What to buy as a beginner to power kiting



Hi,

I would really appreciate some honest advise from those who consider themselves experienced enough to offer it.

I would like to purchase a power kite that I won't want to upgrade sooner rather than later, but one that will offer good speed, good lift for jumping (static in land and beach) manouverability, good pull etc.. basically something to grow with a little and that will keep me interested, whilst I gain more experience. I am 5'11" and about 13 stone, so not sure what the best size is either.

I am looking to spend around £100-150 new or second hand. Not sure whether 2 line or 4 line would be best either and the plus & minus of them, if any? I want a bit of controlable thrill and a few moderate scares, if that makes sense.

Apologies for so many questions! Your advice and suggestions would be most welcome.

I am new to powerkiting and recentlly Got a hq Hydra 3.5 M
I weigh 165 lbs ( not sure about stone )
and This kite has sufficiant power to bodydrag me when I do powersweeps with the kite in 15 KMH winds

I also have done many small jumps with this kite and had a great deal of fun... BE WARNED... I have recentlly broken my ankle after not respecting the wind and being lofted into the air some 30-40 feet by this kite ( hit by a 54 Kmh wind gust ) it is a great kite and a good place to start learning powerkites is cost under $400 Cdn .

Do not underestimate wind power and the power a kite can generate, they are Rediculouslly fun, but people will tell you that anything smaller than a 5M kite is not great for jumping as it does not generate enough drag to put you back down softly, that being said there is Plenty to learn about kites BEFORE you get a massive kite... Do start small And work your way up, and Know when To pack it in... i've 3 months Now to consider these things .

Welcome to An addictively Fun new hobby ..

Stay safe.

You are looking for 2 opposite things that most beginner kites try to avoid and that is alot of lift and agressive handling or speed . Most beginner kites don't offer those 2 together . A beginner kite usually has less lift and manageable speed. A few good beginner depower kites are HQ apex, ozone access and peter lynn arc's. If youre looking for fixed bridles well there are alot of them . I'm not sure how the new peter lynn arc's fly but when i flew them they always had alot of lift but were too slow for me. As far as sizes go with a 6 to 8m for depower or for fixed bridle a 4 or 5m. those sizes i think will offer enough power to keep you interested .Your budjet is really small but Pansh offers the cheapest fixed bridle kites i think the Ace has decent lift and handling.

There is a huge amount of dicsusion on this exact subject. I suggest you try the search engine and read what has been advised in the past.

Your desire to have it all in your 1st kite is a common one. There are LOTS of views on this. Reading the past posts will give you a ton of info.

For what it is worth. I say, buy a good 3m fixed bridle to get going. Study a lot about your SECOND kite. It is the kite that will take you to the level you desire. Not what you want to hear but the sad reality.

Absolutely what DHKITE and Bladerunner said. See if this will help...

http://www.coastalwindsports.com/ChoosingAKite.html

And no, don't consider de-power for a first kite unless you have professional instruction or a really experienced and patient buddy to help you.

If chosen properly, that first kite will later be your high winds kite and you will likely not give it up. My fastest buggy speed was with a "beginner" kite (yeah the winds were nukin' and it was the only smaller kite I had at the time)

That is a great link schooled me a little and I think has made my decision for my next purchase

Thanks

beginner kites from the top brands are a sure win ... it will just come down to size, price and graphic.

It is a shame that 3m kites end up labeled by us all as " beginer " or " trainer " kites. If you buy a quality 3m you are actually buying your " high wind " kite.

I have said it before but starting out with too much kite slows your learning greatly . You end up spending all your time getting tossed around potentialy injuring yourself. With a smaller kite you can become master of the kite sooner with slightly less chance of injury. ONLY once you are in control and setting those reflex memories do you start to truly progress. This game is all about kite control and you aren't getting anyplace but the hospital when the kite is controling you.

amen to what bladerunner says. I got 12 screws and too many stitches to count from not respecting the kite proper, KNOW WHEN TO PACK IT IN.. and having said that .. I am stoked to Fly kites again, and looking already fro a better de-power kite for snow kiting, but still have much to learn from my " trainer " ..

If you are sure you like the sport, I would suggest getting a kite that isn't labeled beginner... There are lots of quality kites that will perform well for years & you won't out grow.

You will soon realize that 1 kite will not work for all conditions. I see 3 fixed bridle kites as a minimum for land use or a combo of a big FB kite and then some depowers.

Ron

Quote:

Originally posted by RonH If you are sure you like the sport, I would suggest getting a kite that isn't labeled beginner... There are lots of quality kites that will perform well for years & you won't out grow.

Again, follow what Ken said...

Quote:

It is a shame that 3m kites end up labeled by us all as " beginer " or " trainer " kites. If you buy a quality 3m you are actually buying your " high wind " kite.

nothing wrong with a kite that happens to be stable and easy and therefore suitable for novices...