Hello all. Thanks to the wonderful information on this site I will be ordering a Peter Lynn Twister II 3m as my first real kite. I have experience with a Snapshot 1.9 so I am pumped about learning a four line kite. Hopefully the 3m will be enough kite to learn and grow with and give me a good kick in the pants without killing me as a larger kite would. I am mostly interested in getting a good workout on decent days, sand scudding and maybe a little snow/ice scudding or buggies in the future.

Welcome!

If the wind picks up or is lumpy, rest with the kite over to the side instead of directly overhead. That keeps it from picking you up. Welcome to the addiction!

Thanks guys, did I pick a good kite to start with?

It is definitely a different world from what you are used to. Tons of fun! You made a good choice in my opinion :wee:

That's a nice kite, but you should know that it had lift. So it will try to pull you up. The only problem with going up, aside from if you don't want to, is comming down. The 3m size is not large enough to cushion a landing. Think of it as sky diving with asmall parachute. Size choice is generally determined from typical wind conditions and weight. if your goal is to stay on the ground and you learn how to control the kite and you respect the lift power that this kite has by not taking itout in too much wind... Then you are probably ok. But the 3mtwister can be a handful :D

if you plan to stay in the sport, IMHO, any kite you get will serve you later as you progress.

And welcome!

Oh crap, well it looks like I got some learning to do. I was trying to decide between the Twister II and the Hornet, both in 3m. I went with the Twister pretty much due to the flip of the coin. Hopefully I made a decent call.

I think you will do fine. Keep it away from 20+ your first times out and you won't have surprises.
The best first time will be around 7-10mph.

I sent you an email as well.

You made a good call... you'll keep that kite for a long while. Either kite would work, they are different and you won't know which is your favorite until you fly them both :D Just respect the kite and learn when it's too windy to fly it

can't wait to hear how you love it!

Just don't go out in nuking winds and you'll be fine ...

My first times out, I was totally ignorant of wind conditions - "She'll be right mate" - and just went and tried to fly. I learned pretty quick what would work and what wouldn't - you get sick of running backwards trying to get a kite to fly re-eeeal fast And you get sick of being dragged around uncontrollably too. Thank god for sand-dunes

If the wind is too much - well, until you get some hours on your handles you'll just have to man up (smart man, that is) pack the kite away and wait for less wind.

With a 3 though you should be good to go most of the time.

My first kite was a snapshot 1.9 too! Fun little kite. I went to an HQ Crossfire 2.4, and am about to purchase a twister II 7.7 The wind around here is relatively low which is why I made such a large jump. Have fun and be safe! It's better to take it a little slow rather than taking a trip to the hospital. Simply know your own limits. Have a good time!

Crossfire 2.4 to twister 7.7. Yeah, I'd consider that a pretty big jump. Careful the first time you put that kite up. I'll lift my rotund 210# in 10mph

If you don't already have protective gear, now's the time to get at least a helmet if not elbow and knee pads.

I helped a guy set one up once, he ripped off the plastic and I rigged it up.

(edit: thought the post was about the hornet not the twister, so this is about the hornet.)

I did have to unwind the lines and connect them to the handles and kite bridle. A few twists in the lines, but they came off the winder with little trouble and it only took a minute or two to get the lines placed out and ready to hook up.

Can't remember exactly how the connections were set up, I think numbers on little tags.

In any case the kite flew great right out of the bag in 10-14 mph OFF shore winds with a line of 60 foot tall trees just about 2 or 3 hundred feet behind us upwind as well. Launched on the first pull, inflated instantly, straight into a couple of loops and figure eight sets in the power zone, up to the zenith, down the edges (I kept it a little back from the edge because of the crap wind, but it went smooth) loops in the corners, landed it, took about 30 secs. A bit of scudding in the gusts. Easiest first flight ever, I've flown about twenty different foils in the past couple of years.

The guy had never flown a foil, flown a few stunters as a kid, it took him five or six crashes before he got past the crash on take off stage, after that he was off and doing the kite grin thing and did his first reverse relaunch about thirty minutes later.

So yes it's excellent choice for a first kite. It's super stable / smooth, no grabbiness at all to it.

If you don't think you can get reliable ideal conditions (8-12 mph, smooth winds) for the first few flights the hornet would be really good.

However if you can get at reliable ideal conditions, you might want to consider something just a little more aggressive. But not lifty. save that for 5m and up.

(So yeah... my vote would be against the twister if your conditions are bad, for it if your conditions are good. but lift in small kites is bad... could also consider the viper 2.6... i've not flown it but it gets good reviews as a nice mid-range traction kite)

You made a good choice.
At some point you are going to wonder how you go about setting up for a jump. This kite will be perfect. Like others have said don't expect it to keep you up there well but it WILL lift you if you fly it right. I also will reward you if you get the redirect right with a feeling of hang time ! That lift also equals pull so you will enjoy scudding more with this kite. I hope you bought it with handles not the bar !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just avoid too strong of winds until you are the master of your kite and you will have a great time !
:bigok:

Thanks for the feedback. I think the kite has handles and not the bar, we'll find out Wed I guess. As far as my wind goes, CT has it all. I have a wonderfully smooth grassy field by at a nearby college to fly at when I don't want to make the trip to the coast. There is some super steady onshore wind that comes straight off Long Island Sound and there is always a decent breeze. In the winter it's freaking crazy which is why I didn't get a 4m. The grass field has some decent wind but the field is surrounded by tall trees. With the Snapshot it really isn't a problem unless the winds are 20+, then the wind gets a little choppy. Super pumped.

For some really good information on kite handling, buggies and other stuff, go here.

www.coastalwindsports.com

Well the kite cam into day and I am very impressed with the way it looks and most importantly the size if the thing. Much bigger than I expected, almost a "what the crap did I get myself into" moment. I know I will be in over my head for the first few flights, can anybody recommend a good brain bucket? Next week should be super fun if not a little painful!

Some off the top of my head (oi.... I didn't think about the pun until I typed it)... I will think of appropriate penance later.

Distribution of manufacturers isn't meant to express a bias here... just stream of consciousness typing:

Without a chinbar:
Bell Faction
Giro Flak
Giro G10
SixSixOne Mullet
SixSixOne Dirt Lid
ProTec B2

With chin bar:
Bell Bellistic
Bell Drop
Bell Moto 8
Giro Remedy (Std or CF)
Rockgardn Warbird
Sixsixone Comp II
SixSixOne Evolution Carbon

Some helmet retailers:
www.hucknroll.com
www.jensonusa.com
www.motorcyclecloseouts.com
www.newenough.com
www.thebellstore.com
www.xsportsprotective.com

When getting a helmet, make sure it is snug without actually causing skull compression. When you have it cinched down, whacking the helmet with the heel of your hand shouldn't budge it, if it does something harder than your hand (like a soccer goal) will move the helmet a LOT more and compromise your protection.

Oh... and the whacking the helmet with the heel of your hand thing... do it in private, so that people don't point, stare, and call the authorities. :wink2:

ATB,
Sam