I have a 2m Ozone Flow on handles. A 5m on the bar(not turbo). And a 7m (depower)Frenzy on the way.


Right now; I'm just using a buggy. In the future when my kite control gets really good and it warms back up I want to get into kite boarding(will buy inflatable kites then).

The 2m Flow is okay. In "high winds" (15-20mph) the kite is fast and darty. It can have good pull and power.

In lighter wind, the power window is very narrow. In gusty or on/off conditions, the kite leaves me stranded and stalled out a lot. Sitting in the field waiting on the wind.

The 5m Flow is actually easier to get around on and with. Good pull and a wide power window. I just truck along with it. The "4 line fixed bridle bar" I have on it now is kinda no good. It's easy to fly the kite around, but it seems like it doesn't use the brake lines at all really. After I try out my Frenzy; I might get a turbo bar for the 5m Flow or maybe put handle's on it(which of the 3 sizes?).

I've tried a 9m yellow JoJo of some sort. It was insane. I thought it was going to take me to the north pole. It was un-usable in the "wind" we were in and with the small handles we had on it at the time. I was hanging by the brake lines. It was a trip. It was worth it though because until I experienced it first hand; I had no idea what type of power and how much power it could possibly have.

On a very light wind day, what is the min wind condtion that is required to keep the 9m kite inflated?

I've flown a 4.5m Imp and in very light wind, it's hard to keep the kite inflated and in the air.

Last time I was out; I was using the 2m and was reluctant to get out the 5m; kinda wishing I had a 3m or 4m.

I thought about getting a sub 2m kite just for extreme wind days; but in high gusty winds; the small kite would be even more fast/dartier.

I'd kinda like to try out some non ozone brands of kites. Maybe some 3m or 4m kites. Potentially bigger; but I want to try out my 7m first before I decide that. What are good brand/models in the 3m and 4m size?

How about the Peter Lynn Reactor II or a Peter Lynn Viper. Both very nice buggy engines!

The descriptions on the Viper/Reactor seem very much the same. Buy a Viper OR Reactor, or one of each? What are the real and main differences between the two? Considering I have a 2m and a 5m; maybe a 2.8m or 3.5m Reactor and/or a 2.6m or 3.9 Viper? I can't decide.

I'm trying to avoid getting in a situation where there are kites I have that I never use or a situation where I only ever just use one kite all the time (IE a 7m Frenzy) and never use the rest of the kites.

Here is what the wind looks like this weekend.


http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/launch/code.cgi?Submit=Go&am...

what are you looking for? speed, stability, wider windrange?

the RII is faster than the Viper. the RII sits in the Pro Range on the PL scale, and the Viper is on the Access Range. the Viper is a step up for the Flow, but the RII above that. at NABX the RII 2.2m hit, 112km or was it 116km, i cant remember but i've gotten 108km with it.

if you want speed I'd go with the RII, if you're just looking to cruise in high winds, go with the Viper, based on performance and pricing. the RII also has reduced lift, which is why it makes it a perfect buggy engine.

also if you trying to fly in nukin winds, and maybe shorten your lines a bit.

if you're after high wind flying only ... i would suggest this as a quiver 2, 3, 5, 7m FB on 20m lines

I'm looking for wider wind range and good up wind. I've been plenty fast with the ones I've got(the field I currently use is not all that big). I want to get to the point where I can drive it in any direction I want and go where I want in it.

The Reactor II is good upwind :D

You aren't ever going to find a single FB to cover the winds on that map?

Depower ? Why not ? If it works , sell the FB kites that aren't getting flown ? :puzzled:

Quote:

I might get a turbo bar for the 5m Flow or maybe put handle's on it(which of the 3 sizes?)

I would suggest handles. Medium would work fine.

Quote:

On a very light wind day, what is the min wind condtion that is required to keep the 9m kite inflated?

You can buggy in 3-4 mph wind but it's a lot of work and takes a bit of skill. Park and ride in 6mph and put it away once the winds get past 13mph.

Quote:

Last time I was out; I was using the 2m and was reluctant to get out the 5m; kinda wishing I had a 3m or 4m.

Your 7m frenzy sits right between your 2m and 5m flow.

Quote:

I thought about getting a sub 2m kite just for extreme wind days; but in high gusty winds; the small kite would be even more fast/dartier.

Your 2m flow can take you into 40+mph winds with some experience. Of course don't go out and try that tomorrow,,,,work your way up to it please There really isn't any good reason to go smaller than 2m.

Quote:

I'd kinda like to try out some non ozone brands of kites. Maybe some 3m or 4m kites. Potentially bigger; but I want to try out my 7m first before I decide that. What are good brand/models in the 3m and 4m size?

HQ, Peter Lynn, flexifoil amongst others. As noted above though, your 7m frenzy sits right in that 3-4M windrange.

Hope that helps

Just in case the question arises,,,,, as a general rule a depower kite will have roughly the same power as a fixed bridle kite 1/2 its size.
7m frenzy = 3.5 fixed bridle.

I was thinking with the depower bar on the 7m I might be able to tame it and be able to use it in all conditions. I got it to use as practice for when I get some water kites I'd be familiar with the depower setup. Maybe the 2011 Frenzy will show up this week..

