Power Kite Forum

Looking for newbie setup advice!!

clarkkami - 4-3-2009 at 11:32 PM

I have tried to wade through the enormous amounts of information about power kites and my head is swimming.

If you have the time or can direct me to the information someone else has already provided I would be so grateful.

I am only 4' 11" and I weigh 110 lbs, I am a total newb and have no idea if my size plays into what kite to get.

I was so excited to find this sport when I moved to this Flat, Windy state ( ND), but I am terrified of buying the wrong stuff or getting too nice of stuff and then trashing it because I have no idea what I am doing.

Lets face it this sport can get pricey so any helpthat can help me avoid wasted dollars is appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your patience.

flexiblade - 5-3-2009 at 08:46 AM

Welcome to the forum - For your weight (height isn't really a factor) I would suggest a Pansh Legend 2m - normally a 3m is suggested for beginners, but mostly because of your weight I would go with the 2m - you can pick one up for just a little over $100 - It's a good kite to learn on and beat up - so you won't have to worry about destroying "my precious" kite. After time you will move up to other sizes - I guy I ride with down at Ocean Beach in Frisco weighs about 130lbs soaking wet - which is a real advantage - he doesn't need giant kites to get the power he needs - and if you've been doing research on kite prices you must have realized by now that the bigger that you go the more expensive they become. So your weight is not a setback, if anything it will save you a huge amount of money in the long run. Have a good one.

harddrive8 - 5-3-2009 at 09:54 AM

As I read your post, I was thinking 2m as well. Average wind speeds for your area would play a bit into it as well. The down side of small kites are that they travel faster around the sky. You'll need to be a little quicker with the reflexes, but it's still probably the best size for you.

The Pansh Legend is a pretty good kite that won't break the bank for your first kite, but most of the Pansh kites don't come with any instructions to guide you.

HQ makes a kite called a Beamer that also handles very well for beginners. It comes with strips with numbers on the lines to help you connect everything correctly between handles and kite.

A couple differences in accessories...
HQ also provides a ground stake with the Beamers so that when you get tired of flying you can park the kite on the ground and unhook from it. Pansh doesn't provide ground stakes with their kites, but there are plenty of kiters that use a flat head screw driver to serve this purpose as well, so this may not be a big deal to you.
Kite killers will be something you want to make sure to have as well. These act sort of like an emergency brake in case you or the kite are getting into a bad situation. They connect on the brake lines at the handle to allow you to just let go, and the kite will be brought to the ground very quickly. It also takes all the power out of the kite, so if for any reason you need to let go because of being overpowered, it will solve that problem as well. Once again, HQ provides kite killers as a standard accessory with their Beamers; Pansh doesn't.

Also, I would like to commend you for wanting to start small and work up. So many people come wanting to get something too much for their skill level from the word go. If you have any questions, feel free to post on the forum. There are plenty of knowledgable people that are more than willing to help you in your quest.

f0rgiv3n - 5-3-2009 at 10:00 AM

I agree with Flexi, your weight will DEFINITELY play a role here. When i'm flying my Ace in winds that won't lift me at all I hand it to my Brother who is like 140lb's and I'm 180lb it's amazing the difference in 40lb's!!! He's gettin lifted off the ground just letting it sit there. So just make sure you don't compare your kites you use in certain winds to others who weigh more ;). I like the legend, and the beamer. Both are great kites!

harddrive8 - 5-3-2009 at 10:06 AM

Yes. Don't get me wrong in my post. I still fly my legend every chance I get, but the Beamers get flown just as much as the legend. If you choose the Beamer, you'll pay a little more but get more accessories that will be useful for a first kite. No matter the kite that you choose, I recommend getting kite killers either with the kite or in addition to the kite. I still utilize them just about every time I fly, just in case. :D

clarkkami - 5-3-2009 at 12:32 PM

Thanks so much for the advice on the kites. No one here has even heard of power kiting so I am a little lost.

What all do I need in gear to get started. I really want to get a buggy, but i figure I need to learn to control the kite first.

