Hi everyone, been reading the forum for the past few days pretty much back to front and decided it was about time I joined up!

I'm assuming I'm the only member on here from Northern Ireland? It hasn't escaped me that most on here are based across the pond!

But anyway, I'm just making a return to kiting after about 3 years being kiteless :D should hopefully be picking up a 3.6m HQ Beamer today, a bit smaller than I would like but sure it'll keep me going to funds allow something a bit better and it will give me a chance to get the feel for it all again! I'm really into the whole jumping/scudding thing so you'll probably see me frequenting that section of the forum quite a bit, as well as the mountain boarding section once I get round to getting another one lol. And before you all start crying out about the Beamer being too small for jumping, I do know the risks involved and I do have the experience not to break my legs on my first outing hehe :P

Cheers guys
Lewis

Welcome to the forum, Lewis

I don't think there are any guys from NI on PKF. There are a few kiters there though ! A couple from Belfast, but I couldn't tell you their names sadly Check out Kitecrowd too, that's a more UK based forum.

As for your beamer, like you mention it is small for jumping (most people say 5m+ FBs for jumping as a minimum). But more importantly it's a specific low lift kite. You can get lift in any kite, but it will be pretty difficult with your beamer. It's a nice kite for sure, and will help you a lot with kite control, but not much about lift I'm afraid.

Look at kites like Blades / PL twisters / the new Voltage if you want a Fixed bridle for jumping. Orrrrr, as you want to progress into landboarding save up a bit and get a depower :D

Take care
Tim

What kind's of kites have you flown before ?

Thanks for the welcome

I'll check out kitecrowd and see what's happening on there, I've looked at a few different forums tbh but this is the only one I've liked the feel of so far!

Yeah I know it's not really ideal but my thinking is I used to have loads of fun in high winds jumping on my old radsail 3m so this shouldn't hopefully be too bad for it in high winds, though don't worry I won't be chucking myself straight in the deep end to start with as it has been a few years so I'll be a little rusty.

I've been eyeing up a lot of the 6m FB's as a next to get kite which hopefully should only be a month or so away, liking the sound of a Blade though

With regards to depowers I've only ever had a couple of goes on friends but I never got on with using a bar for some reason, but its something I make take a lesson in as I do want to progress onto surfing fairly soon!

I've flown more kites than I can remember tbh lol, everything from 2m bullet's to 5m Beamer and 9m mosquito and a hell of a lot in between... All have been FB though with as I say only a quick dabble into depower, used to use FB on the mtb all the time though so I'm not too bothered about getting a depower for a board just yet.

Cheers
Lewis

Hiya Lewis!!..welcome, glad youve got your mind right and are back kiting..you know how much youve missed it... an absolute void there in your life,right?.. Try not to stray again and dont let these dp guys push you around, i bet you and any fb get along real nicely. Keep us posted on the fun if you get to NY come find me!

Yeah, there are quite a few kite forums. this one and KC are my favourites, and the only ones I'm active in.
One of the members on KC is selling a set of blade mk4s. He's a good guy, and looks after his kites! If you're interested let me know and I can get his email address for you or something, unless you join KC soon I'd have them if I had the cash..
http://forum.kitecrowd.com/sale/blade-iv-full-set-210906.htm...

Ahh, okay. I don't reckon it will take you long to remember how it's done :D

Tim

Cheers abkayak you are certainly right, well for the past few years I've had too much going on in my life to be even thinking about kites but a few days ago it just wandered into my mind and it was almost an epiphany like situation where I instantly though "I HAVE to get another one right now" lol. If I ever do hit up NY ill be sure to let you know pal, though don't expect it to be for the next decade or so haha.

Elfasa, had a quick look and it seems like a decent forum.. Only thing I don't like is having to pay to post, but sure it's only a pound so may just cough up lol.

They seem a decent price for sure but unfortunately still a bit out of budget for me at the moment, if they're still there in a few weeks or so though then I may snap up the 6.5 off him, absolutely love the Rasta scheme too lol, not impartial to that side of life myself either hehe

Yeah I'm certainly hoping it won't buddy, just have to resist the temptation to take it out in winds too strong until I'm familiar with the kite lol.

Cheers
Lewis

Welcome Lewis. This is a really good forum! its really active and there is a great range of styles and experience represented. particularly for foil flyers.

Kitecrowd is good too for sure though its less active and more sarcastic

I would definately recommend the Blade if you want to get into static jumping - They pull UP from the moment you launch them :D

Quote: Originally posted by Lewisc39

Elfasa, had a quick look and it seems like a decent forum.. Only thing I don't like is having to pay to post, but sure it's only a pound so may just cough up lol. They seem a decent price for sure but unfortunately still a bit out of budget for me at the moment, if they're still there in a few weeks or so though then I may snap up the 6.5 off him, absolutely love the Rasta scheme too lol, not impartial to that side of life myself either hehe Yeah I'm certainly hoping it won't buddy, just have to resist the temptation to take it out in winds too strong until I'm familiar with the kite lol. Cheers Lewis

It's £1 ! :P :D The pound is just a one off payment. It stops spammers joining the forum. And it works, in all the time I've been on KC I have never seen a spam message. (I joined before you had to pay, I would happily pay though). On this forum you get several spam posts per week, it can get a bit annoying. (Although don't get me wrong, I really like PKF, the spam is an issue, and most regulars recognise that).
And I'm not sure KC is THAT much less active than here.. A forum is only as active as it's members. If you join and start posting it will be more active!

