frob

Out of town this weekend, otherwise I would.

You might read up on what else Joel Scholz made, and I think he still makes. They range from 'meh' to exquisite, with corresponding values. They're fairly rare to see for sale secondhand, but popular designs can go for a couple hundred.

Hol'up! I'm here! And a few others are too. I try to arrange a monthly fly on the second Saturday of each month but usually it's either just me alone or me and a family member. We've had a few times where some others join in, between about a quarter to half the time. I fly most Saturdays at the same place if I'm in town, but just don't advertise the flying beyond possibly posting a video on youtube. There's Austin End of the Line kite team, but they've been hit by some medical issues last year. There's Go Big or Go Home, although they're transitioning a bit due to age as well. There are a few other people in the region but most are quiet online. As Mebeatee said, there's a lot of views there. I'm not a big fan of the French style, but it's another popular method. It is not so much about the the length, its the difference top and bottom total line length. Go back to when the Rev was introduced in the 1980s and the company had shorter lines on bottom and longer lines on top. Moving a leader to the handles allowed for lines to be equal length, and the longer length could be easily adjusted at the handles. Each kite can have a different 'sweet spot', especially when switching brands or models. I'm a fan of the way John taught it, although I've no idea who came up with it, possibly Lee Sedgwick. With equalized lines, short leader line on the bottom on the longest setting. Put the long leader line on top, find the farthest out that you can still launch the kite, then go in one knot from there. The result mid-air will hover in a neutral position, with the grip balanced midway down the foam on your handles neither pulling forward nor back.

Countdown to an amazing kite for somebody... It's a great time to register for the site if you've not done it already.

I don't know about the glue, never heard of that one. The usual approach is a few stitches to replace failed stitches, not glue to replace stitches. There are different repairs like punctures which can use glue, but if there is enough pressure to rip out stitches glue is unlikely to be enough. A similarly colored polyester thread will work.

You've got a couple good kite stores within 150 miles or so, including Kitty Hawk that runs a chain. Call and ask if they want more. Based on how many shops have closed, how many makers keep dropping off or moving to custom-only builds, plus the move of people in general away from kites and outdoors activities, demand isn't going to be enormous. Building amazing products and building brand awareness will both be essential if you're trying to enter the market.

Does it actually impact the kite, or is this purely cosmetic? From the picture it looks like the pocket is still fully intact, and the most important sides that will be taking the pressure look like they're still going to work. It looks like it is just a stitch over the folded webbing and not a hole in the webbing or multiple stitches. For me, I'd say if it ain't broke don't fix it. Matching red polyester thread is easy to find at any fabric store. If the pocket still works you could simply run a threaded needle through the same holes to cover up that broken stitch. If multiple stitches have broken it looks like 12 or so total stitches, easy peasy, although maybe intimidating if you don't sew. In that case find a friend who sews and they probably have a matching red polyester thread and can put those stitches in within a minute or two.

Just like a winch or anything else with wrapped lines, it should never be stored with high tension. Bring the kite down either hand-over-hand (always wearing gloves) or using a block with a pulley or a large carabiner, or whatever else that can slide easily across the line without damage. Start at the anchor, and slowly walk toward the kite bringing it down one step at a time. For a strong-pulling kite it may take more than one person's weight and strength. Be very careful when doing it, as a gust of wind can cause it to re-launch. Make sure you never get the line wrapped around a finger or hand or under an arm during the process, and if the kite takes off with a gust let go instead of getting injured, which sadly occasionally happens. If you've been around the kite circuit for a while you'll meet people missing a fingertip or have had other major injuries, and hear the horror stories from years past where a few people have died and others needing major reconstructive surgery. When you've walked the line down, detach it when you reach the tow point. With the kite on the ground, it is easy to wind the line up with minimal tension, just hand strength to keep it on.

I have both brands, and a few more. The difference is minimal. They will wear a little differently over the years but both will give hundreds of hours of use if treated well. Use on sand or near saltwater or fly with people who have sand/salt in their lines rubbing against yours and they will wear faster.

Assuming they're somewhat recent models, contact the company. Your profile doesn't say where you are in the world, but many Flexifoil owners are in the UK where Flexifoil is based, if you're in another country you may want to contact your nation's distributor.

The site used to also host kitemap.org with exactly what you described, but it has been gone for a few years. This post has some details.