You all have reccomended either the pansh legend or the hq beamer in a 2m along with kite killers. I have seen so many things from handles to harnesses, 2 or 4 line, I am not sure what I really need to have, and what is preference or extras. Also does what you are riding ( snowboard, land board, or buggy etc..) make a difference in what size and kind of kite you use, or is it based on weight and experience level.

Can anyone recommend a good instrucional dvd, I have tried to find someone to teach me, but so far no luck.

You guys are dolls thanks for the help.

indigo_wolf - 5-3-2009 at 03:48 PM

Can't ever go wrong with Angus's Power Kiting tutorials:
http://www.coastalwindsports.com/TutorialMenu.Html

AKA Buggy Safety Guidelines (mostly common sense, but sometimes common sense goes out the window when you are listening to that little voice hovering over your left shoulder :rolleyes: :)
http://www.aka.kite.org/data/download/pdf/SafetyForBuggyPilo...

Progression Beginner - Landboarding DVD by FatSands
Mostly geared towards landboarding, but useful information for starting out too. Better feedback (there was a thread about this earlier this week) after I get a chance to view it a couple of times... hopefully in the next couple of days. US distributor is SideOff Video (http://www.sideoff.com/videos/inst_kite/pgb_landboarding.htm...), but several online stores carry it.

Powerkite How-To DVD by PowerKiteShop.com
(http://www.powerkiteshop.com/accessories/videodvdpowerkiting...)
Covers general power kiting, landboarding, buggying, etc. Haven't been able to find it in the US yet, but every review I have read has been favorable, so it still tempts me.

Tag all the fine folks on the forum, they're great.

There is a thread from a week or two ago titled "How snug?", which was me trying to forage around for a properly sized helmet. Keep yourself intact, buy a helmet early (and often if you are going to color coordinate ;) ). Knee and elbow pads wouldn't hurt either. I fear I no longer bounce as well as I used to :sniff:

All the best,
Sam

clarkkami - 5-3-2009 at 03:51 PM

Thanks Sam. I sure appreciate you taking the time to help me out.

flexiblade - 5-3-2009 at 08:38 PM

The Pansh Legend and the Beamer's are four line kites - which is exactly what you want to begin with - a 2 liner is a step back, all power kites are going to be 4 lines.

In regard to your post about the intended activity (snowboard, land board, or buggy etc..) needing different equipment. Yes - to a degree. Here's a general breakdown of the regiment you should be thinking about in the coming months.

1st - get a kite

2nd - fly the kite till you can do it with your eyes closed. literally - the most dangerous thing in power kiting is not knowing what to do when something goes wrong, it has to be an instinctual quick reaction, and something WILL go wrong - Murphy's Law.

3rd - decide which way you want to use this new found power.

Land boarding - similar to skate boarding but with a more stable gravity in that something is pulling on you. This can be treacherous in that if your balance is lacking slightly in the first place your butt and hips are going to be black and blue after your first session.

Buggying - a quick transition into kiting power useability. Does not require excellent balance but does require space and surface in which to properly use. Parking lots are a bad idea - too hard and grating to really learn on and become confident - you will need to crash a few times to get over some of the fears that come with kiting, like I'm going to die if I do that again. Grass fields (low cut soccer fields are the best), beaches (where available), dry lakes (again, where available - something to work up to but not to start out on).

Skiing/Snowboarding - If your environment allows you access to these you should first learn how they are done without a kite - after wards it will be a very easy transition to the kite. Frozen lakes are the preferred areas due to the cleaner winds that prevail on them (problem is if you get air born it hurts to come down on ice, even if there is a layer of snow on it).

*All of these can be done with fixed bridle (don't adjust as you fly them) ram air kites (have large open vents in the front) on handles (preferred over bars for fixed bridle kites). But - big but here - all of these activities can be done with depower kites (kite wing changes angle) - my personal bias is using depowers. I have flown lots of fixed bridle kites and a good number of depower kites - in the end I feel depower is safer, easier (once you get used to them), and more versatile (better wind ranges (what winds the kite can fly in safely)= fewer kites = less money spent).

