Hi..just looking at getting my first kite and would really welcome your thoughts...

I'm 140 lbs...central alberta, winds are pretty variable seasonally but i can practice on light air days..plenty of light air in the summer.

I am interested in eventually getting into snow kiting and kite surfing. I think the snow kiters around here are often on 12m depower kites.

I am looking at a peter lynn hornet 4m ( the 3m is sold out :-( and a peter lynn twister 3m. The hornet perhaps easier to handle but larger, the twister liftier but maybe a better size. Which one would I be glad I had a year or two from now when I am more experienced and want a higher wind kite for snow?? Which will be more fun / challenging / good for learning????

HQ rush pro or hydra would also be options but they seem like they might be less useful later on ?????

One other question for sometime later when i have some skills: Is airtime any safer when you have forward motion (ie on board or skiis) versus static jumping, or is it just better to land hard on snow or water vs ground????

thanks so much,
m.

You are on the right track with the hornet. The prism tensor is also a good starter, also the Beamer. Those 3 seem to be the beginner go to kites. I went with a twister as my first kite and quickly ordered one that was a bit more manageable. Granted my twister was a 5.6 lol

Personally I like the prism tensor, not only because I'm selling one but because it gives you options while learning. It has a hybrid handle/bar system which my gf found VERY helpful while learning but everyone is different. The way it works is: the kite is on a bar from the factory, but if you want to convert it to handles, the bar comes apart into 2 pieces giving you handles. It's really cool actually. The gf loved the bar at first but as her skills continue to develop, she flies more on handles. I can't get her off my vipers now lol

She's 110 pounds soaking wet and she handles the kite just fine to about 12-14, then she starts scudding like mad. My advice? You really can't go wrong with any of the 3 kites I mentioned. Just start slow and gradually build your skills. Don't try to take it into too much wind at first. That was my mistake. If the wind gets to be too strong, or the gusts are heavy, pack it up and wait for another day.

Hope this helped

Welcome to the addiction!!!!

Oh, forgot to mention:

Airtime of any sort is dangerous. Board, buggy, or static. Not impossible obviously but dangerous nevertheless. Helmet, pads, armor, a nerf field, these all help. I have yet to find a field made of nerf material so the first three will do nicely.

I've flown both the twister and the hornet... You definitely want to go for the hornet. Lifty kites in small sizes are super risky when powered up. Also lifty kites plus gusty inland winds = trouble. I once recomended a twister 4.1 to a dude nearly twice your size and he had to sell it on. 4m hornet will give you enough grunt to move this winter on board or skis in 15 mph plus.

Lifty kites will be good later, a 3-4 m stable traction kite like the hornet will also have a lasting place in your quiver, but is better to start on.

Go to this site great tutorials

www.coastalwindsports.com

Give me a shout, I am in Drayton Valley, Alberta if you need some help with your kites

Thanks, I'm going for the Hornet..

Nocando, good link to tutorials, there is a good one on lift vs. pull which really helped me understand how the hornet and twister differ in their behavior.

kiteboyza, sent U2U.