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Stryker48

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Posts posted by Stryker48

  1. Agreed! anything over 10mph I would definitely look at packing the 4D away and using a better suited standard kite for the wind conditions.

    Kites are designed for various wind conditions for a reason. There is no one kite that can fly in all wind conditions. If you're serious about flying and want to be able to fly in any and all wind conditions, you will need at least 3 kites to cover you for that. (UL, Standard and Vented) That been said not all kites are created equal, so finding the 'right kites for you' and your budget will be the challenging part, especially if your budget is on the lower end.

    Good Luck! :)

  2. I received a Prism 4D today and flew it for a few minutes in very light winds that would not have been enough to launch any of my other kites. I was really surprised at how much faster it is than my other kites. It was also noisy and had a lot more pull than expected in such light winds.

    I've seen in some videos and posts elsewhere that people are using all kinds of line length sets, like 20 feet and 7 feet, with this kite, and I was wondering what what these sets are good for. For example, are they just for indoor flying?

    As far as tricking this kite, is it necessary to add yo yo stoppers to get it to do the few tricks people say it is capable of doing?

    Finally, I like to use tails with my dual line kites, so I am wondering if there are any microlite tails out there that I could look at getting to use with this one.

    Any advice?

    The Prism 4D is quite capable of pulling skywriter tails up to 100ft. with enough wind. There are many Youtube vids showing the Prism 4d with 50ft. and 100 ft. tails. Good Luck!

  3. From my own multiple kite flying experience, with many trials and errors, I too had difficulty in finding the "right kite" with as little pull as possible and still offer good precision with slow to moderate speed. Most full size kites will have considerable pull and might not be the best option to hone your skills on. That been said, it also depends on your wind conditions. In low winds under 8mph, a full size ultra light will have manageable pull and not be too overpowering. Ideally you would want a SUL or UL for those very low ind days and and standard kite for winds from 8mp up to 15 mph. When it gets to 15mph and above, the pull becomes tremendous on a full size kite therefore a vented kite would be a better option in this wind range.

    My advice would be to get a pair or 3 decent reputable beginner kites (something like the Beetle) although on the smaller side, it is VERY durable and will definitely speed up your learning curve as they are faster than full size kites, so it will keep you on your toes and bring you endless hours of enjoyment.

    Once you can master them and feel comfortable with the pull they generate, you will be better adapted to try your hand at a larger stronger pulling kite.

    Some multiple kite flyers can fly stacks of 20 kites from each hand with tremendous pull. It CAN be done!

    Good Luck and safe flying.

  4. Great question wish I could help out but I am to much of a newbie. I was going to ask the same question with an added twist. I have heard that a 100 ft tube tale has the potential to cause problems with the spine of the kite. I am not sure if it is true or not. Plus I would like to know the proper way to connect tube tales to both a dual line and a quad?

    Michael, Every kite is different. Some kites have attachment points, sewn on at the factory. Some don't, and you have to get creative. As for the damage, I think that was mentioned, when someone attached a tail, up in the middle of the spine, near where the bridle lines were attached. Attach the tail at the bottom of the spine.

    As for the wingtips, make up a couple of short pigtails (3"-4"), and lark's head them to the loops, down near the wing tip, where the tension line or bungee is attached. Then lark's head your tails onto the knot in that pigtail. What ever you do, when attaching to wingtips, make sure you do the exact same thing, on both sides, to keep everything balanced.

