Forgive captain obvious but, I have a Tensor 5.0 and my body weight proportionate (270lbs) and tall. I can't seem to "Jump" with the kite with ease (maybe 1'-2'). I only fly in 5-15 mph winds without chaos ensuing. Any wind above simulates wrestling with a freight train. Question: am I using the wrong size kite to jump with"?

Given your weight, you are using the wrong size kite for the wind conditions you list. AT 15+ when its starting to feel like wrestling, is when you want to start jumping but I'm not familiar with the Tensor and my guess is it has a low aspect ratio and is not designed for lift and therefore will not provide lifty / floaty jumps.

You need at least a 5m kite for soft landings. Either more wind is needed or perfect timing with your technique. My guess is probably more wind since you are bigger dude. But it's hard to say. I've never used a tensor, but there are kites out there specific for getting good lift.

I seem to remember, from the "how to jump" video, something along the lines of ... "then run like a mad dog in the other direction" there's the catch - it's hard work. Big wind, send it hard, run like a nutter and WHOOP!

But better to use a big depower in lighter winds and save your ankles. Seriously.

Yeah kamikuza! De-power kites are the easiest to jump with

you just have alot to learn it seems. and need more kite, more wind or more skill.

I am also not familiar with the Tensor. I think it is a NON lifty intro kite? So not the best kite for what you want to do.
Is it the one that the handles can be used as a bar ? Are you setting it up on a bar or handles?

You need flying skills to jump. You need to have control of the kite in that 15mph + wind and NOT be wrestling it before you even try to jump. Become one with your kite. That will be harder with a 5m than the recommended 3m trainer.

Learn how to properly set up + redirect to complete a jump safely.

It sounds like you have made the classic mistake of going straight to a bargain priced 5m kite skipping the all important learning stages. Now you wrestle with your kite and are not it's master. I suggest you start all over with a 3m kite . Learn to fly blind. Then start trying to fly a larger kite . Then you can jump.

When I started flying I was about 240 lbs. My first kite was the recommended 3m Beamer. I learned alot from it. My second real kite was an HQ crossfire 5m. As I got better at flying I could jump with it, but my real jumping started when I borrowed and then later bought a 6.5m Flexifoil Blade. It made jumping much easier and the experience I gained from it enabled me to jump with the 5m Crossfire much better. The Crossfire was "on" in about 17-19 mph for me and the Blade jumped easily starting at about 12 mph. So the combo for jumping is as stated already.............. Skills, proper size kite with lift in the design, technique, and enough wind for your body size and the kite you are using.

It's hard to judge windspeed, turbulence, your position in your field with respect to wind direction,,,lalala when you are new that it is sometimes overwhelming. Add a larger kite with strong, gusty wind and it can make for a bad experience, my suggestion would be to only attempt to fly when the gusts are 15mph or so, and you have to get good at judging this. Be very aware/observant of your surroundings. Get a "windicator" of some sort that you use every time you set up, and get to know it well. can be as simple as a piece of ribbon on a fish pole, take notes if you have to as to how your kite flew in say 1/4 ribbon, 1/2 ribbon, etc. until you can tell by the wind on your face how your kite will fly, get cozy with acambell's tutorials on kiting/buggying at his website, and like BR said, become the master of your kite, not the other way around. Welcome to the wind addiction, and fly safe! ps: be forgiving of old windbags with too much advice and too little wind to fly in! lol

lol babalooie you are right, I can tell there isn't much wind this week because the messege board is alive

I got wind gusting to 45+ right now, but rain, and gotta be at work at 3pm and don't care to see what my femur looks like today, thank you!:Ange09:crazy, stupid wind. speaking of stupid wind, anyone heard from Drewculous lately?

Nah, I suspect he's busy with the new wife.

It's howling outside... literally.

Large branches in perpetual sway. Good tumbleweed weather.

Good winds, but not particularly great flying, as it's very gusty and swirly.

Ooooohhh.... think I just saw a cow and a very small dog fly by the window. :wee:

ATB,
Sam

He just bought a house too! Double jeopardy for kite flying. It's funny, I printed an address label yesterday and his address was the last one in there from me shipping him my buggy.

The Tensor is not a very lifty kite. It has excellent power through the center of the window but the very low aspect ratio sail design does not produce a lot of pull towards the edge of the window. It is however a fantastic kite to learn with and is super stable. It works well with a buggy or a board and should be great for a snowboard but I would not recommend it for jumping. Doesn't matter on the size, even the 5m does not produce a substantial amount of lift. It will however yank your arms out of their sockets downwind.