Can some one help me pick out my first power kite?

I have flown single line and stunt kites off and on for over ten years and I would like to get into power kites and landboards and/or buggies.

I have been looking at the Ozone Flow (the replacement for the cult). Any info on this or any other appropriate kite would be appreciated. I weigh close to 300 pounds and was wondering what size of kite I should start with. I would like to train on the same kite that I would use for the landboard or buggy.

I will be doing most of my flying on the Oregon coast, but I don’t know what the wind speed at the coast.

Thank you,

Big D

Ozones are great kites. I haven't flown the Flow, but it sounds like a good kite to start out on. 3m is a good size to start with. A 3m kite will fly in 8mph winds and will start to give a pretty good pull at 12-18mph and at 20-30 mph it will be pulling really good . Def start out with it in winds less than 15mph till you get the hang of how it fly then you can build up to stronger winds.

Where is a good place in the NW kites and gear?

USA_Eli_A is a forum member, Ozone dealer, and right in your back yard........shoot him a U2U

I weigh 190 lbs and started with a 3m kite, you may want to start with something a little larger. I have to use at least one kite size bigger than my buddy who is about 40 pounds lighter than me. So maybe a 4.5-5m kite would get you moving.

With your stunt kite experience, the kite control would be pretty easy to get down. Any quad-line experience? That much easier.

So I have heard between this forum and another (Appozone) That I should start with a kite between 2m & 5m, form what I have read that sounds like a fairly large range. I weigh close to 300 pounds and the avg. wind speed where I will do most of my flying is between 5 & 15 mph. How do I really know what size will be right for me. As I said previously I am looking at the Ozone Flow but what if I went with another kite, would I go with the same size kite or do they all have different power characteristics. Also as this will be my trainer kite should I start flying with a bar or should I start with handles. I would like to try landbroading if this makes a difference. Speaking of landbroading, I have been looking at Ground Industries Patrol 106 or AK 103. If you have any input on these boards that would be great.

Big D

You are a pretty big Fellow so I would toss the 2.5 idea.

With winds of 5 - 15 and some basic knowledge of how to fly you I would suggest a 3 or 4m.

The thing to know going in is that you will NEED more than one kite. I'm not familiar with the Flow but expect it will be a good High wind kite as you progress. If you pick a good quality 3m kite to start it wiil always be of service to you. Not just as a high wind engine but a good kite to introduce the sport to friends.

You will eventually want to jump. To do that properly you will NEED a kite 5m or even bigger being 300#.

In my experience having a proper sized kite to start out speeds up learning in a huge way ! A 3m kite is no toy. It will pull you and even lift you if you aren't careful in 15mph winds. Even get a ride ! Just big enough to feel the power but small enough you can deal with it. That is the key ! This way you become master of the kite much faster and THAT is when the learning begins. With a bigger kite it is in control and you are in defence mode for a long time !

Going to a 4m may serve your needs for learning + give a bit more power for for riding but it will stiil be too small to jump. It will also be too big for you to share with th average beginer.

A good 3m will serve you far better than a 4m as a super high wind kite down the road !

If you are planning on progressing to depower kites a bar is an option you may want to consider.

Thanks for the great advise, now it is making more sense. Of coarse this will be the first kite in my quiver, but you have to start somewhere!

This looks like a good pick. The Ozone Flow sounds interesting also. I'd like to fly one, but I'm not sure if they are out yet or what the cost is. I'd vote for handles over a bar for fixed bridle kites for more control, but both will work.

This looks like a good deal for a first kite:

http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=7513

Yeah good deal on that imp. Would be a good kite for the coast.

I started on a 5m de-power, but I had been flying stunt kites for a while so I was comfortable with the controls. I understand that the 5m de-power is roughly equivaliant to a fixed bridal kite about 70% of it's size... so 3.5-ish-ish. I'm about 220 and the 5m won't really yank me around until the wind hits 15mph. I won't go into the pro's and con's of de-power vs fixed bridal, unless you ask

I fly mostly on the coast between Manzanita and sunset beach. I guess I like the local cuisine. Wind is all over depending on the time of year (it was 55a70g Saturday!) but int he summer it's usually 10-15. There were only a handful days this past summer where my 5m de-power couldn't be used.

Quote:

Originally posted by arkay Yeah good deal on that imp. Would be a good kite for the coast. I started on a 5m de-power, but I had been flying stunt kites for a while so I was comfortable with the controls. I understand that the 5m de-power is roughly equivaliant to a fixed bridal kite about 70% of it's size... so 3.5-ish-ish. I'm about 220 and the 5m won't really yank me around until the wind hits 15mph. I won't go into the pro's and con's of de-power vs fixed bridal, unless you ask I fly mostly on the coast between Manzanita and sunset beach. I guess I like the local cuisine. Wind is all over depending on the time of year (it was 55a70g Saturday!) but int he summer it's usually 10-15. There were only a handful days this past summer where my 5m de-power couldn't be used.

Opps. I did something wrong.

Yes, I would like to know the pro's and con's of de-power vs fixed bridal kites. That is way I came to this forum so I could get all the info I could on power kites before I buy my first one. Thank you guys for all the help!