windofchange

The Acrobatx is a slightly heavier kite for a standard and will suffer in the lighter wind ranges some. It is a great kite and I really like it but most people seem to have a hate it severely or love it totally type of attitude after they fly it. If the kite fits your style then you'll probably love it, if not then you will probably be in the market for something else pretty quick. The Acrobatx seems to like to be spanked around alot. If you have a "Yank and spank" type of flying style then it should fit you pretty well. If your flying style is more graceful and delicate then this may not be the best kite for you. The Premier Addiction is an awesome kite as well though it doesn't come with Yo-Yo's installed. The Premier Nighthawk is probably one of the best all-around kites for under 100.00. Also the new Premier Wolf is a dream to fly and can do nearly all the new school tricks. If you can stretch your budget a little more, I would highly suggest the Premier Widow, this is a full sized (8 foot wingspan) kite that can do anything you throw at it and is super forgiving. This has become one of my favorite kites in the bag. Retail is around the 150.00 price and it comes complete with removable tail weight, Yo-Yo stoppers, skyshark frame, heavy duty bag, lines and straps. The Widow tricks as good or better than kites costing nearly double the price. Hope that helps with your decisions.

Do you have a dowel jig? If so, clamp both pieces together and drill one hole through them both with the dowel jig so that the holes are centered on the two long dowels. Then bolt them both together on top of another board (2x4) with a temp bolt, clamp it on a table (or drill press) and use the dowel jig to drill the rest of the holes. That way all holes are lined up perfectly. Rockler dowel jig - online for appx. $11.00

Just realized that I didn't comment on the last question of your post. Out of the ones listed (under or around $150.00), I would have to say that the Shadow has the best trickability with the Ticket right there with it - could go either way depending on the pilot, the Tattoo is probably next but still very capable and the 3D probably the least trickable but can still do the basics. Sorry I have not flown the Tango.

Most manufacturers have their kites evaluated by very experienced pilots who have full understanding of the wind ranges...and then it seems that they do try and stretch things just a tad more. What this means is that "Sure, it will fly in 20 mph" But what they are not telling you that if you rocket it through the center of the window under full power it will explode. There is a big difference in "being able to stay in the air" and "actually being able to control and trick" a kite in different winds. Think of it like this...a sheet of plywood will fly in 10 to 30 mph winds so does that make it a great kite? I wish that manufacturers would give two wind ratings for kites, one for winds the kite will actually fly in and another for winds that a pilot would like to fly the kite in. As previously stated, I haven't had the chance to fly the Tango but I wouldn't dream of putting my Tatoo up in anything over 7-10 mph winds. Sure I could probably throw it in the air with 12-15 mph winds but I would be very nervous, the sail would be under tremendous pressure and I assure you that it would spend nearly every second out on the furthest edge of the window. To me this is not fun flying but more of survival mode. The same goes for the light winds. The Shadow doesn't start working for me unless the winds are 2+, anything less than that and I am working to hard to keep the kite in the air and tricks are not really possible. 2.5 mph and more then the kite comes to life and is absolutely awesome. The Tattoo starts about 1 mph lower than the shadow and if you want to work it, you can fly it in nearly zero wind. Still, when the winds pick up you will want to reach for another kite. Not that the Tattoo is not a fun kite to fly, its just that in the stronger winds I would much rather fly my Widow Maker, Deep Space or Quantum Pro. When the winds hit 12-15 mph plus, the Silver Fox Vented comes out. I have flown my Widow Maker in the higher winds but it really isn't designed for those winds and the Silver Fox is awesome. So, to sum it up... The specs that a manufacturer puts out is usually the far extremes of what the kite can "handle" (usually with a little work or worry), not necessarily what the "fun wind range" would be. As far as I know, you will need an SUL or Indoor kite for winds from 0 to 6-7, a standard kite for winds from 5-6 to 12-15 and a vented for winds over 15. You can customize your kite selection for specific wind ranges with an UL or mid-vent (variable vent). It all really depends on what winds you plan on flying in most and what you really want to do with your kite. My posts tend to run on a bit more than they probably should, Hope that helps.

