I think the Pure and Explore are 4m because they are promoted for snow where you will need more power than a buggy..... and...they are promoting it as a one quiver kite...almost... because there's just one size!

Better overpowered than not moving is likely their thinking on this. And it is a three line kite on a bar with the ability to release bar and 100% depower. There's is even a chicken loop to completely release in emergency.

But I don't think these two really qualify as to what Ken is referring to anyway. I think he means new folks choosing a 4 line FB with no depower or release that is a 4m size.


BTW...my first kite was a 13 m Fixed bridal type!!

It was a Paraski Flex single skin(think PL C-Quad). Had a zipper to shrink size ...and a way to tie ends together(like a flying taco!) for highest winds(4-modes, total- like a quiver of 4 kites in one ). 30 FOOT fly lines on bar. Good at shedding snow! Upwind not too good

http://www.paraskiflex.com/produits/page/1/

I know! It is definitely calling my name. I think I would really like it and save some money over buying new at the same time. Since I am the only person in my area that kites, I have never flown a 5 meter. Do you think there will be a noticeable power difference between my 4 meter and your core?

Quote: Originally posted by Feyd

I'll bite. On another note. If it hasn't been broached yet, what about the manufactures? Example Ozone "Pure" and Peter Lynn "Explore". Both are trainer kites complete with bar, harness, instructions RTF and both 4m. SO my question why did they pick 4m?

Yes, they are trainer kites, but both of them are targeted and marketed as kites that will be used with a snowboard, skies, landboard, as opposed to flying static. It's fairly evident on their respective product pages as well as the Pure's "Snowkite In A Box" ad verbiage.

I expect someone in risk management/product liability nixed the 5M for this purpose. It's also quite possible that 4M hit the sweet spot/sticker shock ramp pain thresold with regards to price.

ATB,
Sam

I learned to fly initially on a tiny 1m NPW and then bought CanucS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-s 3.2m Crossfire. Around here we get good solid winds in the winter (the Chinook) and it really is almost a one kite quiver for beginner cruising on snow in those winds, which are very predictable in their power.

I was concerned that 3.2m would be too small but Canuck assured me that it was great in the Chinook, which it was. That thing has a ton of grunt. I got hauled downwind by it pretty bad last weekend, on my face, when I really shouldn't have been flying in gusty and terrifying winds.
In areas with weaker winds - 4m probably would be good! Powerful enough to get going but not too powerful to totally destroy you.

4m is a big enough trainer that you have to lean against it, you can scud and ride. Much more satisfying than a kite that is only good for learning to fly. Then again, I learned to fly on a 1m so what can I say.

Skimtwashington: 13m! Those paraskiflex "kites" are more of a sail, though, anyways. Didn't know they were so big!

Quote: Originally posted by skimtwashington

BTW...my first kite was a 13 m Fixed bridal type!! It was a Paraski Flex single

Do you still have it? I had looked into those and kitewings early on but opted for foils. Would love to see it someday if you still have it.

Sam and skimtwashington, very good points and I think both spot on. I hadn't considered the difference as far as a snow trainer vs. any other. I was thinking cost and liability.

Me and Don both have them, B-Roc.

You can try one this winter on a lake. Kite collapses flat on safety release. no chasing down....

..... And no staking needed!:duh:

Weldngod calls 'em windflappers :Ange09:

(white & Yellow in foreground)

I'll jump in here, since it's my first post, and I came here looking for newb type stuff and stumbled into this thread..

I bought a HQ Scout II 4M not too long ago and have absolutely loved flying it static. Winds in my area aren't the smoothest, but not horribly gusty either. Typical windy day is in the 12-16mph range with gusts up to 25mph.

My experience with kites up until I bought mine was absolutely zero.

So, why'd I buy the 4M?

A few reasons really, some probably misguided, but this is where my mind was at when I dropped $380 bucks on a sport that I had never experienced but was interested in.


