Hi I've only just found this great forum! I was wondering if I could get some advice about some power kites?

I've been flying Flexifoil Stacker kites of all sizes (6, 8 +10) for about a year and a half relatively consistently in lots of different winds. They're good fun but I am looking into getting into power kites that could be a bit more adventurous - I eventually want to get into kiteboarding/buggying but don't really know what steps to take next. I was wondering if anyone knew of a sufficient kite that is past the beginner stage but would throw me around a bit? Should I stick with Flexifoils? Should I buy a kite that I can kiteboard with eventually?

As I say i'm not a complete newbie (i get the kite window and all of that) but never flown with a bar or anything past the two liners. Any help would be really useful!

Bob

Are you inland or near beach? What's your average winds?

I live in Brighton UK. Beach is too stony but I think there are some nearby beaches with hard sand. There are quite a few places in land that are really good for kiting (there are lots of paragliders there aswell) big hills etc.

Oh and wind speed normally anywhere from 10-15 kts but can be much higher depending on weather

greetings,

heres a few options, for beginner i think this gives a great look at the sport.

http://www.powerkiteshop.com/ozone-access-xc.htm

http://www.powerkiteshop.com/kites/hqbeamertsr.htm

and entire fixed bridle stuff as well

lots of choices! and considerable knowledge base here to help guide you to get going with easy fun with some safety points as well.

since you already fly kites , a harness and depower kites would be a reasonable step up.

finding a buddy to sponge some experience from in your area is the best. if its windy there has to others. they can help with local conditions for the applications you are interested in doing.

Thanks for the response! Hmmm, that is a lot to think about. Those kites look better just simply because they are quite consistent I guess.

Still a bit confused about the appropriate size though - I am 6ft not sure how much I weigh though. Don't want to be taken out too far :s

If you think that riding a board is in your future then you want to consider depower kites. If you will be kiting on land and not water then a depower foil will serve you well. 4 line fixed bridle kites and handles are popular with buggy riders but many people ( me included ) prefer flying depower in a buggy as well.

If you are wanting to stay earthbound you want to look at low lift / low aspect ratio kites like Ozone Access or HQ Apex. If you want to jump you will want to look at kites with a bit higher aspect ratio. Flexifoil make mostly fixed bridle or LEI ( inflatable ) kites.

We all have a few kites in different sizes to handle a variety of winds / conditions. It is hard to suggest a single sized kite for you. If you are 6ft and average weight and will be riding on a low resistance surface like short grass or hard pack beaches then something around 10m will end up being a good size down the road. You will be able to work a 7 - 8m kite to get a ride in 10 - 15kt winds and much more once you are skilled. I would suggest you start there with a low lift kite. It will become your high wind kite and you will likely prefer low lift in those conditions. Learning to work the power out of a kite is a safer way to go + makes you a much better pilot. If jumping is in your future you will then want to buy a higher lift kite in about the 10 - 11m size for airtime in those winds. Even if you don't want to jump you will want to move up to a larger kite to power through slower surfaces.

I suggest that before you rush into a purchase you ask about the kite you are interested on here. Folks on here just want you to get a good deal on a good kite so you will enjoy the sport, progress fast and be safe.

Hi,

Thanks for all that. I think depower kites would be best for me as well. I will have a read around and ask my local kite shop if they have any ideas aswell. I'll ask again when I've worked out which kite I'll buy. Thanks again!

Bob

Yes, definitely depower for boarding (and I prefer them for buggying, but I'm in the minority).

Also, check out the kitecrowd forums. I'm sure there are some dudes over there that will let you fly their kites before pulling the trigger on a purchase. Also, if you can, go for used... when you're first getting started, you don't wanna blow $1200 on a kite only to find out that you don't like that style of kite.

The used market on kitecrowd is pretty solid... You can save more than half the cost of a new kite if you go with an older model... but be careful for pre-2010 kites... there have been a LOT of improvements in the last 5 years and most of them are safety related, so look for something reasonably priced in the 2010 - 2012 years and you can probably find a wicked good deal on a depower kite that has a bit more safety woven into the design.

Oh, and I thought people were loony when they told me 7 - 10m depower kites. I was wrong. For the noobie, this is the sweet spot for a beginner, just don't take them out in anything over 15 mph until you get comfortable with the safety, power, and setup.