ya know where i live we dont usually get wind any stronger than 20 mph so was kinda thinking about getting a 4m peter lynn hornet 2 i was gonna get a 3m at first i could do little jumps with it atleast itd pull me about a bit so more fun aswell i could fly it in lighter winds this is only my first 4 liner so looking forward to getting it but if you think i should stick with a 3 meter say so ;-)

ATB,
Sam

Stick with a quality 3m . If you need to sell it will be easy. Not as many want a 4m.

You keep talking jumping and small kites ? Have I mentioned they don't match !

+1 for a 3 meter. Learn in light winds. 20mph can clobber you with a 4m if you haven't built skills.

Be careful of trying to jump a 3. Learn to fly confidently first then worry about lift off later. A 3 meter will put your bones on the outside from a jump and dump, meaning the kite can lift you but won't have enough "float" for a safe landing. You wind up coming down hard.

20mph is plenty of wind with a 3m. In fact, untill you have quite a bit of experience, don't fly a 3m in 20mph, even if it's a Hornet. Start out in like 12 mph, and work your way up from there.

3 or 4 doesn't make a lot of difference when jumping, they're both small. After you het the hang of your 3.0 (like next year), buy a 5 or 6 with a bit more lift. a Peter Lynn Twister IIR 5.6 for example. With the aqcuired experience, start jumping that kite in low winds as well, and build it up again. You'll be jumping easier, more relaxed, a lot further, and a lot safer this way than if you buy and try jumping a 4.0 now.

From a real newbie with no experience to speak of....

I got the Hornet 4m instead of the 3, mostly because it was readily available. Don't get me wrong, I Love the kite and am having a blast with it But...I think you might pack in more learning time, faster with a 3m. I just say this because at my skill level once it gets to i'm guessing 15 knots or so I'm stuck way out on the edges of the wind window...with a smaller kite you could probably still be playing and practicing with moves that use some power zone. I'm not sure if the 4m has much more low end range to give you more play time in really light air..?? Light air is fun too, it really makes you work the kite.

On the other hand the 4 has been great at teaching respect, and it's projected area isn't a full 4m.

(you might want to also consider whether you're going to want to use the kite with friends with zero experience..)




No anemometer, but I'd guess that at 15 knots or so

what even with a high aspect ratio kite such as the peter lynn twister2?

.....I saw my friend's son (100lbs) lifted by a 1.5m Hornet. I kid you not. Luckily it was only 6 inches or so. He travelled about 15 feet downwind before he touched down again. We retrained his "let go" reflex after that.

All great advice here with the intentions of keeping you safe and happy. A 3m kite will be very versatile kite with a huge wind range and Pulsar is right; don't fly it in 15 never mind 20 until you have a lot of experience in 6-12 mph. Then when you get that 5-6m kite later for jumping, the 3m will not be so close to it as the 4 would be.

As for jumping just be warned that there have been a lot of pics posted here of X-rays showing shattered tibias and other leg/ foot bones. Note that YouTube jumping vids do not always end well, and often the landings are not shown at all....

as Bladerunner says jumping with a kite under 5 meters is not recommended.....................

Quote:

Originally posted by mukluk From a real newbie with no experience to speak of.... I got the Hornet 4m instead of the 3, mostly because it was readily available. Don't get me wrong, I Love the kite and am having a blast with it But...I think you might pack in more learning time, faster with a 3m. I just say this because at my skill level once it gets to i'm guessing 15 knots or so I'm stuck way out on the edges of the wind window...with a smaller kite you could probably still be playing and practicing with moves that use some power zone. I'm not sure if the 4m has much more low end range to give you more play time in really light air..?? Light air is fun too, it really makes you work the kite. On the other hand the 4 has been great at teaching respect, and it's projected area isn't a full 4m. (you might want to also consider whether you're going to want to use the kite with friends with zero experience..) No anemometer, but I'd guess that at 15 knots or so

WOW ..... You are one of the most respectable learners that has come on here in a while ! You get it exactly ! The only thing that getting the 4m has done is lower your top end . You haven't got any better kite for jumping. It is also not the biggest mistake. You are still going to want a larger kite soon and will be ready to handle more power once you master this one.

Thanks for making what I try and tell people more clear !

Ross, I'm not trying to rain on your parade, or talk you into buying any more kites than you need. This discussion has been taken up with you on many levels. PLEASE take the advice from those who know.

I was not fortunate enough to know this site when I first took up the sport. I bought a 5m Ace because of price and flew it well for the most part. I had flown plenty of two line stunt kites and tried the four line once or twice then jumped right in with the 5m. (which by the way is not much different than a 4m as you say a 3m isn't that much different than a 4m). I can tell you after flying this kite for many hours I was out one day and flying in average wind speeds. ONE gust came in and lifted me up about 10 or so feet and then dropped me like a rock! I still have pain in my ankle almost 4 years later. I weigh in at 225lbs. I was not pendulum jumping or anything, I was just standing there.

I know the Hornet is not the Ace by any stretch. It is just that you need to take the advice from the people on this forum. We are not trying to get you to buy more kites, we are trying to get you to learn properly to avoid you or some on lookers from being hurt. One black eye hurts all of us.

If you have not gotten the point yet. It only takes one time to make the rest of the time not matter. You can be as careful as you want, but no one I mean no one can tame mother nature. She will take you out in a fury just when you least expect it.