makatakam

*JB

This post is like Deja Vu. I can swear I saw it before. I definitely recall the part about the car aiming for the kite. Was there a duplicate that was moved or deleted? The forum software frequently duplicates posts for some unknown reason. I recall that there were many replies given. If not, then . . . . . . . everything Paul said. Starting with longer lines is good. Larger wind window and more time to react. 120-foot can be cut down to an 80-foot and 40-foot set (approximately) when they begin to show wear, and are the standard length used when flying in a group, which is loads of fun. Don't get cheap line (fishing line). It will hinder learning and the kite's performance. Fishing line has less fibers in a looser weave, binds up more easily, and collects dirt. You can't learn if your lines won't let you. Laser Pro Gold and Shanti Skybond are the way to go. LPG is white, slick and stiff -- less prone to tangle. SS is yellow and slicker -- better visibility, binds less. Both are relatively expensive unless you buy bulk spools and make your own set(s). Again, don't get the cheap crap, because it's CRAP. Be selective about the wind you fly in until you have basic control down pat. Again, you can't learn anything if the wind won't let you. Fly in a large area, free of obstructions like buildings and trees, in wind from 6 to 10 mph (ideally), especially if you want the kids to have fun. If not, they will lose interest almost immediately and you may too. I don't know how much experience you have, so please, if I said anything that you already know, just ignore it. If you have any questions, just ask and we'll do our best to help.

I re-read this topic and just realized no one really answered your question. Yes, that package of kite, frame, lines and handles is actually a very good starting point at good price. It is a beginner package, but you'll never know the difference between it and a performance kite for quite some time. The quality is excellent. You may eventually branch out if you really get into quads. What keeps the price down is the lack of improvements/design changes that involve more production time and costlier materials. It will fly beautifully, the way Revolution normally do. It's not like starting with a VW and moving up to a Mercedes. It's like starting with a Corvette and moving up to a Ferrari. Well, almost, but you get the idea. It is a full-sized quad sport kite, and not a cheap imitation of one. It's not a Karmann Ghia. Does that make sense to you? Go to, or contact a kite shop and ask questions if you're not sure. You will most probably want longer lines eventually -- 120 foot -- so you can fly with others.

"I'll get my fix from wherever I can", said the kite junkie. Yup, that be me. If it works for me, then it works for me.

I have a matched set of 5 Custom Color B-Pros (including Zen) that I fly at fests and club outings. For everyday use I have home-mades and beaters to work with. I hope that matched set of Pros never wears out, but I know they will eventually. OMG, what a nightmare! Quick, someone wake me up!

Exactly!

More like flies on you-know-what! Seriously, though, get whatever you are inclined to get, with the understanding that if you really enjoy it and get into it on a hobby scale you will eventually have more than (enter number here). You will also need to understand that it is more difficult to learn basic control for quad-line, although your dual-line experience will help a bit. Mastering basic control is something most folks can do in less than 20 hours. It gets better each time out and if you put in the time the rewards are monstrous. I once watched a guy at a kite fest smile for six and a half hours. I had to set up a second kite so I could fly too. Most of all, have fun, smile and don't forget to breathe.

I my not-so-humble opinion; If you ain't gonna fly it don't buy it. Investing your money in kites, unless you buy Ben's (Franklin) original, is a waste of time. There are better mediums for capital investment.

Another option is to replace the torn and repaired sail with a new one and give the old "beater" to a kid. (don't forget lines and handles, the kid can get his own stake)

Every kite ever made has its limitations. There is no one-size-fits-all as far as wind conditions go. You have two choices. You can either fly the kite you have when conditions are good for that kite, or you can get more kites so your arsenal covers more of the possible wind conditions. Three kites is what most people who really enjoy it and want to fly often end up with. One for low or close to zero wind, one for the mid-range and one for strong wind that approaches 25 mph. For most folks below 2 mph or above 25 mph is beer/TV time. There are kites made for those conditions, but they are specialty kites and can be expensive. What you will end up with in your kite bag depends on how badly you get the bug. For example, I fly mostly quad-line and have 14 quad-line kites in my bag. Do I need 14? No, I could get by with 7, but I like to have back-ups. I also have four or five duals, and about the same number of SLK's. It allows me to match my mood to the wind. All you need is just enough to make you smile. After that it's all gravy.

Twelve teams. That's a healthy number of participants. Some good routines.

I have a Zero G. I'll remember this for when I break mine. Thanks.

I hold the frayed part toward the side of the flame. The closer you get to the bottom of the flame the less heat so you can control the melt rate by where the fabric contacts the flame. Top of the flame is hot. Bottom is cold a lot less hot. You can use pretty much anything between the spar and the sail as a wear strip. You can use masking tape if you don't care how it looks. Just remember that anything you use adds weight. To me kites are like tires on a car. They will wear out eventually if you use them. When they wear out I replace them. I like the new ones, and have many spares just in case one wears out.

That's an impact tear, judging by how clean the weave separation is. Tape the front with masking tape. Use Tedlar tape on the back putting about 1/4 inch to each side of the tear, in other words, two 1/2-inch strips on the back. Remove masking tape from front. The Tedlar tape will form a permanent bond in time. You can get Tedlar tape from most kite shops. Sail repair tape from your local marine dealer if no kite shop. eBay has Prism kite repair kits for about $25 which does include a piece suitable for 3 or 4 small repairs.

. . . . . I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride it when I like . . . . .

