mebeatee

I was able to get a Grace, along with another kite, and it came this past Mon.... Haven't had a chance to fly it except to toss it around in the living in room....lol. The other kite is a Lam Hoac Magic Angel which literally floats in the air...wow!!! Did manage some pix to show the different shapes and sizes. The Grace has an interesting two sail system and should be quite fun. I have a collection of Wala's, Emong, Skates....ITW and Focus, Zero G, and iFites. bt

Not negative at all.....just the way it is. I'll keep it to online stuff....as the quasi "waning" of kiting is another topic altogether, keeping in mind the culture of kiting and our "western" style of kites/kite flying is but a small portion of the kiting world....which is pretty big considering where one resides. The Grandaddy of all online kite forums was the old Gone With The Wind forum which ran for many many years and was a hive of activity and information...of course dropping off a bit this time of year...weather/season in our hemisphere....but would pick up when flying season started up. This also when there was lots more kiting activity/events etc. There were/are of course others....this fine site, fractured axle, local and manufacturers sites, etc. There is a manufactures forum that is so "dead" you'd think their kites don't exist anymore...but the kites are quite popular. Lately Blue Moon Kites has (again) started up their forum and I have "reacquainted" with some of the old GWTW folks. Some others went on Facebook and whatever other antisocial media thingies there are... Personally I don't know about that stuff and have no interest. Maybe that's a small problem right there....sorry fellow kitesters, but I ain't going on FB...for Kite's sake.... I'll stay here thanks. Yup things change....and then there's Covid....I have a friend who, as a sponsored flier, has been a wonderful kite ambassador for many years....not this year though. Like the Frank Zappa quote....substitute kiting for jazz.... Jazz isn't dead it just smells funny. bt

Today at the beach the wind was steady at 0 with puffs around 2 mph off the water. I had a blast with a Wala and a Skate. Two days ago we had a storm/wind warning so I stayed home. Yesterday was about 4...no.....10...no 2...no 20.....I stayed home as well. I love kiting!!! bt

Short answer....Never ever...... I have a number of kites that will handle tons of wind....vented Rev 2 for example but do not like flying in winds above 12 mph or so when the whitecaps start forming on the water. I live right by the ocean and those constant ocean breezes I've heard about certainly don't know about this place.....😃 My fav winds for flying are from about 7-8 to 0 so none of any standard or ultralight kites flight would be approaching top wind ranges. Very rarely will I fly a dualie over 8 mph even though I have a vented airfx and a pd vented. I would switch to a vented Rev by that point. So for me I fly in the lower wind ranges as again I don't enjoy flying in lots of wind....there ya go....a long time kitester who doesn't like wind but I'm out flying as often as possible. However, if I was to fly at the top of the kite's wind range regularly I would just get another (appropriate) kite. I would be more comfortable having a vented version or a vented kite on hand and switch to that. Same going the opposite way standard to ul/sul.... Revs have an excellent advantage in being able to immediately switch out frames as wind conditions change. Even then I still go,the opposite way....a 2 wrap frame in a vented Rev?.......ooooh la la!! As usual the same end result.....buy more kites!!!! bt

There have been many kites offered with different sail cloths over the years, mostly dual liners....ikky vs poly versions for example. There were slight differences in performance.....at least given manufacturers specs...ikky versions usually had a lower wind range. Some Skyburner/Premier kites, Jam Session, Stranger and more. iirc PBSK offered up a few sail options for his line of kites.... Some sails just feel different in the air. I have a couple old "soft cloth" Rev 2's and a couple of newer "crispy cloth" 2's, and the soft cloth ones feel "smoother" in flight. Same with a new 1.5 sail vs an old 1.5 w/mylar....the mylar one feels "slicker". bt

Or find a Stranger Level 7... bt

All most excellent suggestions....but really there will be another and another and.....well you get the idea....😉 bt

Yup apples and oranges....DS and Mamba. Both amazing kites...just get both!!!! bt

Have you crashed it yet....sometimes that sound is "whump". bt

+1 to what Wayne has mentioned above. If you can swing it get a whole frame not just the two verticals....as then you'll have 2 frames....well 2 LE's at least. Your wind range has just been expanded!!!! Every Rev I have....except the Rev 2's, and 1.5 sul's...have at least two frames in with the kite.....a 2 wrap plus whatever else depending on the sail. One of the Rev 2's has a 2 wrap travel frame. The only SLE I had was with a REV 1 I vented myself. I quite liked the SLE in that kite only. bt

