Hi everyone,
First time post. I've been lurking around a few sites trying to find info on a trainer. I'll give you a bit of info on me. I've only every used a stunt kite before. I'm looking for a trainer to eventually get me good enough for the snow this winter (and maybe water next year). I weigh 250 with the hopes of being down to 225 by the winter. The area I live isn't super windy (8-15mph) but I'm not far from the beach if I need more wind.

The kite I've been recommended is the Ozone Octane 5m at $465 Canadian. My questions are, is this a good choice for a trainer? Do I really need a 5m for trainer?

Will this pull me on a snowboard? The guy at the kite shop said it should but I always assumed I would be getting a larger kite.

Are there better options that are cheaper and will still get the job done? I can get an ozone imp 3.5 for $265 or the ignition 3.0 for $280. Obviously these don't have the the loop and safety leash.

I guess it really boils down to, do I really need a big trainer and is the loop and safety leash on a trainer a waste of money?

That's all I can think of right now and I'm sure I'll think of some others later

you should start with a 3m (4 line kite) and know everything you need to know before you go with the 5m. Safety first. You could possibly get by w a 4m being bigger with light winds. But you should still have plenty of 3m days to fly.

Welcome to the forum!
So, where in t-dot (for those that aren't in the city... Toronto. The internet generation strikes again.) are you?
I'm east in the 905, and have enough kites for you to try before making a purchase decision.

But to more fully answer your question... No, a 5m kite is not a trainer. Even at 225, it'll bust your a55.
If someone has suggested a 5m as a first power kite, they're no friend.

Here's the typical "first kite read":
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=28759#pid27...

Feel free U2U or e-mail (it's in my profile).

Thanks for tips. I figured the 5m was too big to start.

Don't live in t-dot, but I work just outside but my initials just happen to be T.O. I'm located in Paris Ontario

So, you need to talk to Markite - he's in Cambridge.
Disclosure: he's a PL distributor, but flies just about anything that has handles or a bar. :wee:
But if you're interested, the offer stands. (I work beside YYZ)

Quote: Originally posted by BigMikesKites

you should start with a 3m (4 line kite) and know everything you need to know before you go with the 5m. Safety first. You could possibly get by w a 4m being bigger with light winds. But you should still have plenty of 3m days to fly.

Would you recommend handles or bar (for the 4 line) if I'm using this to train to use a kite for the snow?

A bar will sacrifice the kites performance...but you will get the hang quicker
With handles you will become a pilot...

Quote: Originally posted by abkayak

A bar will sacrifice the kites performance...but you will get the hang quicker With handles you will become a pilot...

That makes sense. Is it easy to make the switch from handles to a bar later on?

Quote: Originally posted by abkayak

A bar will sacrifice the kites performance...but you will get the hang quicker With handles you will become a pilot...

Well said. When things get squirrely (is that a word?) being able to pilot the kite well is more important than a quick learning curve to get moving.
The Coreylama told me that he wouldn't sell me a kite until I could fly a foil with my eyes closed or while doing a pirouette. I wound up buying a kite somewhere else (thanks Kent) but I took the time to learn what Corey meant.
Making the switch later is easy.

ahh Paree! Fiona and i love sitting along the banks of the river enjoying a coffee at the Brown Dog or a quick bite at the Arlington :-)
Usually skirt around paris if heading down to turkey Pt but most summer weekends (anything SW wind) then we are at Long Point
unfortunately no kiting this coming weekend for me - heading way ...way...WAY north for a fly in fishing trip.
If you've flown a stunt kite you already know the basics of wind window and how to steer so what most call a trainer (generally a small kite to learn kiting before surfing) isn't necessary.
With water you need a lot of power to lift you out of the water and get planing and the more power you can edge against the more it'll drive you upwind. the winter is a good time to fly as you don't sink (unless in powder) and you don't need as much to get moving. i often take people out winter kiting and get them going in one day using a depowerable kite. There is certainly a wide gamut of kites that you could buy and have fun flying right now but when it comes to the gusty winter winds you are just going to get far more use out of a depowerable kite. There are many new and used options - I can send out emails to a few dozen friends that I deal with and ask who has something used - we all rake care of each other and good deals and =favors get passed around.
In the summer it's a great time to come to the beach for a day and fly a kite, I can send you an email when I'm heading to LP (TP doesn't have room) if you ever want to come down and met and bring a few different kites that you can fly while I go out and play in the water. maybe Ralph or a couple of others could join us - we'll have to go a little the other direction to meet up with Howard (Wasaga in the fall is great)

Mark

oh, i should try and answer some questions - for our winter winds they can be all over the place and some crazy high wind days but by far you will end up using your biggest kite for about 65% - 70% of your total season outings. You need the power for a snowboard and your weight and you won't be going out in the nuking days for at least a couple of years. come out and fly first and get a better feel for different kites so it'll start to make sense talking about different styles, sizes, etc relative to one another.
- another edit: I'm not saying start with your biggest depower kite but for winter kiting you can go directly to depower now since it's what you'll probably be using in the winter. Static flying is more fun on handles for sure but every person that has small kites on handles rarely pull them out to use in the winter if the have a depowerable that will cover that same range. There will be some very good slightly used kite options around if you want a small to med kite on handles as well as depowerable.

Thanks for the offer Mark! If you're from Cambridge you might even know a guy Brian Ready. He's been giving me some advice and even offered to give me a bit of training to get going.

Anyone have any thoughts on the Prism Tensor kites? They seem to be a good compromise with their convertible bar

They're good but for the money that 2.6 viper s in the for sale section would be better

Quote: Originally posted by T-Dot

Thanks for the offer Mark! If you're from Cambridge you might even know a guy Brian Ready. He's been giving me some advice and even offered to give me a bit of training to get going. Anyone have any thoughts on the Prism Tensor kites? They seem to be a good compromise with their convertible bar

Yes i know Brian good guy, but he's way down in Galt (south end of cambridge) that's over the 401, I'm in old hespeler the north corner :-)
Another friend I met last year came out with the tensor (i don't recall if Slawek was posting on here when i met him). I had to do a number of adjustments for him to get it to fly and even though you can make the bar into handles I really hated the handles, felt like a dinosaur bone in your hands and for the cost of the kite there are going t be some good used options either on here or locally especially if you are just looking for a cheaper kite to get some flying time under your belt before winter.

I just discovered the classified section. When I get some time tomorrow I'll browse through

Quote: Originally posted by T-Dot

I just discovered the classified section. When I get some time tomorrow I'll browse through

Uh oh, it's all over. Once you discover the classified section you'll go broke but justify it because you saved so much money getting there.

which pill will you take?? the blue one or the red??
the classified section is the rabbit hole