Upnet Posted April 14, 2009 Report Share Posted April 14, 2009 Besides the increase in price. How much more performance do you gain in the High end kites? Does a $400 kite fly better than a $130 kite? Aren't the same materials used? Obviously a newbie could not take advantage of the performance. Are we talking basic Nissan vs Ferrari? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdilucca Posted April 14, 2009 Report Share Posted April 14, 2009 I'd say Ford vs Ferrari, a much bigger quality and performance difference Cheers Mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoneZ Posted April 14, 2009 Report Share Posted April 14, 2009 Couldn't have said it better there man. I'd say Ford vs Ferrari, a much bigger quality and performance difference Cheers Mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoneZ Posted April 14, 2009 Report Share Posted April 14, 2009 The materials are wayy different. High end kites tend to use lighter, stronger, more stretch resistant materials like Icarex instead of Nylon for sails. The Spars are better as well. Higher end kites start using hollow spars like Skyshark wrapped carbon, to Aerostuff spars. The cutting and stitching of the sail is a little better, some people using french seams, to eliminate fraying on the sail where the pieces are sewn together (you'll see what Im talking about on the cherry bomb in another 5-6 months of heavy use ). Also lower end kites tend to be mass produced (ie. factory kites), and that means less attention to detail. John B pointed out to me that if you were to take a lower end factory kite, take the frame out so it was just the sail, fold it in half, chances are that the kites won't be identical from left to right side. That attention to detail is not overlooked on high end, non-mass produced kites. Great care (in most cases) is taken to ensure you get a high quality kite in every sense. Im sure each kite manufacturer will rave about one particular thing or another, but these, from my understanding, are some of the most common differences between lower end and higher end kites. These differences will certainly affect the performance of your kite as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosedive Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Hey now...watch it...Ford quality is through the roof right now fellas!! Anyhow....Spzo nailed it ..... Just look at any high-end kite (Skyburner for example) and look at the spars and the stitch quality and the Icarex ....you can see it immediately! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerfvoliste Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Even as a beginner you will notice much better performance. The problem you will have is the cost of replacing parts and the anguish of ripping sails if your not passed the ground slamming, hard flipping, heavy handed yanking stage. Many intermediate flyers spend as much money bouncing around from one "$130" kite to another before they realize that they have already spent as much as one high end kite costs. Your going to end up with $1000's of dollars worth of kites anyway, you might as well get the best to start with. Rx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ant man Posted May 13, 2009 Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 rx is right .. however it will be more then $1000 if you end up like me buying kites all the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box Boy Posted May 13, 2009 Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 About 4 years ago some friends (non-kite fliers) wanted to go to the beach with me to do some kite flying. I made a trip to the kite store and bought a Beetle (low end stunt kite) to let them fly. After the first day I could see enough improvement in one of the fliers flying that I set her up on my 8 foot Cyborg (in its time a high end kite) and she was amazed with the differance in responce of the kite but I still would not have started her on the Cyborg. A beginning kite flier needs something less expensive to figure out what the left and right hands do when flying a kite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windofchange Posted May 13, 2009 Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 The biggest difference is that a high end kite is "designed" to do certain things from the designer. A low end stunt kite is only made to fly back and forth and do only the very basic of tricks if you work it. Perfect example was about two years ago at Kite Party, Jon T. had a prototype Widow Maker (the name wasn't even finalized at that time). I flew the proto and thought it was awesome. Jon was still not happy with it and wanted to make some more modifications so that the kite was perfect. The kite actually went through a year and a half of R&D (and who knows how many versions ended up in the trash before that) before he was happy enough with the kite to put in on the shelf for customers to buy. That takes a certain amount of pride and dedication to produce a top quality high end kite. Very different from a couple marketing people looking at a color pattern on a computer screen and then saying 'Yea, that looks good we can sell a ton of those, send it to the factory to produce". High end kites usually mean hand sewn one at a time, using the highest quality materials (PC31 Icarex instead of ripstop nylon), high strength UV resistant Poly thread instead of cheaper cotton or nylon, special attention to the entire sail to reduce "line-snag" points including wrapping the leading edge, folding over the material inside to make it easier and smoother for the frame to be inserted, extra attention to the nose area (folding and layering the nose and adding extra material to cover any potential snag or wear areas), extra reinforcement areas and wear patches where needed, covered stand off pockets, center leach lines, smooth end nock's and caps to reduce drag and prevent line snags, tapered wrapped carbon rods that flex at exactly the right areas, hand tied bridles, etc...etc... This kind of stuff just doesn't even get thought about on a large production inexpensive model. Other than the obvious difference in quality of materials and detail on workmanship, the high end kite just plain out-perform the others in "trick-ability". My Widow