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I recently finished my first kite build, and I wanted to throw a public "Thank You!!" out to my kite making mentor: Elliot Shook, who allowed me to follow in his design footsteps, gave me guidance, techniques and encouragement. Without Elliot's generous mentorship this kite would likely still be flying only in my imagination. Holding my kite up to Elliot's work I still have a bit of fine tuning to do, but hey I still need an xtra vent, so I will get better. Elliot's eye for detail and build quality is definitely masterpiece material. I finished it just in time to take it to JB's OBX quad clinic and got to show it off to Elliot and all my best flying buddies. When the wind let up a bit (should have made an xtra vent for that weekend!!) I got to put it up with the sun behind it and it sparkled in the sun beautifully, and seemed to fly just fine. Nothing like seeing your own work flying and keeping up with the others in the sky. it flew just like a Shook should fly: smooth and un-phased by the bumps, in higher winds than I should have put it up in, and pretty as a can be. Also, Thank you to all of the folks who have pulled out kites to let me examine and photograph them, lent me your sails, and answered my questions about sewing and techniques - many of you were generous with your time and knowledge. The generosity of this community never fails to warm my heart and add lift to my efforts. To anyone thinking about taking the sewing plunge....I encourage it. I learned a ton, and kite making materials are not forgiving, so give yourself plenty of practice scraps and time. Oh the joy of flying a kite I built can not be described adequately. Thanks Again Elliot!

Just browsing through today's posts and was overcome with a feeling I consciously have at least every other day, seriously... The KiteLife Forum continues to flood me with deep appreciation, respect and recognition for the overall tone and communal nature folks find here... Even after roughly 14 years, we've had a very rare few major incidents and "trolls" just can't seem to find oxygen here. New fliers come in with "n00b" questions but time and time again, nearly without exception, they are welcomed with genuine kindness and consideration. We're also by in large a multi discipline group with single, dual, quad and even the weird stuff well represented... That all makes the horizon brighter and more promising for everyone. The moral of my post here today... It's you. I'm proud to be "den mother" and I play my part but it's a fact that I rarely have to do anything along the lines of moderation or mediation here... Y'all self manage and promote respect, growth, fun... Paying it forward in shaky social times. Thank you.

Why I fly kites (doesn't everyone ?) Yep, this is an old topic, that I commented on, several years back. I may have even started it, I don't remember, but I thought it was an interesting subject, and with a lot of new members on the scene, these days, I thought it would be interesting, once again, to hear some new stories............... Here is mine, should you care to read it - I would love to hear yours !! Here goes...... ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Why I fly kites (doesn't everyone ?) & how did this all get started ? Well obviously not. Not around here, anyway. I’ve been flying kites for around 12 - 13 years now, 95% of that, while on vacation at the coast. When you mention flying kites around home, people tend to look at you, like you’re strange, but at the coast, it’s more like, okay, so what? Things seem to be a little more laid back in the resort areas, and I think people tend to expect, and/or overlook, most anything. So what’s the big deal, with a few people out there flying kites, on the dunes, or on the beach? Nobody really gives it a second though, but back home, not only do people give it a second thought, I believe that many give it a third, and maybe even a forth, thought. I’ve even noticed adults (kids not included), that will actually tend to avoid you. They will look away, and even pretend not to see you, when all the time, it’s so obvious, that they are trying, in their inconspicuous manner, just to sneak a peek, probably back to their own childhood days, but only when they think you aren’t looking, of course. This, I’ll never understand, but as the old saying goes, “People are Strange”, so why press the issue. Is it them, or is it “us”? Well, maybe “we”, the kite fliers are strange, comparatively speaking, but all in all, I think we are a pretty benign group. At least we aren’t harming anything, and for the most part, anyone, with the exception of the occasional “Newbie”, and a possible mishap. We surely aren’t using up any valuable resources, and all in all, we are just out there blowing off some steam, chilling out, relaxing, meditating, kicking back, killing a little time, and just enjoying life and the great outdoors (and indoors), and the list goes on, I suppose. I mean, what’s not to enjoy? It’s just you, your kite, and the wind, doing your thing. Actually, it’s a pretty cheap high ! So, why do I fly kites (?), you ask. That’s why. How did I become a flier (?), well that’s a whole nother story, but common sense tells us, that the answers to both of these questions, are definitely intertwined. As for me, my passion began 12 - 13 years ago. At that time, my wife and I had been going to the NC coast, for years, mainly during the spring, summer, and early fall. We really enjoyed the NC Outer Banks, and in particular, that 20 mile stretch of barrier islands, known as Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, and Kitty Hawk. Oh, Kitty Hawk, the birthplace of manned flight (how appropriate?), the Wright brother’s, and all that. “Wrong”, but close, all of that actually took place in Kill Devil Hills (it’s a common misconception), but that to, is a whole nother story. Now back to kiting. Anyway, after years of jumping from spot to spot, roaming the beaches, fishing, sitting on the beach, reading books, and just kicking back, I finally realized that I was beginning to get bored, with the beach scene. Sure it’s a great place to spend time, but just how long, can someone sit on the beach, read, and whatever. I mean, you can’t drink beer all day. Then one trip, I decided, out of the blue, and out of sheer boredom, that I was going and get myself a cheap (I didn’t even know the name) delta kite, that I could put up in the sky, tie to the chair, and at least have something different to look at. Why not, I had seen other people flying kites? Seemed like a great idea to me. Well, I couldn’t even get that $3 delta to fly right, but I noticed a guy right down the beach, flying a much larger, 4 or 5 foot delta, with a large flowing tail. That thing was sitting up there like it was pinned to the sky, so I ventured over to find out if I could get some help. Yep, it seems that I needed a tail on my kite, for stability. Well, I didn’t have a tail, but I did have a piece of string, so I tied a small piece of driftwood to the piece of string, attached it to the kite, and straight up it went. Learned something! No more dipping over to one side and diving uncontrollably to the ground or ocean, just up, up and away, and so was I. Well, this of course, lead to some more delta kites, bigger delta kites, more expensive delta kites, and tails, plenty of tails, and then kite bags, and before I knew it, I was a kite flier. Yes, that’s how I became a flier, but the story doesn’t end there, of course. As the years came and went (actually only a couple of years), one day, I was proudly sitting there watching my beautiful delta kite, pinned to the sky, and there down the beach, was this guy flying (again, I didn’t have a clue), a kind of erratic kite. Yep, it was a dualie. Well, I’m wondering how come this guy, has this pretty kite, and obviously a very nice kite, but he can’t afford more than 80 – 100 feet of line. He was hardly off of the ground, and the poor guys kite was going everywhere. Maybe he needed some tail on that thing, just to calm it down a bit, but being new, I resisted the urge to go down and make the suggestion. I just continued to watch. Then, all of a sudden, and with the help of my binoculars, the light bulb came on. That guy’s got two strings on that kite, not very long stings, but two, so what’s up with that? Now, I did have to mosey on down, and check this out. This I’ve got to see, and as they say, “the rest is history”. Yep, the guy gave me a quick run through on flying dualies, showed me how to control it, and yes, he defiantly got my attention. He offered to let me give it a whirl, but I didn’t dare. I thanked him for the intro, and was on my way. Now my big pretty delta kite, pinned to the sky, didn’t seem quite so exciting, in fact, it seemed kind of, ho hum! So, hey, let’s go to that big kite store (Kitty Hawk Kites) in Nags Head, and look around, just look. Well, being very close to my birthday, my wife says, go pick out a kite, and she would get it for me, for my birthday. So here we go, stage two, dualies, and what did I pick out for my first real kite, a beautiful “Prism Fanatic”. Don’t laugh, this was a pretty neat kite, back 13 or 14 years ago. So back at the cottage, I finally figured out how to put it together, and out to the beach “we” went. I didn’t know about kite stakes then, so my wife became my “kite runner”. I would take off and she would run pick it up, over, and over, and over. Finally, I got to where I could keep it in the air for more than 10 seconds, giving my “kite runner” a break. Eventually, I learned about kite stakes, and now, my wife was able to get back to her beach chairs, umbrellas, and reading, and the best part, I could set-up the kite, and fly it by myself, and boredom was a thing of the past. As the years ticked by, we continued our annual treks to Nags Head. Eventually, we locked in on the same cottage, so now, we are staying in a cottage, that belongs to a, “now”, good friend. And where, you ask? Well, just coincidentally (or maybe not), it just so happens that this cottage is located directly across the highway, from Jockey's Ridge, one of the greatest kite flying spots on the East coast, and right behind the Nags Head, Kitty Hawk Kites flagship store. We are usually there, 3 or 4, sometimes 5 weeks, during the summer, and that's when I really do most of my kite flying, but what a place to fly. It’s the beach early and late in the day, and then as the beach begins to fill, during peak season, it’s across the road, and up on the ridge, where you can fly, till you just can’t fly anymore. So, as I mentioned earlier, I got my first real kite (a Prism Fanatic) from Kitty Hawk Kites, some 13+ years ago. I didn't know anything about flying stunt kites, and I basically taught myself to fly, and believe it or not, I've still got that kite, and it's in excellent condition, and remains one of my favorites, and one that will always stay in my kite bag. Not to say, that it didn't hit the sand quite a few times, but never with any catastrophic results. The sand dunes, do tend to be, somewhat forgiving. But there’s more. Later on, some 8 - 9 years after the Fanatic, and some 20 - 25 stunt kites later, an on-line kiting buddy of mine, got to chatting with me one night, about this strange kite he had seen, somewhere for sale. It was called a Revolution kite (?). Again, somewhat new to me, although I had heard the term mentioned somewhere, but this thing had four lines, I thought, and I knew that I didn’t have any interest in that. I was perfectly happy with my dualies, and I really didn’t want anything to do with one of those Revolutions. Well, then one day, out of the blue, a package arrives at my home, and my buddy has sent me "nearly new", Rev 1.5 SLE. Oh NO! What am I going to do now? I didn't have a clue what to do with that thing, and yep, it definitely had four lines, and handles. I actually made two or three trips to the coast, and never even put it together, never even took it out of the bag. I just didn’t want to get into that four line stuff, but, with all due respect to my friend, he had sent me the kite, and he kept asking about how I was coming with the Rev, so I had to do something. I couldn’t keep putting this thing off, so one hot summer day, back in 2009, when it was about 95 degrees, and at least 10 degrees hotter, up on Jockey’s Ridge, I realized that the dune was basically deserted (probably the heat). None-the-less, this looked like my chance, so I took off up the hill, with my wife as my co-pilot (here we go again), but believe it or not, after a bit of fussing and cussing about the lines, I kinda got it figured out. Another day or so, and I could actually fly that Rev, not great, but at least I could keep it off the ground. My biggest problem continued to be line management, but having been accustomed to winding up my dual lines, I understood the basics of what needed to happen, and eventually, I got that figured out, kinda. Then, some guy named John Barresi comes along with these Rev tutorial videos, and there it was, my salvation, “Line Management”. Once or twice viewing that video, and problem solved. Now, if I could just get the flying part down, half so well, as the line management part. Anyway, I suppose that I’d still be considered a “Newbie”, especially compared to that Barresi guy, for now, anyway, because I am definitely still learning (aren't we all), but I'm trying hard, every chance I get. So right now, after a really tough winter, I am so looking forward to a great summer, and doing something about that “Newbie” status. OBX, here we come. So that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it ! That’s how I became a kite flier. Fate, I suppose (?) ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Since the original posting of this rendition, I suppose I may have shucked my "Newbie" status, somewhat, although I am definitely still learning, and once again, after a tough winter, I am once again looking so forward to Summer, and our annual treks to the Outer Banks, and KITES !! Now, lets hear your story.............Why do you fly kites, and how did you get started ??