    As for the spine, you can usually attach something, like a pigtail, to the very bottom of the spine, by lark's heading to the bottom of the spine, or to the piece of velcro, that is usually found at the bottom. Here is an explanation, and photos, of how I made a tail attachment point, on my new Delta Hawk. I did this before I ever took the kite out to fly. Flew it for a while, then decided to try a tail. It worked perfectly, but of course, there's not a whole lot to go wrong here. Oh, and I didn't have any idea what, if anything, I might attach to this kite. All I was doing, was creating an attachment point (a pigtail) that I could attach anything too. I do this on a lot of my dual line kites............

    http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5402-delta-hawk/page-2#entry36946

    Just don't get too hung up on there being a "correct & proper procedure", for doing this. A lot of this is simply trial and error. Again, don't forget, this is not "rocket science". We are playing with kites. Have fun - be creative. You can try just about anything, on a temporary, or trial basis, with a few simple pigtails, and if it works, great, if not, try something else. When you hit on a solution, then you can make some permanent changes, or "not".

    As for attaching tails to the Rev, there's the upper wingtips, and the lower ends of the two upright spars, and maybe the center loop. I don't think that I would hook anything as big and heavy as a 100' tube tail, to any of these points, but a simple, light weight streamer, or two, shouldn't present a problem. Again, as on the dual line kite, if adding two streamers, make sure whatever you do, is balanced, from side to side.

    An inexpensive item, to experiment with, is surveyor's ribbon. You can get a full roll of it (Lowe's or Home Depot), for a very small investment, usually in orange or pink, and then make yourself all kinds of permanent, or disposable tails. Again, just get creative, get yourself a roll of surveyor's ribbon, make up a few pigtails, and have at it. I make up tails, using several pieces (layers) of surveyor's ribbon (maybe 4 or 6 pieces, cut 8', 12', 16', or more). I put the pieces (one end from each piece) together, fold them over a couple of times for thickness, and insert a small brass grommet through the folded area, to create an attachment point for the tail. Then I take a sharpie and label them, up near the grommet end, (i.e. 6/16, which means 6 tails X 16 feet). When done flying, just fold them up, or simply put them in a stuff bag, and use them over and over. When they wear out or become frayed, cut them off, or throw them away and make up some more. Oh, and you can attach them using snap swivels (like used for fishing) that you have tied, or pigtailed to the kite, or just lark's head pigtails through the grommet, and then onto the kite, where you may have added another pigtail. There really is no right and wrong here, just use common sense, that is, unless the kite manufacturer has provided you with attachment points on the kite. If so, snap in there, or attach a pigtail. You'll figure it out :ani_victory: Just try something, and if it works, great ! If not :ani_wallbash:, try something else. :ani_idea:

    Attaching a tail to the bottom of the spine is not the best idea as it will affect the way the kite flies and turns and potentially put unnecessary strain on the spine. It's a much better idea to attach a pigtail from the T on the lower spreaders and spine which is the kites pivot point, then attach your center tail to the pigtail. You kite will fly and turn much better. (my 2cents worth!)

    GOOD LUCK!

  5. Tails on Rev.'s are even better then duals. You can wiggle the kite back and forth, or up and down any size and get the effect on the tail. The speed control and reverse add such a dimension to tails. You do have to be careful of wing wraps, but it's not that hard. BB Penny

    I agree, tails look good on kites and also revs. Here I have attached tube tails to my rev:

    • Like 2
  6. I have 2 'new' identical SKYDOG Dream on kites (rainbow on black) which have been flown once which I'm possibly looking to trade.

    The kites were very recently purchased for the purpose of flying multiples (one from each hand) however the pull is a little too strong for my liking. The Dream on is essentially a team kite offering excellent precision and tracking with decent trick capability. (Kite of the year 2012)

    I would be willing to trade for 2 full size UL's .... depending what they are (don't mind old school) or 'possibly' for a Rev quad complete with line set and handles.

    My location - Ontario Canada.

  7. Unlike most folks, I personally prefer to fly on my own without spectators. It allows me to concentrate on honing in on my multiple kite flying skills without interruption.

    That been said, I have a plethora of kites (way too many!), single line, dual line, revs and power kites and have found from personal experience that these days power kites seem to attract more spectators than any other and I can only assume it's because of their current popularity, especially with young adults.

