Hi

First post here. Never flown a power kite before.
I have a 2hr lesson booked for this weekend to learn the basic's - setup,safety,theory,basic flying skills etc.

I am looking to buy my first kite with intention to get into ATB landboarding and recreational flying, and hope to be able to get some air! I have some questions..

1. I am 6ft 3" and weigh 195lbs. What size kite should I be looking for? I read here:- http://www.windwizards.com/snkikipa.html that because I am over 180lbs I should be looking at a 5m kite to start with.

2. I have read that I can get more control on the kite by using handles rather than a bar, but should I discount a bar setup based that I am wanting to Landboard? Can I swap between handles and bar on each different kite i.e do I only ever need 1 set of handles and 1 bar setup?

3. Fixed Bridle or de-power and why?

4. What is a strop and do I need one?

5. I have been looking at the following kites:

Ozone Flow
Flexifoil Blurr
Flexifoil Blade
Peter Lynn Viper
Peter Lynn Hornet
Peter Lynn Core
HQ Crossfire

Was quite interested in the Blurr, but since then I read that it is primarily a buggying kite? Peter Lynn viper and hornet are a fair bit cheaper. Must say that I am very taken by the Blade 4.9 but don't know if it'll spank me too quickly. What are your thoughts? My max budget is £375 but preferably less!

6. Why is the blade IV more expensive than the newer model? Is it deemed that it a better kite?


Your advice is appreciated - nice to meet you all.

PT1905

I would wait untill your lesson. They will know your local conditions and be able to tell you which kites will suit your needs best. Theres no sence in buying a trainer if you do well in the lesson and are ready to handle more kite.
Most likely you will want a depower. They have a bigger wind range, are smoother flying in variable winds and are already set up with safety systems. You will spend more then a fixed bridal as you will need a harness also. But one depower will get you out in more conditions then one fixed bridal.

Yup, agree with Snob. You will have most of your questions above answered in your lesson. Depower would be the best all round for land boarding but is much more expensive. For a second choice, look at the Peter Lynn Twister II, Crossfire II or the HQ Scout. These three kites work very well with control bar setups. The others you mentioned will work best with handles but all can be converted to a control bar if needed with a little sacrifice in performance and control.

For fixed bridle:
4-5 meter would be a good choice for landboarding but before you run out and purchase, check with your local riders and your lesson instructors to see what their most used size is and go from there. You may find that a 4 or 5 might be a bit small or you may find that a 4 or 5 is way to large to start with and might be better off with a 2 or 3. It all depends on your local conditions and your instructor should be familiar with those.

For Depower:
9 to 12 meter will probably be recommended to you - once again depending on your local conditions and terrain.

Let us know how your lessons go.

Quote:

Originally posted by awindofchange look at the Peter Lynn Twister II, Crossfire II or the HQ Scout. These three kites work very well with control bar setups.

I think the crossfire is recomended to be just used with handles, and no bar. Here is a quote from Dino's website:

Note: crossfire II is not recommend for use with a bar unless you know how to properly tune the kite on a bar.

I have that on there because the low lift setting on the crossfire requires some brake input to keep it from overflying the wind window and turning into a taco. If adjusted correctly it could be done, but i really wouldn't recommend it .. just stick with handles on the CF II

All good advice, especially the bits about waiting until after your lesson. Welcome to the forum!

2: Handles give brake control on a fixed bridle kite. You can use a FB bar but will trade off some control but you can trade back and forth. Depower is only a bar.
3: the lesson will give you a better feel for this. Personally I feel jumping is better + safer with a depower kite
4: a strop is simply a rope between the tops of your handles. You use it to hook in to the harness. NO you don't need it at 1st but it is great to get used to one.
5: all the kites you list are fixed bridle. I bet your instructor will convince you depower is better.

A part of your decision will be if you want to use an LEI or not. They match up great with a mountain board but beginers crash a lot so a new one is a bad idea.

Quote:

Originally posted by DAKITEZ I have that on there because the low lift setting on the crossfire requires some brake input to keep it from overflying the wind window and turning into a taco. If adjusted correctly it could be done, but i really wouldn't recommend it .. just stick with handles on the CF II

It's funny, if you ask HQ, they will say not to put the CF on a bar. Then when you point to the Velcro strap on the outside of the bag that is clearly designed for holding a bar, they will say "...Ummm...errr...welll...yeah..." and admit that it can be done if you know what you are doing with brake tension. They just did not want novices to be frustrated and think there is something wrong with the kite if it did not fly well when mis-adjusted. end of sidejack

Yes, PT1905, get your advice at the lesson; that is much df what you are paying for, then come back and ask more questions with a fresh perspective. Good luck, have fun and be safe!

Thanks for your reply's.

I will do my lesson first (which is supposed to be tommorrow, but heavy rain and strong gales are forecast! - waiting to hear if its still going ahead). Once i've had the lesson I will be in touch to let you know how it went.

C ya

PT1905

Quote:

Originally posted by PT1905 Thanks for your reply's. I will do my lesson first (which is supposed to be tommorrow, but heavy rain and strong gales are forecast! - waiting to hear if its still going ahead). Once i've had the lesson I will be in touch to let you know how it went. C ya Best wishes ! Please do get back to us . You are going about this right and sure to have a great time. Patience is an important tool in this sport. PT1905

Unfortunately my lesson was cancelled and it may be a couple of weeks now untill there is a free slot.

I want to try and get the most out of this session and I figured having a list of questions written down to ask the instructor would help things .. What are the most important questions that I should ask other than the ones posted here?

PT1905

If you have a couple of weeks then definitely go buy the Progression or Real beginner DVD's. Watching them should help you get the most out of your lesson and you can write down a whole list of questions while you watch for anything that doesn't make sense.

Ok thanks, good advice.

DVD ordered...

PT1905

Ask for an IKO ( or pasa) card to track your progress. Without proof of previous lessons the instructor may have to start from square one.

I found the best method of teaching was with a jet ski assist. Comfort knowing the instructor is there + they can yell at you in real time. The instructor gets a better feel for your mistakes when up close as well , I think.