We're pleased to yet again announce the next prize being given away to our most appreciated supporters, the Kitelife Subscribers... For roughly 10 cents per day they play a major role in keeping KL growing in every way. Djinn XT from Kite Forge, $405 value, in GREEN FADE! == Full info - https://kiteforge.com/djinn More videos - https://kiteforge.com/videos/ This package includes a Green Fade XT (EXTRA VENT) sail, Mystic 18 frame and a kite sleeve! NOTE: This is exactly the same Djinn XT configuration that I fly myself - no special mods needed, it's already a boss right out of the bag... We should be able to ship from existing inventory when a winner is drawn, worst case will be 2-4 weeks for restock (depending on color choice). You can sign up here. Odds of winning for this prize is currently 1/413, and will be drawn on Feb 10th, 2021! Our thanks, and the very best to you... Let the drooling begin!

Wow, where to start. Well, I'll open by saying that these past couple of years have been some of the most trying of my life, and consequently, my wife TK's. We've had a rough road of it, close to calling it quits a number of times and we have arrived at a "jumping off" point, both literally and figuratively. JB & TK's 2014 Adventure (initial plan, subject to changes and TONS of additions as we go) Indeed, TK and I are liquidating many of our belongings, putting a fair share in storage, and taking the rest on a several month, cross country tour that is likely to last into November. I have seen 49 of 50 states (damned Alaska on the other side of Canada!), and I want to share that experience with TK, stopping to give clinics and lessons all along the way in order to finance our travel, making like Mr and Mrs Johnny Kiteseed all across the US... Frankly, we need to fill our cups and leap out into the universe together so that we might drink of those cups into a ripe old age. Some will say "are you nuts??", some will revel in our decision... But truly, it's the right one for us at this point in our lives. Loose plan is to have most everything cleared out in 4 weeks, on the road 2 weeks after that (around Apr 26). KiteLife continues, kiting activity continues, except I hope to share many more adventures with you all as we go.

Starting this topic to assemble a fairly comprehensive list of all the video tutorial resources available online related to 2 string / dual line / stunt kite / sport kite flying... The list below is somewhat categorized by variety of knowledge, ideally getting more robust and eventually more complex as you work your way through. Kite Loft - Fundamentals as taught by kite store staff. Hosted by MonkeySee.com Dodd Gross - Fundamental and freestyle trick tutorials. Dodd's YouTube channel DVD - Flight School (no link) DVD - Flight School II (no link) DVD - Flight School III (no link) DVD - Flight School IV: More Tricks (YouTube) Prism Kites - Fundamental and freestyle trick tutorials. The Way To Fly Advanced Way to Fly Misc tutorials (YouTube) Reed Design - Animated practice / competition maneuvers (flight paths). International Rule Book (IRBC) for team, pairs and individual Stunt Team Competitive Kiting (STACK) for team, pairs and individuals Randy Greenway (aka RandyG) - Freestyle trick tutorials. Archive on Kite Clique RandyG on Vimeo Mama74 - Freestyle trick tutorials and studies (repeated examples). Mama74 on YouTube Rob Randolph Comete tutorial (YouTube) allkabi - 3D animations of trick maneuvers. Fractured Axel (YouTube) Flap Jack (YouTube) Roll Up, Half Lazy, Unroll to Fade (YouTube) Trick Sequence 1 (YouTube) And some added info (non-tutorial) Trick List (not complete) I'll likely reorganize as time goes on, but please feel free to add anything you've found in a reply and I'll add it to this lead post if I think it fits into what I want to end up with, otherwise it'll stay part of the discussion here - thanks!

I recently had Lam build me one of his new AC dual line stunters in SUL & received it yesterday. Let me first say I've been flying for a long time but gave it up in 2000 & just came back to kiting this year - so I am very much an 'old skool' flyer that progressed to doing only axels before I put my lines down. That being said, I took the AC SUL out for a 'spin' yesterday in very light winds (2-5mph) & my flying "came alive" again!!! Starting with just general flying, progressing to precision moves, & then on to some very basic 'tricks', the AC was flying as if by telepathy - everything I wanted to do in my thought process translated perfectly into actual kite maneuvers!!! I have never connected with a dual line stunter so quickly & so thoroughly as I did with the AC SUL!! I know I have a loonng way to go to catch up on all the latest tricks, but this kite is so capable of executing the tricks while providing razor sharp precision handling - and all so effortlessly!! The AC SUL makes kite flying FUN AGAIN!!!!!! I used to watch Lam compete in the '90's & knew then he was a world-class flyer - I hadn't realized he also became world-class in kite design/manufacture as well!!!! Here's a photo of my new AC SUL

Put on pajamas to tie leaders because of 1 inch plaid pattern on them Told my wife I didn’t want to pay for my first time with JB (after telling how cool it would be fly with "the world's best flyer" moments after telling her that he gives lessons only 90 minutes away) Knocked myself to my knees and nearly out ....backing into a goal post trying to keep a rev in the air. Stole my wife’s hair bands to bundle spare rods Wondered why it is called “the dark side” Feel flush and babble like an moron in the presence of JB, Steve D and Bazzer, and Watty and Amy and Connor and etc. (should join groupies r us) Think it is cool that Wayne is identifiable by his “uniform” Wonder why TK wears a turtle Felt like a 7 year old watching Iquad Drive hours looking for wind Won the lottery by catching JB flying with TK….. and being the only one in the audience, after going 20 miles out of my way (after 60 miles heading to PDX) for about the 10th time “just in case” JB happened to be at a flying field (and seriously....... the first time without my kite bag)...but would not have interrupted them anyway Still a hack...but someday..... T

So I just made this... Not the first kite I’ve ever made, but it is the first indoor - framed mostly in .098 carbon, eyeballed the bridle (3 point), flies pretty well in my back yard but I’m looking forward to tuning it after a proper indoor test.

