This isn't intended to be a "what's best" thread, but more a "what do you use?" thread. I've seen all the opinions on what kites should be used for jumping, but I'd be interested in hearing what you guys are actually *using* yourselves.

And not to get too personal, but it'd also be interesting to hear how much you weigh and in what wind conditions you go jumping.

I'll go first: Hi, my name is El and I'm a kite jumping addict (this is where you guys all say "Hi, El"). I use a 4m Pansh Ace in 10-15 mph winds because I'm a girlish 230 lbs, but I'm likely going to pick up a 5m Ace from dlish here shortly.

I've been able to get some decent air with the Ace, but nothing to write home about. This is likely partly my technique (or lack thereof), but I really think it's my, ah, density that's keeping me from getting the 10 ft jumps.

Who's next?

I use my 8m Pansh Ace in 10-20mph wind. I weigh 135 lbs and my jumps range from 5-15 feet repectivly. With the rare 20 footer.

Yup,

A 5 is too small a step up ! I would be looking in the 6m range at least . Bigger if all you get is 10 - 20 mph winds. A bigger canopy is better and safer for nice soft landings.

I'm still working on jumps but my personal preference is for Depower / Flysurfers.

Oh.... WELCOME EL

7M OZONE HAKA IN 15-25 MPH I GET 10-20 FT JUMPS

Welcome,

Blade IV 6.5 or 8.5 for the ultimate jumping experience.......................

Hi Tri,

I keep hearing that about the Blade, as well. I'm just having a hard time coming to grips with the amount of cash needed for a Blade. That's likely going to have to be a Christmas present or something in order for me to get one.



In the meantime, you guys have convinced me to go with the 6m Ace - it should be powerful enough to let me work on my form without relocating me to the next county.

Vids to follow...

Welcome to the forum El. I can speak highly of the blade myself. I couldn't' really get a jump off with any of my kites but borrowed tridudes 6.5 and suddenly I knew how to jump. Got over 10 feet on my second day jumping with it. I am about 235 lbs and this kite starts to lift at about 10 mph and my 10 footer that day was 12-14. Since then, I've had good jumping with my 5m Crossfire. I'll say that after I had my Blade experience, I immediately put both my Pansh kites, (a 5m blaze and a 6m Ace) on the market, because they were just not fun to fly once I had been exposed to how a good kite should fly. Fly one and you will find the money. On another front, the new Crossfire II's should be out any week now. That in a 5-6m should be a great jumping machine. Try one out if you can.

5 meter Pansh Ace- 200 lbs and 15-20mph winds. I try to stay around 10 feet off the ground-

Is most everyone hooking in to get these results...?
I have a 7m bullet, should I be able to get sufficient results with this kite... Til I can get a Blade XII (thats what they'll be by the time get one)
Screwy

Quote:

Originally posted by SCREWYFITS I have a 7m bullet, should I be able to get sufficient results with this kite... Screwy

Bullets have a lower aspect, grunty, low lift design.

You can jump with them and you can get air with them but they, by their nature, will never produce the type of lift and more importantly float like a blade or crossfire or other higher aspect, lifty kite.

Be carefull trying to jump using Bullets !!! They have a habit of throwing you downwind hard rather than popping you up sometimes. Be VERY aware of this and LET GO as soon as you feel you are off in the wrong direction !! The kite will slam you down hard faster than you can imagine . I've seen it happen over and over again. The 4.5 and 5.5 are the worst for this.

Bullets are very good for producing power but leave you wanting or hurt as far as jumping goes !

If someone wants a kite that is almost = to the Blade. Speleo's 4.9 Quadrafiol is the TOOL ! I can't beleive that thing hasn't sold !

Thanks for the input, Bob. Interesting point about "knowing how to jump" once you used the Blade. I've really only used Pansh kites for jumping, but if I used a Blade and could suddenly jump, I'd probably hock the truck and the kids to get one (I'd miss my truck, of course).

Is it *any* Blade, or just the Blade IV? I ask because there's a Blade III 6m on eBay for $271 right now.

