Hi guys,

After a bit of advice here. As I could have lost a finger on Thursday (ended up with nice nylon line cuts on 4 fingers) after trying to second guess the wind based on the info from the Weather Channel app on my phone, I decided its time to get a wind meter now, not when I pick up the Rage (which is now looking like after xmas :mad.

Anywho, as a casual hobby kiter short on cash I don't want to spend a lot, but at the same time I don't waste £20 on a piece of cr@p! Found this on eBay, no experience in wind meters, is it worth the £20 price tag?

Any other suggestions for budget, yet useful wind meters?

Cheers

Paul

Probably similar to the inexpensive LaCrosse meters we get here in the 'States for about $34. It's what I use and will be more accurate than the weather channel for sure.

Also get a pair of sailing gloves- the kind with open fingertips so that you can still work knots. that will save your hand and fingers from cuts.

Cheers Angus, my next question was going to be about gloves so you pre-empted me pretty well there ; ) I'm still thinking about one of those LaCrosse meter anyway, can get them on eBay shipped to UK for about £25 ish, and they are waterproof which is a bonus. Also being bright yellow seems like a bonus if you drop it while travelling through a field.

Paul

Save the money from the wind meter and get the proper safety gear with the money instead :duh:

I think wind meters are WAY over rated. Let common sense be your meter ! :bigok:

Start with the kite you think will handle NOT the wind you are feeling but the gusts ! If it's too small go up. If it's too big , that's why you bought safety gear ! ;-)

Good logic BR, but unfortunately I will only own 1 foil when I buy it. I currently have an HQ delta wing stunt kite (1.4m). When I buy the Rage that will be it for a while. For this reason it will be better for me for now to know what wind I'm taking it into. But if I had more than one foil you would have a good point.

I half agree with Bladerunner on the wind meter but like to have my common sense calibrated once in while. That's why I buy the cheap ones. Also never mind the bright yellow I still have managed to lose two over the years, so cheap is good again. We don't need dead on accuracy of more expensive ones becuase even coastal winds can vary by more than the accuracy range of a cheap one.

I also keep a four-five foot pole with bright color plastic construction tape streamers on it. I stick it in the sand and I can tell what kite to launch by how much the streamers move. It is made of cheap PVC pipe in sections with couplers so it breaks down into three small sections that wrap up into the kite bag.

I got the same kind of meter - works fine. Pretty soon though, you'll be able to tell if it's not enough or too much just by looking at trees, flags, rubbish rolling along the ground etc

YUP a bit of survey tape or a flag on a pole will give me a lot more valuable info than the wind speed . Like direction.

Seems like I only ever take my meter out to see just how strong the wind is when I'm about to chicken out completely.

Please consider the safety gear as a priority ! You won't NEED a wind meter to know if it's too windy for long.

Quote:

Originally posted by Kamikuza Pretty soon though, you'll be able to tell if it's not enough or too much just by looking at trees, flags, rubbish rolling along the ground etc

EXACTLY--

The more I think about it the more I agree about judging the wind. Thanks all for the advice, gonna skip the meter and pick up a pair of sailing gloves, something like these.

Cheers guys

I recently posted (and even got quoted, lol) "I gave up on wind speeds... its either crappy, gravy, epic, or stupid... in that order"

And the more i think about it... the more i like it

Eventually you'll learn your limits with a given kite... just err on the safer and slower side, always, and it'll all work out!
... and listen to bladerunner and get a bucket and some pads... they are a necessity!

Personaly, i wouldnt buy a wind meter off ebay, id stick with a trusted company.

here's some good information on telling windspeed by visual cues:

http://www.howtoons.com/?page_id=150

Yeah, gonna skip the wind meter altogether. Will get some gloves now for my little kite that did the damage, and get some proper safety gear when I get my Rage after xmas.

Im in the exact same boat paul, apart from the cuts lol.

I am looking to get a wind meter and a 3.5 rage, there are quite a few cheap wind meters that wont be point accurate but will work none the less, i found a few for around 20 pounds from trusted companies.

I must get some gloves too for my rad 3.2 just for extra comfort, flexifoil handles are good too, they have a little plastic covering so that the lines dont dig into your fingers.