Haven't had the chance to try the Tango, but the Tatoo II and the Ticket are both very nice light wind kites. I don't think you will be able to take either one up to the 15+ wind range though, they are designed for the lighter winds and anything over about 7+ would be putting some very serious pressure on the frames and/or sails. In the stronger winds you are just asking for the kites to be destroyed. Another kite you might consider for the light winds is the Prism 3D. For the price it is a super light wind kite. Again it won't work for anything more than 7-8 mph but it will do nicely in the 1-2 mph range. The HQ Shadow will have a slightly larger wind range but you really need about 2-3 mph for it to start doing what it is capable of. I still wouldn't recommend flying the shadow in anything over 10 mph. Ironically, the Widow Maker flies very well down in the 2-3 mph range and can handle up to 15-18 with no problem. Unfortunately it is well beyond your $150.00 target price and 2 mph is pushing the limits with good light wind skills. Another option would be the Prism Zephyr, again beyond your 150.00 target but it can fly up to 15 mph (not much more and not really recommended) but will fly down to 2-3 mph with skill. Not good for the 1-2 mph range. I doubt you will find a decent kite that can fly from 1-2 mph up to 15+ mph. Might be possible if you don't care about control or trickability, still I don't know of one that has that kind of range. Maybe others will have some more suggestions. Good luck with your search.

Thanks for the order Jynx, Kite is on its way!

The Night is available as a full package with the extra frame, knotted handles, weight kit and B-Series DVD just like the originally packaged B-Series kites. Lines are sold separately but we do offer a deal when you purchase the lines with the kite. If you are looking for kite only, give our shop a call and we can probably work out a price for you.

**as posted on other forums, sorry if you have seen this before** A Wind Of Change Kites is one of the leading dealers for Revolution and because of our volume, we are able to offer an exclusive color combination B-Series kite for our special customers. That's right! A Barresi Series Revolution in custom, never-before seen colors! Here in Las Vegas, the center of the Mojave Desert, many of our customers love to fly at night when the temperatures are cooler, the problem we were having is that the normal colors in the B-Series Revs were mostly darker colors which made them difficult to see at night, so....we talked to Revolution and they worked with our store to bring out a special "Night!" version of the best selling "Barresi series" kites that will brighten up any late night fly and is not only super sexy looking at night, it looks absolutely awesome during the daytime! This special version of the B-Series Revolution is only available from A Wind Of Change Kites - but don't worry, these special custom B-Series kites are the exact same price as the standard edition Barresi models! This special B-Series Night! edition is available in standard, mid vent and full vent versions for complete customization for any wind conditions and is in stock now! To purchase, click below: Click HERE To purchase the B-Series Night!

I agree with Fast Eddy, the Addiction is an awesome kite. A couple other models you might want to look at from Premier as well... The Widow The Wolf and The Jewel. These three kites are from the new Spider Series designed by Jon Trennapohl, same designer as the Addiction and Nighthawk (another incredible kite). The Jewel impressed me a ton with it's ability to trick and what it was capable of doing for very little expense. As mentioned though, none of these kites come with the training DVD, but they are all well worth looking into. Hope this helps.

The Prism Nexus and Jazz are excellent kites for beginners, not to expensive and very fun to fly. If you are serious about kiting though, I think you will be in the same boat as your single lines and will become bored with the Nexus and Jazz over time. They're great for figure 8's, loops and stuff but that is pretty much their limit on things to do. Pretty much the same thing with the foil, great for loops & figure 8's and can have some pull in stronger winds but that's about it. I would highly suggest a slightly larger winged kite that has more capability like the Quantum, Hypnotist or the E2. These kites are a bit more than the Nexus or Jazz but can do so much more...and are easier to fly. The Hypnotist and E2 are highly suggested because those two models come complete - ready to fly and also include the Freestyle Pilot DVD - an instructional DVD that will show you all the basics such as stalls and ground recoveries (when you accidentally crash) and can show you a ton of advanced tricks such as the Flick Flack, Axle, Lazy Susan, Coin Toss, Jacobs Ladder, Yo-Yo's and others. The Hypnotist and E2 are very capable of doing many of the newer school tricks where the Jazz and Nexus are a lot tougher to trick on. The Quantum is a great kite and a bigger wing and is also capable of doing a ton of tricks, but it doesn't include the DVD. We have a ton of new pilots on the Hypnotist and they love the kite. The Hypnotist also has a bungee designed tail section that helps prevent broken rods when you accidentally crash it in the ground - a bonus for new pilots. Hope this helps.

Revolution sounds like the kite you should look into. Don't worry bout the four lines, I find it is actually easier to learn quad line first, then dual line. If you learn the dual line first you have to un-learn the push-pull and re-learn the quad which is a little different. Quad line flying to me is a lot easier than duals because you have so much more control with the kite while it is flying. Also, if you are going to crash you can just stop the kite, turn it around and put it back in the air. Also if you do hit the ground, relaunching the Revolution is much easier to do and you have much less time walking and resetting the kite like you do on a dual line. If you purchase the full package on the Rev, it comes with a training DVD that is awesome. Teaches you everything from pulling the kite out of the bag, to hooking up your lines, first flights, and even troubleshooting tips. I am positive you would not regret getting a Rev. Plus there are tons of people on here to give you advice should you need it.

