Zen Question

[NylonSky]

Hi Quad Heads! Quick question. I have 50x120', 90x30' , and 90x100' line sets. Which set would be the easiest to learn to fly my Zen?

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[skline]

I do not have a Zen(have a SUL 1.5), but I would try the 50 x 120 first. Gives you more time to react and gets you into some upper wind if needed.

[NylonSky]

I do not have a Zen(have a SUL 1.5), but I would try the 50 x 120 first. Gives you more time to react and gets you into some upper wind if needed.

Yeah I had zero success with the 30' lines. The soccer complex was kind enough to turn the lights on for me.

Subscriber 1150

[SparkieRob]

I don't have a Zen yet, but most people say that it's a long line beast. Go the 120's.

[Reef Runner]

I do not have a Zen(have a SUL 1.5), but I would try the 50 x 120 first. Gives you more time to react and gets you into some upper wind if needed.

Yeah I had zero success with the 30' lines. The soccer complex was kind enough to turn the lights on for me.

Yep, if you're just learning, I'd go with the 120 foot lines, also. Where the heck do you live, where a soccer field turns the lights on for you? I'm in NC also............

[Reef Runner]

I don't have a Zen yet, but most people say that it's a long line beast. Go the 120's.

Hear, hear........

[NylonSky]

I do not have a Zen(have a SUL 1.5), but I would try the 50 x 120 first. Gives you more time to react and gets you into some upper wind if needed.

Yeah I had zero success with the 30' lines. The soccer complex was kind enough to turn the lights on for me.

Yep, if you're just learning, I'd go with the 120 foot lines, also. Where the heck do you live, where a soccer field turns the lights on for you? I'm in NC also............

I'm in New Bern. Where in NC do you live?

Subscriber 1150

[NylonSky]

I don't have a Zen yet, but most people say that it's a long line beast. Go the 120's.

I like how you said "yet"! The Zen is certainly nicer than I deserve....I hope to earn the right to carry it around in my Rev bag one day.

Subscriber 1150

[Reef Runner]

I'm in New Bern. Where in NC do you live?

Kerr Lake............I-85 on the NC/VA line

[Reef Runner]

I'm in New Bern. Where in NC do you live?

Yep.........too bad we aren't closer. I do most of my flying at the coast, but unfortunately, not the Crystal Coast.........OBX mostly !

[NylonSky]

I'm in New Bern. Where in NC do you live?

Yep.........too bad we aren't closer. I do most of my flying at the coast, but unfortunately, not the Crystal Coast.........OBX mostly !

We are having a big kite fest in Atlantic Beach this weekend. Be great if you could make it.

Subscriber 1150

[Reef Runner]

We are having a big kite fest in Atlantic Beach this weekend. Be great if you could make it.

Yep, but probably not............do you know Photomom & NCKiter ! Photomom is local, NCkiter runs the kite making stuff.

[SparkieRob]

I don't have a Zen yet, but most people say that it's a long line beast. Go the 120's.

I like how you said "yet"! The Zen is certainly nicer than I deserve....I hope to earn the right to carry it around in my Rev bag one day.

Subscriber 1150

The Zen doesn't go with how I like to fly, fast and flailing! I do think it will be good for my growth as it will make me slow down and be a bit more temperate with my inputs.

Did I just justify THAT purchase......?

[NylonSky]

We are having a big kite fest in Atlantic Beach this weekend. Be great if you could make it.

Yep, but probably not............do you know Photomom & NCKiter ! Photomom is local, NCkiter runs the kite making stuff.

I know Photomom, but not sure about NCKiter. Would like to talk to him though. I need some supplies!

Subscriber 1150

[Reef Runner]

The Zen doesn't go with how I like to fly, fast and flailing! I do think it will be good for my growth as it will make me slow down and be a bit more temperate with my inputs.Did I just justify THAT purchase......?

NOT - Now back to FAST & FLAILING !

[NylonSky]

I don't have a Zen yet, but most people say that it's a long line beast. Go the 120's.

I like how you said "yet"! The Zen is certainly nicer than I deserve....I hope to earn the right to carry it around in my Rev bag one day.

