Ok I have had my "big boy kite" for about a month now. It is a PL Twister 5.6m and I have flown it (or attempted to fly it) in winds from 5-10 mph. After a few outings I have A few questions:
1. Is it normal that after about 15 minutes my forearms are just shot?
2. Will this go away with more practice or am I just fighting the kite too much?
3. Is it possible to use a harness with this type of kite and would that help with the fatigue?
4. Right now I am flying the kite static. Would it be more or less tiring on a board?
Thanks for the input.

1. yup, flying a fixed bridle kite without harness & strop is a crazy arm workout!
2. A little more arm/grip strength will develop, it will lessen.
3. It sure is! You would want a "strop" which is a line that connects the handles together, transferring the pull of the kite to the harness. I would not recommend a harness for a Fixed Bridle kite unless you are in a buggy or on a ATB, not for standing around (Static) flying. Strops can be very dangerous, as it's much more difficult to get rid of the kite if you get into trouble!
4. It'll be less tiring on a board or buggy!

Welcome and keep flying!

1. yes don't expect to be able to hold it for long without a harness and a means of attaching your control gear to the harness
2. Your forearms/grip will get better - you will have an initial rapid improvement that will buy you an extra 10 - 20 mins flying time. after the first few weeks regular flying, strength gain will be very slow.
3. Yes a harness is a good idea. use a strop with handles or switch to a bar (better safety but less control because you have less options with the brake lines). I found my 5.6 Twister didn't fly that well on the standard Peter Lynn Bar. get a longer one for more leverage + better safety system. Flexifoil traction bar or ozone turbo.
4. It will be way less tiring and way more fun on a board. Why fight the kite to stand still when you can use the kite to move, jump etc? A buggy is an easier intro to traction kiting but less versatile when you get competent.

As a general point from someone who has lots of air miles with the 5.6 Twister, it is much happier in 13-18mph than in 5 - 12mph but you will really struggle if you are not boarding or buggying (i mean you will burn out even quicker)

Ease into the stonger winds though if you are relatively new to kiting

I am big on using a harness as soon as you feel comfortable. It is all about hours of fly time at 1st ( forever ) and using a harness allows you a lot more per session.

The trick is to unhook when you are pushing it and to hook in to rest up / walk back upwind. As you get used to it you will unhook less.

You get plenty warn out riding unhooked as well. You just notice it less because there is so much else to think about.

Yes , you can learn to fly longer unhooked . We have a few who choose to do so but they fly often.

Thanks for the input guys! I try to get out as much as I can but the Summer winds here in MN are just an illusion. I look outside and see trees and flags flying, then I jump in the car and head out only to spend the next half hour running backwards. Then when I least expect it it will gust up to 10 mph. I eventually want to get on the water. I realize that will require a different kite. Maybe I should go for a board to see how that works out.
Any recommendations for a good beginner board for someone who is in the 200-210 lbs range?

I've been flying the twister 5.6 for over a year now and definitely remember how it turned my arms to rubber in no time. It does get easier. I can static fly that kite in 10mph for hours now with my newly acquired Popeye arms. :roll: