I recently bought a power kite after doing some research on this forum. My new kite ( Prism Tensor 5.0) came with kite killers. I have flown it with the kite killers on every time. Although I have noticed that some people on this forum think that kite killers can be dangerous.

I personally think that they are useful as they kill all power to the kite and it falls to the ground. I flew my kite in way too strong of wind once and I used my kite killers about 10 times that day when the kite got too much power. My kite lost all power and stopped dragging me almost immediately. I don't see what is bad about being able to kill power to your kite.

I would like to know what everyone's opinions on kite killers are and the reasoning behind it.

I am completely against it. However, I can see the appeal of a new flier.

I too owned the Tensor. I flew it, like you did, and got over powered and had to dump it. It was my first power kite. I was very inexperienced.

It scared the crap out of me. So I put it away.

Not willing to give up I acquired a few other power kites and worked my way through them. I gained confidence and I gained experience.

Curious, I went back to the Tensor. I flew it and it felt like a toy. It handled so poorly compared to the other kites I had.

I sold it for $100 and never looked back.

Now I have a Personal best speed of 61.1 mph. Yea, I've got the skills now.

Back to your question....

What I tell people is that if you are overpowered and inexperienced, simply let go of the kite. Typically, it will fall just like you are saying when using the killer. Granted, your lines might be a mess...but you gained a skill by knowing when too much is really too much.

In all instances, the people who are tied to the kite (using a stop, using a AQR, using other methods) always have a way to disconnect and let go of the kite.

With Kite killers you have velcroed your wrists that will not disconnect and could easily break your wrists if the kite powers up again.

Do what you want. I am completely against them because I AlWAYS want to control my kite, and NOT let the kite control me.

Best of luck!
Paul

As an extreme example. Skip to about 2:50 in this video.

What would have happened when the wind shifted and I was using Kite Killers?

https://youtu.be/eFSJNEAg6Io

Recognize that I was 100% watching the kite at all times. The wind shifted and I held on for a moment but quickly determined that I needed to let go. The kite did NOT travel very far once I let go.

Enjoy!
Paul

I'd have to say I've always opted for wearing the killers. Flying in the land of dirty wind, I prefer to be able to dump the kite in a wicked gust, and not have to chase down the crumpled up tangled mess.

Or, maybe I'm just lazy :piggy:

Quote:

I used my kite killers about 10 times that day when the kite got too much power.

That right there is why you shouldn't be using kite killers. If you are a beginner, and got overpowered 10x you need to learn how to control your kite, how to let go of your kite, and what wind NOT to fly in. (ask me how I know :D )
If things get out of control, you are attached by your wrists to your kite with no way out. On a depower you have your quick release and safety (which ejects everything). Better in a bad situation to get rid of the kite and live to fly another day...

Quote: Originally posted by jeepersjoey

As an extreme example. Skip to about 5:30 in this video. What would have happened when the wind shifted and I was using Kite Killers? https://youtu.be/eFSJNEAg6Io Recognize that I was 100% watching the kite at all times. The wind shifted and I held on for a moment but quickly determined that I needed to let go. The kite did NOT travel very far once I let go. Enjoy! Paul

iPaul meant to indicate skipping to roughly 2:45 in the video. I was there that day and had planned to join him and John on that particular ride. Most fortuitously, K2 (Bladerunner) and I together managed to completely entangle my kite at launch and I aborted in the rising winds. Best clustered launch I ever had.

As my late father used to say "Anyone can handle the helm when the sea is calm." Wearing kite killers SHOULD be just fine, right up to the point when it tragically isn't. While iPaul's example was extreme, note what happened: the kite took off on its own and spasmodically went into death spins and was completely out of control. Kites can do that for weird reasons; a bridle line snaps, something gets caught in the kite (a stray sneaker, a ball of tumble weed, a small bean bag - all personal examples of mine) and you're suddenly strapped to a possessed wild animal. I've completely cut away in all three examples even after popping my chicken loop to avoid serious injury.

My bottom line is aligned with iPaul's, viz., I want control. Think of flying a power kite with no convenient means to cut away as being akin to wrestling with a guerrilla. You don't stop wrestling when you're tired, you stop wrestling when the guerrilla gets tired.