I was still kinda wanting a HQ or PL of some sort just to try out the brand. Maybe they aren't all that different enough compared to the Flows to make it worth the experience?

You'll be able to ride with your 7m in about 15mph. Nothing exciting but you'll be moving. Top end probably around 30mph winds.

Ozone makes nice kites but if you have an opportunity to try out other manufacturers I'd go for it. Things are constantly changing and you may find something you really connect with.

So how exactly does a depower only have half the power of a fixed bridle? Is a buggy conducive to using a depower bar?

It was so windy/gusty today; I only had the 2m Flow on handles(short ones) out and it was viscous at times. Maybe the 7m on the depower would have been usable?

Well, I'm sure one of the kite engineers amongst us can give you the exact details but basically like everything else in life its a give and take. You loose overall efficiency with depower but gain the ability to adjust the angle of attack of the kite on the fly as you move the bar in and out. Just the opposite for fixed bridle. If you bought a 7m depower thinking...."7m is huge,,,,that will be my light wind machine"........you'd be mistaken 7m depower kites are what guys are on when the wind is getting "rather strong". You'll end up riding it between 15-30mph winds like I posted above. You'll see as you start flying it but that the general gist of the story.

And you can buggy with a depower no problem. Some people prefer handles in a buggy but there certainly are no hard and fast rules. If your comfortable with it then get out and have some fun

Just my 2c.

I'm still undecided on the Viper and Reactor II. I'll try that 7m Frenzy out this week. I'm really surpised though I didn't get more suggestions on other brands and models or the fact there wasn't a "kite of the moment" that is all the current rage.

If we get any snow this winter; I'd like to snowboard with the Frenzy on the flat ground. How deep does the snow need to be to be able to track upwind?

I don't think there's ever any kite of the moment. They're changing constantly. In the last 4-5 years kites really have become fantastic machines unlike 20 years ago. Purchasing anything made in the last few years should be a great powerplant for having fun in the wind. If money isn't a problem then I'd choose the ReactorII over the viper. I've flown the reactor's and they're very nice kites. Stable and fast.

As far as the winter......... going upwind is more about skill than anything else. You can go upwind in 1" of crust or 24" of powder. Of course the board takes more of a beating in only an inch of snow;-). Having a kite specific snowboard is definately helpful although not necessary.

I attempted to fly the 2011 7m Frenzy today. Thought the winds would be okay. Thought this was going to be like a 3.5m kite... :shocked2:

Had it hovering overhead with no power on the bar. The bar was as high as it would go. On wind gusts it was lifting me(150lbs) off the ground a few inches and taking me down wind. I parked it and got the 2m out.

I had the same problem one day with a 5m Flow. Had it directly overhead and was hanging off it like a trapeze bar. It had me standing on my toes most of the time and would sometimes take my feet off the ground. I got the 2m out that day also.

What is the least amount of wind the 7m will stay in the air and not buckle and collapse all the time?

I was out there between 12pm-2pm.

Warning long post

Well,,,,,,,,,Lets start with your comment on the flows and work from there. Don't take what I'm saying as insulting or anything but there's an endless supply of other people who do the same thing so I'm just covering all the bases in hopes that others will learn too.

There is a reason why manufacturers make kites in the sizes they do,,,,,,and it's not because they want people to buy endless sizes of kites. When you jump from a 5m flow to a 2m flow thats a huge difference in power. There is a 3 and 4m in the range for a reason. Depending on wind conditions you can be overpowered on the 5 and woefully underpowered on the 2. Many people think they can skip several sizes and think they will still be all set for all wind conditions. Sadly it doesn't work that way. Finding a model of kite that has the flight charachteristics you like is valuable because if you stick with a series of kites the kite's behaviors' are similar in the range of sizes allowing you to perfect your kiting and riding skills which helps you advance quickly and have more fun with a greater margin of safety because of your familiarity with your gear.

Your 7m frenzy does sit roughly between your flows but it's important to understand that your not comparing apples to apples. The Frenzy is a high lift design. It has a very fat cross section producing lots of lift. In a way we could say its the exact opposite of your flows which were designed to be gentle, laid back, low aspect, no lift kites. That's important to remember as kite choice is more than just size. Kite design, what your riding, surface your riding on all play a role in chosing the right kite for the job.

Your 7m frenzy will fly easily from 10-30. I doubt you'll be moving much till the wind hits 15mph and I wouldn't take it out in 30 until your experienced enough for it. Start out slow and work your way up.

I primarily fly Blade IV's. Because of that I know what they're doing, what to expect, and how to handle it at all times regardless of wind conditions, regarless of which size I'm flying. A lot of people jump around and buy one of every kite on the planet and as you might guess they become a jack of all trades and master of NONE. If you want to progress quickly one of the best things you can do is get to know your gear intimately and you'll ride a thousand times better for it. That's hard to do when your quiver is made up of many different kites. Again this isn't necessarily directed at you but your questions and comments created a good opportunity to cover it for everyone.

Good for you for knowing your limits and knowing when to put a kite away. That's perhaps the most important thing that keeps us all safe.

Hope I haven't offended anyone,,,,I've had a weird weekend

Good winds

KG just summed it up. Amen!!!

+1