What's your favorite light wind Kite.

[Captainbob]

Having only flown kites for a a couple of weeks, I realized that living inland, there are quite a few light wind days, when only a SUL or UL will get off the ground. I think learning or enjoying a new hobby, if you can do it frequently, it speeds up the learning curve. I quickly saw that the Revolution Kite was something that interested me, so I purchased an SLE, and now a 1.5 B. I also bought a prism 4D for the light wind days, and yesterday when the wind was light and variable, I really enjoyed flying the 4D, which was the only kite I had that would launch.

Whenever I undertake a new venture, I like to read everything I can on the topic, so I started avidly reading reviews and posts on light wind kites on a couple of forums, many of which date back quite a few years. I have also watched a bunch of videos, featuring these types of kites, on Youtube. Last night I found this video shot by Must86 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtPArLN03YM#t=225 , which really impressed me, and the fliers ability to fly perfectly in almost no wind at all, I am sure that it takes many years of practice to get to this point, but it looks like it is worth it.

Now, the reason for this topic is I am wondering what everyones favorite light wind kite(s) are currently , and what is the reason you like that particular kite?

I have read about a few of these kites, just to start the conversation:

Prism 4D

Prism 3D

Skyburner Pro Dancer

Skyburner NikNak, I-nak

HQ Shadow

Revolution Zen

Prism Quantum Pro

Prism Zephyr

I am sure there are many, many, others , but these are what I came up with so far. I also realize that much of flying one of these kites probably has as much to do with the pilots skill, as the particular kite they are flying, but what would be the ultimate kite to use, while working on this skill set?

[Wayne Dowler]

I use a Zen or an SLE SUL for light winds, coupled with light lines (50#) and longer handles (15")! I also have used in the past the Zephyr's predecessor, the Ozone, (out of production now)!!

The secret I use is to use the sail's momentum in your favor!! Using the speed and power developed during a downwards pass, can be used to fly it back up! There's this constant give and take motion you end up developing to fly in the light stuff! You'll find you really have to smooth out your flying, any sudden jerks or odd pulls result in just pulling the kite right out of the sky! But the reward is that you can fly while others are just sitting there looking! SWEET!!

[cerfvoliste]

My favorite is the Sea Devil UL..... I think he calls it a SUL now.

It was billed as an UL when I bought mine 8 years ago, now I just see the SUL on his web page. You could ask if he still makes an UL,

@

Remember, No Matter Where You Go, There You Are.

[RobB]

The new Sea Devil SUL flies in lower wind than the Fearless Tattoo. I've flown both side-by-side in the same winds.The Sea Devil SUL is my favorite low wind trick based kite, and the ProDancer is my favorite kite to fly when there's NO wind. The 4d has similar low wind performance, I could fly either in a similar lack of wind, but prefer to fly a full-sized kite like the ProDancer. Other kites worth mentioning for next-to-nothing wind would be a PBSK SUL, the Prism Vapor & the Prism Ozone. I don't have one, but the Benson Inner Space is also supposed to be good.

If you're flying in zero wind, don't expect much in the way of tricks... the whole trick is that the kite flies at all !

~Rob.

[Captainbob]

The new Sea Devil SUL flies in lower wind than the Fearless Tattoo. I've flown both side-by-side in the same winds.The Sea Devil SUL is my favorite low wind trick based kite, and the ProDancer is my favorite kite to fly when there's NO wind. The 4d has similar low wind performance, I could fly either in a similar lack of wind, but prefer to fly a full-sized kite like the ProDancer. Other kites worth mentioning for next-to-nothing wind would be a PBSK SUL, the Prism Vapor & the Prism Ozone. I don't have one, but the Benson Inner Space is also supposed to be good.

If you're flying in zero wind, don't expect much in the way of tricks... the whole trick is that the kite flies at all !

~Rob.

Thanks, Good Info....

[Paul LaMasters]

I flew a Zen this weekend at the Washington Monument. Folks were amazed that it could fly in a dead calm. I explained that in no wind conditions (or indoors for that matter) a pilot has to make their own wind thru movement of hands, the kite and/or in combination with your feet. You give and recover ground, exactly as Wayne described above.

A iight-weight kite lacks enough mass to get easy momentum almost free (Dave Ashworth's kite building efforts come to my mind). A kite with more mass means you have to move MORE but you can do more as well. You decide through experience how much float & how much mass you'd prefer.

