as some of you already know ! ime new to kiting and ime currently flying a cheap 4m kite off ebay that didnt even have a brand name !! someone told me that a cheap kite wont have a lot of power and a good brand kite of similar size is likely to have a lot more power ! now i dont mean to boast but ive been downhill mountain biking for the last 8 yrs and that really builds your upper body strength ! plus i do 52 hours a week hard physical work, so i am quite strong ! yet when i take the cheap kite out in good winds (28 mph approx) the power is overwhelming and sometimes my arms get really sore and i struggle to hold it and have to land to rest ! so how nuch more power can a good brand kite really have and still be practical and usable without tearing your arms out the sockets ?

Without knowing what type of kite you have and being able to see if flown, my comments may be a bit stereotypical.

Your last statement said it all. Many of the brand name 4m kites will pull so hard in 28mph winds that you won't be able to fly it without getting pulled around harshly if the kite is kept low in the window. If the kite is parked at the zenith, it's a good possibility you'll get lofted with those parameters.

Kite brands such as Flexi, HQ, Peter Lynn, Ozone, etc. will usually give the same amount of pull as you experienced but in lower winds. Also, you'll notice different flying characteristics between kites. But the exact differences would depend on the kite brand and model you'd compare it to.

i would think the message would be that a higher end kite would have more "usable" power. better control, stability, and better upwind performance. not simply a huge sky anchor pulling your arms from your torso. there's also durability and robustness to consider but those are not relating to raw power.
Paul

30mph winds?? If you only get really high wind days like that have you thought about 4 or 5 line kites that are flown with a bar and harness? Kites flown with a harness don't put any pull on your arms, something to think about...

I personally would not fly a good 4m kite in 28mph winds. I can even tell the difference between my 3.5 beamer 1 and If the winds are that high and stable I would likely be on <2m, well at least for buggying and I probably wouldn't even bother static flying as smaller kites just fly too fast (might as well fly a stunt kite) and the power deep in the window would just send me flying. Kite looping on land is crazy

I agree with arkay. I'm ~145 #s and in good physical condition but if I were to fly my 4m bego in 28mph winds, I'd be lofted and dragged all over the place. My 2.5 RM+ would also be a bit of a handful though my 2.5 Instinct would be great for skiing, OK for limited static flying but might be a bit much for landboarding in those winds.

So you see, its not that you're kite won't pull its just that if you were flying a "real" kite or a higher end production kite, you wouldn't need a 4m in those conditions unless you were a big dude or looking for some serious air.

And don't forget, per my example with my 2.5s above, kites of the same size offer different amounts of useable power and gust absorption based on their aspect ratio too.

When I'm overpowered on my 2.5 RM+ I go to my 2.5 Instinct and usually can keep riding. Same size but noticeable difference in power and gust absorption.

yes i understand what you are saying ! yes coppertop it is a 4 line and i now have a harness for it ! i was ATBing with the kite in 28mph winds that day and must of been doing 30mph+ !

I'm 220#, and my 2.2 pulls me around like a wet paper towel in 28+. But then again we all love to eat a little sand now and then :frog:

:evil: 28 mph Ballsy

I weigh 295lb and have great upper boddy strength but i wont pull my 4.5m Little Devil out of the bag over 18mph I switch to my depower kite and then i board

Its not that you can't fly it but unless you are static and in the zenith it will yank me all over the place ( awsome scuds) but while boarding i develope to much power with the fixed bridle over 14 mph

I also always wear my helmet weather static or moving safety first :bigok:

yes i wear my full face helmet and leg n arm pads also ! the kite pulled me around alot but i could handle it !! i enjoyed it ! challenging yet good fun ! now ive got a harness ime looking forward to the next big winds, 38mph ! we get alot of strong wind here in cumbria !