Go for it!!! Sounds quasi counterproductive as to the "function" of weights and where they go....but ya never know! The only way to know is to experiment and find out what works for YOU. I found out by experimenting I don't like any weights on any of my dualies. I did tape some weight onto the wing tips of a dualie many moons ago and knew about 20 seconds in I wouldn't like it/them. Took me about a minute of flying with the tail weights to go ugh...not for me.....but then again I'm no kite trickster at all but do understand the concept of tail weights. You may uncover a whole new set of maneuvers!!!! Keeping that in mind Rev 1.5's used to come with weights for a bit. I experimented and went meh....then tried them on a Rev 2 and went hmmm interesting..... I still keep one of the Rev 2's with weights on the bottom of the vertical's for fun and that effect. bt

There is a good chance the bridle may be stock. By your pic you have one of the old 1.5 SLE sails with mylar panels...??? I still have one....blue, black, white, mylar (w/o SLE .......regular 3wrap) and the stock bridle is red upper and black lower....just like your pic. Revolution seemed to change bridling material...or colours of anyway. I have and have had red/black, all black, all red, all white, all grey. iirc I had another mylar panelled SLE 1.5 with the red and black bridle....so maybe this bridle is native to the 1.5 mylar paneling era????? None of my all cloth 1.5's of any incarnation have this bridling....all one coloured....mostly grey. I had an all black SLE panel layout 1.5 that had an all red bridle....sexy for a rev.... You didn't mention what LE you have....an SLE or a regular 1/4"....(most likely a 3 wrap). If you have a 1/4" LE then all the spars should be the same except for the middle LE spar with the ferrules. And again and all end caps are affixed to the kite. bt

It is interesting that design (choices) evolve and also come full circle, and this almost begs the question which came first...the kite or it's capability? In the day of NSR's, Spectra Edge's, Hawaiian kites et al the LE's were straight, then kites LE's became more curved as some flying styles changed and "tricks" became popular. For instance I could axel a Spectra Edge but it was not easy....especially in comparison to a Jam Session. I'm sure there were a bunch of folks/designer/builder's who figured if they experimented with a more curved LE these new found tricks would be more accessible and expanded upon......to a point where a while ago there was a movement back to more straight LE's as new trick combos were coming into play. Now it seems to be all over the map which is good, however folks are still trying to find/design/build that one kite that does it all.....not...and hopefully will stay this way. It also just occurred to me the initial query into the dead launch. I had a Prism Fanatic that did this but my kite budget didn't like those kind of launches....however I was and still am a huge fan of the "the dead landing". My best "trick".....the incredibly soft landing in where you "kill" the kite so it lands/crashes gently. Kite's and kite budget like this trick..... bt

Many years ago dead launching was part of Prism's advertising per se and is, as pointed out....in the vids. I also recall there was a thread on the old GWTW site where someone did attach some doodad onto a kite, but I can't recall....lol. I also don't recall any articles in the SKQ or Kitelines mags which are archived here on this fine site. I have a few printed mags and there were all sorts of nifty tricks done to kites written about, so it may be in the many I don't have.... bt

Welcome to the forum!!!! Looks like you're jumping into the deep end....😉!! May as well get it done now, seeing as eventually you'd get a multitude of kites anyway....lol. bt

Gorgeous kites!!!! I hear ya re the birds and have similar experiences...I have a (real) JS Neptune the eagles like to check out. They have been cool about it and have "stayed away" and I usually fly it to poke fun at the fisherfolks during fishing season as they stand around with nothing on the end of their lines...lol. I used to have a couple of grey fade Buena Vista Sonic and Catalyst's, however I had to sell them because every time I flew them the seagulls would go crazy....only those two. I was going to get another Mamba as the panel layouts can easily look like a bird, but decided against it. I am after all flying on their turf so to speak.... What's next you ask.....B(uy) M(ore) K(ites)...hint hint!!!! bt