Subscriber 1150

The Zen doesn't go with how I like to fly, fast and flailing! I do think it will be good for my growth as it will make me slow down and be a bit more temperate with my inputs.

Did I just justify THAT purchase......?

I guess you can only go so fast in 0-6 MPH winds, so the Zen would fill that slot!

Subscriber 1150

[Wayne Dowler]

Whole nother animal is the Zen, boys and girls out there in Kiteland!! Anybody expecting it to be a light wind 1.5 is going to be greatly disappointed!! It is slower, more deliberate in the way it flies, not like the snappy 1.5 platform!! Think Rolls Royce vs Ferrari!! But if you want to (have to) fly in light wind, it's more than capable! Just don't expect it to be something it isn't!

[John Barresi]

Zen Play, still epic...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=1366927137387

30' is tough on a Zen, takes bigger arm movements, lots of cupping / whumping to get the turn radius you need on such short lines.

[NylonSky]

Zen Play, still epic...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=1366927137387

30' is tough on a Zen, takes bigger arm movements, lots of cupping / whumping to get the turn radius you need on such short lines.

Ha. You just had to rub it in with that video...one day. When I have you all to myself for the JB Weekend Extravaganza, I better be able to fly my Zen just like that!!!

Subscriber 1150

[Wayne Dowler]

As per your original post - go with the longer 2 sets til you really get it dialed in! For shorties - consider a set of 50# x 50' lines - long enough to give you some window to work in, but short enough to fit almost anywhere! And the length makes it a bit easier to have room to let the Zen clear the ground on moves!! My set of 50's are my most used lines, with the small park I have near my house!! Plus it makes setup and take down that much faster!!

[Paul LaMasters]

I fly my Zen to greatest pleasure on 60 to 90 feet of LPG 90#. Using the 50# line just feels too mushy, regardless of the brand of line being employed. I prefer long throw handles and a flailing pilot action as you can see here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ95sr-axEo.

Living in the land of no wind (washington DC metro area) means at least five months out of the year a ZEN is the go-to-kite. In fact, I have worn one out and I'm onto my second. The video above is one of those 1st maiden flights from my latest acquisition.

As stated previously, the Zen is a different kite. Don't acquire it with specific expectations on flight performance based upon other models you own or have flown. It's slow, big and graceful. That doesn't mean you can throw it around, but a flick flak is a huge undertaking, to dump all that air pressure and flip the kite inside-out, just as an example. The other side of this equation is how easy it is to power back up though, a simple step backwards, flip of the wrist, or a sharp jerk on the handles. This means you can take risks (what happens IF... ) and not have to do the walk of shame every time. Do a half axel and leave the kite in this fade position. Or walk parallel with your catch efforts before actually snagging it out of the sky. You aren't pulling the kite out of the air from directly overhead. Instead you are floating the kite to your outstretched grasp in a huge arc and timing that flight path with a sun-dial! Zen throw & catch well on 90 feet of line and I practice with 120 feet.

My second Zen is highly customized, with Diamond frame members, a custom leading edge sleeve of material I furnished, additional reinforcing patches sewn in, magic sticks and replacement French bridle (from a Rev1). These mods were developed to expand the wind range and substantially stiffen the overall structure. My Zen doesn't fly like a stock model, but then that was my objective with the replacement, changing anything I didn't like and keep what I loved!

I use my Zen up to wind conditions when a mid-vent is warranted. The handles I prefer are titanium 3/8 inch diameter, grade five tubes about 19 inches long, very light in weight (not much mass to instantly change direction), but remarkably strong, in fact run over by a squad car without deformation. Long throw handles mean less foot movement for a busted-up, old guy like myself.

I was not easily swayed towards this model initially, now it is one of my most prized possessions. Eliot Shook (Flying Smiles Kites in NC) has all the mod bits and pieces if you want to follow my deviate example.

It's a typical question,... is the Zen worth the money? That depends on your wallet's overall thickness and your local weather conditions. To me, yes enough that I bought a replacement Zen and gambled on the flight characteristics based upon the construction modifications I specified, plus spending extra funds for freight. Bazzer made the sail, Eliot Shook made the leading edge sleeve, Rev assembled the components, furnished the diamond frame and I replaced the bridle and added magic sticks upon receiving. That is four times across the continental United States just for my receipt. I paid 20+% extra, voided the implied factory warranty and had to provide some of the materials used in construction.