    I can only assume, the average person who doesn't know a thing about kites, assumes kites are for "kids" (yes they are wrong!) and the power kites are more for the adrenaline junkie adults, which have really increased in popularity over the last 10 years.

    Also, the average person for the most part, has no clue about the different types of kites on the market today.(That was me a few years ago. I since have learned the differences.)

    I certainly agree that as soon as you attach a tail or tails to any kite, it definitely attracts more attention. That been said, nothing attracts more attention than flying kites in multiples, (with or without tails)as it's rarely seen and a sight to behold when executed with precision and especially when flown to music like a well choreographed ballet.

    The GRAND MASTER "Ray Bethel" got me started flying multiples after seeing his Youtube videos and I have never looked back. "Thanks Ray for all your videos, influence and personal advice"

    Here are some of my multiple kite videos:

    If it's spectators you are really seeking to attract, my advice would be, hone your kiting skills to become proficient enough to fly and compete at large kiting events around the country. You won't be short of eager spectators then :)

    As far as what kites to have in your kite bag, well that a very debatable point. It all depends on what type of flying you are really interested in and your location, with regards to average wind speeds. If you are lucky enough to live by the ocean where wind speeds can fluctuate dramatically, your choices are very wide and you would find use for UL's as well as vented kites for much higher wind speeds.

    From personal experience my UL's get way more flying time than my vented kites and that's mainly due to my flying style and of course my location which for the most part has very mild breezes, rarely exceeding 10mph.

    Well, that's my 2 cents worth and hope it helps point you in the right direction.

    Happy kiting! :)

    • Like 1
  8. This is the response I got back from Shawn T

    Just off of the phone with Jon T:

    There are a couple of things on the earlier models, that are causing the problems. both of them are an easy fix.

    1) There were inserts placed in the upper LE fitting. These are keeping the Upper spreader from going all the way in. The nose needs to be pulled in a bit. His suggestion was to remove the insert by, squeezing the fitting with pliers, to break the insert. Use any type of tool to remove the pieces. This will allow the spreader to seat fully.

    2) The bridle needs to be stretched a bit. Those with significant time on the kite, may not need to.

    3) The way that the pigtail is tied to the bridle is causing it to shorten the legs. If you are comfortable with tying a Prussic knot, you can remove the pigtail and tie properly. If not, it shouldn't be a problem as long as the bridle is able to reach the proper lengths.

    Bridle lengths, with the upper outhaul on the 3rd knot are...

    Inhaul 22 3/4"

    Upper outhaul 20 1/2"

    Lower outhaul 22 1/2"

    This has been corrected and they should be fine, from here on. Dealers, either have been, or are being notified.

    Hope this helps.

    Shawn T

    Hope that helps

    Steve

    Good point, Merlion, thanks. Stryker, please post your findings. I'd like to hear what he has to say. I read about this problem on GWTW, but after changing the tow point and chucking the weight, mine's flying fine so I let it go. Still, it would be interesting to know...
  9. Thanks Merlion, I will contact Jon Trennepohl re the Widow.

    Yup. It definitely likes a bit of wind. I feel like I need to do a bunch more flying with it before I truly click with it. I've barely begun to do any adjusting and I haven't really practiced any moves with it. I just pretty much fly and have fun. I think I could get a lot better at certain transitions, etc. Things I've gotten down with other kites but haven't spent the time with this one to learn what it wants in a given situation. Most things work ok and its really fun to fly so I haven't worried about it. I just think there are some pretty nice rewards in there for someone willing to spend the time. It promises so much. However, as mentioned above, I never thought it would rival the Widow Maker. I consider it an inexpensive fun trick kite which stands on its own.

    Hello Gentlemen,

    I am not sure if you have been made aware of this yet. But there are some modification's that you might need to contact Premier about for the Widow. These are both structural and bridle mods. If you can't get the information direct from Premier. Then may I suggest you contact Skyburner Kites, and ask Jon T or Marieanne T to email you what is necessary. To then improve your Widow's.