Thanks for the kind words. We had a lot of fun producing it. We're already looking forward to next years calendar!

This has been posted on a couple of the other forums, but would like to share with those that may not frequent the other forums. Well, for all you dark side kite flyers, we have put something together exclusively for the quad heads in the world. A true, 100% Revolution Calendar! That's right!! Now you don't have to have the beautiful creation known throughout the world as "The Rev" mixed in with all those unsightly flipping duallies or "non-controllable" single liners! Just Rev's in their beautifulest form! We have teamed up with one of the industries most famous photographers, John Chilese, and through his eye have put together an all new 2009 Calendar full of Revolution kites seen and flown at various festivals and events around the world. Just the best of the best made it through. Included are photos of the famous I-Quad with John Barresi and the rest of the team, along with the all envious Masterpiece Series Rev's, 180 Go pilots made it in too, as well as stacks, customs, one-off creations, and even photos of the most wonderful Rev pilots (gods?) responsible for the creation of these awesome kites, Joe H. and Ben D from Revolution Ent.. This calendar is sure to make any office or study a beautiful place to be and will surely help make those days when your stuck inside a lot more enjoyable. Show your friends what Quad Flying and The Dark Side are all about. Take them to the events with you and with a little luck I am sure you can get them signed by the pilots in the photos! Ahhh the fame of kite flying! So where is it at you ask? You can purchase yours now from our Cafe Press shop: Purchase the A Wind Of Change Revolution Calendar HERE! ----------- As a side note, we had 100's of pictures to pick from (anyone who knows John Chilese and his photo collection will understand). It has taken us over 2 months to narrow down the selection to just 12 pictures and we just couldn't do it....so we somewhat cheated and snuck in multiple pictures on a couple pages. Still, it was a difficult task to get the selection down to even those few pictures. Photo's chosen were based mainly on picture quality and uniqueness, some pictures were very awesome but just didn't happen to crop right to work on the calendar pages...(plus we had to save a couple for next year...maybe....). John Chilese is a wonderful friend and an awesome pilot, ironically he doesn't really fly Rev's that much but we're working on him smile.gif. His pictures have been used in many publications including printed material, online websites and other advertising materials. His unique eye for beauty and design is what helps bring the kites he photographs to life. John has graciously worked with me to put this calendar together and make it a reality. A portion of the proceeds from the calendar will indeed make it back to him for his time and effort. Please drop him a message or e-mail sometime and thank him for his photo's and effort that helped make this calendar a success. If your on the flying field and you see him walking around, be prepared cuz there's a huge chance you or your kite is gonna get its picture taken and it may someday end up on a calendar too. smile.gif **For those that fly those other kites, we're finishing up our third annual AWOC calendar that features kites of all types. Should be available within the next 2-3 weeks! Thanks for reading and as always,

Anytime Acckl, glad I was able to help you out. The 2-4 is an awesome kite. If you can make it to Whidbey Island, look Penny up and have a go on hers. You won't regret it at all. Same goes for me if you ever make it out to Vegas, I have the 2-4 and the 4-8 that you can fly (wind permitting of course). lol

The Revolution 2-4 will need to have all four lines working to properly control the kite. If you lengthened the rear lines you will lose some of the ability to steer and control the kite, in the end all you would be doing is re-positioning your hands so the lines are all being used again. You can dump the power by dropping the lower lines out of the kite but you will need to re-tension them again to turn the kite once it hits the edge of the window. You really need to fly this kite, not let it float around on its own. It is a little hard to explain with words and something that you almost need to just fly to understand. The 2-4 is a very "safe"** power kite because of the instant depower that you can throw into it at any time, but it isn't really designed to "fly" in the depowered position. It is very different than a depowerable foil. **Safe meaning that you use common sense and have experience with flying Rev's and power kites in general - and that you aren't using the kite past your abilities or its recommended wind range. Hope that helps.

That is absolutely beautiful! Very nice, thanks for sharing.