So - get yourself a kite - bash the crap out of it - then come back and tell us how it went and then start learning and getting better at this crazy sport. Oh and getting a helmet is a really good investment along with pads and gloves (preferably the carpentry gloves - they fit great and look cool, and keep your hands from getting destroyed).

johnnylaing - 5-3-2009 at 10:49 PM

Great advice !!! I don't know much about ND...are there kiters on ice anywhere?? That may be a way to hang with other kiters...Here's a crazy idea...You may want to fly down to JIBE in May...you will certianly be hooked by then. We'll have a bug you can ride, just bring a kite or fly one of the demos.

JIBE info...

http://www.coastalwindsports.com/JIBE2009.html

clarkkami - 6-3-2009 at 07:43 AM

flexiblade- Thanks so much, that helped me to sift through most of the info and concentrate on the kite part. Can you help me understand more about fixed bridle and depower kites? We have really really steady wind here. Does that make a difference?

johnnylaing- There absolutley has to be. I found a group of kiter here but they aren't flying power kites. Their webite tag line in -North Dakota: No Mountains, No Trees, Just One Big Kite Flying Field. ...that pretty much sums it up.
I am going to drop them a line, and see if they know anyone. There used to be a scool here that taught power kiting, but I contacted them and they moved to South Dakota...grrrr. Guess I am going to learn by trial and error.

Coming to JIBE in May sounds fun, but I think it's the same time as my backpacking trip in Utah. I will mark the dates in case though. Thanks.

I am so blown away with how friendly and helpful people here are. No one has made me feel lke an uninformed idiot once. :D So thanks again.

BeamerBob - 6-3-2009 at 08:00 AM

We're all uninformed idiots on some aspect of kiting. There aren't many members here who think they have already learned it all so in some aspects we are just like you are but on a smaller scale. I'm just getting into the depower stuff and I ask lots of questions several times it seems. You might hear new information a few times before you are ready to understand that level. Get comfortable with your first kite before worrying yourself with depower. You are blessed with lots of clean wind it seems and flat ground to play on so take it one step at a time and fly alot.

mgatc - 6-3-2009 at 08:17 AM

Jackin the topic for a second....
how come i never got this much help when i asked??? :shocked2:
lol

welcome to the forum... this is all excellent advice that i followed and it got my kiting quickly and safley
ENJOY!
MKB

flexiblade - 6-3-2009 at 08:36 AM

Depowers essentially work like this -

If you stick your hand out of a car window doing 60mph with your palm being respectively parallel to the ground - your hand will be pushed around a bit but will neither go up or down. If you move the edge of your hand being hit by the wind upwards your hand will go up with some force - this is a similar concept to depower. The kite can change its Angle of Attack - like the angle of your hand - and thus can give more power when the rider wants it, fixed bridles on the other hand cannot change their AoA and therefore are subject solely to whatever winds are available at that given moment, gusty winds are very dangerous with fixed bridle kites. Depowers primarily use bars instead of handles - go onto you tube and watch as many kiting videos as possible. 99% of the time you see someone flying with a bar (mostly landboarders, some buggyers, and all kitesurfers) they are flying a depower kites. If the wind in your area is clean - consistent, even push without lulling - than you will not necessarily need a depower kite.

Here's a link to get you started - this is Lewis Wilby, one of the sickest land board riders - in the vid he's using both fixed bridle (2 handles) and depower (bar) kites.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkC-NuVwT0k

Bar setup.jpg - 68kB

clarkkami - 6-3-2009 at 08:42 AM

Sweetness! Thanks, that cleared it up a bunch. Now I just have to find a great deal on a kite.

clarkkami - 6-3-2009 at 08:47 AM

Flexiblade or anyone else,-based on previous comments, the pansh legend and the hq beamer are the ones I am trying to decide between. I don't want to spend a fortune on my first kite which will probably get trashed, but I don't want to get one that will discourage me either. Any thoughts?

kiteNH - 6-3-2009 at 11:01 AM

http://www.windpowersports.us/index.htm

This could be your local kite shop here. I know ND is a big place and don't know how close you are to Grand Forks. I would absolutely recommend hitting up your local kite shop rather than mail order if you can. They'll be a huge resource and may even have some small kites for you to demo. And they sell HQ so they'll be able to offer you the Beamer for a great first kite.