Ah yeah, that's cool. The 6.5 is probably the most versatile out of the lot I'd say..

Give it a few sessions and you'll soon be hitting it up in higher winds :D

Tim

Thanks lives2fly from what I've read on here (which is a LOT lol) this is one of the best forums I've used so far, and I use quite a few motorbike and programming forums but this place seems to be a notch above the rest in terms of quality of users

Tim how do you use quotes like that on this forum? Don't know if it makes a difference that I'm viewing on an iPad but I can't see any option for it? (That's really embarrassing to ask seeing as I'm qualified in computer programming hahah).

Yeah I can see the theory behind charging that pound, spammers can be fairly annoying and in some cases even ruin a forum... Also keeps away the one hit wonder posters to which tend to clog up the forum archives, so I'm all for it seeing as it appears to be a good quid spent.

I've had a go on my uncles 6.5 blade years ago when I was about 13 and that thing scared me something silly at the time, was a bit much to handle when you're only a wee snapper lol. I think I'd get along with one just fine now though, in fact i reckon it would fit me like a glove for what I want... Beamer will have to do for now though as its already breaking the bank at £50 lol, can you tell it's not quite payday?! :P

Cheers
Lewis

Quote: Originally posted by Lewisc39

Tim how do you use quotes like that on this forum? Don't know if it makes a difference that I'm viewing on an iPad but I can't see any option for it? (That's really embarrassing to ask seeing as I'm qualified in computer programming hahah). Yeah I can see the theory behind charging that pound, spammers can be fairly annoying and in some cases even ruin a forum... Also keeps away the one hit wonder posters to which tend to clog up the forum archives, so I'm all for it seeing as it appears to be a good quid spent. I've had a go on my uncles 6.5 blade years ago when I was about 13 and that thing scared me something silly at the time, was a bit much to handle when you're only a wee snapper lol. I think I'd get along with one just fine now though, in fact i reckon it would fit me like a glove for what I want... Beamer will have to do for now though as its already breaking the bank at £50 lol, can you tell it's not quite payday?! :P Cheers Lewis

Click the little pic of a person with a green '+' right next to it. On the top right had of the post you want to quote. I'm not 100% sure, but think it's there on the iPad !

Haha, yeah. Kiting isn't the cheapest of past times!
Tim

Welcome back to the fold Lewis! Glad you've re-joined the kite community!

Quote: Originally posted by elfasa

Quote: Originally posted by Lewisc39   Elfasa, had a quick look and it seems like a decent forum.. Only thing I don't like is having to pay to post, but sure it's only a pound so may just cough up lol. They seem a decent price for sure but unfortunately still a bit out of budget for me at the moment, if they're still there in a few weeks or so though then I may snap up the 6.5 off him, absolutely love the Rasta scheme too lol, not impartial to that side of life myself either hehe Yeah I'm certainly hoping it won't buddy, just have to resist the temptation to take it out in winds too strong until I'm familiar with the kite lol. Cheers Lewis It's £1 ! :P :D The pound is just a one off payment. It stops spammers joining the forum. And it works, in all the time I've been on KC I have never seen a spam message. (I joined before you had to pay, I would happily pay though). On this forum you get several spam posts per week, it can get a bit annoying. (Although don't get me wrong, I really like PKF, the spam is an issue, and most regulars recognise that). And I'm not sure KC is THAT much less active than here.. A forum is only as active as it's members. If you join and start posting it will be more active! Ah yeah, that's cool. The 6.5 is probably the most versatile out of the lot I'd say.. Give it a few sessions and you'll soon be hitting it up in higher winds :D Tim

Unfortunately, Tim I got an email fr KC just recently informing me that my "subscriptio"n was about to run out, and I would have to pay another £1... I didn't feel it was benefitting me as much as PKF, so I just deleted the email and haven't been back. Some guys might like it, but I just found it didn't seem worth it to me.

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

Unfortunately, Tim I got an email fr KC just recently informing me that my "subscriptio"n was about to run out, and I would have to pay another £1... I didn't feel it was benefitting me as much as PKF, so I just deleted the email and haven't been back. Some guys might like it, but I just found it didn't seem worth it to me.

Damn, seriously ? My bad, I thought it was only a one off.
That's frustrating, not what the mod told me ! I'll bring it up, see what he says.

Tim

Welcome Lewis! Must be a few kiters Somewhere in NI. That's where my Bullet came from

If its a case of a subscription that needs to be renewed i'll not bother with it, shame as it looks good.

3shot there does seem to be as there is a forum for it here but it looks totally dead!

Well the Beamer fell through anyway decided I'm just going to leave it a few weeks when I'll have a bit more spare cash, but that does mean I am getting a Blade hehe :D torn between wether to get the 6.5 or 8.5, thoughts and opinions anyone?

Quote: Originally posted by Lewisc39

Well the Beamer fell through anyway decided I'm just going to leave it a few weeks when I'll have a bit more spare cash, but that does mean I am getting a Blade hehe :D torn between wether to get the 6.5 or 8.5, thoughts and opinions anyone?

I'd definitely start off with the 6.5 ! It's a better all rounder, and has a wider wind range. Also it's simply a better size for your first proper powerful kite.
It was only a couple of weeks ago someone on this forum had bought them self a blade 8.5 as one of their first kites, and thought it was too much so had to downsize!

RE: KC, I haven't yet, but I'll message the mod in 2 mins and let you know on this thread what he says about it as soon as he gets back to me.

Tim

If I was going to choose 1 blade it would be the 6.5 for sure.