Hey y'all - just ordered my gear after hours upon hours of reading this forum and other sites.

Ended up with a Blade III 4.9m (w/ bar - would like to get on handles eventually) and a MBS Pro 16. I'm holding off on the harness for now, as I'm still not altogether sure of how they work, different setups, etc.

I'm going to head up here this coming weekend - if I get my gear by then - and have at! Any advice? (I know the kite is pretty aggressive for a first-timer... I want a kite I can fly in most michigan wind conditions)

Correction, MBS Comp 16... they didn't have the Pro in stock, but they knocked some $ off the Comp to accomodate.

avery,
the comp rocks, I love mine! You'll eventually want to go the harness route for a number of reasons. I like the comfort, stability, and extra endurance it affords. with the harness I don't feel like I'm getting pulled off the board as much. I use the Dakine Fusion. When you get your harness make sure you get a good snug fit. Also, be careful with that 4.9 in gusty winds.......
Good luck,'dave

First of all good luck , i would say start out slowly in the app wind , 4.9 blade definately not above 15mph for the first few times , and dont worry if it scares you a bit , its a good thing and i would say get used to the kite on its own before getting on the board , the board makes it alot easier to get lofted, outta control or fall awkwardly , best of luck , you always have a couple of bad falls while learning but they tend to get less painful the more you persist!!

Definitely don't go out with it if the winds are above 10mph on your first flight.

Learn to fly the kite first before you get on the board.

Practice dropping the bar while flying the kite in a controlled manner.

You are going to get over powered at some point and the usual tendency is to hold on to the bar but if you are still on the ground and things are going badly you want to drop the bar and let the killer do its thing so practice that a couple times so it comes naturally when things go wrong.

Also, when lofted, its often best to not drop the bar as the kite is now your canopy / parachute. Only drop the bar when lofted if you are at a height you feel OK dropping from.

Be mindful of everything down wind of you, be careful and remember... learn the kite first and the board second. Don't go out and strap your board on and launch your kite first time out. You need to gain confidence in your ability to control the kite and understand the wind window so you can board better. I'd look into handles too - far better control for starting out as you can use the brakes as opposed to having to throw the bar. There's nothing wrong with using a bar and they are more comfortable but they aren' t the best, IMO for static flying and the more you fly the kite (static) the better you'll be with it boarding.

whoa - I just noticed the date of this original thread: Oct 2005 :o

doh lmao

whoops