Wayne Dowler

It is an individual thing on when to switch. For some, it's when the leading edge starts to bend "too much" for their liking, for others when the "feel" starts to feel wrong. My point is there are no hard and fast rules on when. I survived a stroke and look to put on a vented as fast as I can, if conditions allow. Rather work to keep the kite flying before suffering a face plant. Others love the thrill of going fast, so they hold out on any changes til they have to. I fly a lot of team - someone always becomes our guinea pig! "Yeah, you got that setup?" "Go fly it and tell us what you think!" Then they come back and as a group we decide on some common setup based off of those experiences. Works most times! My very general and overlapping ranges: Ashes (sul) - 2-7 mph, std - 6-10, mid - 9-15, f/v - 14-18, x/v 16 -? A very rough guess based on guesswork. I don't own a wind gauge, the hair on my neck and ears work for me! I usually setup something, try it. go from there! YMMV

Thanks Nick!!

Low wind flying can and will, expose any flaws in your technique! Hard or erratic movements hidden by a good breeze, will show up as pulling your kite right out of the sky most times in light wind. It is a very different sort of style to learn and be good at!

Update - got the Sky Shark rods in and been using them per Bazzer's recommendations. Everything works in the sails that they were designed for, but I'm still leaning towards trying my Diamond rods in the Ashes again. More to help me decide which "feel" I like better. But I did have one experience with the P-100s - got caught flying an Ashes when should have flown a mid - P-100s held up fine, not so sure my Diamonds would have survived!

Not flying a full vent in 30 mph. Way too much pull, even with brakes set at as much as they can! Going X/V way before then. Once a sail stretches - no return to what it was before!! But if that is all you have and want to fly ..........

My Jam Session was built like a tank and could handle those brakes pretty well. But I would be leery of putting them on some things that might be too lightly framed. But I will say - they do work!

Had the brake on my old Jam Session - didn't use it much, as I would often just switch to a different kite. The bigger question is how will your frame hold up in those higher winds? No matter what you put on, if the frame starts distorting .......

Maybe Rob B. will jump in tonight with some thoughts too. This is one guy that knows his dualie stuff well!

Throw stated wind ranges out the window! It takes work to fly down in those very light winds, skills too! Kites don't fly themselves in light wind! It takes getting out on days most will sit and look, wishing for more wind. Equipment alone will not solve every issue. Yes it helps to have good equipment too. But the skills to use it - priceless! Disclaimer: never have flown either of those you have mentioned, so no opinion on their ability to do what you want - sorry.

Yes it is "techy". Yes it can get complicated. Yes you can set it up simple and fly it right out of the box and learn to grow into it! I strongly advise you get the manual for it and study how changing things CAN induce changes in feel or performance. Then any adjustments can be judged on whether that produces the desired effect or isn't to your liking! Just make sure everything looks symmetrical on setup.

using my desktop - no working links. They are there, but not in a different color as most are when posted.

same here - non-working link.

I think you will find weight to be in the equation too. Lighter lines (50#) even in longer lengths come out to still be lighter. Sometimes the winds come in as layers, short lines may never reach them, long will! Sometimes short works fine - just gotta try stuff!

Starting to wonder what kite season is like after the Summer winds are gone.. back to RC paragliding and airplanes That is when indoor kicks in!!! Nothing like year round flying!!!

He said A quad!!! "snicker" Most of us that do fly them, have more than A quad!! Try 4-5 different sail options to match conditions! Same with dualies - Gotta have several to cover different winds!

I apologize for being so blunt. I forget that not everyone is so up on what Rev has been using to label their sails. That said - just by swapping those "inny" connectors to the older cap system, will allow use of all the old frames they make!

Pardon me asking - but what is a "classic Reflex"? There are Reflexes (2 sizes - 1.5 and slightly larger) and the rebranded "B" called a "Classic", also in 1.5 size. Yes the "Classic" does come with the reflex technology. Your terminology confuses me!

I had one person tell me that Rev wasn't too up to date on dealing with the "new" social media that works today. You would think that if they can't do it, they would hire someone that can! Oh well ....

Why does my Hydra and my Kymera hum for me? The Kymera was designed to have it - sort of an old school sound effect. On the Hydra, there is a leech line that will tighten or loosen the TE to your individual liking. You want it quieter - tighten it up. Loose = noisy.

Forum over there has pretty much dried up, just a few die hard people post there regularly. Do still check in there at times, but not as often as I used to. More info here or on FB.

So someone tell me I'm not crazy and did see a "new" end fitting that would use both the newer Reflex rods and the older rod sets!! Is it on a different model?? Making me think I have a case of CRS!!

If I understood the promo materials and pix - the end "innies" are stepped down and will accept both the new and old rods. May need a slight bunji adjustment?

Aren't the end "innies" tapered or shaped to fit both?

Just remember that longer lines will give you a bit more time to react to kite actions. Personally think 80' or longer will serve a beginner well. As control improves you can go shorter and shorter. Indoor - a common length is 10'.

If all you can get your hands on are the new sails - you can always get a couple of extra spars and use them as verticals without springs! Try looking for used if possible. Might be difficult in your locale. The classic is a renamed "B", with the same panel layout, dimensions, etc.