Are the likes of £10-£12 wind meters on Amazon/ebay any good? And which is more useful starting out, wind sock or wind meter

[Spikey]

Are the likes of £10-£12 wind meters on Amazon/ebay any good? And which is more useful starting out, wind sock  or wind meter.

 

Also how big should a wind sock be the be useful and how long should the pole be in height.

 

 

Any features to look for?

[frob]

You get what you pay for.

Wind meters can be nice if you're looking for numbers, or want to make a record of what your day was like. Some high-end meters have data logging, you can set them up on a post and they'll measure speed and direction through the day.  There are also small wind meters you can attach to headset jacks on smartphones, which turn the wind speed into a microphone noise the phone can interpret.

As for wind socks, those vary as well. There are calibrated wind socks, the red/orange ones you see at airfields are fully extended at 15 knots / 17 mph.  If you go that route or happen to have an airfield nearby, most kites fly in a 5-15 knot range, which on those windsocks mean the first 2 of 5 segments are extended, up through the entire windsock is extended. When the whole things stands out straight you'll need high wind kites. When they bend just below horizontal, 5 degrees is 10 knots / 12 mph, which is a usual good experience.

 

Most people don't need wind meters, just fly what feels good.  If the kite won't stay up, swap for a kite designed for lighter conditions. If a kite starts pulling hard, deforming, or showing other signs of stress, swap for a kite designed for heavier conditions.  They can be informative to help you learn, but that's about it.

 

[midibot]

I remember wondering the same thing - wanting to know more about the wind when I took up kiting. I felt I didn’t have a clue and of course measuring the wind seemed so important. I mean we are talking kites here! The driving force!

I even got a Dwyer wind meter at one time, used it a few times, and now don’t even know where it is.

These days I check a couple of hourly forecasts on my phone, look out the window at the trees in my back yard, and pack along a slew of kites (or perhaps just one) for the walk down the street to the soccer/flying field.

The actual conditions at the field can vary from the forecast (it’s weather!) and even what it says right now can be off. As important, is that the wind at face level is usually, although not always, different than say at 30 feet or 85 feet elevation. (Please note that I fly inland so don’t have as often the joys of a constant steady ocean breeze. Although I have read of them.)

In respect of wind direction: I have the benefit of a flag up on top of a six storey building that is perhaps 1/2 kilometere away from the field. But that is just an indicator, too, as it can differ by 90 degrees at ground level where my kite is set up. I used to set up a little pole with a streamer, but I don’t bother with that any more either…

With time the senses on the hairs on the back of your neck will suffice to assess the wind. And getting there is half the fun.😉

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[makatakam]

A wind meter is like a car. You don't get a Ferrari for the same price as a VW.