    I fly a Widowmaker, and have heard from them direct that these mods need to happen to get the best from the Widow.

    Regards,

    Merlion

  10. I don't use weights if I'm pulling any kind of tail. As mentioned, I'm hoping to get into doing some tricks this summer. I will use the Widows for sure!

    This is not a light wind kite and needs at least 3 to 4mph to fly without weights and/or tails.

    For light winds I LOVE my Desire UL's for flying multiples. The frame is too flexible to be a light wind trick kite.

    Cool. I was flying mine in light wind today without the tail weight. I really liked it that way. 'It still rolled up like crazy. Kind of makes me think it might benefit from some weight further up the spine. That weight's pretty heavy. Feels like about 20 grams. It really reduced the effort needed to fly it in light winds.

    Yeah, so Stryker, this kite will teach you all you want to know about tricking.

    Yes I got the 2 red ones. :)

    They do look very cool in the air. I'm still going to keep them as I do want to get some tricking under my belt.

    Stryker, so you got those two red ones? The photo was beautiful! yeah, I think I'm with you on the multiple kites thing. Probably not the best tool for the job at hand. I like mine alot, as I said in the review. The oversteer isn't that big of a deal for messing around tricking. Thats sort of how I see the kite, just something fun to relieve the intensity of "practicing." My only complaint so far is that it doesn't sit as deep in a turtle as I would like. Still, the winds have been pretty weird lately and I want more time on it. I think its something I can get used to/figure out. So far I'm hitting lazy rotations immediately after throwing it into a backflip. That way I can catch it wherever I want and keep the tips lookin up, so to speak.

    Anyway, sorry they're not working out. I think you're right on the money and if it were me, unless you want to start trickin' I'd sell them and get something more appropriate.

  11. Yes I got the 2 red ones. :)

    They do look very cool in the air. I'm still going to keep them as I do want to get some tricking under my belt.

    Stryker, so you got those two red ones? The photo was beautiful! yeah, I think I'm with you on the multiple kites thing. Probably not the best tool for the job at hand. I like mine alot, as I said in the review. The oversteer isn't that big of a deal for messing around tricking. Thats sort of how I see the kite, just something fun to relieve the intensity of "practicing." My only complaint so far is that it doesn't sit as deep in a turtle as I would like. Still, the winds have been pretty weird lately and I want more time on it. I think its something I can get used to/figure out. So far I'm hitting lazy rotations immediately after throwing it into a backflip. That way I can catch it wherever I want and keep the tips lookin up, so to speak.

    Anyway, sorry they're not working out. I think you're right on the money and if it were me, unless you want to start trickin' I'd sell them and get something more appropriate.

  12. As mentioned, I had not covered the Widow's trick ability, which I'm sure as you mentioned, is very capable, which is what it was designed for. For my purposes however, where I'm flying one kite from each hand and putting in very sharp inputs like you would controlling the kite with 2 hands, is near impossible, so the oversteer is there to stay for me with this kite unfortunately. Flying tails off the wing tips will help somewhat.

    So for flying multiple kites, IMHO, it's not the best choice of kite. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it! :)

    Since this kite was primarily designed for doing tricks with its high aspect ratio, I'm sure it will more than please those looking for a trick monster with striking good looks.

    Another word of note: I have had a couple of moderate unplanned landings with my Widows during practice and by the end of the day, I found that I had lost one yo-yo stopper from each kite. The thin black ties that hold them onto the LE, broke very easy.(Not a 'biggie' for me since I'm not tricking them at this time anyway)

    I'm going to keep experimenting and try and get the most out of these beautiful kites, that I can.

  13. I purchased a pair of Premier Widows for flying multiples and was also somewhat disappointed in the kites precision. The kites have lots of oversteer at all of the bridle settings. Definitely not a precision kite, but then again, that's not really the purpose of this kite. (I don't think it can/will compare to the Widow maker):http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=HYZw3RE6dZM

    Since I'm not into tricks and somewhat inexperienced in that department, I won't comment on the Widow's trickability.