Hi all, I’m not actively broadcasting this across the community but the core group of folks here make KiteLife what it is and have been so kind to our projects over the years so I wanted to share some personal news, hopefully providing a little insight into my absence from many active discussions here. After a little over nine years, my wife and I are separating - still a lot of love, but we’ve struggled for a long time now and our two characters together just aren’t working for either of us... With this in mind, I’ve been spread fairly thin emotionally while we’ve been working our way through what’s next. I won’t air laundry here except to say there are no villains involved, we just need to evolve our situation and I can’t quite swing the long term expense of two separate residences (theirs and mine) so I am currently working to find an small affordable RV for myself like the Itasca Spirit, which actually fits into my long term goals of being able to do kite tours on and off through the year, as well as being able to stay in Portland and maintain sufficient time with my son - I’m close to having what I need to make all this happen, but I may be putting some old kite treasures up for raffle or sale over the next few weeks to cover the difference so keep an eye out for that! ✌️ Life ebbs, flows and continues, my son is still well cared for by us both, so we move forward with our heads held as high as possible while we find our way. Please, consider all this with the kindness it deserves and try not to contribute to gossip - all that needs to be known by anyone outside my family is said here. ❤️ Thank you all for your patience and understanding of my varying output / input while life is under construction, but everything else should be business as usual and as always, this is your home too. 🙏🏻

I was passing Canarsie Pier again on my way home from work, and saw that the kites were flying again. I didn't feel like sitting in traffic much, so decided to stop in and hang with the guys I met last week. They were all there, along with some new faces. All of them are incredibly friendly, they remembered me and took me right into their group. The kites that they fly are all home-made, just like they flew on the Islands that they come from. The kite that they fly is called a 'Mad Bull', because they pull so hard, especially considering their size. The line they were flying on was kevlar, looked like around 150#-200#, seems really strong for a kite no bigger than 2 feet across, until you feel the pull ! Materials were ripstop fabric, split bamboo spars, glued seams with very little sewing. The long tails were made out of strips cut from basketball jersey material with the little holes for the most part, but some of the kites had what looked like strips of bedsheets. Oh, and they had a little buzz strip on the nose that you can hear when the kites are low, but you can only feel it in the line (interesting effect) when they're a couple hundred feet up. They fly these kites pretty high, nice solid, stable flyers until you give the line some input. A pull or a push at the right time can make the kite turn left or right, loop, power dive & recover. Pretty amazing in their skilled hands. Pretty scary in my inexperienced hands, I mean, the last thing I wanted to do was crash the kite, and I had no idea how to get out of a dive. I could hear them laughing a little as I panicked... A little slack, and the kite turned back up and recovered. I know, I said I wouldn't fly at this spot again, but the spool was just handed to me, and my new friend walked away. I was just stopping to take some pictures of them flying and ask them more about their kites. I can't say how much it means to me to have found this friendly group of kite flyers, to learn about kites that I knew nothing about, and a little bit about their culture from the Islands. One thing that one of them told me really stood out... when they are home flying kites and it gets dark, they just tie them off, go to sleep, and come back in the morning... the kites are still there flying, and they pick up where they left off ! One guy said the longest he had a kite flying was 2 weeks ! (WHAT ?) Yeah, he told me that with a straight face, I believe it. Long tails ? (Got tail ?) Launching the Trinidad Colors... You can tell from the tails how the kite dances as it climbs, on purpose from the pilot's inputs... Turns... Nice, solid, straight flight with no inputs... Looping around at altitude... Some of the others flying... A few loops & a dive... I thought this one was a nice design...

In short, this kite is as responsive as advertised.. The biggest leap forward is the Sync Bridles.. Not conventional, nor is it a turbo or french bridle. It literally makes the whole wing a lot more of a cohesive unit while maintaining the independence of the inputs. For those that fly with a lot of brake (and I do mean a lot) you might have to back off that mindset a knot or two for first flight. The design of the bridles seems to have the the extra brake so many of us desire already incorporated to a point. That being said, control feels familiar but at the same time, almost enhanced in the responsiveness. Bottom line, a true quality product that's a significant step forward, right out of the bag. Everything you would have considered adding before is now already there. Looking forward to more time on the handles with this sail..

Here's a video I created this past Sunday flying "The Long Way Home" glider

I don’t sit in an office pushing kites, nor am I landlocked in a low kite activity region of the world... Between on field time, web presence, training programs and everything else, it probably wouldn’t be a real good idea for any company to copy my stuff outrightand expect to go up against it - just saying. The blur happens with the B and Eyes because Rev did originally sell them under their label, not in the case of the Djinn. Also, you’ll notice I haven’t posted a full pic of the current build - that’s so I can stay ahead of any nefarious activity by putting kites on the ground. And even if someone does copy, they still gotta deliver and keep up with my sincere, natural promotion. No slime, no bull, what I sell will always be real and field-proven. ❤️

We're pleased to yet again announce the next prize being given away to our most appreciated supporters, the Kitelife Subscribers... For roughly 10 cents per day they play a major role in keeping KL growing in every way. The winner of this drawing will receive BOTH of the two kites below: One brand new First Foil dual line power kite ($99 value)... AND a Lil' Dreamer stunt kite from ($96) Skydog Kites, roughly a $195 total value for this two kite combo! Info on the Skydog website: http://www.skydogkites.com/traction/sdf_firstfoil.shtml http://www.skydogkites.com/stuntkites/lildreamer.shtml If you haven't done so already, You can sign up here. Odds of winning for this prize is currently 1/359, and will be drawn on Apr 20th, 2018! Our thanks, and the very best to you... Let the drooling begin.

This is the kind of kiting I love... Even though Polo and I are technically "competitors" as prolific kite personalities and designers, we can ALL benefit more with folks like us working together, comparing notes and sharing group discussion with the community, that's the road to growth and innovation.

Hi everybody, I'm pleased to offer this Revopolo to the lucky winner who will be drawn As John has explained perfectly, it will be the model of your choice (UL, HVTD, VTD) and you can customize the colors with the colorizer. About the colorizer, if you want you can use it right now to create your model, just save a picture and show it here I can't wait to see your creations ! Good luck and rendez-vous the Feb 15th, 2018... I wish you happy and sweet holidays of end of years.

The kite finally decided what it wanted to be.. The rectangular openings might flap and if so, I'll add some reinforcements like you see at the center peak or possibly even screen in those openings... I do want to try it like this first though.. Kite is approximately Rev II sized but has a slightly higher aspect ratio.. Will also have a decent amount of camber and sail tension once assembled.. I'm out of screening material so might be a few days before I get out to grab more..The bulk of this kite is Gomberg 5" Transition tails. there are a few misc pieces of Gomberg 2" transition tails for the LE trace and reinforcement pieces.. I HOPE to have this air worthy by the Rogallo Festival next weekend.. Flatwork is all sewn.. What remains is LE Sleeve, Screen, Frame and Bridling..

They say you should always have a camera with you at all times. (Alright, photographers, camera manufacturers, the cell phone companies and in the old days film companies) I had just finished performing my Sherpa duties getting Kim and her gear all set up at Haystack Rock on Canon Beach when I realized that I needed to return some coffee that I was renting. No trees or bushes and not wearing clothes that I could wade out into the Ocean in I started the long walk back down the beach to the nearest return it depot. Off in the distance I saw this couple trying to fly a kite on their wedding day so I whipped out the cell phone and even though they were far down the beach tried to capture the moment (Kodak?). It turns out he proposed one year ago to the day at the Kite festival in Lincoln City. They got married at cannon Beach to make it easier for family.

15 years ago, at age 46, my wife and I sold all our toys and walked away from our workaholic lifestyle, bought an RV and have been traveling fulltime ever since. We make our living publishing the Gypsy Journal RV newspaper and I have 18 books out, including travel books and the Big Lake mystery series. We have never regretted one day of it. We spent last summer on the Pacific NW coast, where we got into kite flying and met JB, we spent this winter in Arizona and in a few weeks we'll start wandering east in search of new adventures. I could not imagine a better way to live.

