makatakam

I've done it with no issues. The materials they're made of will deteriorate faster just as everything else does when exposed to heat and light. Keeping them in a cool and dark location will extend their life. The wind sucks everywhere if you are inland. Ocean, Great Plains and Great Lakes winds are the only good winds you'll encounter. Miles and miles of flat land or water are the only things that don't make wind turbulent. Once you can fly consistently well in inland wind, you will look like a pro in decent wind. It will make you a better flyer so get used to it and let it refine your skills. If you can fly in crap you can fly in anything. Don't let it frustrate you. Have fun in it. It will make you better much more quickly.

My bad. I thought they were still in Vegas. That 's quite a long-distance move. When did this happen? @LookuPLars, you'll have have to go elsewhere, or contact them on-line. Probably still the closest to you, and they know their kites.

Wow. That took a while! I thought first class would move faster than that.

Hi, Larry, and welcome to the forum. Once carbon tubes are cracked or broken they will never be the same. You can repair them, but the epoxy and other materials required to do the job right will cost as much as replacing the tube, and the repair will probably fail soon. You can make some repairs if the tube is split at one of the ends and position it at the outer tip of the sail where there is little flex. If it is broken in the middle it's history. I always replace those. If it fails it may damage the leading edge sleeve or the sail, and those repairs cost more in time and money than replacing the tube, which you will now need to do anyway. Not worth the risk. Replacement tubes can be found online. Check the originals to determine what type you have. Visit a kite shop to consult if you can. There's one in Vegas called A Wind of Change on Russell Road. They are awesome. A very reputable shop known by most serious flyers. They can get you going again at minimal cost. I look forward to flying with you someday. Have fun, smile and don't forget to breathe.

Now THAT'S funny! 🤣

Might be interesting to mix it with black. Should get some nice effects when spinning while backlit.

PC31 is the one who said "We caught a dirty one" in the Beatles' song Maxwell's Silver Hammer. Thank you. Thank you (he says as he takes a bow). Please, no applause; just throw money.🤣

Don't wash the kite too often. That will put more wear on it than the dirt probably would. If you fly in or near saltwater rinse with fresh water each time. Don't use detergents until you can see that the kite is really grubby from a distance. You can use Woolite in cold water on low cycle for 10 minutes in the washer, with the frame removed, but I wouldn't unless the kite is absolutely filthy.

The one thing you want to remember is to give to the kite when you are about to crash. Move towards the kite briskly or just drop the handles if you're about to lawn dart it. It'll take all the wham out of the crash.

The 2 is a hoot. I love mine.

I already have three.

I'm surprised Deke didn't grab it. After all, it is in IKE colors.

Now that you've won the Micron in the Karma drawing you can consider a quad-line as the other kite to get. I believe YOUR Karma involves quads. The devil made me say that! Plus, now you have the perfect excuse. Many of the shafts used in kiting, although closely related to those used in archery, would simply shatter on release if used for a bow of 40-pound pull or more, so don't get them mixed up. I'm sure you've already experienced the "fun" of digging carbon fiber out of your skin. Archery knocks are very common in kiting, especially for delta dual-liners. I did some target shooting back in the day for kicks. It was quite different than it is today, and very exciting when compound bows first made an appearance. I was shooting a 70" 40# custom-made takedown. Much like you, I didn't like buying junk when I got into something new. Sometimes I wish I had saved all the money I have spent on hobbies and invested it. Well, at least I lived. You don't even want to know what I've spent on fishing!

@LeeBB -- I can see by a few of your posts that you are still actively looking for additional kites. You might join the GWTW (GoneWithThe Wind) forum. There's a few available for sale on that forum also.

Get out to some kite fests. There will be plenty up and down the East Coast this year. Talk to the flyers. They, in many cases, will offer their kites for you to try. Don't be bashful. OPK (other people's kites) is a great way to gain some idea of what you may want in the future. Note: if you try a Rev or other quad-line there's a good chance you will get hooked on it. There is so much a quad can do that other types can't, and if you watch what an experienced flyer can do with one, you will be amazed. Watch this: or this:

Scotch and soda . . . jigger of Djinn . . . oh what a spell you've got me in . . . Do I feel higher than a kite can fly . . . Kingston Trio -- 1958.