Honestly? I should have order two of 'em, its that great of a kite!

Get a Diamond equipped Zen, add the sissy sticks and see if it doesn't become your low wind favorite kite. You don't have to go all the way to my insane example, but if you see me ask for a turn on this most magnificent flying kite. Its effortlessly amazing!

[NylonSky]

I fly my Zen to greatest pleasure on 60 to 90 feet of LPG 90#. Using the 50# line just feels too mushy, regardless of the brand of line being employed. I prefer long throw handles and a flailing pilot action as you can see here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ95sr-axEo.'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ95sr-axEo.

Living in the land of no wind (washington DC metro area) means at least five months out of the year a ZEN is the go-to-kite. In fact, I have worn one out and I'm onto my second. The video above is one of those 1st maiden flights from my latest acquisition.

As stated previously, the Zen is a different kite. Don't acquire it with specific expectations on flight performance based upon other models you own or have flown. It's slow, big and graceful. That doesn't mean you can throw it around, but a flick flak is a huge undertaking, to dump all that air pressure and flip the kite inside-out, just as an example. The other side of this equation is how easy it is to power back up though, a simple step backwards, flip of the wrist, or a sharp jerk on the handles. This means you can take risks (what happens IF... ) and not have to do the walk of shame every time. Do a half axel and leave the kite in this fade position. Or walk parallel with your catch efforts before actually snagging it out of the sky. You aren't pulling the kite out of the air from directly overhead. Instead you are floating the kite to your outstretched grasp in a huge arc and timing that flight path with a sun-dial! Zen throw & catch well on 90 feet of line and I practice with 120 feet.

My second Zen is highly customized, with Diamond frame members, a custom leading edge sleeve of material I furnished, additional reinforcing patches sewn in, magic sticks and replacement French bridle (from a Rev1). These mods were developed to expand the wind range and substantially stiffen the overall structure. My Zen doesn't fly like a stock model, but then that was my objective with the replacement, changing anything I didn't like and keep what I loved!

I use my Zen up to wind conditions when a mid-vent is warranted. The handles I prefer are titanium 3/8 inch diameter, grade five tubes about 19 inches long, very light in weight (not much mass to instantly change direction), but remarkably strong, in fact run over by a squad car without deformation. Long throw handles mean less foot movement for a busted-up, old guy like myself.

I was not easily swayed towards this model initially, now it is one of my most prized possessions. Eliot Shook (Flying Smiles Kites in NC) has all the mod bits and pieces if you want to follow my deviate example.

It's a typical question,... is the Zen worth the money? That depends on your wallet's overall thickness and your local weather conditions. To me, yes enough that I bought a replacement Zen and gambled on the flight characteristics based upon the construction modifications I specified, plus spending extra funds for freight. Bazzer made the sail, Eliot Shook made the leading edge sleeve, Rev assembled the components, furnished the diamond frame and I replaced the bridle and added magic sticks upon receiving. That is four times across the continental United States just for my receipt. I paid 20+% extra, voided the implied factory warranty and had to provide some of the materials used in construction.

Honestly? I should have order two of 'em, its that great of a kite!

Get a Diamond equipped Zen, add the sissy sticks and see if it doesn't become your low wind favorite kite. You don't have to go all the way to my insane example, but if you see me ask for a turn on this most magnificent flying kite. Its effortlessly amazing!

Sent from my iPad using http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1'>Tapatalk

Wow. Thanks Larry. This was very informative. Believe it or not I met the Shook's just this past weekend at the Carolina Kite Festival. I am going to take a trip up to Corolla and check out Flying Smiles and see about modding my Zen with some of your features. Thanks again!

[NylonSky]

Thanks for everyone's help. I've been having much more success with the Zen on the 120' lines. Still have a ways to go but less walks of shame now.

Subscriber 1150

[SparkieRob]

Thanks for everyone's help. I've been having much more success with the Zen on the 120' lines. Still have a ways to go but less walks of shame now.

Subscriber 1150

Aint no shame in checking the bridle, often....