I love these stories! My kite story begins with cabin fever. I gamble for a living. About 6 years ago I switched from playing live poker to playing almost exclusively online, as the logistics involved in live play were really starting to grate on my cheapskate nerve. At first, this was fantastic! But soon, I was staying indoors for days on end, not leaving my house at all, not getting any sunshine or fresh air... It took a couple years, but I began to get sick, and it wouldn't go away- sick in my body and sick in my head. I went and saw a couple of doctors, and after some tests, they told me I was vitamin D deficient and just needed some sunshine and/or vitamins. This would help my mental state as well, they told me. Well I took up R/C hobbies, as I had a friend who was just getting into it, and now I could afford to (I used to drool over R/C when I was young). Had lots of fun, got outdoors, felt better. Cars, then boats, then planes. Starting pricey, and getting increasingly spendy... Then R/C helicopters. Oh my. Costs went exponentially up here, due to the costs involved with crashing. I remember thinking, often, how I could fly it better if I just had some feedback through the sticks... My Buddy Roger tore up his tires one day, so I stayed at the track with our cars while he went for parts. He came back with a kite, a Prism Snapshot 1.9. I made fun of him for probably an hour straight. He struggled with it for more than 2 hours that day (less than 4 mph wind). So Roger calls me up one day and says the wind is strong enough to fly this kite (it was 10 mph) and he can show me how to fly it. He tells me how I'm going to love this, as it will appeal to my athletic nature. I get down to the park and see this parachute looking thing flying for a couple seconds at a time. It looked BADASS when it was up! He shows me how to fly, and within a couple minutes I'm tearing up the park- low ground passes, crazy fast spins, I actually "whooped" out loud uncontrollably a couple times! I loved the feedback the Snapshot gives, and a connection to it that I could FEEL through the handles. I hadn't enjoyed myself like that in YEARS. I bought my own the next day. I basically quit my R/C hobby a year later, when I was introduced to the Revolution kite, again by Roger. Roger doesn't fly at all anymore, due to health concerns I was introduced to the kite community when I went online looking for a way to avoid snagging my lines on my handles and found the Rev forum 4 years later, I'm a daily flyer. I have a deep appreciation for kites and kiting. It has changed my life, and for the better. I have found my passion. I love the kite community too! I will always be flying some form of kite, not matter how far into the future you look me up! And I will always be seeking out others who do the same

After officially joining the dark side with the gift certificate I won here last winter, I had my first chance last weekend to fly in formation with a group of other (much more experienced) Rev. fliers. What a blast! I was kite number 10 of a 10-kite flight at the third-annual Illinois Kite Enthusiasts' weekend retreat. We did some follow-the-leader and a couple of static formations. I had more trouble than anyone else staying in position, but part of the time I did OK. The other fliers were very gracious and encouraging and I got a great deal out of the experience, which is why I'm writing. If you're a novice (like me) or future Rev. flier, take heed: If a group of experienced fliers invites you to fly with them, do not hesitate! Don't worry about whether you're good enough. They've been watching you fly and know what they're getting themselves into. Do realize that group flying can help improve your precision more than solo flying. This is especially true with speed control. Flying solo, it's really hard to know how well you're really controlling your speed. In a group, you know exactly how good your speed control is! And these training benefits, I suspect, are big part of what prompted the experienced fliers to invite the novice in. They knew what it would do for my flying, because they've been there. If you haven't had a chance to fly with a group yet, I recommend that during your solo flying, you work on holding hovers more than just zipping around the sky. Then, fly horizontal figures 8, slowly, without allowing your kite to speed up on the descents or slow down on the climbs. This is particularly difficult to judge when flying alone, but work on it anyway. Then, find some experienced people to fly with. I'm lucky that the IKE retreat happens only a couple of hours from home, but there are plenty of other kite clubs around the country who have fun flies, so find one. Believe me, you'll get a lot out of it!

