a 6.6 scare you. Treat her with respect, know your limitations, and grow
with the kite.