The easiest analogy is Tiger Woods' golf clubs. Do you imagine if he played your clubs and you used his, that his score might suddenly exceed yours? How about if you replaced his driver's shaft with a garden hose, do you think he could still get back to square at impact and make good, solid contact with the ball?

If somebody makes it look easy it is thousands of practice hours you are witnessing, not necessarily the latest, greatest equipment they personally own.

[SparkieRob]

Low winds would have me on short lines, 30 - 50 feet. I will venture to longer as I get more comfortable though. The kite I would use would be my Rev 1.5 SLE SUL. The set up is Diamond frame, French Bridle and Magic Sticks. I'm more comfortable flying it with 15" handles but I practice with 13" too.

If I want to switch it up AND there is no wind, I'll fly my Indoor Rev on 20 feet. Zero wind but heaps of fun.

Low wind can be horribly discouraging and I used to hate it. But as your technique and touch grow it becomes quite relaxing. Main thing is stick with it.

[Tmadz]

That is such a loaded question, but Paul is correct. it's all about practice, skill and personal preference. You'll see many kiters say that there are certain kites that they don't connect with. You'll never get a concensus on anything.

[Wayne Dowler]

That is such a loaded question, but Paul is correct. it's all about practice, skill and personal preference. You'll see many kiters say that there are certain kites that they don't connect with. You'll never get a concensus on anything.

The Zen is one of those kites - some love, some hate! Maybe it's the size, I don't know!! But I'm in the LOVE group!!

[West Australian]

Out of your list I have flown:

Prism 3D, Prism 4D, Prism Zephyr and Revolution Zen.

The 3D and 4D are great Very Low wind Dual line kites, The Airwave Zero is another nice example.

The Zephyr is great in low wind and was my go to kite for those conditions.

I had a chance to fly a Friends (MGower) Zen, It is a nice big wing that I found slightly less work to fly than my B standard.

But certainly not for zero wind for me.

It will all come down to skill for flying in light wind. They don't fly themselves.

Well the Mega-Plutz comes close. But you didn't ask about single line gliders.....

[SparkieRob]

Out of your list I have flown:

Prism 3D, Prism 4D, Prism Zephyr and Revolution Zen.

 

The 3D and 4D are great Very Low wind Dual line kites, The Airwave Zero is another nice example.

The Zephyr is great in low wind and was my go to kite for those conditions.

 

I had a chance to fly a Friends (MGower) Zen, It is a nice big wing that I found slightly less work to fly than my B standard.

But certainly not for zero wind for me.

 

It will all come down to skill for flying in light wind. They don't fly themselves.

 

Well the Mega-Plutz comes close. But you didn't ask about single line gliders.....

I do believe you've flown my Indoor too...

[Paul LaMasters]

the Zen loves long lines in a just the slightest hint of a breeze, even if the direction & strength are ever changing. It has been described as a bus with a big ole steering wheel though. Little tiny movements are going to be ignored, you have got to DEMAND the control input be obeyed by your force of action on the handles. If you are not using your Zen then try a set of magic sticks and see if you fall in love all over again with a new kite.

The 1.5 revs are much more a sports car steering wheel connection feel, gripping a tight winding road, weaving in and out of traffic. This is a rig to try out a more responsive bridle and certainly Rev's new Diamond tubes if you are after a dedicated SUL.

The B2 is "still more",... a custom super-car, built for the fastest inputs, instantly responsive to the slightest wiggle. (try a set of P-90's for the leading edge with 2P tapers & cut the down-spars short too, to end at the bottom of the sail edge binding if you're after an SUL. Long throw handles and no bridle at all, this kite flies UPWIND on short lines with enough effort on the pilot's part ~ Jeffery Burka makes this look effortless)

For the Zen, try a set of 50#/100' (Skybond or LPG, no sleeving) if you haven't already. This line-set is okay to "3-D catch" but you can't "throw" it unless the surface of the field is Augusta National Country Club (perfectly smooth). 50 pounders snag each other and anything loose on the ground instantly like magnetism, the slightest twig, or clump of dirt makes for a massive knot of tangles! The more you want the kite to do, the more you have to work, moving around and sensing for the slightest wind direction change.

The easiest technique of no-wind flying is to practice using your whole field area, from front to back, side-to-side. Imagine the baseball infield diamond is your flying spot. You will be using the glide &/or archer move to recover ground (from the top of the window) and flying forward to gain altitude, (or in reverse) as you walk backwards quickly. Glide is mass + the previously added momentum (you are freed of the need to be adding more energy in an effort to maintain flight until the momentum gives out).