    So for my purposes, it's unfortunately not a great kite, which is a pity as it really looks great in the air.

  14. Hi my name is Steve,

    I have always been fascinated by those few in the USA & Canada, (Carl Bragiel, Ray Bethel, Troy Gunn, Joe Perrone & Gary MacEachern .... apologies if I have excluded anyone) who are able to fly multiple kites, so I did some research and thanks to Gustavo Di Si's very informative article on multiple kite flying: http://www.batoco.org/bibliotoco/files/MSKF.pdf

    I decided to take the plunge and started to learn flying multiples in April 2007, by flying one kite at a time from one hand and alternating:

    http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=aWCOEHLoSH0

    In the month of June 2007, I took the plunge & flew 2 kites at once for the 1st. time: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ds2yCi5ZBE

    Here are a few more videos since then, flying various kites till now.:

    HQ Yukon's - June 2007: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=pVDPgtIUz2I

    NT Desire UL's - June 2007: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=8rbvIm4wgno

    NT Desire UL's - July 2007: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=7Byih_QvuQE

    NT Desire UL's - Sept 2007: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=VOirWT2yuRc

    Premier T&T's - Oct 2007: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Bjl0zHu9x94

    HQ Breeze's - April 2008: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=W9zS-dsNZRg

    NT Desire UL's - JUne 2008: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=-BQF8Kl0ydE

    I hope this helps and/or inspires anyone looking at getting into flying multiple kites.

    Steve

    http://sports.webshots.com/album/555971792LZBxKr ;)

  15. Hi Stryker, long time no see. :)

    Coming to Niagara Falls?

    Hi John,

    Yes it's been a while, since I've been in the forums. I have had more than my hands full over the past few months and haven't had the free time to spend in the forums as before.

    I have however been flying as often as possible, mostly with my Desire UL's practicing flying multiples. Now I have to figure a way to fly 2 Revs simultaneously. :)

    Not having a car sucks so getting to the Festivals has always been an issue and I hate to ask for a ride, even though I know the guys would gladly. That been said, don't count me out as I'm hoping I can convince a friend of mine who has some interest in kiting to go.

    Now that a have a little more confidence in my 'abilities', I don't have a problem flying in front of people, especially when things go according to plan. As we all know, that doesn't always happen and we have to take that walk of shame. Not something I'm sure you're familiar with I'm sure.

    Here are some of my videos flying my Desires to music to basic 'old school' "add lib routines":

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoElvYRvUGk

    Hopefully next summer I will have the confidence and abilty to fly 3 simultaneously. That is my goal.

    Again I have to say, Thank You to You and all those other incredible flyers, including Carl Bragiel, Ray Bethel and Troy Gunn who continually give me inspiration to fly and better my skills.

    I also have to mention Gustavo Di Si, for his very informative article on multiple kite flying.

    There is so much for me to learn still and that keeps me very interested.

    Steve

  16. Well my kite bag has certainly grown over these past few months since I startd Flying late last summer in July/August.

    My somewhat overfull kite bag:

    Prism Quantum x 1

    Prism Nexus 5 stack x 1

    HQ Yukon x 2

    NT Big Bang x 1

    NT BLK x 1

    NT Desire UL x 3

    Rev 1.5 SUL x 1

    Rev 1.5 SLE x 1

    Rev 1.5 vented x 1

    Rev 1 Sedgewick x 1

    Rev Supersonic x 1

    Rev Supersonic vented x 1

    http://sports.webshots.com/album/555971792LZBxKr

    Wish List:

    Shiva std. x 3

    In the car;

    Cherry Bomb x 2

    Quantum

    Micron

    A bag;

    Tantrum

    Vendetta

    Nirvana

    Nirvana ul

    Maybe I'd like to get a vent something or other, (Vendetta) but honestly the Tantrum does great in high wind, and in low and medium for that matter.