It is nice to have a manufacturer's recommended windspeed to use as a guideline, especially when learning and before any hot rodding the kite, lines, or handles. Once one gets a feel of a kite in different winds you'll start to zero in on what works and what doesn't. Then as previously mentioned the wind range guide goes out the window and you start to change frames, lines, adjust or change handles for the situation at hand. For instance a 2wrap in a vented Rev flown in the full sail w/3 wrap recommended wind.....aoxamoxoa!!!! bt

Well if ya got the loot then they all could be fun and maybe worth buying. I have met some folks who didn't take to a "Rev" type sailed kite but liked a Spirit or Deca better. At one time I was a huge Deca fan especially the zero wind ones...but they are all gone and my Rev collection is still here. However there is a reason why the Rev type sailed quads....Revs, Djinn, OSK, Riffclown, etc. will always be the benchmark....they just endure and work. bt

I`m changing my vote because of my "flying style", as today I took out the Mongoose and the Mantis...just because....thanks folks!! I`m not a "punchy" flier by any means....quite the opposite actually, so for me the Mantis was more "tricky", considering I`m not a trickster, rather slow and floaty. So I put up the Mongoose. yanked and spanked as well I dare and yup for sure I could see how this works with this kite and why I hadn`t taken to it immediately like my other BMK`s. I had a Steve Tapp Enigma (akin to an Exile iirc) and felt the same way....so I traded it as part of a deal that included an Air fx...lol. I have often wondered how the actual kite designer/builder flew and Kmac himself mentioned he made the Mongoose for himself and his way of flying. So as in my earlier post Zuul....you may hold your breath....but let it out quickly....pm coming. bt

Well I have a bunch of Aerie/BMK kites but am by no means a trickster of any sorts, so can't really answer your question.....and sorry they are not for sale.... By the feel of the the kite's flight in question....Mongoose....it does seem it could be more trickier than my ul Mojo, standard Mamba, or any of the Aerie's (K2, K3, Air Fx's). Then again my Mantis feels like it could be trickier than the Mongoose....both standards. Again I don't have any interest in advanced kite trickery per se, but can feel if a kite is a trick monster, so yes in my limited capacity I would go on record as saying the Mongoose and Mantis could be construed as "trickier". My reason for this is the rock solid precision of the Mamba, Mojo, K3, and Air Fx's (I have 3). The Mongoose and Mantis (and K2) aren't quite as "solid" to me....but still have that Blue Moon aoxomoxoa. Good luck in your search....took me a couple of years to find a K3... and "if" I decide to sell something I'll let ya know....but don't hold your breath..... bt

I have a friend who is a muralist and has done quite a few of our Regional Districts buildings. He did one in a (French?) style I can't recall and wanted to include me and a kite. He came to the beach one day when I was flying a Sedgwick cool Rev 1 and took a few pix. When he submitted the design to the powers at be everything was fine except they couldn't understand the concept of a four line kite, and requested the usual diamond with a kite tail....not that there's anything wrong with that at all....more the public's perception of what a "kite" is. So he changed his design but still left my arms/hands in the quad position. bt

Get yourself a Prism Micron....now Neutrino.... Yes they can do all the "stuff".... but yikes. When I lived in the city I flew pairs with another Micron flier and that was sort of silly but fun for a bit. He was an advanced "trick" flier and could do all the tricky bits on that kite. Another good one if you can find it....is the old Psycho..... bt

That would be cool even for us non builders, as it is interesting to see craftpeople/artisans/artists....pick one or all....demonstrating their skills. it can give us even more of an appreciation of our kites and adds a/the human touch. I remember "sugarbaker's" super detailed build vids on the GWTW site that were quite fascinating. iirc Steve Tapp (rip....what a person!!!) had some cool stuff as well. What's even better is when you have in your possession a kite that you've seen being built!!!! bt btw you don't have to give us your exact measurements....as mentioned above....lol

https://bluemoonkites.net/a-new-kite-a-major-update-and-more/ Thanks again...(and again and..)...Ken!!! Looks like I'll be back on the Mac and cheese.....KD up here in Canadaland...diet again for a while... bt

Those handles seem to be from the daze when Rev attachment points were metal clips...lol... They were also short(er) in relation to today's handle length(s). My aha moment was removing the metal clips and attaching short pigtails....I tried a couple of different leader length's and combos and...Voila!!!!....a longer one on top and a short one on the bottom..... No confusion caused...I'm already confused and have been for many years....welcome to the club!!! bt