Killers are good and bad. When I first learned I wore them all the time. When I started wearing a harness, I abandoned them as they can get in the way and you can hook into them if they are long. When I taught my kids to fly I required that they wear them. Ultimately, you want control and as you learn to fly and learn the wind window and the flying location, you learn how to control as many elements as you can (can't control everything).

There have been times when I dropped the kite on killers and really struggled to regain control when it reversed launched in conditions that left me over powered. There have also been times when I would have preferred to drop the kite but could not because I didn't have killers. Today I fly depowers so it's not an issue.

I think the best thing to do when learning is to fly underpowered. Things rarely go wrong when underpowered. When overpowered, your options become more limited - would you prefer to lose the kite to a tree, powerline, fence, open field, etc. if you don't have killers, or possibly struggle to control/land it when overpowered if you do have killers.

Killers work great when underpowered or powered. When overpowered or in a harness, they can be problematic.

The issue with kite killers stems from traction kiting, not static flying.

If you're just standing on the beach flying your kite then yes, it's advisable to wear kite killers because it retains your kite should you let go but more importantly it protects people downwind of you.

You can risk injury wearing kite killers in a buggy, for instance if the kite gets too far behind you falls to the ground and pulls your buggy back over your own lines.

You describe relying on your kite killers 10 times in one day which prevented you from being dragged, which means you're already face down on the ground. This is a classic sign that you're flying overpowered.
You must always fly your kite within the manufacturers recommend wind range rather than relying on kite killers. In strong wind, kite killers don't always deform the canopy quick enough to prevent injury.

Welcome to the forum btw.

Thanks for all the advice!

Thank you for the insight. The main reason that I was wearing them that really windy day was to stop the kite from blowing away and or dragging me. Now I see that my kite was very overpowered and I should not have even been flying.

Maybe flying overpowered and getting taught a lesson is just a rite of passage for us power kiters.

On a less windy day there is no need to wear them because I can just drop the kite and it will lose power.

I think I will stop using kite killers unless I am flying in higher winds (but not overpowered) in a tight space where I wouldn't want to drop my kite.

Thank you all for explaining your thoughts, I had seen people mention kite killers but never really understood their opinions.

I've had a couple of death spirals going on attached to kks...
draged thru a field of goose crap completely powered up trying to reach the velcro
good times

beer > kite killers

Quote: Originally posted by Windstruck

Think of flying a power kite with no convenient means to cut away as being akin to wrestling with a guerrilla. You don't stop wrestling when you're tired, you stop wrestling when the guerrilla gets tired.

Sage advice. And a good quote for later! Though I may change my version to Gorilla so as not to have to explain unconventional combatants to my kids.

Quote: Originally posted by ScottAvery

Quote: Originally posted by Windstruck   Think of flying a power kite with no convenient means to cut away as being akin to wrestling with a guerrilla. You don't stop wrestling when you're tired, you stop wrestling when the guerrilla gets tired. Sage advice. And a good quote for later! Though I may change my version to Gorilla so as not to have to explain unconventional combatants to my kids.

A gorilla by any other name would (not) smell so sweet. Thank you for setting me straight! :D

Quote: Originally posted by ScottAvery

Quote: Originally posted by Windstruck   Think of flying a power kite with no convenient means to cut away as being akin to wrestling with a guerrilla. You don't stop wrestling when you're tired, you stop wrestling when the guerrilla gets tired. Sage advice. And a good quote for later! Though I may change my version to Gorilla so as not to have to explain unconventional combatants to my kids.

Ha! I automatically envisioned the other Guerilla.......the Peter Lynn kind.

I guess I'm officially an oldie here....

I was surprised to come back after quite a break to learn that kite killers were leaning to the no-no side of things. I wore them (and will continue to wear them) to protect anything downwind of me. That said, I know my kites and know the winds to fly them in AND how the kites behave on the killers.

I will however give some thought to a SINGLE kite killer.....other than the one last release on the chickenloop, what's the difference between kite killers and pulling the safety on a depower? I know my Ozones all flag out to the rear lines...I distinctly recall landing the Access by pulling the strap joining the two rear lines. The Flysurfers I believe either have the 5th line or flag to a single rear line (it's been a while - can you tell?). The arcs flag to a single line - can't recall if it's a rear or a front though.

Plus I figure I could rig an "oh #@%$#!" release to a single wrist with all of the extra bits of stuff I've got around in my kite bags.