I am not sure it's a good idea. I know it can be done, and has been discussed a few times over the years, but it is also not common. Tails can be whatever lengths work for the condition. Many tube tails are built to be attached end-to-end, last week I saw 300 feet of tail on a sport kite. But that's on individual kites. Tails are a source of drag, brakes if you need them in higher wind. The drag is also variable. As for the stack, it complicates things. On the flip side to tails, stacks add sail area increasing pull. Stacks need to stay together, stay coherent, otherwise they fly terribly, but that is the opposite of what tails would do. Catching the tail on another kite down the stack would be another concern. Single line would work for tails on a train, but on a sport kite you can twist around the tail if you are not careful. With a single kite wind blows it away, but with a stack, it will depend on speed and the shapes you fly. Tails at the end of the stack wouldn't snag down the line, but would slow the individual kite, pulling it behind the stack a bit losing coherence. It can work, especially with slow and steady flying, but the longer the tail or the faster or more erratic the flight, the bigger the risk. It could be fun, but I won't want to untangle the mess after the tail takes out the stack with a wingtip wrap.

View Advert Revolution Reflex 1.5 RX for sale. Purple. About 28 hours of use. Asking $175 I'm selling a Rev Reflex that doesn't get out of the bag often enough. The parallel post on Facebook Marketplace (Stunt Kites Garage Sale) at https://www.facebook.com/groups/210302702426394/posts/6276187439171193/ It was purchased April 2017 when they were "the next new thing", but it never became one of my primary kites. Includes two additional Reflex spars, one with the spring for the verticals, and the other without for the leading edge, both in original bags. The purple bag isn't silkscreened but it's the one Revolution sent it in. Some wear on the center bridle line, the white bridle line core is exposed but doesn't affect flight. No issues with leading edge mesh, in addition to the attached photos there is a closeup video here showing leading edge, and both front and back of the kite. New kite with one spar would be $246, extra spar is $20, so would be $266 plus shipping if you purchased new from the company. I'm asking $175 which includes US lower-48 shipping in everybody's favorite triangle box priority mail packaging. Here's from the flight log. Flight times are approximate. It's possible days weren't written down, I try to keep everything logged and usually round up in time. 4/19/2017 2h Old Settler's Park (OSP) 5/07/2017 1h OSP 5/27/2017 1h OSP 7/03/2017 1.5h OSP 7/07/2017 1.5h OSP 9/30/2017 3h Apache Pass 11/24/2017 1.5h OSP 11/28/2017 1h Work park 12/9/2017 1.5h OSP 1/13/2018 1h OSP 2/03/2018 0.5h South Padre Island Kite Festival (SPI) 3/14/2018 1.5h West Bountiful Park 6/15/2018 1h OSP 7/09/2018 1h Snowcrest HS Field 8/09/2018 0.5h OSP 2/02/2019 3.5h SPI 2/03/2019 4h SPI 7/02/2020 1h OSP This is the kite only (with spars, bag, etc) and not handles and lines. If you don't have them yet, I'd recommend getting those from Kite Forge, or similar solid aluminum handles and quality lines from other reputable stores like Ocean Shores Kites or A Wind of Change that also have non-snag solid aluminum handles. Advertiser frob Date 09/06/2023 Price $175 Category Kites (Quad Line) Brand Revolution Model Reflex 1.5 RX  

That's fine with non-cutting line. This year at Zilker I know three people were caught with cutting line and given a police escort out of the park. One of them, a kid and his non-English-speaking mother, brought their manja line fighter into the kids competition and pro flying area. He cut at least one kid's kite and a quad's line before he was forced to bring down the kite. The mom needed a phone call to her husband to help her understand, and they didn't leave the area until payment for damage was worked out. They were a few steps away from shifting to about $150 in damage to easily hitting a thousand in damage. Again, there is a time and place where cutting line is acceptable. The Zilker Park Kite Festival is NOT one of those. Cutting line and fighter kites at events specific to them is fine if every scrap is cleaned up. Otherwise it is vandalism and litter, neither reflect well on the community.

Location matters for that. If you are in a location where the cheap fighter kites are flown, go for it. People flying inexpensive (nearly free) kites with the expectations that they will be cut, that's understandable and part of the culture. If you are in a location where more expensive gear is used, don't even think about bringing it to the site. Cutting line can do thousands of dollars of damage in seconds. Expect to be detained by people on the field, have banking information shared (demanded, really) before being allowed to leave, and possibly even police called to remove you, or to press charges and document the damage. Know which location and group you are in.