One of the ways we thank our KiteLife Subscribers in addition to our extensive community, publication archives and video tutorials is by way of regular prize drawings in which we give away some very, very cool and coveted kite items an average of every 4-6 weeks! Having an active subscription automatically enters you into the drawings, and we personally notify all winners. Sign up here for less than $2 a month - http://join.kitelife.com == Quick and dirty formatting on this list, but here it is... Prize Date / Winner Name / Sub # / Prize Discussion (URL) / Prize Name / Prize Value 2003-02-01 Rick Wolcott 9 http://kitelife.com/...ndian-fighters/ Indian Fighter kit $50.00 2003-02-01 Vance Dearth 25 http://kitelife.com/...ndian-fighters/ 2003 AKAGN DVD $30.00 **** 2004 **** 2004-03-01 Paul Fortin 12 http://kitelife.com/...s-and-fighters/ Indian Fighter Kit $50.00 2004-03-01 Kirk Dulaney 27 http://kitelife.com/...s-and-fighters/ Inflatable Octopus $80.00 2004-04-01 Patti Clements 31 http://kitelife.com/...edgwick-series/ Rev I Sedgwick Series $275.00 2004-09-01 Amy McAuley 75 http://kitelife.com/...izes-coming-up/ Jack in the Box Light $250.00 2004-10-01 Scott Davis 2 http://kitelife.com/...izes-coming-up/ Ghost Pyro Delta $160.00 2004-10-01 Jorge Arellano 44 http://kitelife.com/...izes-coming-up/ Phoenix Supreme $190.00 2004-11-01 William Carter 68 http://kitelife.com/...volution-blast/ Revolution Blast $315.00 2004-11-01 David Blomfield 74 http://kitelife.com/...r-xtr-unleaded/ Transfer XT.R (Unleaded) $350.00 2004-12-01 Gary MacEachern 42 http://kitelife.com/...ew-tech-spirit/ New Tech Spirit $140.00 **** 2005 **** 2005-01-01 Richard Bruderek 77 http://kitelife.com/...iqued-rokkakus/ Premier Rokakkus (x2) $220.00 2005-02-01 Allen Taylor 80 http://kitelife.com/...-tech-big-bang/ New Tech Big Bang $120.00 2005-03-01 Ron Hardie 63 http://kitelife.com/...om-prism-kites/ Prism E2 $150.00 2005-05-01 John Jones 66 http://kitelife.com/...4-spikey-balls/ Spikey Balls $750.00 2005-06-01 Ted Shaw 15 http://kitelife.com/...ctrum-sky-hook/ 30' Spectrum Sky Hook $115.00 2005-08-01 William Rossley 34 http://kitelife.com/...578-air-guitar/ Air Guitar $230.00 2005-08-01 Earl Spriggs 41 http://kitelife.com/...0-big-bang-pro/ Big Bang Pro $120.00 2005-10-01 Scott Davis 2 http://kitelife.com/...speedfoil-rm10/ Speedfoil RM10 $120.00 2005-11-02 Larry Zilar 70 http://kitelife.com/...inflatable-ufo/ 10' inflatable UFO $150.00 2005-12-05 Tim Vaughan 54 http://kitelife.com/...quad-line-kite/ Airbow quad line kite $350.00 2005-12-30 Isaac Trejo 107 http://kitelife.com/...749-dot-matrix/ Dot Matrix $280.00 **** 2006 **** 2006-02-01 Mike Kory 38 http://kitelife.com/...769-air-guitar/ Air Guitar $230.00 2006-03-01 Ray Cooper 196 http://kitelife.com/...topic/785-fury/ Fury $300.00 2006-03-31 Paul Goodrich 85 http://kitelife.com/...volution-kites/ UFO by Lee Sedgwick $100.00 2006-05-05 Don King 60 http://kitelife.com/...23-freestylist/ Freestylist by Skyburner Kites $150.00 2006-06-06 Joseph Kendsersky 167 http://kitelife.com/...6-revolution-i/ Revolution I $250.00 2006-07-06 Rob Barden 259 http://kitelife.com/...c/936-acrobatx/ Acrobatx $80.00 2006-08-10 Braden Walters 233 http://kitelife.com/...ic/979-gallego/ Gallego $160.00 2006-09-12 Stephen Wasson 157 http://kitelife.com/...nch-connection/ French Connection $140.00 2006-10-11 Jim Fielder 10 http://kitelife.com/...-pyro-delta-x2/ Ghost Pyro Delta $70.00 2006-10-11 Randy Ashely 217 http://kitelife.com/...-pyro-delta-x2/ Ghost Pyro Delta $70.00 2006-11-10 Kerry Glass 245 http://kitelife.com/...allego-supreme/ Gallego Supreme $260.00 2006-12-18 Paul Fouts 219 http://kitelife.com/...5-revolution-i/ Revolution I $250.00 **** 2007 **** 2007-01-21 Egan Davis 188 http://kitelife.com/...ook-airfoil-60/ Skyhook Airfoil 60 $250.00 2007-02-27 Roy Slettevold 244 http://kitelife.com/...437-spirit-man/ Spirit Man $120.00 2007-04-03 Paula Brown 275 http://kitelife.com/...irit-quad-line/ Spirit (quad line) $120.00 2007-05-08 Tim Vaughan 54 http://kitelife.com/...11-fury-85-std/ Fury .85 STD $300.00 2007-06-12 Timothy Stahl 363 http://kitelife.com/...nch-connection/ French Connection $140.00 2007-07-24 Charlie Thompson 531 http://kitelife.com/.../1631-acrobatx/ Acrobatx $80.00 2007-09-05 David Goodwin (ToyGuy) 388 http://kitelife.com/...irit-quad-line/ Spirit (quad line) $120.00 2007-10-17 Michael Mason 365 http://kitelife.com/...-pocket-rocket/ Pocket Rocket $175.00 2007-12-17 Bob Matteo 94 http://kitelife.com/...-fox-25-vented/ Silver Fox 2.5 Vented $160.00 **** 2008 **** 2008-02-12 Fred & Kay Ogle 187 http://kitelife.com/...ansition-tails/ 48' Transition Tails $144.00 2008-04-08 Ron Cooper 441 http://kitelife.com/...cherry-bomb-x3/ Cherry Bomb (x3) $150.00 2008-06-25 James Connelly 35 http://kitelife.com/...-pocket-rocket/ Pocket Rocket $175.00 2008-06-25 Walt Thompson 319 http://kitelife.com/...-pocket-rocket/ Pocket Rocket $175.00 2008-09-03 Dennis Fishback 181 http://kitelife.com/...nch-connection/ French Connection $140.00 2008-10-10 Calvin Leibelt 364 http://kitelife.com/...igital-edition/ Fury .85 - Digital Edition $385.00 2008-12-01 Tom Coffey 348 http://kitelife.com/...16-magic-delta/ 16' Magic Delta $199.00 **** 2009 **** 2009-01-16 Grant Lovett 97 http://kitelife.com/...-series-vented/ B-Series Vented $340.00 2009-02-25 Rudy Bouhuys 156 http://kitelife.com/...silver-fox-std/ Silver Fox STD $160.00 2009-03-18 Ted Shaw 15 http://kitelife.com/...06-freestylist/ Freestylist $150.00 2009-04-01 Darin Fong 479 http://kitelife.com/...-cesium-access/ Cesium Access $160.00 2009-07-02 Bill Hayes 272 http://kitelife.com/...le-caterpillar/ 15' Inflatable Caterpillar $400.00 2009-08-01 Bob Matteo 94 http://kitelife.com/...rick-and-track/ Trick and Track $145.00 2009-09-15 Ben Grey 308 http://kitelife.com/...opic/3416-soul/ Soul $249.00 2009-10-17 Calvin Leibelt 364 http://kitelife.com/...-pyro-delta-x2/ 7' Ghost Pyro Delta (x2) $140.00 2009-12-01 Masters Canvas 389 http://kitelife.com/...-pocket-rocket/ Pocket Rocket $175.00 **** 2010 **** 2010-01-15 Detlef Griese 216 http://kitelife.com/...es-vtd-package/ B-Series VTD (package) $350.00 2010-02-25 Martin Schwarz 579 http://kitelife.com/...-silver-fox-ul/ Silver Fox UL $160.00 2010-03-22 Walt Ellis 478 http://kitelife.com/...and-pyro-delta/ Martin's Legs and Pyro Delta $120.00 2010-05-01 Robert Matteo 94 http://kitelife.com/...cherry-bomb-x3/ Cherry Bomb X3 $150.00 2010-06-15 Steve Thorsen 619 http://kitelife.com/...-package-61510/ B-Series VTD package $350.00 2010-06-22 Wayne Fu 98 http://kitelife.com/...bsession-62010/ 1999 Obsession $130.00 2010-06-28 Stuart Forsyth 584 http://kitelife.com/...829-kaos-62510/ KAOS $170.00 2010-06-30 Dale Ray 643 http://kitelife.com/...-emotion-63010/ Sweet Emotion $180.00 2010-08-10 Steve Tisch 593 http://kitelife.com/...ower-kite-8510/ SDT 2.8 Power Kite $225.00 2010-09-11 Terry Ashenfelter 631 http://kitelife.com/...-package-91010/ B-Series MID package $330.00 2010-10-18 Brad Bixby 574 http://kitelife.com/...ossfire-101510/ Crossfire $139.00 2010-11-26 James Rodriguez 638 http://kitelife.com/...-rocket-112510/ Pocket Rocket $175.00 2010-12-27 Joanna Chen 790 http://kitelife.com/...irplane-122710/ 10' Inflatable Airplane $350.00 **** 2011 **** 2011-01-26 Masanobu Komuro 448 http://kitelife.com/...3996-zen-12511/ Zen $440.00 2011-02-10 Bill Hayes 272 http://kitelife.com/...9-coyote-21011/ Coyote $125.00 2011-03-01 Rocky Freed 639 http://kitelife.com/...t-emotion-3111/ Sweet Emotion $180.00 2011-04-05 Dominic Juliano 122 http://kitelife.com/...d-package-4511/ B-Series VTD Package $350.00 2011-04-15 Mike Jones 816 http://kitelife.com/...-sle-rev-41511/ "Oh Canda" SLE Rev $303.00 2011-05-05 Scott Keasler 651 http://kitelife.com/...obsession-5511/ 1999 Obsession $130.00 2011-06-10 Marvin Magcale 842 http://kitelife.com/...wer-kite-61011/ SDT 2.8 Power Kite $225.00 2011-07-10 Brian Bevins 847 http://kitelife.com/...-package-71011/ Vented B2 package $329.00 2011-08-12 Jason Harmer 877 http://kitelife.com/...rossfire-81211/ Crossfire $139.00 2011-10-05 Peter Webster 659 http://kitelife.com/...-package-92711/ B-Series STD Package $350.00 2011-10-25 Jeryll Autore 333 http://kitelife.com/...-kymera-102511/ Kymera $198.00 2011-12-05 Ken Walker 555 http://kitelife.com/...-package-12511/ B-Series Mid-Vent Package $350.00 **** 2012 **** 2012-01-16 Nathaniel Clark 868 http://kitelife.com/...3-kymera-11512/ Kymera $198.00 2012-02-22 Steven Leonard 596 http://kitelife.com/...-delta-x2-22212 7' Ghost Pyro Delta X2 $140.00 2012-03-03 Rob Barden 259 http://kitelife.com/...dow-maker-4312/ Widow Maker $345.00 2012-05-01 James Mason 667 http://kitelife.com/...ower-kite-5112/ SDT 2.8 Power Kite $225.00 2012-06-11 Fred/Donna Taylor 925 http://kitelife.com/...-maker-6102012/ Widow Maker $345.00 2012-06-25 Jeryl Autore 333 http://kitelife.com/...ries-zen-62512/ B-Series ZEN $440.00 2012-07-04 Rob Barden 259 http://kitelife.com/...ost-pyros-7412/ THREE (yes, x3) Ghost Pyros $210.00 2012-07-11 Robin Pennell 641 http://kitelife.com/...-emotion-71112/ Sweet Emotion $180.00 2012-07-18 Mitch Cordover 573 http://kitelife.com/...-package-71812/ B-Series Mid-Vent Package $335.00 2012-08-13 Joe Becker 837 http://kitelife.com/...rossfire-81312/ Crossfire $139.00 2012-09-20 Karen Mault 461 http://kitelife.com/...v-15-sle-92012/ Oh Canada Rev $303.00 2012-10-15 Ron Henderson 944 http://kitelife.com/...oor-rev-101512/ Indoor Rev $259.00 2012-11-15 Tim Gardner 894 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5214-sdt-28-power-kite-111512/ SDT 2.8 Power Kite $225.00 2012-12-25 Nick Neville 590 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5230-kymera-xmas-122512/ Kymera $210.00 **** 2013 **** 2013-01-15 Kody Jones 654 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5215-vented-b2-package-11513/ B2 Package $329 2013-02-20 Scott Keasler 651 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5256-sweet-emotion-22013/ Sweet Emotion $180 2013-04-01 Robert Pyle 589 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5286-revolution-b2-suite-4-1-13/ B2 Suite $828 2013-04-15 Erik Mikkelsen 1059 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5299-crossfire-41513/ Crossfire $139.00 2013-05-13 Raul Santiago 942 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5338-kymera-51513/ Kymera $210 2013-06-01 Ron Ortega 985 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5366-b-series-std-package-6113/ B-Series STD $335 2013-07-15 Kevin Reynolds 802 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5367-b-series-vtd-package-71513/ B-Series VTD $335 2013-08-25 Morgan Seamont 990 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5462-b-series-mid-vent-package-82513/ B-Series MID $335 2013-10-20 Scott Benz 1027 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5594-vented-b2-revolution-102013/ Vented B2 $330 2013-12-01 Adam Webster 759 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5640-b-series-mid-vent-package-12113/ B-Series MID $335 **** 2014 **** 2014-02-01 David McNeil 1149 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5699-limited-edition-level-one-bay-area-sundowners-2114/ Sundowners Kite $300 2014-03-15 Drew Perks 1106 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5820-b-series-std-package-31514/ B-Series STD $335 2014-05-13 John Ogden 952 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5922-b-series-vtd-package-51314/ B-Series VTD $350 2014-07-01 Ralph Davis 1086 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5997-peter-powell-triple-sky-stunter-7114/ Peter Powell 3-pack $215 2014-09-25 Robin McCracken 603 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/6139-b-series-std-package-92514/ B-Series STD $335 2014-10-10 Ward Stroud 780 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/6206-hq-single-line-fun-package-101014/ HQ Kite Package $250 2014-11-15 Marshall Henderson 1160 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/6221-hq-infinity-111514/ HQ Infinity $249 2014-12-01 Charles Ashburn 987 http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/6255-b-series-mid-vent-package-121514/ B-Series MID $335 **** 2015 **** 2015-01-18 Terry Rowley 1030 HQ Stunt Kite Package $75 2015-02-15 Russ Wilson 931 Skydog Jammin $139 2015-03-25 Amber Lee 1222 ITW Kymera $225 2015-05-15 Steve Kline 1140 Crossfire Comp $139 2015-06-01 Aaron Seemer 1236 Big Dog LS 30 Sled $60 2015-06-20 Karen Mault 461 B2 STD Revolution $245 2015-08-10 Marcus Farthing 1233 Dream On $135 2015-09-25 Bill Anderson 1295 Power Foil 2.6 $245 2015-11-10 Barry Tislow 482 B-Series STD $335 2015-12-25 Marvin Israel 1259 ITW Kymera $225 **** 2016 **** 2016-02-25 Dave Costello 957 B-Series VTD $335 2016-04-10 Meshelle Sharples 1299 Crossfire Comp $139 2016-05-25 Norman Easterbrook 1044 B-Series STD $335 2016-07-05 Mary Gabby 650 Jammin' by Skydog Kites $139 2016-08-25 Rob Barden 259 ITW Kymera $225 2016-09-15 Leslie Kerr 926 Diamond Frame / KL Shirt $162 2016-11-01 Tracy Downs 1368 Jammin' $139 2016-12-20 Niels Toftlund Jensen B2 STD $329 **** 2017 **** 2017-02-15 April Cropper B-Series STD $335 2017-04-01 Penny Wearne B-Series VTD $335 2017-05-09 Kelly Hemphill 7' Pirate Rokkaku $140 2017-06-25 Ralph Davis Power Foil 2.6 $229 2017-07-30 Juan Maldonado 75x Dermer DIY Kite Kits $150 2017-09-23 Gordon Sievers Revolution Gear Pack $245 2017-11-10 Ralph Davis Jammin' by Skydog Kites $139 2017-12-25 B-Series MID Package to @paraglider $350 **** 2018 **** 2018-02-15 Custom RevoPolo by PoloKites to @Nekoshi $400 2018-03-07 Performance Shirts x3 to @gnikkola $80 2018-04-20 Performance Shirts x3 to @FranckPG $80 2018-04-20 Skydog Starter Package to @Ebrook $99 2018-06-10 Kaiju by Kite Forge to @Lordbuka $135 2018-07-10 Lil Dreamer bt Skydog Kites to @Leslie $96 2018-08-10 Rainbow Sled LS 30 by Skydog to @rykerev $78 2018-11-15 B-Series STD Package to @Breezin $350 **** 2019 **** 2019-01-01 B-Series MID Package to @Rudy64 $350 2019-02-21 Djinn ST by Kite Forge to @rosie $375 2019-04-20 Kaiju by Kite Forge to @Voodoostuff $135 2019-07-01 Kaiju by Kite Forge to @flyalto $135 2019-09-01 B-Series MID Package to @Norvin Stanley $350 2019-11-15 Custom Djinn ST by Kite Forge to @photomom $425 **** 2020 **** 2020-01-25 Djinn VT by Kite Forge to @renodc2 $395 2020-04-01 Premier Printed Ripstop to @David Coffey $100 2020-05-01 Kaiju by Kite Forge to @frob $135 2020-06-23 Symphony 2.2.2 by HQ Kites @midibot $175 2020-08-01 SkyShark Response tubes to @Wayne Dowler $150 2020-09-10 1000'x150lb Spectra to @edub $200 2020-10-25 Avia Super Skinny tubes to @Gina Ignazzitto $150 2020-12-15 1000'x80lb Spectra to @Tim Grosse $175 **** 2021 **** 2021-02-10 Djinn XT by Kite Forge to @Mike Klaiber $405 2021-03-31 Djinn XT by Kite Forge to @Michael_Boswell $405 2021-05-15 Kaiju by Kite Forge to @edub $135 2021-06-20 Dermer Sled kits by KiteKits.com to @3wrapframe $100 2021-08-10 Djinn HV by Kite Forge to @renodc2 $415 2021-09-15 LPG 120x90 Quad Set by Kite Forge to @cerfvoliste $100 2021-10-30 Kaiju by Kite Forge to @OfTheSunWarrior $135 2021-12-10 LPG 30x90 Quad Set and Hoo Rag by Kite Forge to @David Coffey $85 **** 2022 **** 2022-02-01 Djinn XT by Kite Forge to @Yoyoing_p $405 2022-03-1 Misc Kite Making to @Fred Degley$130 2022-04-01 Djinn XT to @Dave Schutsky $405 2022-05-10 Kaiju to @OfTheSunWarrior $125 2022-06-15 90x120 LPG Line Set to @Greg McHugh $100 2022-08-22 Djinn VT to @Mike Klaiber $395 2022-10-10 90x120 LPG Line Set to @SegelFlieger $100 2022-12-10 Djinndoor to @Monica $325 **** 2022 **** 2023-02-10 Kaiju to @Chromefish $125 Total Prize Value given since 2003: $40,621

