Hi,

I don't know the first thing about power kiting or traction kiting, but it sounds like a lot of fun and I'm looking for a kite that I can have fun with at the park, and involve the kids. I'm wondering what kind/type of kite would be best for a beginner. I don't want to start out on a real beginner level kite, I assume I could start out on some kind of intermediate kite, but I'm just not sure what's out there.

Does anyone have suggestions? Is a power kite better or more fun than a stunt kite? Should I be looking for a power kite to fly around, or is that stirctly a beach going activity.

Thanks for any suggestions.

certain kites can be flown anywhere, look for steady winds and follow the common sense kiting rules, no storm, airports. powerlines, don't fly over the head of other people on the flying site... and have plenty of fun

sent you a u2u with more info!

Just curious why you don't want a beginner kite since you are a beginner.

A beginner kite is exactly what you need , because your a beginner and you want to involve the kids. Traction kites can hurt you quick if you aren't used to them. You need to experience bad things first,with a beginner kite ,so when it happens with a bada$$ kite you'll be ready. Plus you can teach the kids with the beginner kite.

I basically didn't want to limit myself to a beginner kite that I would outgrow quickly.

What kind of kite is a good beginner kite then?

I'd like a sport or stunt kite with some pulling power. Can these two things be combined in a "traction kite" or is it one or the other; stunt or power?

There are a number of questions you gotta ask yourself 1 what do I want to do with it? Static ? buggy? landboard? what kind of places do you have to ride? how much do you weigh? how much do kids weigh? A kite that is fun for you could hurt or scare them.I'm thinking you ought to get a big buzz two line ,see if you like flying ,and learn control. Then give it to the kids and get your self a better kite more suited for what you want to do. there are lots of variables involved but better to err on the side of caution. Oh yeah,;-) welcome to the forum

Thanks for the welcome, and everyone's inputs.

I'd like a kite to stand and use at the park; I don't plan on buggy or water stuff with it. Is a power kite suitable for just running around with on the ground, or is it really designed for buggy and waterboarding?

I weigh 160 lbs.

What do most people use for a good standing kite, I guess my question would be then.

I wouldn't say run around , it's more like get dragged around. That is why they are called "traction" kites or "power" kites.If you are in a park,is it surrounded by trees? That could be a problem, turbulence and wind shadow from the trees. Can be jerky and dangerous in high winds. check out Revolution kites!

3 or 4m to start with is best. The Profoils at kiteinnovations.com would be a great way to start. Possibly a 3.5 for yourself and a 1 or 1.5 meter for your kids. Both kites come with bag and handles. You willl need to order the lines (coastalwindsports.com). The 3.5 retails for $115, the 1.5 meter is $50/60 I think. Lines will run you about $90 so your talking around $275 to get started safely with 2 sweet kites. Good luck...............

I know everyone is going to freak out when I say this but....

I am going to buy a larger kite b/c I want to be able to get a lot of life on it for jumping later on. So I'm trying to decide whether to get the blade 5.0 or the HQ crossfire 6.5. Any inputs between those two?

dude your crazy get a beamer or flexifoil rage if you want something in between. a blade is beyond a intermediate kite, its not a race kite but darn close. i fly a beamer 5m and its got plenty of power and lift, also very friendly and forgiving the blade is none of those. its straight dangerous. i can not speak for the crossfire but im sure its not good for a beginner either. the guys will agree with me to get something more friendlier

So a beamer 5m is the same size as the blade 5m, then, but the blade is less forgiving? I guess there's more to it than size.

Can you jump with a beamer 5m if you are a lightweight?

yea im 185 and the beamer lifts me up. the blade has more lift then most kites on the market as far as fixed bridals go.

Would the beamer 5.0 be an okay starter kite then? Or should I go with a smaller beamer?

Hey Sandman... Welcome!!!

I started with a Flexifoil Bullet 1.5m and I'm pretty quick learner, athletically inclined and an adrenaline junkie, hence the name "Screwy". I was extremely stoked with this kite for a while. Now in hind site I wish I'da got a 2.5m or 3.5m. I just bought a Pansh Blaze 3m and an Pansh Ace 3.5m I absolutely love these kites. The Ace is very aggressive lots of pull and lift, the blaze is similar to the Bullet 1.5 in power but easer to control, the bullet is very fast. I'm gonna get a Blaze 5m which in my book has a lot of pull like the Ace 3.5m but less lift. I've been fling for 5 yrs now and pulling out a Ace 5m is scary unless there is low wind. Defiantly get kite killers so you can let go and they kill 99% power. I have a Flexifloi 7m and that rarely comes out, maybe light wind at the beach so I can get dragged for 40-50ft at a time.

Just to make a point... I fly the Flexifoil 1.5m to this day had it out 2 days ago along with the Blaze 3m. So if you get a smaller kite it's all good you are gonna get the wind bug and have 5 kites before you know it.