I got my hands on the team kites at SPI. 🙂 I would say it feels like a good kite, and I would add it to my bag if it didn't have what I already do. Since I've already got a bag full of what was just described above as "boutique" kites I probably won't buy one, but it was certainly fun to fly and it was able to do all I wanted and more. It felt similar to my various other mid-range and top-range kites, responsive and quick to follow inputs. It seemed priced about right relative to it's abilities. The Gaze was nowhere near as floaty as the custom Sky Devil I had up, but it did handle quite nicely. I watched others use it to do slackline tricks beyond my skills, and it was smooth for straight flying as a team kite.

I would recommend against it. There are tethers and harnesses, but they always include multiple safety devices and break-away clips for the pilot to engage. With something that is held in hand, when there is a gust the kite breaks free from their grip. With something attached to their body a strong gust could drag the kid across the field into danger, a sudden gust could break a bone, or worse. If you are worried about a single line kite getting free, use a ground stake. A large dog stake can work well for small kites, get the spiral style you screw into the ground. Securely anchor the stake, then use a lark's head or other simple easily-released knot to attach the line to the stake.

I think this is the crux. All outdoor sports have seen a drop over the past 30 years, while kiting is included it is by no way unique. The US Soccer Federation said in 2018 that it was seeing about a 15% drop in recent years, American Football participation by nearly 20% reduction in youth participation from 2008 to 2019. If you account for transition to sports (a few like martial arts have seen small growth) there is a rather comprehensive report that 2020 saw participation in outdoor sports increased for the first time in two decades due to pandemic changes, jumping 17% over 2019 levels in 2020 as people went to outdoor sports, and yet still with that enormous boost in 2020 was down 5% overall from 2010 to 2020. Number of outings per participant dropped 16% in 8 years, and even for those who participate at least twice a week, intensity dropped by 5% over the same time. So it's no wonder that kiting popularity fit the same broad pattern. Fewer participants, fewer spectators, less money for funding and sponsorships and business participants. Events are hard to organize. It is hard even for established events to maintain their population. There are fewer fliers, certainly not enough for competition and often there is barely enough for demos. I have two events across the year that take place within a 7 hour drive (each way). One of those events has announced they're ending, the other is barely able to maintain itself despite it being a major branding event for the city. I worry that there won't be any significant events to participate in over the coming years without flying across the country. When I moved to my current city there were the remains of an occasionally meeting group, and a mostly retiring kite team. Lots of people who used to fly, who are interested in flying, but they just don't get out. I've been trying to build something, inviting about 20 local people with personal invites every month, and getting about 10 "sorry I can't make it again but keep inviting me", and still usually it's just me alone each month. I'll drive 4 hours each way to single-line gatherings at Surfside (that just won an AKA award for being a great club) and yet at the events there are still only 3-4 fliers there putting up several show kites, most retired years ago from sport kites and instead sit under the easy-up and cheer me on. At my local park I do what I can to get people to come talk with me, and I'll chat up anybody who will care to listen and even give out cards with web pages and YouTube channels and contact information, yet people are disinterested beyond a one-time curiosity or oddity. Even a "kite party" model, pulling people from a full day drive away from me would still only bring about 5 active sport kite fliers, and maybe 20 former sport kite fliers who could put up some show kites and displays. There are going to be a few additional people who have flown the kites and who might own a Prism Jazz or an inexpensive dual line that they've flown a handful of times, but not active pilots who can control their kites with any kind of precision or demo skill. There doesn't seem to be enough active interest to reach critical mass.

Great win Monica, congratulations!

Two more days ... ish. I'm so looking forward to this one. If someone who doesn't fly indoors wins, it could be great to throw it back into the pot. Or to someone else who is really looking forward to a Djinndoor. Just sayin'. 🙂

Wow! That will be a great Christmas surprise for someone.

Oh, just noticed that's the part of the site it's in. Yeah, of course. Sorry about that.

A gift certificate for what? Generally, you'd contact the vendor, store, shop, or company that issued the gift certificate and tell them the order number.

Getting excited for this. New lines always feel so good. Come on random number generator, choose me!

😁