Quad for a noob, 2022 edition.

[kchunks]

Hopefully the title says it all.  Years ago I had it figured out with a Rev and never pulled the trigger.  Since then, it appears that the patent expired and things have changed.  The posts where I found information are all from at least last year or even further back so I just want to make sure I am on the right track.

Kites- Djinn seems well recognized as the favorite with Phoenix also getting very high marks.  Freilein (from Ocean Shores and perhaps Emma Kites) comes in after those but in front of the Revs.  Does that seem about right?  The admission price to start with a Djinn or Phoenix is a bit tough right now.  Honestly, as little as I have been able to fly other kites the Rev EXP might be the way to go but I see mot people saying it is outgrown quickly.

Handles- start with 13 inch and go from there.  Are all new handles basically snagless?  I have not seen a new handle for sale that did not say snagless.  I haven't read anything that how much bend in the handles is important but I have seen that some have more curve than others.

Line- 20 meters is appears to be a good starting point.  Is there much difference in commercially available line types generally sold with quads?  I see different brand names at some stores.

I would love to go fly with someone locally who has one and figure out what I like but alas I have not seen them being flown nor have I been able to contact anyone via a forum or anything like that.  If only there would be another festival at Antelope Island.

Thanks for the help!

[riffclown]

The Advantage of the Rev EXP is it comes with Handles and Lines.. For all other options those are usually separate..   The Kite is indeed quickly outgrown but you will likely be crashing a bit at first until you get the hang of it.

Freilein is an excellent kite at a reasonable price point. If you go with Freilein go with OSK since they control the QC for their brand and have a higher standard.. (I've never seen even a stich out of place on an OSK Freilein.

Handles.. Freilein Handles are my personal Preference but there are other options availalbe. Length is a personal preference but the standard is 13" as you stated. (I personally Prefer 15" but that's just me)

Lines. -  Laser Pro Gold (aka LPG) or Skybond are the way to go. 20-30 meters are good starting points.

Words of wisdom.  When it comes to cheaper lines or cheaper kites you generally get what you pay for.

Get in touch With Eliot, Cath or Cassie at Flying Smiles Kites. They have Freileins, Handles and Custom Linesets.  Honest Business with Great Service.    https://flyingsmileskites.com/

 

[leen]

I only fly Revs, so I can't judge about other kites. My personal opinion is to pay a little more, find a JB Rev or a New York Minute (without the Reflex system), if you want to stick to a Rev. But keep in mind parts for older Revs like these become rare lately. That can be a problem later. The EXP is not bad, but also not a model that invites you to grow. Also keep in mind that different frame types (if still available) makes your kite fly very different.

[frob]

On 5/18/2022 at 2:11 PM, kchunks said:

I would love to go fly with someone locally who has one and figure out what I like but alas I have not seen them being flown nor have I been able to contact anyone via a forum or anything like that.

Yeah, not many people there. I was always looking for people to join me before I moved away.

A Wind Of Change is your local kite dealer, Kent and Daelyn are good folk. They used to run a brick and mortar store but have run entirely out of their home for about a decade. You might be able to work something out with either of them to meet out in a field on a windy day, or to look over whatever they've got available. They're a Revolution dealer, so that's what they'll mostly have for quads.

A few people fly in the region but everyone is scattered. The current AKA regional director for the region, Sherman Myers, lives down in Alpine. He might know some people and you can meet up and try different kites. There are no significant kite clubs or gatherings, or at least, none were there nor have any popped up that I've found since I moved.

While there is wind often enough and few people fly around there, finding consistent wind was always difficult for me. The best (but still irregular) that I found was the terraced fields in Taylorsville behind the Olympic Oval.  There are some decent flying spots at parks near the base of a few of the canyons, but even they are turbulent and rough for learning. The beach on the north side of Antelope Island usually isn't worth the drive, but might be if you're on the north end.
 

 

As for the kites, Revolution didn't go bad, it's just that the competition got better. Revs are still good kites. The Djinn, 3Wind quads, the Freilein quads, Shook's mesh quads, RevPolo, the Phoenix, and the rest, all are good kites, none of them are a bad choice. Each has differences that experienced pilots will feel, but for a beginner you'll not notice much difference between them.

The EXP is the base model, and comes with the parts you need as a package. They're not the best parts, they're shorter lines than are typically used, and not that great of handles, but they work. If you know you will be in kites for the long haul I'd skip them and just buy whatever higher-end gear you will be getting anyway, saving yourself a few hundred bucks on stuff that would be discarded after a short while anyway.  

Handles can make a difference but are more about finesse rather than beginner abilities. The snag-style have a loop on the ends that gets tied to, you can more easily snag on the loop. The non-snag varieties generally have a hole that the leaders are attached through. As a beginner you won't notice much difference there, either, but the length and curve of the handles affect how the kite feels. 

120 foot lines / 35 meter are the typical length used in team flying.  They give an enormous wind window, often over 200 feet across so you've got lots of room. Smaller line sets give a smaller window, 80 foot lines may give 130 feet across, 60 feet lines may give 90 feet across, so you move more quickly through your available space, giving less reaction time. It can make for more exciting flying, but apart from the longer walk when something goes bad, longer lines are generally better for learning.

[kchunks]

Thanks everyone.  I appreciate the input and updates.  I am meeting Kent from A Wind of Change tomorrow to pick up a Hornet (part of the reason there is less money for a fancy framed quad) and pick his brain a bit as well.

[Bunduki Vlieger]

On 5/19/2022 at 11:45 PM, frob said:

.....

As for the kites, Revolution didn't go bad, it's just that the competition got better. Revs are still good kites. The Djinn, 3Wind quads, the Freilein quads, Shook's mesh quads, RevPolo, the Phoenix, and the rest, all are good kites, none of them are a bad choice. Each has differences that experienced pilots will feel, but for a beginner you'll not notice much difference between them.

The EXP is the base model, and comes with the parts you need as a package. They're not the best parts, they're shorter lines than are typically used, and not that great of handles, but they work. If you know you will be in kites for the long haul I'd skip them and just buy whatever higher-end gear you will be getting anyway, saving yourself a few hundred bucks on stuff that would be discarded after a short while anyway.  

Handles can make a difference but are more about finesse rather than beginner abilities. The snag-style have a loop on the ends that gets tied to, you can more easily snag on the loop. The non-snag varieties generally have a hole that the leaders are attached through. As a beginner you won't notice much difference there, either, but the length and curve of the handles affect how the kite feels. 

120 foot lines / 35 meter are the typical length used in team flying.  They give an enormous wind window, often over 200 feet across so you've got lots of room. Smaller line sets give a smaller window, 80 foot lines may give 130 feet across, 60 feet lines may give 90 feet across, so you move more quickly through your available space, giving less reaction time. It can make for more exciting flying, but apart from the longer walk when something goes bad, longer lines are generally better for learning.

There is no better way to summarize and articulate this for a beginner! 

[kchunks]

A few months later.... (ok, 30 months later),

I finally ordered something and after reviewing this forum and chatting with John B, I opted for a Djuice.  Wife says I have to wait for Santa to bring it to me, though.  After last post the next time I flew kites I spent the entire time helping the family and it just hit me that it was going to be a while before I was going to get any time to try to fly what I wanted to do.  So the quad was put on hold and then there was this new kite available now that I should have more time.  It was a tough choice because I really like the colors on that Seahawks themed OSK Vertigo.  Maybe if the kids decide they want to really fly it can come later (or a custom Djinn).  Come January when it is cold and snowy and easy to break parts I will probably be out in the field trying to figure this whole quad thing out.  I also ordered spare parts.

Thanks for all the help.