1. Entry cost. Obviously, getting into a sport that I've never had any experience in, I wanted to get the "best bang for the buck". In fact, I went into the shop and specifically asked for a kite that could double as a trainer kite and a lightweight traction kite for something like snowboarding. $400 was a pretty decent investment into a sport I'd never tried, but I know how I am and I learn stuff very quickly and would have outgrown a 2-3m kite pretty quickly in the power and danger categories.

2. Professional Opinion. I had been eyeing a Prism Tensor 4.2 for a while, but when I went into buy the kite, the guy that I was talking to about it, directed me away from it and onto the Scout. I'm not sure if that was the popular decision or not, but priced around the same area, I'm certainly not upset with my decision. I love the Scout

3. Power. I WANTED something that could hurt me.... if I let it. I wanted to get into the sport, try it out, and have a kite that was powerful enough that I could get some adrenaline going on it and have it keep me interested for the better part of a year, until I could save up for something that would really kick my ass. I wanted something that could drag me around in the snow, or on a buggy, or on my mountain board, but something I could enjoyably fly static as well. A "happy medium" if you will.

4. Challenge. I didn't want a kite that I could just learn in a matter of 10 minutes.. That would almost surely get me bored and underwhelm me to the point of losing interest.


So, now that I've had it for a bit.. flown it several times.. Flown 2 other foils (a 1.2m and a 3m). learned a ton about it and kites in general.. I'd still say it was absolutely the right choice for me.


So, basically I based my decision on where I felt I would be challenged and not quickly bored.. not quite to the point of being able to kill myself but dangerous enough to hurt myself and get the adrenaline flowing, where it was cheap enough for me to get into, and on a professional opinion to direct me into a kite based on those qualifications.

And I can definitely say it was the right first kite for me.. and I'll probably be buying another, larger, kite in a few months once I get the cash.

Welcome Monster,

Great 1st post ! Exactly the kind of insight I was looking for.

While I am still fond of 3m as a 1st kite I am getting a far greater appreciation for how and why a 4m can be a good choice . Balls on you flying that size of kite in gusts up to 25 !

If I am getting anything from this thread that is that 4m can be a good choice if you want to use the kite as an engine as you grow.

For your next kite I suggest you shop second hand. The same $400 will buy you one sweet used kite ! Not that supporting your local shop isn't always a good thing.

Quote: Originally posted by Bladerunner

Welcome Monster, Great 1st post ! Exactly the kind of insight I was looking for. While I am still fond of 3m as a 1st kite I am getting a far greater appreciation for how and why a 4m can be a good choice . Balls on you flying that size of kite in gusts up to 25 ! If I am getting anything from this thread that is that 4m can be a good choice if you want to use the kite as an engine as you grow. For your next kite I suggest you shop second hand. The same $400 will buy you one sweet used kite ! Not that supporting your local shop isn't always a good thing.

Thanks! I'm definitely digging the sport so far.

For my next kite I probably will end up buying used. . I strayed away from that on my first one because I didn't really know how to properly inspect it before dropping the cash on it and it just seemed like a safer way to go buying new.. In my mind these things are mini parachutes so I didn't want to have to deal with structural integrity questions for my first one. Haha. Hopefully by the time in ready for a kite that'll take me for a ride, I'll have the knowledge to do a preliminary on it before I buy it.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

What happened to Zapper? If your out there, let us know how you liked your 4 meter toxic.

Yeah, why are beginners so attracted to 4m beginner kites ?
My first real kite was the widow maker 4.9. I wasn't worried, I wasn't even married.

First kite HQ 5.5 Apex, I flew it static for about two hours with an Instructor learning to controll it in light 5 to 10 mph winds, I was hooked! I went home and ordered one right away, it is still packed up in the bag waiting for the lakes to freeze.

The lakes froze over to day so now I am waiting for a little snow, I will give you my first kite thoughts in a couple of weeks!