I have experience with a twister 2 3m and have a landboard and I'm ready to move up to a bar. Winds vary a lot I live in southeast texas. Would a twister 2 7.7 be a decent start or should I be looking at twinskin venom/charger they are just so expensive.

Twisters are not happy on bars. Remember when comparing to a twinskin that the Twisters are fixed bridle. Yeah the twinskins are more expensive but they are more versatile, covering a wider wind range and are better able to handle gusts.

I was completely disapointed with my 7.7m Twister on a bar . Liked it on handles but in clean winds. Not a ton of range .

You can probably find a Venom for almost the same price. I would go the Twin Skin route.

Like Angus says. The 2 are completely different kites in almost every way !

I wouldn't recommend flying any fixed bridle on a bar, especially the PL Twister II. I own a few. Yeah, I guess you could experiment with the Ozone Turbo bar, but why bother? Learning on a fixed bridle with handles gives you valuable skills in kite control and flying techniques. Besides, handles offer you, in my opinion, the most control over your kite of any control method.

What I think you should do, is pick up a PL V2 13m or PL Synergy 15m from the used kite market. They can be hard to find, but every once in a while one pops up for sale. In fact, Clintopher is selling his PL Synergy 15m with a bar and lines for $500. I was going to buy it, but had to cancel on him. Just go to the For Sale section and scroll down a little. As far as I know, it's still for sale. Shoot him a U2U.

Cheers,
Seanny

I have tried flying them and I lost the will to live

Viva the big race kites :wee:

are you land locked or plan on hitting the water?

Land locked--Ozone Frenzy, HQ Montana, Flysurfer Outlaw or Pulse, PL Venom/Synergy, Slingshot Rev/Rev 2

Surf and turf--Ozone Instinct, FS Pulse, PL Venom/Synergy, Slingshot Revs,, Flexifoil Ions, North Rebel, Wainman

options/opinions are plenty...............good luck!

Big plus for the FS Pulse II as a first newbie depower but it will grow with you.

If you aren't going to hit the water, you can find an open cell depower kite like the Apex, Montana, Access, etc.

Less money. I'm leaning that way even for some buggy action.

The Access is a good kite. Moderate price. They have more forward pull than lift, but you can still get some decent air. Just make sure you don't face plant it into a fence. They don't like that too much.

Cheers,
Seanny

Quote:

Originally posted by ripsessionkites Big plus for the FS Pulse II as a first newbie depower but it will grow with you.

good call on the Pulse 2 Rip and Access BMK/Seanny..............I forget about the lift factor although the Pulse/Pulse 2 goes large BUT no/little lift if you know what youre doing.............
PTW has a few sweet buggy vids on youtube using his Ozone Access...................try before you buy if at all possible and good luck

Quote:

Originally posted by tridude are you land locked or plan on hitting the water? Land locked--Ozone Frenzy, HQ Montana, Flysurfer Outlaw or Pulse, PL Venom/Synergy, Slingshot Rev/Rev 2 Surf and turf--Ozone Instinct, FS Pulse, PL Venom/Synergy, Slingshot Revs,, Flexifoil Ions, North Rebel, Wainman options/opinions are plenty...............good luck!

Do the Chargers land on this list? Or are they not as good for a beginner as the Venom/synergy?

From what I've heard, Chargers are like a faster, more aggressive version on the Synergy. They are much more unforgiving and search assertively for the zenith. They are not necessarily bad for beginners, but perhaps liked most by more advanced riders that have an aggressive flying style. While the Charger reacts instantly to input, a Synergy is much more calm and gives you a moment to correct yourself if you made a mistake. Just my two cents.

Cheers,
Seanny

I fly a twister (& a blade) on a bar and the trick is to get a long bar! the PL bar that you get with the twister is way too short.

I use a flexifoil traction extreme 70cm and its a sweet set up with the twister 5.6

I like fixed bridles because they are smaller faster more responsive kites.

Most people would use a depower however and the bigger canopy is better for jumps. Ozone Access or Frenzy, any PL twinskin or an inflatable if you are confident you won't bury it into the dirt too often.

You won't get many people on these forums suggesting you use an inflatable kite for landboarding but they are the best tools for floaty jumps.

Try and use a few different kites and see what suits you.

Quote:

Originally posted by lives2fly ... You won't get many people on these forums suggesting you use an inflatable kite for landboarding but they are the best tools for floaty jumps. Try and use a few different kites and see what suits you.

From the folks I've talked to who fly lots of foils, and LEIs, most dont agree with the statement that LEIs give better float on jumps. They will jump better, faster, and possibly higher given the general turning speed, but dont necessarily float better. The way it was explained to me is that the LEI requires constant input to keep the float going (ie: constant redirection), while the big foils (Flysurfer in this instance), floats better just holding the bar in, and not necessarily swinging it around a lot. Some redirection is required, but not as much...

This was stated in a high-wind situation comparing a 10m Psycho4 and a 6m North Rebel 2010. Both were jumping quite high (15-20foot jumps). Nothing wrong with LEIs, just a different flight style. Thats my two-cents. Take it as you will...

I will, however, agree that your best bet is to get out there and try some stuff. See what you like. If you can demo a few kites, you will be much happier with what you get. Not everyone likes the same kites...

I've never tried a flysurfer... would like to though.

I think you are right about LEI's needing a bit more input (more than an Arc anyway). so they are maybe not the thing to start with.

I don't have the skills to get the best from either, but my 12m Cult is lots easier to get a jump with lots of hang time than a depower foil like a montana or a manta. You barely have to try. just load it up, pop and get it back over your head. its great for learning aerial transitions because you have time to sort your board out before you need to think about redirecting and landing.

I'm actually getting somewhere with my jumps on the landboard now i'm using the cult to learn with.

I do cringe every time I deck it though!!! its really tough compared to my older tube kites, though the X3's have had a battering in their time too!

I should say that i'm no expert. just learning things myself really and not getting as much time under the kite as i would like! But sometimes a kite that seems like a bad choice just suits the way you fly and you will go far with it

Quote:

Originally posted by lives2fly ... But sometimes a kite that seems like a bad choice just suits the way you fly and you will go far with it

Therein lies the crux of the matter... You gotta find what you like, and go for it, regardless of what other people tell you...


I'd be happy to let you try one of my flysurfer kites, but there is that whole long distance thing going on... If yer ever in the US.. and in the DC area.. well, drop me a line...

Quote:

Originally posted by Seanny From what I've heard, Chargers are like a faster, more aggressive version on the Synergy. They are much more unforgiving and search assertively for the zenith. They are not necessarily bad for beginners, but perhaps liked most by more advanced riders that have an aggressive flying style. While the Charger reacts instantly to input, a Synergy is much more calm and gives you a moment to correct yourself if you made a mistake. Just my two cents. Cheers, Seanny

Good description. From my experience at least. The 15 Charger would be the size I would go for unless I had real big winds. Even as a begining depower kite. The Synergy is definately more forgiving.

LIE's are great on land. I wouldn't suggest buying a new one as a depower intro but a recent model used would serve you. ( depending on the surface you a crashing on ) Nothing like the threat of popping a tube to teach you to think " kite 1st ".

+1 for the Pulse II. I keep my 7m Pulse because it is such a great intro kite !