We're pleased to yet again announce the next prize being given away to our most appreciated supporters, the Kitelife Subscribers... For roughly 10 cents per day they play a major role in keeping KL growing in every way. Djinn VT from Kite Forge, $395 value, in PURPLE FADE! == Full info - https://kiteforge.com/djinn More videos - https://kiteforge.com/videos/ This package includes a Purple Fade VT (FULL VENT) sail, Mystic 18 frame and a kite sleeve! NOTE: This is exactly the same Djinn VT configuration that I fly myself - no special mods needed, it's already a boss right out of the bag... We should be able to ship from existing inventory when a winner is drawn, worst case will be 2-4 weeks for restock (depending on color choice). You can sign up here. Odds of winning for this prize is currently 1/409, and will be drawn on Jan 25th, 2020! Our thanks, and the very best to you... Let the drooling begin!

We're pleased to yet again announce the next prize being given away to our most appreciated supporters, the Kitelife Subscribers... For roughly 10 cents per day they play a major role in keeping KL growing in every way. Djinn ST from Kite Forge, $375 value, in your choice of CUSTOM colors (normally a $50 charge)! Design yours - http://kiteforge.com/colorizer == Full info - https://kiteforge.com/djinn More videos - https://kiteforge.com/videos/ This package includes a CUSTOM ST (standard) sail, Mystic 12 frame and a kite sleeve! NOTE: You will be able to choose your own CUSTOM colors (subject to design approval), but it will be exactly the same Djinn ST configuration that I fly myself - no special mods needed, it's already a boss right out of the bag... We should be able to ship from existing inventory when a winner is drawn, worst case will be 2-6 weeks from the date of drawing (depending on production schedule). You can sign up here. Odds of winning for this prize is currently 1/402, and will be drawn on Nov 15th, 2019! Our thanks, and the very best to you... Let the drooling begin!

Looking to release with a minimum of standard, mid and vented - two more tiers of venting planned as well. That being said - I flew my standard prototype today in up to 13mph with a P100 frame if you can believe that, while the Djinn’s power is still intact, the “runaway” pull and speed is muted by the bridle... Everyone else was on mids and full vents, I expect this characteristic to carry up through the vented models too so it’s quite possible that a Djinn full vent may be as manageable as an xtra vent flown in it’s wind range.

Pretty much raw footage.. Video doesn't do it justice.. The colors were vivid in person and the spinning kites had almost a strobe doppler effect.. Camera just doesn't show the colors.