Also, I know you mentioned buggying, but Eric the guy who runs snowkiting.com lives in ND as well. I think that there is a pretty good snowkiting scene up there in ND so there must be kiters out somewhere near you.

clarkkami - 6-3-2009 at 11:04 AM

kiteNH - I contacted the link above a few days ago, but thay have relocated to South Dakota. :( Good to know about the snowkiting.com though. I will persue that lead. Thanks

BeamerBob - 6-3-2009 at 11:14 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by clarkkami
Flexiblade or anyone else,-based on previous comments, the pansh legend and the hq beamer are the ones I am trying to decide between. I don't want to spend a fortune on my first kite which will probably get trashed, but I don't want to get one that will discourage me either. Any thoughts?


I've never heard anyone regret buying the Beamer. If money is a major issue, I've heard similar good things about the legend but remember you will need to pick up incidentals like the kite killers, stake, and maybe replace your lines and handles after much use. You won't have any of these issues with the Beamer unless you rake it through some barbed wire or sharp rocks.

clarkkami - 6-3-2009 at 11:18 AM

Thanks. I have pretty much made up my mind on the beamer after watching videos about kite killers. It ends up being the same price with the extras for the legend, and easier to use.

soccerflyer - 6-3-2009 at 11:51 AM

Welcome to the forum!! This is the place I have learned what little I know. I am in a similar situation. I live in the middle of Kansas and there is no one who kites around me. I have been searching hard for some fellow kiters for a year. I just discovered and got into it a year ago and got my first kite. I got a Pansh Blaze 3M. It has been a great first kite. I have learned a lot about how to fly that I can apply when I get my next kite. I just ordered a Pansh Ace 5M. I like the Pansh brand cause they are cheap. I know you get what you pay for - but for me it is either cheap kite or no kite. And so far I don't have any complaints.

I would really advice you to go with the Legend. Like you said you don't wanna drop a load on your first kite till you figure out where you wanna go with this sport. However the Beamer would probably get better reviews from experienced kiters. First kite is a hard decision to make. But what you have to come to the realization is that if you are going to get into this sport you will most likely end up with at least 3 kites- for different winds and purposes.

There are a lot of directions to go. There is a TON of info to absorb so get ready for info overload ( as you are probably currently experiencing ).

Feel free to ask lots of questions. That is what this forum is for!!!

clarkkami - 6-3-2009 at 05:45 PM

I got a screaming deal on a Beamer, so I couldn't pass it up. It looked easier to use than the legend and it comes with the kite killers, which I have been told are a must. I am sooo excited. Thanks a bundle!

WolfWolfee - 6-3-2009 at 05:52 PM

congrats and welcome to the forum.

harddrive8 - 6-3-2009 at 05:59 PM

You'll enjoy a Beamer. Like BeamerBob said, there is rarely a complaint about a Beamer. Keep us updated on your progress and feel free to ask any questions that may arise.

Sandman - 6-3-2009 at 06:14 PM

I have a complaint about the beamers. I dont own enough of them !! :roll:



Congrats on the new ride and welcome to the forum. If you have any questions just ask and ye shall receive.

The only thing better than reading all of the stuff on the net, is getting together with others that share this habit (addiction).