The more brake you have in your tuning the easier it is to fly in reverse and to hold an inverted hover, so the sooner you get used to lots of brake, the sooner you can master those two moves. Those two moves in addition to controlled slides and spins/rotations are the basis of EVERYTHING ELSE you can do with a quad-line kite. Other than that they're not very important.

The first few times you fly do it in wind that is neither too high nor too low. Keep it in the 6-10mph range if possible. You will learn very little about controlling the kite if you spend 90% of the time fighting the wind or the lack of it. Choose wind that will help instead of hinder you. Fly 20 minutes, take a 10 minute break. Let the muscle memory sink in. Don't think -- usually the opposite of what you thought is what makes it work. Besides, the kite moves faster than you can think. Feel what it does and react mildly. Small to medium moves in normal wind are all you need. Move forward during wind gusts. Move backward during lulls. Develop a feel for what the kite wants to do and use that to your advantage. Let the wind do the work for you.

I was leaning towards the Kymera also, but didn't want to influence your decision. The Kymera is designed by John Barresi. He knows kites. 'Nough said.

You get more brakes by moving the top lines further out from the handles. Period. You won't like it. Not at first. Put another 50 hours of experience under your belt and you will like it just a bit more. After 200 to 500 hours you will like it very much and with all that experience you will have the lines on the proper knots for the conditions and what you want to do before your first launch. Until then, just keep flying -- You will have "aha" moments along the way, when things just "click" and suddenly you have it and understand why. You will not be flying like JB does in the videos any time soon, unless you put 8-10 hours in on the lines, 6-7 days per week. The most we amateurs can hope for is . . . . . . . but if you put in the time, who knows?

Are you sure it's catching on the line? Is it perhaps catching on the handle that sticks out beyond the hog ring? The answer is: Yes, the mod will help, but as JB said, it is caused primarily by "hand slop", something that you will fly yourself out of with time. Did you notice that it usually happens when you try to quickly compensate for a "not-so-good" move, and that's what makes it really annoying? Definitely mod your handles to no-snag. Two dollars and thirty minutes will make it go away, but do continue to improve the accuracy of your inputs -- that is the best remedy.

Hi, LifeCycle, and welcome to the forum. I look forward to sharing the wind with you someday. I'm primarily a quad-line flyer and haven't had the chance to fly any of those three. That question will be hard to answer, even for the dual-line guys, because it will be very subjective. Which one to choose is a matter of individual preference -- I wouldn't hesitate purchasing any one of them. Some people will click with one but not the others. It depends on one's flying style, experience and what you want the kite to do. I'm sure the dual-line guys will chime in and give you their opinions of the ones they have flown.

Hi, Bendial, and welcome to the forum. I look forward to flying with you someday. Although there are a few other brands out there, Prism is definitely a reputable manufacturer of excellent quality kites and has many models to choose from, so you can't go wrong with one of theirs. Everything from beginner to advanced models. I've had a few myself, and was very pleased with quality of build, durability and performance. Other commercially made kites you will encounter are: HQ, New Tech, Skydog, and a few others that I don't remember at the moment. I am mostly into quad-line kites, so I'll let the dual-line guys chime in with more info for you. There are also some being made that are high-end pro-quality/specialty kites, that are fragile by nature and intended for experienced flyers. These kites are extremely trickable, but a true burden as far as learning basic control goes, since they are intentionally designed to be "unstable". Like the difference between a high-wing easy-to-fly airplane with a dihedral wing, and a low-wing pylon racer (if that means anything to you). You must be flying it at all times or crash and burn. No mercy, no forgiveness. The two kites you and your partner have are ideal for learning the basic control needed for more advanced kites, and believe me, you will advance, probably quite quickly, as you're already wanting more. My recommendation, other than selecting your next kite, is to trade off and fly each others kites until you are comfortably in control and have learned how to stall, land and steer each one proficiently. I would say to put 100 hours behind you on those. This will also give you a good idea of where you might want to go next, and the experience to handle the challenge. Above all else, remember to have fun, smile and don't forget to breathe.

Hi, Prighello, and welcome to the forum. I look forward to sharing the wind with you someday. Everything you need can be found here. Yup, everything they said. A foil at 2.5 meters or less is what the doctor ordered if you want something that is very packable, and falls in the $50 to $80 price range you mentioned. Otherwise, just about anything will fit in the back seat, unassembled. You will crash more than a few times when you're just starting to learn how to control the kite, so something without a hard frame would definitely be more forgiving and decrease the downtime caused by breakage. The Quantum as Edmund mentioned is a sturdy dual-line delta and will provide years of fun, although you may have to replace a frame member on occasion or repair a sail puncture. As in all undertakings, mistakes are how you learn the task. Then there's quad-line kites which can open up an entirely new, very tasty, can of worms. Get something you can use as a stake to hold down the handles when you park the kite while not actively flying it. A long screwdriver is what many people start with or you can purchase a stake made for kiting when you get the kite. The bottom line is this. Just do it. Pick one and let it fly. There really is no wrong way to get into it. They will all make you grin. Have fun, smile and don't forget to breathe.

Hi, Greybeard, and welcome to the forum. I look forward to flying with you someday. Are you new to Revs or kiteflying in general? If you need a hand with anything, just ask. Lots of good folks here who can help. Tell us a bit about your flying experience and which town you're in. There's a couple or three guys flying Revs in Texas who you may be able to hook up with to ease your journey. Have fun, smile and don't forget to breathe.

I meant just the knots on the loops attached to the handles. See where you have some extra line sticking out of a couple of them? With the lighter you make that disappear and make sure that the knot doesn't unravel. The painted knots on the leaders are cool. Have you tried painting the line between them?