In my opinion I'd suggest looS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-n at the Pansh brand they are very inexpensive. For the price you pay for a larger Flexifoil you can own 3 kites in 3 sizes from Pansh ready to go (lines & handles) and your flying. This way you can get an Ace 2 apx $120 and an Ace 3.5 apx $140 and an Ace 5m apx $180... thats $440, I think thats less than a Flexi Blade 6!!! or Like the Pansh Blaze's in 3m, 5m and 7m or mix match... Pansh's are great kites to start of with you'll know if you wanna spend the dough for name brand kites later. Plus high or low wind your gonna be able to get something out flying

If you buy them and don't like'em... sell'em... hell I'll buy'em or sell'em for ya and you can go get a Blade/ Beamer whatever tickles your fancy... I'll bet you'll own 5 kites within 2 years, you'll love it.

If you can get test flights or demo days, that'll let you fly'em before you buy'em!!

Good luck and be safe...

Start small and work your way up...

If you decide Pansh... give Dlish89 a looS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-n up he is a genuine man!!! and probably give you a package deal for 3, mainly get you into something you'll be happy with for years to come.
Dlish wont try and sell you he dont advertise much he just likes to see people happy flying and if you come knocS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-n he'll bend over backwards for ya...

Any way you choose... ENJOY... its a Blast!!!

Screwy

Quote:

Originally posted by SandMan2 I basically didn't want to limit myself to a beginner kite that I would outgrow quickly.

You won't ever outgrow your beginner kite. Notice my quiver. I still fly my Beamer myself regularly when conditions dictate. My Crossfire is the least forgiving kite in my quiver because the blade has the adjustable bridle. Both the Crossfire and Blade will hurt someone that doesn't know what they are doing. You can learn with the kites you are describing, but don't ever fly in winds over 7mph. That is a bad corner to paint yourself into, you won't have near as much fun learning, and you still won't have anything to fly in 15 mph winds until you have a lot of experience with your kites. I had 5 years experience with my Symphony before I got the Beamer and I had 6 months experience with the Beamer before I bought the Crossfire and it seems that I have advanced on the fast side. The time with the symphony was quite valuable when I added the power of the 3m Beamer to the mix. Not to sound morbid, but you might either give up on the sport or hurt yourself before you get there with the kites you are talking about starting out with. I sold a 6m Pansh Ace to a guy that didn't have the experience he was touting. 6 hours later he was in the hospital to get plates and screws in his shin. 12-14 weeks of recovery. Get yourself a 2.5-3.5m non lift kite to learn with and you will set yourself up for a long enjoyable hobby and have something you can teach others with.

Quote:

Originally posted by SandMan2 I know everyone is going to freak out when I say this but.... I am going to buy a larger kite b/c I want to be able to get a lot of life on it for jumping later on. So I'm trying to decide whether to get the blade 5.0 or the HQ crossfire 6.5. Any inputs between those two?

yeah that would be crazy....................again 3 or 4m lower aspect ratio kite

Sandman2,
Helpful if we knew where you live. You may find that there are a group of kiters near you who will let you try a variety of kites for free. There is nothing like flying a kite to make a decision on what to buy. I would say your first step is to try in find local kiters and start making friends..
Your first kite should be in the 2-5 m sizes. High aspect kites tend to be harder to fly. This is not always the case, I have let lots of beginners try my Sky Country Reflex 5m in low winds and most have loved it.
Size is definitely not everything. Aspect ratio has much to do with flight characteristics, but that does not tell the whole story either. You will find that various kites have their promoters, it is much like cars. I buggy, I like a kite that has controllable power, lots of speed and not much lift. Others like loads of lift and lots of grunt. I prefer my power with finese.

Scudley

Sky Country Reflex 5, 7, 10 - My favorites - fast, fun, and friendly - very hard to get your hands on, but I think worth the effort.
Samuri 3m - when the wind is nuking: a blast
Bullet 7 - Nice, well built, reliable, but as exciting as a minivan
Firebee Force 5 - Flies much like a Bullet, not as nice a build.
Firebee 3m - I still fly this when its nuking and the GF is flying Sammy, but after 5 years is starting to feel it age.
JoJo Rage 8m - Lots o' grunt
Next purchase 3 or 4 Reflex.

Forgot to mention that you should start slowly on jumping. It is mega fun, but so easy to really f*ck yourself up.
Scudley

Quote:

Originally posted by SandMan2 I know everyone is going to freak out when I say this but.... I am going to buy a larger kite b/c I want to be able to get a lot of life on it for jumping later on. So I'm trying to decide whether to get the blade 5.0 or the HQ crossfire 6.5. Any inputs between those two?

Hey I am new to this too and my first kite is a blade 4m. I was given all the warnings too but I got this one anyway. I can tell you that it is the best decision I made however I must stress to you that it is not for the kids. I took it down to the beach with a few of my mates and it lifted us all easily (one of my mates is built like a tank). So I gotta warn you if you get a blade it would probably be best to get a 4m or smaller and definitely get the kids something else

This response will probably anger some people, as I would recommend you get an intermediate kite. But dont go for a big one... yet. The Crossfire 3.2 was my first power kite, and it was perfect for me. I weigh 190 lbs, and still love flying that kite. But I'm glad it wasnt any bigger... keep in mind that I weigh a bit more than you do.

