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need a little advice on light winds and kites


Ian Dobson
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Hi I am am looking for some advice on what is the best way to go I have not been flying for so long but I have a quantum and a hypnotist I use the quantum at the cabin when am there and the hypnotist at home but as I have found out you can not always

Depend on the wind as often as not it blows when you are at work but come home and it's just a breeze not enough for my kites to fly I as I was looking to get about a hour a day .The thing is i have got two good training kites which I am happy with but I need a good kite I can use in low wind but I still often take a crash or two so it's has to be able to take some stick but I don't want to end up with 3 or 4 training kites so l am looking for a kite I can grow with probably second hand what should I be looking for or should I just wait for the the wind no kite club here were I live in Norway to try different kites I just have the forum to look to :shock: :shock: so hooked on flying if I have to pay for good I will pay :lol: just have to start saving :lol: sul? ul? what should I look for :shock:

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Not too sure what's available over in your "neck of the woods", but with you having both kites now as Prisms, I'd be on the lookout for a 3-D, 4-D, or Ozone! Good light wind choices!! I'm sure there are many others too!

The 3-D and 4-D are smaller kites and make good travel units! The Ozone is closer to a full sized kite!

Remember that no mater what you end up getting - they are called light wind kites for a reason - light spars, light sail cloth used, very much meant to be flown gently, not bullied around!!

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Wayne has made some really great suggestions.

How Light is your wind, do you want an Ultralight or SuperUltralight?

4D is a fantastic SUL, it has a wind range of 0-14mph (I think)

The Prism Zephyr is an UL with a wind range of 1-17mph.

I have really found that SUL and UL kites handle very differently.

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I also was going to mention the Zephyr, but I was thinking of used kites first! But you might find a Zephyr out there! All by Prism! Plus, I'm sure there are many others out there! I'm not too "up" on recent dualies, as I'm very Rev-centric right now! :ani_yahoo:

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I do enjoy my ZEPHYR, It has allowed me to learn some tricks and it fly's pretty low,, I think 3mph is a better low end for it, but it should do most all tricks for you. I have been contemplating an upgrade but until I can OUT FLY it.. .I don't see a reason. I highly recommend it.

I also have a 4d and love that little sucker too.. It gets me out when nothing else will, but it fly's nothing like the zephyr. Each have their place with me though.

4d for dead summer air, kinda twitchy, doesn't really trick that easy at first. It WILL hold up to a Bashing also. It only met one FENCE that it don't like in 8mph winds. no sail damage but broke a L.E. the case it comes with is awesome too!

Zephyr for most other times, can do just about anythng(I CAN"T, but IT CAN) and the price is really nice. It has also held up to a BASHING as I learn.

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Being that you're in Europe, a Prism kite is probably going to cost you as much as a really great kite from one of the high-end manufacturers like Benson.

http://bensonkites.com/kites/index.html

If you want a kite that will fly in very low wind, including indoors, the Inner Space probably can't be beat, unless you're looking to do all the tricks. The design and quality of a Benson kite will knock your socks off if you're used to Prism kites. Not that Prisms are bad, I have over a dozen of them, but Bensons are a big step up. There are plenty of other European kites... like the ones from 'Kitehouse' or SportKiteDesign.

http://sportkitedesign.se

They might be a little bit more, but these are hand made custom kites that will last you the rest of your life. Works of art that you could hang on your wall when you're not flying them... :sq-smile:

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I'll second the Benson Innerspace! I'm not a big dualie kite fan anymore, but I don't mind flying the Innerspace at all... It has a terrific feel in SUL conditions.

I don't see any recommendations for the Revolution line of kites yet.... So let me be the first to do so. I stumbled upon the Rev when I went looking for a kite that would fly lower wind then my Zephyr (I flew dualies for a year and a half before my Rev addiction). I bought a STD sail B-Series Revolution kite, and I haven't flown my dualie kites since... It almost ticks all your boxes - flies in next to nothing, but is flexible enough to fly in double-digit winds (with a frame change) and it stands up to abuse well. It is kind of spend-y (value is in the eye of the beholder!) but totally worth it! So versatile!

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Now SP - I was staying away from them because he mentioned dualies as his only kites now!!! :cat_shy: We both know Revs open up a whole new area of flying!! :ani_yahoo:

Rob - thanks for giving him some links to other kites!! I'm not too into dualies anymore, so my info was limited by what little experience I had with dualies a few years back! Thanks for more modern updates!! :ani_victory:

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Hey, it's all good, 2 lines, 4 lines, whatever. Fly what you like... I like kites that can do tricks, so I fly 2 lines most of the time. If you like precise control, fly 4 lines. My bag has both, and it depends on my mood. If I'm feeling lazy, I drag out 3 bags of single line kites... which is ironically more work !

Being that you're from the other side of the pond, you should also check out the HQ Shadow, and they've got a new cheaper version of the Shadow that sounds interesting. I have a Shadow, and aside from being a looker, it flies in no wind, and can do some tricks, too.

P1070294.jpg

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Ok it's time I said that all your comments are very good and the rev guys you put a good point a cross but I think I stay with the dual lines as I need more convincing but you can try . I think it's better to be rebel than to follow the pack. Lol. So this is what I done .l took contact with a guy who was selling three Gemini's kites and hope to buy all three of them take look

http://fracturedaxel.co.uk/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=12128

Maybe it will put all you rev flyer back on the right track I think this will cover most of the winds I will encounter and with my two other kites I may just have it covered til you convince me to try a rev lol

So all rev flyer just wait you'll come flying back lol.

But seriously thanks for all your comments and keep up the good work.

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Dual line kites got me hooked years ago, but quads have given me a new life on kites! :ani_giveup: But over the last couple of years, I've found indoor flying and great gliders to use! Who knew that there was so much fun on the end of one line? :ani_yahoo:

PS: I also use an Indoor Rev!! :ani_victory:

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I just love also to just watch any one flying a kite as well as flying them and as me being inexperienced to kiting I have so much to look forward to just one thing I miss is having the chance to fly with experience flyer but I have the forum to keep kontakt and get all the advice that any one could want now off out cut up the sky's wind and sun I the mountain

post-7623-0-01299900-1364550170_thumb.jp

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Yeah I know that Gemini's are not the not easy kites out there to fly but for that price it's a steel and a kite that a classic and I think that you should have at least one benson kite in your bag . And I think the will be more to come lol can't wait to try it wish me luck

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Dual line kites got me hooked years ago, but quads have given me a new life on kites! :ani_giveup: But over the last couple of years, I've found indoor flying and great gliders to use! Who knew that there was so much fun on the end of one line? :ani_yahoo:

PS: I also use an Indoor Rev!! :ani_victory:

wow Wayne! I used that same saying just yesterday...."who knew".

Jinx...double jinx.... You owe me a kite. :)

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Must 86 it's is a great inspiration to see just how good you can be if put in the time wardley can fly and the site is great and yes the picture is for Norway that were I have my cabin great place to fly a kite in the summer it doesn't go dark so I can fly at 3 in morning and its like flying 12 midday it's weird but fun so I hope to be flying a lot here is my son flying his kite and my cabin

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post-7623-0-86862800-1364930585_thumb.jp

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Norway looks really nice, I like the snow. The long days sound great, too. Here's some more Gemini inspiration...

http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~adrianb/kites/Sleight%20of%20Hand%203%20-%20high%20quality.mov

It's a 50 meg download, but Adrien can really fly ! You'll have to let me know what you think of the UL, I've been thinking about getting one of those.

~Rob.

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