Can you steer me to a quality kite shop online that has competitive prices and really knows what they are talking about. I'm interested in entry level Power Kites.

Where are you located, and what sport do you want to eventually get into?


Surfing?
Buggies?
ATB?

quality kite shop online?

lots of quality used kites on the forum here, many of them perfect for beginners, and cheaper than online retail shops!

Also lots of advice to be had... my recommendation would be to give a little more info about yourself, as D423 suggests. Where you are, what kind of area you have to fly in (ocean, beaches? inland football fields? Wal-mart parking lot?), how much you weigh, and how active you are, as well as maybe where you want to go with your kiting.

with that info, the advice will flow!

Once you have the advice, then you can start hunting for a deal, that would be a good way to go, IMHO...

HI there!
Welcome to the forum. It is a great place to learn. Check the good trader posting for a huge list good places to buy. Also go to the for sale area, if you like something you see there post a question about it with the info they asked above and all the wonderful people here will hook you up.
Enjoy

I'm North of Dallas. I have no beaches to go to. I'm on the way heavy side so I won't be jumping for awhile. I do have alot of wind. I've got 15 acres I live on and there is a nice park not far from me that has plenty of Kite space. I doubt it is enough room for a buggy.

I enjoy flying and I want something that will give me a workout. There was an Imp Quattro on the boards I was asking the guy about, but I'm still too new at the power kites to know what I should be getting. I've done the 2 line stunt kites and while not Mr Acrobat with it, I can make it do what I want it to do and land it softly at the edge of the window. I like the feel it gives me in a big wind as well.

I haven't found ANY kite shops in the metroplex here. Just junky stuff at hobby shops and the like. I stumbled on your board a few days ago and have been lurking about trying to soak up as much info as I can.

Hope this answers your questions. The group sounds like a good bunch of people from what I can see so far.

Akulakat.

something that will give you a workout, eh? and you mention that you're a reasonably solid kite anchor!:evil:

and two-line skills are there!

so you should go for something in the 3-4 meter range....

something with handles is likely best for now, you will get the best feel and level of control for static flying. Kites with a bar for later, when you want to begin moving across the ground on some kind of wheels.

you need minimum 150 to 200 meters of room for buggying, I'm told, but I'm pretty new to the sport myself, others on this board will give you much better advice on the buggy / MTB front.

The imp quattro in the for sale thread is a good one,
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=7513

ozone razor 2.5 is a bit small, but if you often have winds 15 mph and more it will give you a workout!
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=7758

peter lynn twister is a bit big for a first kite at 4.1m, but if you get lots of winds between 10 and 15 mph it will give you your workout and be a good buggy / board engine for later, and it's a good stable kite for a first one:
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=7757

all are good deals.

if you want to buy new, the 3 or the 4 m HQ beamer is the board consensus favorite for a first real power kite, search "HQ beamer power kite" or just give dakitez a call! (www.dakitez.com)

Anybody else got ideas? I have no idea about shops in your area, for example....

merry crimbo to ya, as my british friends would say...

cheers,

furbo

and now for the extreme suggestion: d423's flexi rage 4.7!

http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=7905

This one come with a warning! The only reason I put it up is that I have set two people up with my 5m Ace who were previously 2-line flyers, and both were just barely able to handle it. Both were 180 pounds plus, both in 5-10 mph gusty winds, hard pack sand ( a little bit better than flying on a grass field). But launch it in 15mph or more and you would be looking at serious risk! But after a couple of hours you would likely be OK with it, especially if you are wise enough to be choosy with your winds!

It's not the size of the kite, tho, it's the strength of the wind, the quality of your holding ground, the amount of room you have to fly, the presence or lack of fellow kitefolk, and last but not least the quality of your health insurance! All are factors in your decision! And you should feel free to discuss any of that on this forum!

hmmmm. and that's enough rum and eggnog for the night!

We dont have many shops here in Texas, you are better off looking around on here... that 4.1 m would be my recommendation, as you have kite skills and are a more stout kinda guy. But even so... start in lighter winds with a kite that big.

I was really surprised at how much power these things harness.

There is at least one other member here in the Dallas area, maybe a post would bring them to your attention. Then you could possibly fly one or two before you commit to buy anything.

Quote:

Originally posted by furbowski and now for the extreme suggestion: d423's flexi rage 4.7!

I forgot I was selling that thing! Had a great session on it a few weeks ago.

yeah, the 4.1 is the sweet one for you.

the 2.5 is good as well, that and the 4.1 together would be the begining of a quality fixed bridle kite quiver.

4.1 will fly in 5 mph, work you out in 10 mph, and scud you fast in 15.

2.5 will fly in 5 mph, work you out in 15, and start scudding you around 20mph, earlier on a wet grassy field.

If you are on a budget the imp is a decent compromise.

never mind the egg nog, bring on the rum!