Hi, Lee, and welcome to the forum. You certainly landed in the right place. (Pun intended) The Kymera is an intermediate to advanced kite because of its tricking capability, like a knife edge on your Ultra300, but it will fly like a high-wing floater for the beginner with the proper adjustment. John Barresi, the guy who owns and runs this forum, is the one who designed that kite, so you're definitely in the right place. I'm more of a quad-line guy so I'll let John and the other, more experienced, flyers guide you through most of the beginning steps. You will also need a stake to anchor the kite and lines when you are not actively flying. A long cheap screwdriver will do. The most important thing to remember is when you are about to crash, (it's not as bad as an RC crash), to give to the kite. Move your hands, arms and body forward briskly to lessen the force of impact. Most duals can take a few hits and are usually designed so that the spine will disengage from the sail in the event of hard impact, like rubber band mount wings on some beginner floaters. As far as a kite for your daughter goes, I recommend pretty much any single line delta in the 3-foot span and under range. Stay away from anything with a lot of pull. If you spend 25 - 30 dollars on it you'll have a keeper. There are so many different single line kites that it boggles the mind and choosing one over another is determined pretty much by whatever moves you. Remember, the main reason to fly is having fun. Smile, and don't forget to breathe.

Cleaning out the garage comes to mind. And don't forget painting the house interior. That way he'll teach you with a vengeance. Have fun.

Basic control inputs are the same on dual-line kites, so if you start out with the foil and get it flying the way you want it there will less chance of damaging the delta when you fly it.

Patience. Wait to see what the kite and you can handle. I haven't flown that kite so I can't give any hands-on advice. That kite may be able to handle more than 5mph. I'm only suggesting general guidelines. You need to know what the kite does so you don't end up with 3 of the same animal.

You can, but on a high-end kite it may change the flying characteristics enough that it will just not fly right. The "specialty" kites like the Freestylist are built to achieve a specific balance and response from a marriage of materials and the way their weight is distributed between the span and length of the kite's dimensions. Any kite that is made with tricking as the intended quality is already on the edge of radical instability. Changing any of the components without an understanding of how the kite is designed may push it past the edge of stability and make it near impossible for even a pro to fly without making radical adjustments. It is an awesome kite that you can grow into. You don't need to baby it, just respect what it is. You will be learning to drive using a Ferrari instead of a VW Beetle, that's all. You have all that performance available to you, but you won't be able to take full advantage of it until you get a good feel for how it responds to your input. The adjustments you may need to make on the kite are like adjusting the seat, safety belts, steering wheel and mirrors of the vehicle to fit you properly so you can control where and how it goes. If the person who gave you the kite did not return the settings to neutral, it may be difficult for you to fly the first time out. We want you to succeed. For most ultralights wind up to 5mph is no issue, but you may want to make that the upper limit until you have basic control down pat. You'll be fine in 4mph winds.

Yup.

To make a Standard kite into an UL you reduce the weight so it will fly in lighter wind. If you leave the sail the same size, then the other heavy component is the frame, and since there won't be as much wind putting pressure on the kite you can reduce the wall thickness of the tubing quite a bit and thus reduce the overall weight of the kite. They can usually withstand a bit more than the specified wind range, but if you push it more than like 2mph beyond it expect something to snap. The kite is just as durable as it's cousin, the standard, as long as it stays in its comfort zone. A beginner can learn to fly using the Freestylist with no problem, as long as the bridle is properly adjusted. So once you have the kite in hand, get back here and let us know and we'll guide you through bridle adjustment which is fairly straightforward; towards the nose for light wind and towards the tail for strong wind.

Be VERY careful playing with the kids. Are you FULLY in control? Don't do it if the wind is fast and buffeting the kite. Use common sense and don't hurt anyone. They love it don't they? Just be careful. Angry parents are NOT fun!

Get a used one as your first, if possible. You're gonna beat the hell out it. No point in beating up a new one. Of course with a new one you get more usage before it wears out. Your call. Bottom line is how much you want to spend. Either way will get you started. You will need lines and handles. They are included in a ready-to-fly package if you purchase new. Sometimes you can get a used one with lines and handles, but it takes a bit longer to find unless you already have one tagged. An 80-foot line set is fine, but for $20 more you can get a 120-foot set and make it into two sets later when they begin to show wear, and the 120's slow the kite down a bit which makes it easier to learn. Get whichever makes you smile more. That's what it's all about.