I realize I'm not the craftsman that some people are and I endeavor to learn every time I try something new.. While I've have purchased kites made by master craftsmen, the one thing I can't say about those sails is "I designed and made this all by myself." While I endeavor to learn from others every chance I get, I also seem to be a person people ask questions about how to do certain things as well. You see when they see a brand on a kite they kind of know where it came from.. I've had TONS of conversations based on "did you make that yourself??" My kites are more than kites. They are ambassadors into kiting, kite making and conversation starters in general. While I try very hard to be a good mentor on kiting and kite making.. I also defer to those that know more and try to learn everything I can from them as well. I'm not afraid to say I don't know. I endeavor always to be a good steward of the attention someone afford to me whether it be on the forums, the kite field or the sewing machine. I've sat for long periods of time learning from Eliot, I look with the discerning eye at every kite I buy and every kite I make.. Even Eliot will tell you, you can't beat the QC on the Freileins.. I have 6 and can't find a single stitch anywhere out of place. One thing Eliot has never said to me is, "You should let someone else do the sewing and just have better kites." He has sat down with me and showed me finer point of how to do what I enjoy doing better. Can I buy a better kite than I can make?? Sure.. I get a huge amount of personal joy saying, "I designed and made this all by myself." or "I made this out of Kite Tails" The Sewing machine is one way I unwind after all day staring at computer screens. I really appreciate your inputs on things like talking with Dave or buying pre-made LE's from Eliot but I prefer to succeed or fail on my own merits while learning from those better than me how to not make those little mistakes. Can I make a Kite better than Bazzer?? I doubt it.. Better than Freilein,, very doubtful.. Can I make a better kite than Rev?? Maybe not but I have color choices, Frame choices and accessories I like better without having to learn the secret handshake.. My kites don't compete. I still fly solely for fun. They have to look good from 30ft (or more) away.. I don't notice the stitching errors from there. The bottom line is I prefer to make my own, bad stitches, little mistakes and all. The one vital question I want to ask myself and answer yes every time is. Did I make this kite better than my last one?? I doubt I'll ever consider myself a master builder or flyer. I don't want to stop learning long enough to make that decision. Thanks for your feedback, I appreciate the input.. I really like doing it this way.. I started here Duct Tape and all before I ever owned or flew a Rev.. 15 Home made kites later I'm here loving every minute spent flying, designing and sewing my own imperfect stuff.

When I got to the flying field I introduced myself to the group of flyers that were there and noticed that at least one of them was flying a Revolution. I told them that I was a newbie and asked them where I could setup. After setting up my kite one of the flyers came over and made sure that I had everything setup correctly, and I let them take it for a test flight. When they landed they asked me to take off and land. I had about as much success as my first flights out. Kite went up, reached the top of the wind window and the bottom legs came out of it. What my instructor told me was that I was putting to much pressure on the tops of the handles and to concentrate on keeping the pressure lower on the handles which would hold the bottom of the kite in and keep the wind in the sail. He had me launch and land the kite trying to feel the wind in the sail, and keep it there. I think this was my ah-ha moment for this session. When I learned how to feel the wind in the sail and keep it there. Once I was able to accomplish this I could then direct what I wanted to do with that wind in the sail to control the kite and make it go where I wanted it to. We then started on right and left turns, and from there went to flying to the right and left of the wind window. I even did a few right and left side hovers! When holding a hover you can explore sliding up and down as well as forward and backward flight. Still need to work at holding my sticks lower while flying and using smaller inputs to begin maneuvers, but at least I am up and flying and getting a feel for the Revolution. I am sure that there will be more and more of those ah-ha moments in the coming weeks as I get more air time. Plenty of big smiles here, with many more to come. Sent from my iPad using KiteLife mobile app

My first favorite SUL was the infamous Prism 4D. I flew it so much I had to repair it a couple times in several places. Vulnerable areas are the center tee, which bends, the nose, which wears & the spine pokes through & the leading edge fabric, which is quite light & thin. I even bought a spare one eventually. Still flying this one. But then I splurged & bought a new Sky Burner Pro Dancer Super Ultra Light. After my mentor, RobB, told me about it & I watched his amazing videos, I had to have it. It is an "old school kite". This is still my go to kite for amazing flying in very light winds. I prefer flying this full size kite on 90# x 100'. When you are gliding out to regain ground you can run quickly, well quickly for me, and the kite will keep going effortlessly until you stop to turn & begin the next up flight. I call this kite "My Beloved". You know you're a kite nut when you begin naming some of them. It remains my favorite for the type of flying I am able to achieve with it at my current level. But then, in March of 2016, I finally reached Nirvana. Another true SUL & this one is legendary. Dang! This one is stealing my heart. It is helping me fly super light air & allowing me to learn some slack line tricks at the same time. It will also handle a little higher wind as it has a deeper sail than the PD SUL. It is a good example of a bit of mass making the kite have a bit of inertia that you need for getting completely through a maneuver. Not everyone likes a "Frenchie". It's working for me. Now I find myself leaving the first two at home. So that is my 3-2-1 list, SHBKF See ya in the sky....

I'll answer to quad & weird.. OK Mostly weird.. You set the tone we just follow your lead..Having met you in person for a few days, I see your personality and mindset all across the forums.. You've planted a good seed and let it grow.. You now reap the benefits of what you set in motion.. Thanks for a great place to discuss this wonderful hobby of ours.

Hi all, just taking a quick second to welcome our newest sponsor - Kites In The Sky! http://kitekits.com (formerly http://kitesinthesky.net) A long time friend and "kite activist", @Cat Gabrel specializes in kite kits for schools, families and the like, she's also an avid fighter kite flier. Be sure to check out their website, thanks!

Merry Christmas my friends, SHBKF Skyburner Solus EC UL

I have been home for a few hours now from our debut performance as Team KiteLife in South Padre Island, Texas. Hosted by B&S Kites.. Bill and Susie Doan..along with the City . What an event I must say too start! Loving , HUGE crowds..along with a bunch of well known kiters that love exactly that...priceless. A job well done and hopefully a continued and long lived, positive relationship between B&S Kites, the City and the South Padre Island Kite Festival. I am sure I can speak for the whole team in saying... We are HONORED to be a part of the revival and can only hope for many more years too come. All the shared Team photos are from a wonderful woman Kathy Martinelli-Zaun. Hopefully she won't mind the share. Both she and her husband love watching pilots more than kites and boy...the pictures show. There is a ton of media for sorting. So I have included only a few shared photos from Kathy and some of my own. I will also give some encouragement towards the team members for submissions.. Now on to the good stuff... I have been crying since I got home and started actually reviewing pics. Letting expressions sink in and thinking of what has transpired over the last 6 days. It is just simply mind boggling. I am quite sure more thoughts will roll later...just helping a release. 4 pilots..of which some of which have never met..let alone flown with each other.. just went out as a Team and spanked it! Was it perfect...No. But... it sure got my heart going! Fast paced..non recycled movement through a 5+ minute routine. Constructed on site 2 days early by none other than J.B. himself. The First day consisted of writing about a third of the routine and setting up. 4 guys..never flown together..Extra Vent wind... 9 hours later we were still smiling regardless of the work and mind melting task at hand. Day 2...more arm lengthening wind. We opted on writing as much as possible by using stick simulators throughout the entire day into the night. But as with any wind hungry group...ended back on the beach late that night. Meshing as much as possible. Things are starting too flow now..the potential can be felt..momentum. Day 3.. brings more flying...writing..stick play... and honestly ...a complete blur. Did I mention the 3:30 track I must perform with INDOOR this evening with no practice! I have barely flown the thing outdoor,much less Indoor in front of several hundered people. I do remember we practiced at the Festival site...which was also next to the Convention Center hosting the Indoor Event....staring at me all day as everyone was Indoor playing before the show. The practice was coming along...but we still had hang ups and only had about 3.5 minutes of the routine written...therefore never completing the song. But alas....time for indoors. So many great performers. I will not even try mentioning names. Tickets for the event sold out. More seating was aquired, and those sold out....last I heard,over 400 people. Wow! Let the show begin.Some of the highlights for me were.... John and Brett did a pairs routine. Scott Weider as always..tailman.... Jim Cosca and his glider performace..just magical. James Fletcher...blowing kisses at his kite and melting womens hearts. ......and then I did it! I don't remeber crashing, but did miss my last catch for the end. Nothing spectacular other than the effort. I also acheived the smile that comes with doing it. Quite frankly, that's all that matters. The night brought on the usual kite addicts fix of team routine creation,stick paractice, and beach runs over what we reviewed.... still not there. Guess what....tomorrows show time! Day 4... Team KiteLife steps out on the field. John Barresi , Scott Benz , Eli Russell , Brett Marchel...never completed the song or the routine. Crowds building during a few dry runs. Then ....it happened. We hit our written routine mark clean...when John almost leaped from his skin..calling land... as the line insisted we continue. We then freestyled the remaining unwritten portion into some snap 45 knock down landings. Ya! That just happened....and continued throughout the day with a few minor bumps here and there. Day 5.. We practiced more...lol We performed with a few more issues than the day before. All in all I am super stoked at what we achieved. The skies the limit and we still have both feet on the ground. That night brought some spectacular event ending flying on the beach between Team KiteLife and Team Rev Riders. Hashing out moves..switching out members and styles...just so much fun! In the summarized end of my babblings. Team KiteLife is alive and pumping! Congratulations guys....I would call that... "Whump Aquired"

Ok, we're all here in South Padre Island - had a quick fly late this evening, lots of work ahead but we're already gelling well as a group. Latest video, for anyone who hasn't seen it: We'll grab video of our exploits here, for sure.

