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Your'e going to love that kite. For me it's a very deliberate flying kite. Always seems to be waiting for me. All my other kites at times seem to have a mind of their own. That's getting better as my skills improve. It's not my most exciting kite but is still the most rewarding.When I first got it I'd take out the upper spreader and tail weight for low winds. It was pretty frustrating below 5 for a good while. Getting a Zephyr and Pro Dancer has taught me how to keep the wind in the sail better. Don't do that anymore. 1 to 3 I can now control to the ground and pull off a trick or 2.Iv'e used 80, 90, 100 lb in 80 ' and 100' line sets. Didn't care for the feel much.I stick to 150# in 80' or 100' now. Got a 130# 100' set in the mail and hoping I'll like it on the Widow ng. When in doubt just yank it and spank it. That works best when nose is not pointing down though. The ensuing thud is very chilling .

You can use just a S-shaped carabiner/key ring that is readily available at hardware stores, convenience stores and even many gas stations. The stakes you made will be fine for grassy fields, but may be too short to hold in sand when you fly at the beach. I make my golf ball stakes 14 to 15 inches long. That length seems to hang well from a biner or a belt loop. Some slide them behind the belt. I have also seen them dangling from the loop on cargo pants on occasion. I do have a custom stake that was gifted to me that came with a sheath and it is my go-to, but when I've got more than one kite set up, the home-made golf ball ones come out of the bag. Edit: Also the point can be rounded. Even in dry ground something that thin will penetrate. Less chance of injury with a rounded point, especially if fly something with a lot of pull.

I have heard that you will find some golf balls with a liquid in them. It's kind of a surprise when you drill into them. Hopefully you don't run into those. I have made a variety of kite stakes over the past few years. They are fun projects. When I ride my buggy I carry mine on the buggy. When I fly static I shove it through a belt loop on the side, but I've been warned. I was warned on the power kite forum about carrying it on your body. This picture was someone's else's reason. It came from this posting. http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=32044#pid309537 I have found my local fabric stores only have flat webbing (single layer). I only found the tubular stuff at the REI (mountain outfitters supply). I found that I could cut a piece of polyethylene hose (the clear plastic tube they use for pumps and the like) and put that down the middle of a piece of tubular nylon webbing. It holds the opening wide open and makes the holster a little more rigid so I can scoop up my stake and slip it into the sheath without fiddling with it.

And the sooner we meet the better !

That should do the job quite nicely. Well done.

Decided to give a DIY project a go. I took a tent stake, golf ball and drill and went to town! Took a bit of trial and error but after first ball... Three great stakes! I just need to find (or make) belt holsters for them.

I absolutely love the Widow NG, been using it without tail and it is amazing. When I went by the shop a few days ago, I saw the Magnum (Makes: Lots of Noise) is what they told me... It's in the future for me.. Box Kite Delta first....

Only needs to be 1" strap and sewn 1/8" in from edges. I would leave the bottom open to let out sand. Use a hot knife or the equivalent to cut the strip and prevent fray.

I used to carry my stake in my back pocket... Until the day I did an axel with my Rev (arm sweeps past the hip) and literally stabbed my forearm almost 1” deep on the return motion. Ever since, I exclusively carry my stake in a sheathe that hangs from my rear (center) belt loop.

I have found that DC and double-DC kites fly WAY better than traditional flat Deltas. I have a number of both, and that's been my experience. I've talked with others who claim to never have problems with regular deltas, but I find that they have a smaller wind range, and are not very tolerant of anything but smooth wind. Ghost or Pyro deltas are a different story, they are very stable in a wide variety of winds, but the traditional triangle delta is not a set it & forget it kind of kite, they will end up on the ground if not constantly tended to. One exception to this in my collection is an 11' mesh delta, that isn't too bad, but still ends up on the ground unexpectedly. The DC and double DCs can be staked out and fly for hours, and will be in the sky where you left them unless the wind drops. By far, this is my favorite, it flies in 5-25 mph winds, bumpy, choppy, or smooth... all day long.