And I'll definitely check out the Crossfire. I really appreciate the advice Bob!

No offence but how did you even get off the groung in 10-15mph with a 4m? At 230lbs. It should have been more like a hop. I use my 6.4 Blade 2 for jumping. I am 210lbs. The 6m ace should serve you well for the money But be careful in anything over 17mph. You may be in for a suprise. Alway's wear saftey gear!! And listen to Bladerunner on the jumping with Bullets thing They are good for traction in a buggy but in high wind don't use for jumping or you will get spanked. Can you say Superman? Then skinned up forearms and a slight headache. If you try to jump with a Bullet you will most likely be overpowered and it is not the best way to earn respect for the wind. El, Try to find a used Blade 2 or 3 if you cant afford a new one. I got mine for cheap and it flies great.

Comparing the 6m Ace to the Blade IV 6.5 is interesting. The ace certainly has lift. It will loft you just by zig zagging over your head. But using that technique will have you out in too much wind for the kite if you really get off the ground. The thing the blade does that was different than the Ace was when you sent it to 2:00 or 10:00 and then wanted to redirect it quickly back to the zenith to jump, the ace just wouldn't come back around fast enough. The Blade would just whip around generating that famous lift and seem like it was on autopilot heading back to zenith to float you back down. I did this for about 3 hours one day (good workout) and jumped maybe 60-75 times. By the way, I don't yet have a proper harness, so I'm on handles only. The next day, I used my new found skills and did the same thing with a 14 mph wind. 10 feet might be conservative. The people I had been talking to said "did you mean to do that?!" 13 year old Wexler had his mouth hanging open, a tough position to put a teenager in. Another day before my Blade came in, we had a good windy day at the soccer field and I used what I had learned with the blade on my Crossfire. Excellent results. I could generate good lift with it as well. The wind was 14-17 that day but my CF is a 5m. I had it for sale pooling money for the Blade, but couldn't part with it after that day and took it off the market. I am selling it to airhunter now (family) to make room for the soon to arrive Crossfire II. I know it is going to be a fantastic kite. The prototype was great back in September but they keep refining it and apparently aren't releasing it till they think it is perfect. I've got dibs on an early arrival. It will be at a lower price point than a Blade too which could get one in your quiver quicker and have you up up and away. But come back down safely.

Welcome El,

Blades are sweet jumping machines, The only thing that has come close in my experience are the Mac Para Begos (no longer in production). Ive got a meet and greet on a Blade I 4.9 in Myrtle Beach/Georgetown. If I like the 4.9, Im thinking of selling my BIV 6.5 and replacing it with an 8.5. What is your flying experience? Are you ready for jumping? This kite is awesome but can and will hurt someone whos not ready for it.

lol Thrasher - no offense taken. I weighed myself today, and i'm down a few pounds, just for the record. I posted earlier that they were 10-15 mph winds, but my decent jumps have probably been in more of the 20 mph wind range, and not exactly "leaping a building in a single bound" type jumps, either. 5 feet, maybe? I'd like to get them a bit more refined and get some real air - safely, of course. I'm certainly not like that Darwin Award candidate who posted he was going to take his 7m out in 60 mph winds...

I'm really interested in improving my jumping, but it's gotten to the point where I think the weak link may be my equipment, not my technique. Judging by everyone's comments on this thread, that seems to be the case, as well. I've already started posting items on eBay for my Blade fund.

I've been flying for a little bit now (going on 8 months?), so I'm by no means an expert, but I'm not a *complete* newbie. There's no power kiting community out in Phoenix I'm aware of (which is odd - we get some decent wind), so I'm kind of on my own - I really depend on the folks on this forum for their expertise (Bob, you reading this?).

Quote:

Originally posted by el pelon There's no power kiting community out in Phoenix I'm aware of (which is odd - we get some decent wind), so I'm kind of on my own - I really depend on the folks on this forum for their expertise (Bob, you reading this?).