If the lines are short enough you can try an "up and over" (just like you were indoors). As you go forward, before the apex of flight is reached, you need to have your arms reaching out, fully extended. At the top, you'll have turned your torso to face this new intended direction as you pull over and SIT downwards in a smooth continuous movement. You need to force it past the top of the window, that's what the sitting part does, suddenly changing the pressure for the last surge over mount everest! Side-to-side up & over is fun, but when you have fully mastered this technique all 360 degrees are within your boundaries, even up-wind.

No-wind flight is the pilot making their own sail pressure. Turbulence is another factor of low/no-wind we all face. Mass and stiffness choices sure matter here too. Try to throw a willow branch like a javelin, yet it's light in weight. Experience will dictate which choices suit your own style, balancing weight and flexibility, sail size choices and line lengths.

[Captainbob]

Wind in Atlanta has kept me from flying my 2 Revs quite a bit so I have been putting many hours on my 4D which is flying great. Would like to get something bigger, and more into flying around than tricks, so now I am looking seriously at adding either a Niknak or a Pro Dancer. I love this video that Rob made, and it has me leaning heavily in favor of the Pro dancer, even though it costs twice as much as the NikNak. He says it as a good pull, even in less than 1mph wind.

[Paul LaMasters]

the proDancer does not do tricks, (except fly with little effort even when everyone else is grounded)

[Tmadz]

the proDancer does not do tricks, (except fly with little effort even when everyone else is grounded)

That's what he's looking for.

[RobB]

Three tricks the ProDancer can do aside from just flying in no wind... Side Slide, Axel, & 540. Well, that's all I can get it to do. I have seen Devin do more with his ProDancer, even indoors. Just search uToob for Skyburner...

I will say that it is exceptionally difficult to get the ProDancer to do anything that resembles a trick, though.

[Captainbob]

Much thought went into my decision, and it wasn't easy, but I decided to go for the Niknak. Ordered one from the company that makes them, after a nice conversation with the rep there. Even comes with a lineset, and I chose 50# test. She said it would probably be a couple of weeks. Could have used it tonight. Weather folks and the 3 apps on my Android phone said wind was around 15 mph, when I got home from work about 5PM. Try 4 mph, max, dropping to zero more than at 4. Launched my Rev std about 5 times, watched it fall over at least 5 times, with 180 degree switch in wind direction, reeled up the lines and went home.

[Winged V]

Dual line favorite low wind kite is the Widow Maker UL on 85 ish 90# LPG line, 100' 50# LPG in real low no wind , this kite flys in True SUL winds , my PBSK Vanishing Point wasn't getting out of the bag much in the summer lack of wind, cause of the flight of the WM...... Will do sweet old school and there not a lot of New school this kite doesn't excel at.

Been flying quads a lot for the last year and that favorite kite in my bag is a std b series pro framed in Diamond rods, tuned with a TON of brake. Have flown Paul's Zen a few times........Sweet Wing, gonna have one but for now the B works well for learning the low no wind thang.

[Winged V]

Paul the pro dancer Will trick nicely ,,,,,,,axle,slide,cascade.1/2 axle, fade,540,flic flac,stalls, I'm sure there more but 2 ain't been my Focus lately -

[Paul LaMasters]

I've never seen anyone do anything impressive with it, but I haven't witnessed Professor Hot Tricks on a ProDancer yet!

[RobB]

Rick, it's good to see you on Kitelife. Of course the PBSK Vanishing Point is a kite that would compete with the ProDancer for the low-wind... but the trick with that one would be to FIND one. The VP is a great kite, and is easier to squeeze some tricks out of, too.

Bob, congratulations on pulling the trigger on the NikNak. I enjoyed mine, it kept me flying when nothing else would fly.

[Captainbob]

[RobB]

THe first video is Devin flying his most awesome looking white ProDancer. He is the designer of the Aura & the Solus (one of my favorite kites). There should be some more videos of him tricking the ProDancer, too. I don't know how he gets it to fade & backspin, but there's proof that it can. It looks like the pilot in the second video is flying one in each hand... another trick that boggles the mind.

[Captainbob]

I wonder how many weeks it will take me to do these tricks on my new NikNak when it arrives ( Just kidding)......

[RobB]

Well, that gives a good idea what can be done with the NikNak. Devin certainly has the knack of getting SUL kites to do tricks that are normally reserved for heavier, standard kites. One word about that... SLACK. Don't forget to walk or run forward while trying these tricks...