You can never learn to much.

johnnylaing - 6-3-2009 at 10:12 PM

? for flexi...my friend just got a scout with a bar...but it's not a depower, I don't think. What gives??? The saftey didn't work either...you know what a finger looks like when the bungee saftey line snaps into it? My index finger is bigger than my thumb.

bigben91682 - 7-3-2009 at 06:30 AM

I started with a beamer as well (based on the advice of the helpful folks here) and is the perfect kite to start on. Practice using the kite killers so it's second in an emergency, but if you have clean wind like you say your leaning experience should be nice and smooth.

flexiblade - 7-3-2009 at 10:16 AM

Hijack - johnnylaing - what I could find was that the scouts are not depowers, they just come with a bar instead of handles. Your friend should set it up on handles asap - the bar is a rather uncomfortable setup for fixed bridles. Hijack ended

clarkkami - good to hear you've made the jump by getting your first kite. The beamer will treat you well. If you don't get horribly mangled within the next couple of days after getting it post another topic on your progress. Curious, what are the average wind speeds for the area you will be flying? Look to msn weather to get a wind speeds.

Sthrasher38 - 7-3-2009 at 11:40 AM

Welcome to the forum. What size Beamer? How much wind are you flying in? Are you flying alone? Is this your first time kiting? I'm trying to remember my first time out. I sure could have used a kite stake or water bottles. If this is your first time out, some things got over looked A bit.(New pretty face)An all.:embarrased: Wind conditions and saftey should have been spoken as much as which kite. Com on Guy's hook it up! I still have alot to learn so I will let the big doggs fix ya up. Just be carefull if the wind is strong Have fun.:borg:

clarkkami - 7-3-2009 at 12:32 PM

Thanks everyone again for the welcome.

Flexiblade- thank you ever so much for the horribly mangled comment! You couldn't have made that comment prior to my ordering the kite? :P I will post as soon as I give it a try. Looks like the average wind speed for Williston is between 10 and 12 mph. Its pretty steady.

Sthrasher38 - I purchased a 2m beamer as per above suggestions for my weight. I haven't found anyone around here to fly with yet. Yes this is my first time kiting, I will have a helmet before I go out. My beamer comes with a stake, I have weights, and I never go anywhere without my camelbak, sunglasses, and chapstick. It is freezing here so I will have lots of layers on. I am not sure what a safe wind is to fly in. We don't get much wind flucuation. I don't have any great gloves yet, but I do have my leather weightlifting gloves which I think will suffice for now.

Anything else I should know? Thanks!

flexiblade - 7-3-2009 at 01:48 PM

perfect - the wind speeds will be great for you to get some skills with without becomeing "sketchy". Have fun!

- Horribly mangled is a way of keeping you humble. Some of the new kiters see a video of someone doing some big jumps on their kite and instantly says"WOW, I want to do that!", goes and gets themselves too big a kite and ends up "horribly mangled". You sound very sensible and patient - these things will serve you well. That first taste of power from your kite will have you wanting more though - slow and steady - have a good one.

- Oh and to be a hipocrite I'm going out tomorrow in 30mph+ winds with a 10m kite. Once you get that thrill you want to match it and then surpass it - it takes time but you will get to a level you never dreamed of down the line as long as your patient and careful.

clarkkami - 7-3-2009 at 03:46 PM

Sounds fun, and scary at the same time. I don't know that I am sensible as much as I am trying not to die by kite. This is not that well know of a sport, and I don't want my obit to read - killed flying a kite. :) I love the feeling of falling, but the hitting the ground part is the part that keeps me patient and sensible. That said- I haven't yet felt that kite in the air so all this may be drivel soon.

geojones - 9-3-2009 at 08:14 AM

hello and welcome to the forum!! i'm sure you will be very happy with your beamer--that was my first kite as well......one thing you will notice in the coming days,weeks,and months is that power kiting is extremely ADDICTIVE!!after awhile you'll probably buy more kites for different wind conditions and other activities ie. jumping-scudding-buggying etc etc....... i just know youre going to LOVE this sport!! i have to say its the most fun ive ever had!!:wee:so good luck to you,and one small bit of advice.....if you feel like the kite is going to overpower you,let go of the handles! with kite killers on,the kite and bystanders will be safe and you will be too....it seems like a simple thing to do,yet some people still dont do it.....:shocked2:

clarkkami - 9-3-2009 at 10:46 AM

Geojones - thanks for the welcome. I think I will be good with the letting go part. A broken bone cost way more than a new kite :)