There are many of us here regularly and all of us really enjoy giving our opinions. I am only in the 4 line side of this for a year now, but I'm on hear daily and regularly learn something. I'm an information sponge and have learned SO much here. There are many that have forgotten more than I know I imagine. One thing that helps me is that I'm analytical, always comparing kites with each other and how they fly in relation to each other and in different conditions. I also really enjoy flying others kites to broaden my kites flown catalog and to satisfy that analytical side. Many times just describing how a kite flies isn't as valuable as how kites fly compared to each other. Always happy to help anytime.

are we talking static jumping?

Mtn Board use:
Butan 5.5 or Nitro 6.9 soon to add a Butan 9.0 / 13.0 to the quiver ... all on handles. Also used a 7.8 Butan on bar.

Today I just discovered I like jumping the buggy with a Nitro 6.1 on Jellis handles. Winds where light, but still got a few inches off the ground.

For great jumping go with a Blade IV. The only other kites that I have flown that produce as much USABLE lift are the Quadrifoil Competition X kites. I've flown kites that have lift like the Pansh kites but they are not as user friendly. The last thing you want is to get dropped from 10' up in the air. From that height you will get hurt easily.

I still can't believe people jump as high as they do with kites. :o I only jump in the water while kitesurfing.

Scott

yeah Rip Ill bet those Butanes get nice air, the Nitro Evo II lifted nicely, not high but alot of downwind float!

Quote:

Originally posted by speleopower For great jumping go with a Blade IV. The only other kites that I have flown that produce as much USABLE lift are the Quadrifoil Competition X kites. I've flown kites that have lift like the Pansh kites but they are not as user friendly. The last thing you want is to get dropped from 10' up in the air. From that height you will get hurt easily. I still can't believe people jump as high as they do with kites. :o I only jump in the water while kitesurfing. Scott

The water guys here tell me Im crazy for jumping on land. Good point though, water only stings a bit

I agree about jumping on land vs water; however, as I'm in Phoenix, beaches are a bit scarce, and I'm not up for trying to learn to kiteboard on some of the lakes out here. Too many folks with boats enjoying adult beverages for me.

Thrasher, today we had 25-30 mph winds. 30 mph winds + Ace 4m = jumping El. However, I've come to the conclusion the Ace has absolutely no float. I had to roll from some of my drops to keep from breaking a leg. I'm thinking everyone's right: the Blade is probably the way to go.

Uh, Tri - are you actually dating Carmen Electra? :o

still partying on Lake Firebird are they? Ill post some pics of the 6.5. If I decide to sell it i will do kite/bag only or RTF......... Kite/bag---$550 plus shipping. RTF $650 plus shipping. Either way, your saving $175 to $200 off reatil and this kite is MINT! Can hardly tell the kites been flown. I take a lot of time keeping them that way! Point about Blades, if the mesh inlets are in excellent shape, the kites been flown and maintained properly.......


Yeah, had to drop Liz Hurley for the hook up but the sacrifices we make...........................

my fave kite to jump with...manta.....

El,

A few pics for ya...........................

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3041/2446833756_eab7b4a9b3_b....
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/2446829024_02130304b1_b....
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2390/2446016563_11a24e9bb8_b....
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2349/2446847308_7ea00d5da9_b....
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2074/2446033763_4ff081e821_b....
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2284/2446838282_5b82ca4946_b....

nice lawn. whats that on it?
:P

tridude, here is one for ya!

not bad for a young guy. Looks like an 05/06 Frenzy? Def gotta try one of those one day.............

your blade will do that easy! '05 frenzy, the manta does well too.

looks like your quiver is doing well

Man, The phantom was amazing yesterday. 20-30mph winds, and with my new depower rope in, i can keep down it in much higher winds and boost soooo high. Yesterday I cleared 25-30feet on my ATB in a soccer field - landing them too! Granted shortly after a few less intense jumps i packed away! Way too small of a field for those hieghts! I was so thrilled though, and the float on that baby is incredible!

Cannot wait to take it onto the water.