Here is the post I put on the other forum for you if you haven't seen it yet: The Revolution Powerblast 2-4 is not like the traditional power kites most people use but that is not to say that it isn't a good choice. The Powerblast is an awesome kite that will do exactly what you are looking for. You can trick it in the lighter winds which is very fun and as the wind picks up a bit it will challenge your skills with incredible power. The numbers on the kite basically say what the kite is. The 2-4 means that the kite is actually a 2 meter flat area kite that has the equivalent power of a 4 meter foil....and they are not exaggerating on that either! This kite can produce some incredible power. The best thing about the Rev is that you can dump the power almost instantly at any time just by rotating your wrists and dropping the lower lines out of the kite. You can go from full on-arm ripping power to nearly nothing in a blink of an eye, something is is nearly impossible to do on other foils with the depowerable foils coming close to the same. Just as easy as you can drop the power you can power the kite up nearly as fast. Because of this the Revolution will take a bit more to learn and require much more attention to the kite when flying. It can get away from you quick if you don't monitor it regularly. The kite is very durable and can take some pretty serious abuse but it is a framed kite so any major contact with the ground or other objects could result in a broken spar or rod that will need to be replaced. The same damage can be had on other foil kites as well if they are flown into fences or trees but they have less chance of sustaining damage than the Revolution does. It is very easy to replace the rods tho and most reputable shops will have them in stock for you no problem. Rods for the 2-4 cost appx. 15 to 25 bucks each depending on which rod it is and are a snap to replace. Just slide the broken one out, slide the new one in and your set. The only other manufacturer that makes a kite similar to the Revolution would be the Peter Lynn C-Quad (no longer in production). The C-Quad is very similar in flight and power delivery but not quite as controllable as the Revolution is. Both of these kites produce extreme amounts of power in the right winds. You should be ok with the Rev as your first kite as long as you fly it in the lighter winds and take some serious time to learn the controls and how to power/depower it. Once you get very familiar with it you can start in stronger winds and start rockin! I use the Revolution power kites often in the buggy and they are awesome. Hope this helps.

Yup, as Theresa has posted, your Ferule has probably come lose and then was shoved all the way into the upper leading edge. Problem is that the Silver Fox has multiple do-hinkeys on it (c-clips) which make it impossible to get the upper and lower leading edges out of the kite without taking one of them off. They are glued onto the spar, so you have to carefully break the do-hinkey loose from the spar so you can remove the rod. Once you get the rods out of the kite you can then use the method Theresa has posted to get the ferule out of the kite. Once you do that just simply re-glue the ferule back into the rod where it should be (so that half of the ferule is sticking out the bottom). Then insert the rods back into the kite, re-glue the do-hinkey's back on and your done. As long as your rods are not broken or split, the repair will cost you nothing but some CA+ super glue and time. If your rods have been damaged, you will need to replace them at the same time. Hope that helps.