I dont really like the beamers, I flew one for a while, and sold it so that I could buy a better kite. I understand that you dont want to outgrow your kite, and I would recommend a 3.2 crossfire (I dont know what sizes are available with the new crossfire line). Or I would recommend a flexifoil rage... the blade is too much kite for anyone starting out- its too much kite for me sometimes even in a perfect wind. Trust me... you will buy more kites later on. The crossfires are medium- high performance and will keep you excited down the road. Flexifoil makes a better product (but are a lot more expensive).

By the way, these kites that I'm recommending should not be put in a kids hands. Get a small beginners kite for them, see if they even like it. But for yourself, if you want some excitement, and the beginning of a good quiver... I would not hesitate to start you with a small crossfire... but not a 6m+_ size. The most important thing is to stay safe. If youre asking these questions, I'm guessing you havent flown a kite yet, and you probably dont know how much power they really have. I recommend full pads, too. Helmet, knee, and elbow.

My first multi-line kite is my Beamer III 3.0m. Pretty easy to fly, relatively low AR, loads of fun, and pulls pretty darn good (I got some nice 20+ ft butt-scuds in last week) in 15 mph winds. I JUST got into power kites (about a month ago) and am finding that learning to control the Beamer is fun and relatively easy. I was initially going to go with a two line kite (Into The Wind "Bulldog"), but decided to get the Beamer after reading some reviews - I'm glad I did, and I think I will be able to teach others to fly it, maybe even kids in low winds.

Thanks for all the great input!


I live in Vacaville, CA, it's pretty close to the bay.

I guess I can start out on something smaller, I don't want to start out on the wrong foot with these kites, I take it.

So what is the best choice in the 3.0M range, then

Quote:

Originally posted by dylanj423 This response will probably anger some people, as I would recommend you get an intermediate kite. But dont go for a big one... yet. The Crossfire 3.2 was my first power kite, and it was perfect for me. I weigh 190 lbs, and still love flying that kite. But I'm glad it wasnt any bigger... keep in mind that I weigh a bit more than you do.

No anger here, but I certainly disagree with sending a newbie out with a high strung kite that leans more towards lift and pull performance than providing a steady predictable flight. That is a recipe for frustration and injury, and you still don't have anything to fly when the wind gets zippy. I tried out a 3.2 Crossfire about a month after getting my Beamer. It was fun to fly when it wasn't bowtied, and it had some lift which was kinda fun, but it was not the fun pleasing flight that I had been used to with the Beamer. That is what someone getting into power kiting needs to sharpen their skills before going on to something larger with lift. I had a chance to trade my Beamer for the 3.2 crossie for $40 and decided not to. I am still happy to have the Beamer instead. Now I have larger and much more powerful kites but if the wind is too much for the bigger kites or when I was teaching my 8 year old how to fly a 4 line kite, I am so glad to have the Beamer. I guess I'll always have one in my quiver.

Vacaville !!
Your right next door ! We have lots of kites here for you to try I have a couple Pansh, beamer, npw. and others local have bullets, blades. That way you could get a taste of what the different kites will do.
I will send you a u2u later with my info.

i agree if you want to teach the kids i would definitely go in the 3m range. a five would probably be okay for you but my five kicks my little brothers but, and he is 120lbs and 14 years old, just remember to be safe and have some common sense, you should be okay.

Get health insurance,you'll need it eventually. We all do! Short term disability ins.is a must if you are the breadwinner. I shouldn't have to say this but I'm gonna ,Helmet and protective pads are a must.If you get a lifty kite ,crashing is inevitable! Even on sand ,it hurts.What is it that you want to do? As you would buy a kite according to what you want to do. For Land traction you would want a kite with pull and fast in the window. For land traction with aerials you would want a lifty kite with plenty of float, maybe even a de-power. But you are not there yet! you don't want too big of a kite cause it will limit how much you get to fly. Or worse you end up going out in dangerous winds and get hurt . Small kite are always good to have , cause you can fly em anytime. Welcome aboard ,have fun,be safe;-)

Flexifoil sting 2 3.3m , they are a blast easy to fly. Or a rage 3.5 , I love Rages they are steady pullers , and eat gusts well. Very good flight characteristics ,and very good quality. very pricey Nice rucksacks too, but your payin for it.

Hey, Hook up with me and/or Dlish, we both live here in the SF Bay I'm in livermore Ca. We'll get you flying so you can make an educated decision. Between the both of us we got a ton of kites to try, so you understand what everyone is talS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-n bout...

dude, get a small power kite or a stunt kite would be better or i promise you will get an education of a life time by the sweet power of mother nature you will never forget. and remember this is a test if you fail this part and buy what ever you want remember ONE thing LET IT GO! so you can fly again another day
WELCOME! SANDMAN2
peace