Thanks for all your wonderful input. I have added the 4.1 to my 'consider list'. I'm not worried about being a big enough anchor for it, I know I am a BIG Anchor at 280. The winds around my place seem to be almost always Big.

I don't see alot of posts for the Quattro on this board. Alot of other manufacturers seem to be more popular. So I am on the fence on this one.

I think the 4.1 will give me the ability to learn something else at a later time (boarding , buggy) should I ever go that route. It also appears the guy selling it (Dakitez) is a reputable dealer as well which is a huge plus.

Still on the fence. Anyone in Dallas that I can come watch you fly and get some pointers from?

If you're still looking for a store, there's an XL Kites in the Dallas area..
http://www.xlkites.com/dallas/

Here's a map:
http://tinyurl.com/7z77eb
Zoom out to see where it is in relation to you.

Welcome,
Like Folks have mentioned , check out the good traders list.

The way You descride Your location as being pretty windy I would suggest You lean toward the 3m size. Don't be fooled. When you open up a 3m it will look huge. It will give You the work out You are looking for. Going much bigger will mean that you will get jerked around out of control more. The 3m will produce PLENTY of power and allow you to fly in higher winds.

I agree that the 3m Beamer is a good place to start. The package comes with everything You need. With some other brands You will want t buy Kite Killers and a stake. HQ supplies that + a DVD and a nice pack to keep it all in !

A few shops that are on the good trader list carry HQ ! Feel free to ask questions !

Thanks for your help. I decided on the 4.1 on this forum. It seemed like the best value near and long term. I'll let you know how it goes after I get it flying.

Im so sure that you will like it... enjoy and be safe! Let us know how you like it.

Awesome kite

Pictures

Hi I live in Thailand Where ship to me? I want blade IV 6.5

you need to start your own thread, lek, and give some info about yourself: weight / winds / previous experience / what you want to do with your kites... you'll get better advice that way.

BTW, even if you have stunt kite experience, you'll find the Blade a bad choice for a first kite.

the winds are good on the east coast of thailand for another couple months, but too much power for a guy on a big blade to learn with any safety.

you'll be best off learning with something smaller, then getting going on the bigger ones in the summer winds, you'll have good skills next winter when the monsoon comes again.

North Texas Kitesports / Atomik Kiteboarding

Mike Hutchinson, Dallas Texas.

I like stuntkite trickkite and powerkite

My weight 52 KG. I like jumping and looking for kite buggy

Now I have Blaze 5.0, II 7.0 Ace 3.0,4.5,9.0 and buggy

Experience 1 year for powerkite blade IV 6.5 I think it's nice kite for me blade 4.9 to small it's can't lift because I stay bankok the wind not strong

The winds are good on the south on summer about 4/2009 I want to buy them for jump on the beach and future for landboarding

I have contact powerkiteshop.com but they not responds at UK. cost shipping expensive and not ship please advise shop to me :dunno: I pay by paypal

Thank you for advise

sounds like you're ready for a blade... :embarrased:

powerzone's contact should sort you out...

take a look at coastalwindsports.com website..........................

yeah, Coastal Wind Sports ships worldwide. You should check with him and see how the shipping to you stacks up.

Thank you for advice I will try contact him

Who ever bought here?

http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/104548690/Flexifoil_Blad...

It's look like cheap and near my country

I dont know about that site, under payment terms, it said TT (I dont know what this means), or Western Union. I wouldnt ship that much cash off with no protection of my money.

I always use paypal or credit cards, as they have some buyer protection built in. At least until I have an idea of who I'm dealing with.

What country are you in?

TT is tele transfer of funds from bank to bank

Alibaba is one of the biggest online trading sites in Asia, they may have some buyer protection, they may be worth checking out, but as with any online deal there are risks. I clicked around a bit and the seller hasn't provided any information about their company, hasn't done anything to authenticate themselves yet, and so I'd proceed very carefully. Indonesia, unfortunately, is a fairly corrupt place as far as the law enforcement goes....

good luck with your blade quest there, lek.

That you say I fear :o

I stay in Thailand

Thanks for your advice I wil not order in alibaba and I just to see news in my contry have business to hit to corrupt from alibaba

I receive message from him blade 4 6.5 very cheap Minimum Order : 5-15 units only 3xx USD The kites is complete it's unbelievable

If it is unbelievable, you might want to stay away from it.

We have a saying here... "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is"

Good luck on your quest. Keep an eye out here, there have been some good deals come up on some blades recently. There may be another.

Akulakat

You mentioned that you live north of Dallas. Are the winds there gusty? I am in south Louisiana and fly inland all the time. The winds here can be very gusty. We have found that nasa wings handle gusty winds better then foils and that is all we fly inland. If you are every in south Lousiana look us up.

Susan (npw goddess)