    Sold;

    Deep Space

    Level One Genesis (really like the kite, but hooked a friend up who was in need).

    XT.s Vv

    Flashlight

    Mirage (liked this one too)

    Wish list;

    Androgyn Nitro

    Cosmic TC

    Next (custom color of course)

    baby nirvana

    exile

    Mohawk X

    Q-pro....

    Ahh geez, I hadn't realized that my wish list was that long,... I'm in trouble. :)

  17. In the car;

    Cherry Bomb x 2

    Quantum

    Micron

    A bag;

    Tantrum

    Vendetta

    Nirvana

    Nirvana ul

    Maybe I'd like to get a vent something or other, (Vendetta) but honestly the Tantrum does great in high wind, and in low and medium for that matter.

    Sold;

    Deep Space

    Level One Genesis (really like the kite, but hooked a friend up who was in need).

    XT.s Vv

    Flashlight

    Mirage (liked this one too)

    Wish list;

    Androgyn Nitro

    Cosmic TC

    Next (custom color of course)

    baby nirvana

    exile

    Mohawk X

    Q-pro....

    Ahh geez, I hadn't realized that my wish list was that long,... I'm in trouble. :)

  18. :clap; I need help! Is there a way to lighten my "BLK"? This kite needs a wind 20mph or above as far as I'm concerned. It is extremly slow (flying turtle?). Noise, my "Detonator" makes more! I would appreciate if anyone has a solution :wacko:

    I don't quite agree, however this kite does need a good breeze. Yes the kite is pretty sluggish however it does fly well and is still a fun kite to fly and excellent for beginners and you can't beat the price. The kite can take lots of heavy laundry as you can see by my video:

  19. Great news about the Canadian custom Revs monks. :)

    I think I might just send in an entry postcard .......... I agree one can't have too many Revs B)

    Hopefully Rev will soon be able to work on my ordered "custom" rainbow 1.5SUL (yes I did order it with a standard bridle setup -Thanks for the suggestion guys) once the show is over.

    I look forward to tonights latest kiting news.

    In the meantime, I'm still looking to sell one of my kidneys online so I can buy some more kites ;)

  20. Great looking handles antman. :)

    Thanks for your encouragement to enter. :) who knows!, ......... I might, or might not.

    Don't get me wrong! ... I would LOVE to own one of the master series Revs ( I drool everytime I see them), however I still don't think my level of flying justifies me owning one at this time. (sounds like my flying sucks, which it doesn't, I'm just a perfectionist that's all and a little hard on myself at times ;) )

    It's like an average 20 year old winning and driving a Ferrari. :)

    You can bet your sweet ass, that I will have one in my kitebag at some point. :)

    I'm looking forward to the latest updates and pictures from the show. I see new USA revs, which is not surpising, (I guess I'll have to make my own Canadian custom someday :clap; ).

  21. John, if I had not accidently come across your online rev videos, and those of IQuad, Penny and Ray Bethel, 6 months ago, I would not have been in the sport today. I knew after seeing all the amazing videos, I knew I could and wanted to do the same.

    The rest is "history" as we would say! :clap;

    Thanks Penny, I too love how it turned out.

    I will certainly be online later tonight waiting to take a look at the new Revs. (In the meantime, I'll see how much I can get for one of my kidneys online, to pay for my new kites .......... Anyone in need of a healthy kidney? :)

  22. All the current Revs can be ordered without mylar panels if prefered. A nominal custom charge might be applicable.

    I have ordered all my new 1.5's without mylar, as I too am not a mylar fan.

    FYI you can also order custom color combinations. (a nominal custom charge is applicable)

    None of my Revs are "off the shelf", all (I have 4 so far) are "customized" in one way or another.

    This is my latest (inspired by my favorite team :Team IQuad :-)

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