This event was a great kick-start to the 2015-2016 Kite Season ! It's the first time that they've had a kite festival at this location, and I think it was a huge success ! My hat is off to the organizers & the people of Long Beach Island for putting up with us crazy kiters... The wind was a bit strong on Saturday... I think I got more windburn than sunburn... Revs were the most flown kites on Saturday... well, probably for the whole event. There was a huge turn-out of Rev fliers, and some great looking Revs, too. A quick lesson off on the sidelines... Did I say that it was really blowing ? Even this mega-super vent Rev was flying pretty fast... Later in the day, the winds came down and some dual-lines came out to play... Good looking kite... I think it was an XTZ ? I really liked the colors of this Rev. This pilot had all of his Revs in these colors... Sweet ! Once the winds came down, some of the BIG kites took to the air. S'more of the BIG kites... Speaking of BIG kites, I got a few people to give the Skyburner XL a try... BIG kite in a fade ! The sky couldn't have been brighter... Blue against a blue sky ? Looks better than it sounds.... I think this is an R-Sky kite. Another candidate for an arm-lengthening... Some shots from the dual-line competition. I think this one is a Vendetta, a pretty hard-to-find kite. This is the first time I've watched a competition. Pretty cool, I even got to pit crew for one of the competitors. Another competitor with an R-Sky kite... Vented Vendetta ? Sunday brought some amazing weather, especially for October in the North East. The winds were smooth, about 3mph, offshore. Flying against the sun & water background was amazing. This is an Enigma UL... very nice kite. The Snow Devil, out of it's element (no snow). A few Rev fliers floating some NYMs around in the light wind... What are these super-cool looking iridescent sticks ? All these NYMs had them. Cool looking all-black Rev and a Transformer 2 SUL... A Nirvana SE UL. Pretty kite, and it flew nicely, too. So happy I got out to another event this year. I got to see people that I haven't seen in years. Fly kites that I otherwise would never get the chance... I hope they're going to hold this event again next year, it was well worth the 8 hours round trip, getting up at 5am on a Saturday, and a hotel room.

Just ordered my first quad kite and it's a Rev B serie standard. I've been flying duals off and on for ten years and came across this website a while back and was amazed by the agility these type of kites have, and after watching some of the tutorial videos I was hooked. So now I'm sitting here waiting for the FedEx driver.

Finally found my muse, and made the first video from our 5 month trip around the USA... Much more to come!

We were visiting my son and his wife in Tuscaloosa, Alabama for the last week, and I had the opportunity to introduce him to the sport of kite flying with my Prism Snapshot 1.9 speed foil. Saturday we had winds of about 8-10 mph, enough to get it up in the air and give him a feel for it. But Sunday winds were 12-14 with gusts to 20, perfect to give him a real workout. It didn't take very long for him to get the hang of it and begin doing some basic maneuvers. Not much longer and he had an ear to ear grin and was telling his wife he needed one of those!

Had a little session at the Field today with SparkieRob. Here are some photographic highlights: I managed to snap some shots of Rob Chasing a Plane accross the sky I attempted to draw upon some Artistic Composition for this photo: Rob enjoys some time on his new Urban lines: Not a lot of room out there, good thing he has these short lines....

Hi all, just popping in for an update... All the RV repairs and upgrades are holding strong - also put in new carpet, replaced the battery and a failing master brake cylinder, having a 2-way alarm put in today... Pretty much the last thing to fix is the shower, a couple of small cracks and some recaulking. In the meantime, I’m sort of scattered to the four winds with my various divided worlds: 1 - the family’s apartment (Luca’s home and some office tasks) 2 - the RV life (night parking, fill, dump, etc) 3 - my storage unit (other office tasks, RV storage) 4 - my father’s home (visits and parttime night parking) 5 - and of course, lots of upcoming travel by plane (storing RV, etc) Basically, draw a big skewed rectangle over all of Portland and that’s my map from day to day at home... No real efficient way to slice it all up, but I’m doing what I can. I’m not complaining, I’ll find a rhythm with all this but I wanted to inform everyone as to my status, and hopefully preserve the ongoing patience and support shown by all of you during this significant transition. Fly happy, fly well! ✌️

We're pleased to yet again announce the next prize being given away to our most appreciated supporters, the Kitelife Subscribers... For roughly 10 cents per day they play a major role in keeping KL growing in every way. B-Series VTD, roughly a $350 value and no longer manufactured by Revolution as of 2017! This package includes a VENTED sail, 3 and 4 wrap frames, adjustable handles, DVD and kite sleeve! NOTE: Primary color of the kite in this drawing is RED and BLACK on a VENTED SAIL... This is regular (factory) model, it is not a Pro by Bazzer, but will still provide excellent flying for whoever wins this. You can sign up here. Odds of winning for this prize is currently 1/375, and will be drawn on Sep 25th, 2018! Our thanks, and the very best to you... Let the drooling begin!

Short video showing the shimmer when backlit by the sun

Found a nice little place in a nice little town to practice and learn indoor dual line. After an hour of trail and error, I started to get the hang of it. Can't wait to go back again! Here's a video of my progress today. I just felt like sharing.

We're pleased to yet again announce the next prize being given away to our most appreciated supporters, the Kitelife Subscribers... For roughly 10 cents per day they play a major role in keeping KL growing in every way. B-Series MID, roughly a $350 value and no longer manufactured by Revolution as of 2017! And please note, this might be the last B-Series we're able to give away as the prize pool has gotten pretty thin. This package includes a sail, 3 and 4 wrap frames, adjustable handles, DVD and kite sleeve! NOTE: Primary color of the kite in this drawing is RED, black and white on a MID-VENT SAIL... This is regular (factory) model, it is not a Pro by Bazzer, but will still provide excellent flying for whoever wins this. You can sign up here. Odds of winning for this prize is currently 1/353, and will be drawn on Christmas Day, Dec 25th, 2017! Our thanks, and the very best to you... Let the drooling begin!

I was flying on Friday, good mostly steady light winds and had 2 break throughs- one accidental and one just a click. First I was playing at the outer wind window edges when I pushed too far as the wind died a tad - and suddenly my kite stalled directly overhead and started falling at me from 80' up. I had a string of thoughts "I should catch it, I know it can be done, I hope it doesn't hurt- that is silly it is a light kite, dang it is falling fast, oh sh*t it is now or never....." And suddenly it was in my hand. A feeling of silly disbelief settled in as I watched the lines settle to the grass. My first catch, had not even achieved that on 30' lines. Later, when the wind calmed more I was trying the inverted glide forward for field recovery. My inverted glide forward has been inefficient and wobbly at best. Well this time a line from JBs light wind article came to my head like a whisper from Obi Wan to Luke: JB: "However, when executed properly, I can gain even more field than with a dual line kite, as much as 100-300 feet of field in a single jog!" I don't know why but the word jog struck me hard and so I tried jogging forward. The inverted kite glided forward as smooth as could be, without a wobble or bobble. I would have thought that the less controlled inputs from my jogging hands would have been a problem, but I think that the speed let the kite drift in front on slack lines. I made up 2-3x the ground that I have ever made before more smoothly than ever. Hope it works next time and was not just a fluke.... Life is good because there is always something left to amaze you if you just find time to be amazed. Sent from my Nexus 5X using KiteLife mobile app

Hi folks, Ramping up for the new year, JB and I are tentatively planning a casual clinic (any type of sport kiting) after we return from India. Scheduled date is February 21st, most likely at Kite Henge (near Tacoma WA), and there may be opportunities for private lessons with either JB or I on Sunday if anyone is interested. As always, a casual clinic has no fixed registration fee... Its an open format with no class structure, fliers are encouraged to attend and pick our brains for any type of sport kiting information or skills they may wish to learn - tips are encouraged to defray expenses, but only whatever you feel the instruction and information was worth to you - the whole idea of a casual clinic is making instruction accessible and affordable to any flier. Please fill out the survey below if interested in attending, it'll give us an idea of how many people we might expect, what topics are most popular and give us a way to reach you with news as it develops. http://www.officialtristanunderwood.com/education.html Hope to see you there!

I love this place....you guys and gals rock! Along with all the knowledge...every once in awhile a suprise pops in from a fellow member. Thanks Marshall...totally not needed...but will be well used indeed! Maybe next week? Did I mention I LOVE THIS PLACE! Keep doin' what your doin'....a recipe for a great family!

This is one of those kites that you wait for years to find one available... I've been hoping to find one of these for sale for over 5 years, but the chances were slim, since there were only 6 of them made. It's a Widow Maker (electric) 'Spider'... Other than it's appearance, the only difference between this one and a regular Widow Maker is the Turbo bridle. I haven't flown it enough to determine whether or not that's a plus or minus. I flew it a little today in not the best wind (offshore) and stormy. I can say that it is REALLY precise, and could side slide easily ALL the way across the window. Can't wait for some good wind to give this kite a real test drive, but it sure was pretty in the sun ! Just to make it a little better, Skyburner used Prismatex for the mylar reinforcement points !