Inhaul lines - usually a section of the bridle line that runs from the center of the bridle to the inside spine of the kite, usually the lower inside line. Outhaul - basically the opposite of the inhaul. Section of bridle that runs from the center to the outside of the kite. Bridle - The line or network of lines that are usually permanently attached to the kite. You would attach your flying lines to these lines, usually at one point. Some kites have multiple bridles. A dual line stunt kite usually has two bridles, one on each side of the kite. Yoke? - Usually used to attach a team of Oxen to a plow/wagon/etc... I would assume that if it was referred to on a kite this would be the attachment point where the bridles come together and attach to the flying line. Leading Edge - This refers to a section of the kite for identification. The leading edge is usually the section of the kite that is leading during normal flight. Usually the top of the kite. Trailing Edge - Opposite of Leading Edge. This refers to the section of the kite that is trailing or bottom of the kite during normal flight. Dynamic/static/3-point/turbo bridle - These are different types of bridles used mainly on dual line stunt kites but can be used on any kite in various configurations. There are some very good resources on the web regarding the different types of bridles. One that comes to mind is: http://wardley.org/kites/bridle/ It would take way to much time and space to go into all of this in this post. The link pretty much says it all. Rev - Short for Revolution. A manufacturer of kites specializing in quad line kites. Arguably the best quad line stunt kites in the world. If you don't already have one of these, may as well buy one now cuz once you fly one you will probably end up having one or more in your bag along with your other kites. A few others that you may come across: Yo-Yo Stoppers - These are small tabs/connectors attached to the leading edge of the kite that protrude out from the leading edge. Their purpose is to catch the line in roll-up style tricks (the "Yo-YO" is the most common). These stoppers keep the line from running all the way down the leading edge and ruining the trick. Yo-line - This is a line that is attached from one side of the bridle/flying line to the other and placed at an exact point so that the kite can roll up. It serves the same purpose as Yo-Yo stoppers. The downside is that you can only do one roll up with this line as compared to multiple roll-ups with the stoppers. Trick line - This is a line on a dual line stunt kite that runs from one wingtip, usually to the spine of the kite, then back to the other wing tip. This line is used to help keep your flying lines or bridles from snagging on the wing tips or tail of the kite during tricks. It also helps from crushing the sail during roll-up tricks. Heavy setting - usually referred to as a way a kite is set up for flight. By letting the nose of the kite (leading edge) out or away from you, the kite has less forward drive and will feel "heavy" on the lines; if the kite is set to heavy, the kite will launch, stall and then drop back down onto the ground. This setting is usually preferred for stronger winds when doing various stunts or tricks. Tail weight/nose weight - Ballast or weight that is attached to the kite at the tail or nose to get the kite to perform some tricks better in different winds. Most common is to place weight on the tail of the kite so that it flips faster for "roll-up" type of tricks. Easiest way to add weight is to tape or velcro a Nickel or two onto the kite. One Nickel weighs 5 grams (easy to remember). Fade/Flare/Turtle/JL/Insane/Slot Machine/etc... - These are all names of various tricks you can do with different kites. For more information on these types of tricks and how they are performed, check out Randy Greenway's site here: http://sportkiteflyer.spaces.live.com/PersonalSpace.aspx?_c= Slack Line - This is a style of flying, usually referred to trick flying. Slack line flying is when you allow the kite to fly/flip/trick in the air by allowing the lines to go slack at various times. Old School - This usually refers to tricks that have been around for a long time. It also can refer to kites that are older/no longer made. This term can also be used to describe a newer kite and its abilities; eg... The kite flies very "old-school" and tricks very well but is also capable of the newer ones.... It can also help describe people who know all of these terms and use them regularly. Nylon/PC31/Icarex/Poly - Different types of material used in the sails of kites. Carbon/Graphite - Both actually mean the same thing and usually refer to the material used in the framework of the kite. Carbon or "carbon fiber" is lighter and stronger than all other materials. (that I know of) Fiberglass - Another type of framework used. Not as strong or light as Carbon but is more affordable and flexes more. Ram-air / Foil - A type of kite, usually a soft skinned kite with little or no framework structure. It gets its shape from air pressure inside of the kite which inflates the kite, creating the air foil shape allowing the kite to fly. These kites are usually used for power kiting sports and are not as precise or agile as framed kites. A close comparison to these style kites would be a parachute. Framed kites - refers to kites that have a rigid frame structure. SLK - Single Line Kites Dually - Dual line kites / 2 line kites; BSLK - Big Single Line Kites; Show kites - Usually giant sized single line kites (eg... Peter Lynn Ocotpus) Quad - Quad line kites / 4 line kites Line Laundry - anything that is attached to the kite or kite line and lifted into the air by the kite. eg: tails, streamers, banners, etc... Sled - A style of single line kites, usually a single skin kite that is square in shape with battens or pockets on either side. These kites are usually used for lifting streamers or other "line laundry" into the air. If you have any others, post em up and we'll help ya out.

Yea, I have always loved flames. Must come from the older muscle hot rod days. The bike has the chameleon paint on it which is pretty awesome cuz the paint/flames change colors depending on which way the sun hits it.

Hey kite friends, A dear friend of mine and fellow kiter is selling his personal custom chopper for only $25.00. (Yea, that's 25 dollars!) Troy, owner of T-Bone choppers needs to raise some capitol for a new shop expansion and is putting his one-off custom on the block. This is a beautiful creation and has won many "best of shows" around the Las Vegas area. It was also on lead display at the annual Laughlin River Run and received thousands of high marks. The bike has been previously appraised at $45,000.00. Here's just a couple notables about the bike: Suicide shift (chain link) Custom "Chain-Link" Frame and Handlebars Hand Shaped fuel tank, oil and electrical box Springer Front End Trumpet Exhaust V-Twin 100 EVO inch Rev Tech Open BDL belt drive & 6 speed trans Chameleon Paint Help out a fellow kiter by taking a look - for more info click on the link below: (Ya may want to turn your speakers down cuz the page has music on it) T-Bone Choppers - Click the "giveaway" link in the upper left corner of the page.

As mentioned you can sub the Skyshark PT rods. We also carry all the Dynamic rods in stock if you want to keep your kite original.

Glad you got your kite-mare sorted out ok. Corey is a good guy and will take care of ya.

Look for Zap-A-Gap CA+ Glue. It will glue your fingers together in a matter of seconds but seems to delay about 5-6 seconds before it starts bonding to the Carbon/Fiberglass.

It usually goes on the bottom of the spine.