cjay

I will be sure to post updates as I use them.

Getting better on the kites I already have is probably the ticket. But for $112.50 I would totally buy a new Green Kymera just cause it looks cool. You know you totally need one.

Guess I am late to the party. For that price I might have bought a new red one or possibly a green one, but I will pass on the blue. I already have a stunt kite that is fairly precise, pulls hard and makes noise, so I am not sure what a Kymera would offer over a Widow NG in terms of handling.

Interesting that ITW has the blue Kymera's for $112.50 right now, and everyone else is asking $225. Seems like a pretty good deal for someone. https://intothewind.com/stunt-kites/trick-kites/itw-kymera-by-barresi-blue.html

I bought my current Widow NG from A Wind Of Change because they had the color I wanted in stock and no one else did at the time. She inspected it for me before shipping it. Excellent customer service. I think I bought a lineset from there as well.

Keith at the Kite Company in Newport Oregon is a good guy. Very knowledgeable and good at kite repair. He has lots of parts on hand also. Decent selection of factory kites. He doesn't sell Prism kites last I was in there. I like his style, if you ask, he has no problem telling you what he thinks. I always stop in there for a visit with him and buy something if I pass through when they are open. They sell online also but I haven't bought from the online store. They used to make kites a long time ago. https://thekitecompany.com/ Another vote for Ocean Shores Kites. Their kite selection is probably the best that I have seen, and they carry good stuff. Andy is also a really nice guy, and very knowledgeable also. Another one that calls it like he sees it. He sells online also. It sounds like both of these shops are barely hanging in there.... Gasworks Kite shop in Seattle was good before they closed. I read this post about Prism having to cut costs. Something about not going to stock or make parts anymore for old discontinued kites when they run out.

I got the line set the other day. Thought i would give some details about the transaction and lines. It was very fast shipping. One of the best checkout systems i have used. Add to Cart > checkout > paypal login > buy ! No filling out of forms at all. Line set looks good. Haven't unwound it and checked to see if they are even yet. It is a little stiffer and more slick than the factory spectra lines i got with my kites. The sleeving has the ends heated, so i am not sure if that is an abrasion risk or not. I know the skybond is not like that on purpose. The color is very good. Price is very good. I think i am going to like it.

Was interested to know if anyone else has tried it. I emailed Paul about it. He said that it is not Climax Protec line, and that it is a little less stretchy than the protec. And that it is not as stiff as LPG or Skybond. He said it is sort of in between the speed and skybond as far as stiffness goes, and that it doesn't pick up debris as much as the LPG. So it will be interesting to try out, and have around for other people to try as well.

I have a set of the 75' x 90# Matrix line set from Level One Kites on the way. It is an orange color, and I wanted to check out the visibility. Sounds like it is similar to speed line. Anyone have experience with this line? I am excited to get back out there to fly again after being laid up for months due to my back.

To be clear I wasn't saying that you said that. And I didn't intend to imply that either. I am aware that the AC was built to perform well from the turtle, so that statement was from a beginner perspective. I think it is a reasonable concern for a beginner considering a serious trick kite like the AC for general non trick directional flying in SUL wind whether it is suited for that type of flying or not. I will have to ask Lam if it is suitable for my application or not. Guess I won't know if I connect with a kite until I try it.

Wow that is a lot going on. Sorry about the the separation and the living situation. The cost of living is tough these days. I do a lot of boondocking also. 4x4 truck and canopy so lots of off road stuff. Hard to find good areas near Portland and not be city camping. I keep thinking there should be a way to improve the financial opportunities in the kite business so it could be a solid career choice for people, which would get more people involved, and drive the financial side of it. I was thinking trade schools for kite making, and competitive flying.

I was looking at it as a kite for general SUL flying around. Would be a pain if it kept getting stuck in a turtle randomly. I don't know how to identify aspect ratio, sail depth, or cut, and how they effect kite performance. I have read some articles about it but I don't understand it yet. I am interested in learning about it though. Does the Widow NG have a deep sail and a low cut? Are the; 7 SUL, Nirvana, Benson Deep Space also new school, deep sail, high cut kites? And the Blue Moon Mamba more of an older school design? (whatever that means)

JB, have you flown the AC SUL?

I hadn't considered the AC as a SUL choice until you talked about it. Sounds like a really good option. And it has a fairly versatile wind range also. Would be nice to have a few SUL kites. I have 85', and 100' lines, and find that I like the 85' lines the best. I can see the kite better, and still have a decent sized window.

That would be interesting. The 7 is a really cool looking kite, and the build quality sounds really good also. Sounds like the AC is more stable, and has more forward momentum than the PD under 3 without as much running. And it can handle some variable winds also.