wow this thread veer'd hard

Its on now :evil:

if i can ever get my wife out there with the camera i'll post 'em! The helmet cam never catches the height right.... i watch a video im like wow, those were lame jumps, then i see some stills, and its like DAMNN!!!!!





for the record... i would own a full line of speed3's if i had $10k

practice the actions you want to master. let go, balance, fly it out... whatever your practice has conditioned, will be the result .

the action can be quickly learn, the reflex to use it in the right moment will be provided by time. doing and experiencing is the how the sport is learned.

most unwanted things come from the unexpected, if the wind is delivering unreadable change then exposure should be limited. select carefully the learning environment, it should contain good piloting experience without a survival deposition.

"HALF A SECOND LATER I HEAR A RUSH OF WIND"

wind riding is like prophecy of the invisible , knowing more than appears is essential. gravity makes it work never forget this! understanding what IS happening AND what WILL happen is in CONSTANT FLOW. avoiding injury will only sharpen your skill and reflexes, choose wisely your learning conditions.(said that twice!)
you noticed the change coming, thats real learning , AND the safest way to fall is to avoid it, by confident action with the info you have be it let go, balance , fly it out or don't go out! . the more you do this sport the more this confident action changes.

para troop fall is best i know. keep the arms/legs IN...wear a helmet!

To summerize some of the above advice , if you,ve got a lot of forward motion tuck and roll , if its straight up and down get your toes pointed and bend your knees.
I think your example is classic learning , you knew just enough to be dangerous, its a common condition to a lot of life threatening activities. Having survived it , you now know the hidden ugly a combination of those winds with that kite produce. Early in the learning process its hard to know how close to an ugly situation you really are. I'm sure you've read the "whos been spanked" thread. My high risk moments , are when I think I'm done flying but there is still a kite in the air. I have been violently reminded to continue flying the kite untill its down and secured.

its the luck of the draw unfortunately. Some at NABX were really decked out in all the protect gear, others just a helmet, some, not even that. Some would venture out and race in gusty winds while others (like me) were a bit more cautious and would wait it out. I was lifted once, landed on my tail bone and right Elbow, but I was lucky. Going about 25 when a new buggier heard me coming and immediately flew his kite up, which blocked mine and sent it the other way, ejecting me out on to my butt, my head bounced off the playa and cracked my helmet, but no injury...... Again, I was lucky but I relearned another playa lesson, do not go near new traction kiters....It was my fault... Just a little pain and blood from my elbow...ok now though. No matter how safe you are, something could go wrong. I would not have had time to pull the safety release, that's ok, I don't have one...lol At Harper, I was flying my 4.0 when a huge wind came up. You could see it coming in the dust. I immediately pulled out of my harness and grabbed the handles pretty much by my index fingers only, and when it hit around 35 or more, I let go....no harm, another buggier helped me retrieve my kite and that was that...Just be careful. There were other injuries at NABX although nothing serious that I know of...

Quote:

Originally posted by PHREERIDER if the wind is delivering unreadable change then exposure should be limited. select carefully the learning environment, wind riding is like prophecy of the invisible

THIS IS GOOD ADVICE.

you should read up on turbulance and wind-shadow,
if you spend enough time obsessed with wind alot of times you can predict gusts by gaps in pressure and how the air is moving.

Still will suprise you though.
VERRRRRRY often

Quote:

Originally posted by dandre I'm with drew, FS is over-rated unless you're in a puff. once yer blowin' kites is kites

Nonsense. The quirks of the kites - the manufacturers would call them "characteristics" - still come in to play; they're either amplified to good effect - or destroy the experience.

well I've had both

frankly as long as it's not super low end price wise, I don't care.

I think most modern brands are pretty awesome. Just like different people.


Not all us rich but we still flyin'

Sounds like you figured a lot out on your own explaining your mistakes as 1, 2 and 3 .

We all make mistakes. Trying to back out at mistake 1 is a good place to start.

I think the big answer to your question is the 5 point roll. It is something you should practice so it gets set in your muscle memory.

A good skate helmet should do the job? Most important is to protect the back of your head + to have a comfortable helmet so you wear it every time out. Some folks like full face but that is sort of a personal choice.

If you are being lifted by a small canopy then you have a problem . Letting go quick is your best way out. This is why I never suggest jumping with smaller than a 5m kite. If you are under a large canopy then you " have a paraglider " and should relax. According to Flysurfer manuals at least! It has worked for me the 2 times I have been lofted. Whoever says the 10.8 Reactor II isn't floaty hasn't started down from 20ft !!!

BigKid means well. He has just been beat up by the sport and gets a bit worked up about the issue. He is correct. One small mistake and you can be paying for the rest of your life! Jeff will and doesn't wish that on anybody !

just by coincidence i did a little jumping video yesterday............... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZhT_z5XxUo&feature=plcp

Nice vid, Carl. Is that a charger? List your kites, why don't ya, you sponsored bastard

Anyway, OP, thanks for postin your questions. Takes some balls and everyone can learn from the discussion. I did the same thing with a pansh flux 4m and totally jacked myself for a bit and it was only because I made the same exact mistakes you did. Here's my advice:

1) helmet - get a bern. They're badass.
2) aikido - teaches power absorption / redirect.
3) switch to depower - I just did, but I already feel safer in inland gusty winds.
4) learn to redirect by instinct instead of thought (still working on this, myself)
5) if the thought crosses your mind, "I wonder if I should pack up..."
Do.
Always.
6) in freaky winds like that, release to kite killers a LOT. It's no big deal to untangle your kite, and it breeds confidence / familiarity.
7) don't EVER trust a new kite until you have seen all of its evil sides

Anyway, those are the things I think about when I'm trying not to be an idiot, but still trying to have fun. Thanks again for the post.

Re: Aikido, most places aren't this aggressive, but it gives you an idea of how to take a serious fall. More importantly, you practice it a lot, so you develop muscle memory. It has saved my ass from a number of ice / stair falls. Of course, it didn't help me at all with the flux -- or maybe it did and I would've been WAY more jacked up had I not fallen and rolled. I dunno. Just my 2€

http://youtu.be/r58NKes7nOo