Maker actually makes me look like a much better pilot than I actually am because of its amazing ability to help me do the tricks I am putting it into. Not only that but it also seems to be able to recover much easier and stay flying when I totally flub-up a trick. And as mentioned, it just flies so much smoother and easier that you feel better while it is in the air. I have had people who were struggling to do a trick - have a go on the Widow Maker and do the same trick consecutively with ease. Maybe it is a mind game thing....but, I think it is because the kite has been specifically designed to perform and be controlled in those (abnormal) flying positions. In the end, the high end kites will always outperform the inexpensive models in almost every way. As said, it would be like comparing a Ferrari to a sub compact Hyundai (ok, changed from a Ford cuz I do like that new Shelby - lol) If you get the chance to try out a high dollar boutique style kite like the Widow Maker or the Benson Deep Space or Lams Sea Devils, you will very quickly see (and feel) the difference. Hopefully the above will help explain a little more as to why these type of kites cost so much more than the cookie-cutter mass produced ones. After flying so many different kites, I can appreciate the higher dollar kites and think that even $400.00 is almost not enough compared to the amount of R&D and work and time that is put into these beauties. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted May 13, 2009 Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 I think a perfect comparison is the Widow (from Premier) and the Widowmaker (from Skyburner)... Essentially identical designs (far as I know) and both designed by Jon Trennepohl, the Widowmaker from Skyburner has better construction, better materials, has a more polished look and is certainly a far better flier than it's budget counterpart... Hence the price increase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoneZ Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 I think a perfect comparison is the Widow (from Premier) and the Widowmaker (from Skyburner)......and is certainly a far better flier than it's budget counterpart... Hence the price increase. I'm workin on that one (now I just need to fly a WM to compare. o.0 ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windofchange Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 We got em in stock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Posted May 21, 2009 Report Share Posted May 21, 2009 I just had to go and read this thread didn't I...... now the cheaper kites just don't sound as cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoneZ Posted May 21, 2009 Report Share Posted May 21, 2009 Get a Widow o.0 ~signed; Vayu -God of Wind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Posted May 22, 2009 Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 Get a Widow o.0~signed; Vayu -God of Wind Yeah I am leaning towards the green widow =) then maybe upgrade to the widow maker one day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoneZ Posted May 22, 2009 Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 http://www.thekiteshoppe.com/sport-kites/d...w/prod_218.html Theresa is awesome. She'll hook you up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Posted May 22, 2009 Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 http://www.thekiteshoppe.com/sport-kites/d...w/prod_218.htmlTheresa is awesome. She'll hook you up. Wind of Change has it cheaper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upnet Posted June 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 The materials are wayy different. High end kites tend to use lighter, stronger, more stretch resistant materials like Icarex instead of Nylon for sails. The Spars are better as well. Higher end kites start using hollow spars like Skyshark wrapped carbon, to Aerostuff spars.The cutting and stitching of the sail is a little better, some people using french seams, to eliminate fraying on the sail where the pieces are sewn together (you'll see what Im talking about on the cherry bomb in another 5-6 months of heavy use ). Also lower end kites tend to be mass produced (ie. factory kites), and that means less attention to detail. John B pointed out to me that if you were to take a lower end factory kite, take the frame out so it was just the sail, fold it in half, chances are that the kites won't be identical from left to right side. That attention to detail is not overlooked on high end, non-mass produced kites. Great care (in most cases) is taken to ensure you get a high quality kite in every sense. Im sure each kite manufacturer will rave about one particular thing or another, but these, from my understanding, are some of the most common differences between lower end and higher end kites. These differences will certainly affect the performance of your kite as well. Purchased an experienced BMK Muse. Just what you said. Even a noob like me noticed the BIG difference. This is a wonderful kite. It inspires confidence. So much lighter than my Acrobatx. I am a happy man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoneZ Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 This is a wonderful kite. It inspires confidence. .... I am a happy man. Confidence = good. I remember upgrading to a higher end kite, and how much it inspired me. Great that you're enjoying it. Keep it up! ~Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 I just took delivery on a new Deep Space. Wow! what a beautifully made kite. I have cheaper kites that do the same tricks, but not nearly as well, in my hands, anyway. The balance and response is out of this world! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoneZ Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Here's a pic. Custom sail pattern. Tim is very cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoneZ Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 ^^^ Yeah... What he said.... ^^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Here's a pic. Custom sail pattern. Tim is very cool ..... ....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_(on-light)110px.png.f871ac6915a5dfb149c2fb26bbaf0493.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.