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Pacolyps
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I started my 7 year old on a dualie 2 weeks ago and he absolutely loved it. I fly remote controlled helicopters and he hasn't had much interest in them. So, I am jumping into this new excitement with both feet. I am selling a heli and buying us a couple of Rev's. My question is what to get? I was leaning toward the B series to get the multiple frames. Should I go with midvents or standards? Or maybe one of each? I live in Wyoming and our average wind is 5-10 mph but can be gusty. Also, should we use the same handles or are there different sizes for the little guys? Thanks for your help in advance!

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I flew RC Helis for about 3 years, and quit about 10 years ago. I am having much more fun now flying Revs, and it is as much of a challenge as the Helis were. I have an SLE 1.5 standard as my first, and my second is a B series mid-vent ( Kite Only) . I ordered the B series with an optional Race frame, and am using that frame in the SLE, and using the 3 wrap that came with the SLE in the B midvent. Should cover any kind of wind you run into. http://www.awindofchange.com/category/revolution_kites.html

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You can obtain handles with various thicknesses of foam, I prefer skinny so one-handed is easier. Two kites the same will allow both of you to fly together. One of each will insure you can almost always use one of em.

My boy lives hours way too far, but sharing this activity can last a whole lifetime!

Several retailers would love to assist you, or call the factory and restate your requirements again.

We all want you to become happy members of the family

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I flew RC Helis for about 3 years, and quit about 10 years ago. I am having much more fun now flying Revs, and it is as much of a challenge as the Helis were. I have an SLE 1.5 standard as my first, and my second is a B series mid-vent ( Kite Only) . I ordered the B series with an optional Race frame, and am using that frame in the SLE, and using the 3 wrap that came with the SLE in the B midvent. Should cover any kind of wind you run into. http://www.awindofchange.com/category/revolution_kites.html

Wow, all the referrals that AWOC gets off this forum, I'm still sort of amazed they don't support KiteLife in any way, not so much as an active subscription.

Give 'em a little loving grief for me, would ya?

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I flew RC Helis for about 3 years, and quit about 10 years ago. I am having much more fun now flying Revs, and it is as much of a challenge as the Helis were. I have an SLE 1.5 standard as my first, and my second is a B series mid-vent ( Kite Only) . I ordered the B series with an optional Race frame, and am using that frame in the SLE, and using the 3 wrap that came with the SLE in the B midvent. Should cover any kind of wind you run into. http://www.awindofchange.com/category/revolution_kites.html

Wow, all the referrals that AWOC gets off this forum, I'm still sort of amazed they don't support KiteLife in any way, not so much as an active subscription.

Give 'em a little loving grief for me, would ya?

Stroking is more like it.

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In my opinion, you've first got to decide (your best guess), if you and your son, will be spending a lot of time flying together, in the coming years. If so, I'd consider two identical kites, and that way, you can always fly together, when winds are right, for that kite. Should this be the case, then you've got to decide whether to get standard sails, or mid-vent sails (or full-vent). That of course, is going to depend on the winds where you fly, so refer to the suggested wind ranges, for the different kites. There's usually a lot more overlap, in wind ranges, than indicated on paper, so don't limit yourself, too strictly. Personally, I've had several different sets of Revs (B-series, B-Pros, & B2's), and each set included a standard sail, a mid-vent, and a full-vent. In every case, I always ended up flying the mid-vent kite the most. Others will have different opinions, but everyone has an opinion, as to their favorite, based on how and where they fly. I do most of my flying during the summer, at the coast, and the winds there are usually in the 10 - 12 mph range, and tend to be a bit more consistent, than inland. Vented kites tend to be smoother in stronger winds, but they also excel in choppy inland winds, kinda like adding shocks to the car.

If you think that flying together, is going to be a "hit & miss" with your son, then get one of each - a std and a mid-vent. You can still fly together, but of course, there will be a difference in the two kites, but on those days when you are winging it alone, you will have a wider range to pick from. Now, all you've got to do, is decide on the color - matching, or not. The B-series would surely be a fine choice, and as you mentioned, you will get an extra frame with each. The "ready to fly" package also comes with the 13" handles, equipped with adjustable leaders. You'll be ready to go !

(I love spending other people's $$$'s) :cat_lol:

As for handles, yes, there are different lengths, such as 11", 13", 15", etc. The different length handles, change the input to the kite, so you need to stick with the standard length handles, that come with the kites you pick. For instance, the 1.5 Revs, usually come with 13" handles, while the shorter handles are usually designed for the faster, twitchier kites, which require less, or minimal input. They are not designed for smaller pilots, per say. The weight of the longer handle, won't really make much difference for your son, if that's what you were concerned about. The kite will be bearing most of that weight, anyway.

Again, this is just my opinion, and it's worth exactly what you paid for it...........others will surely chime in with more helpful suggestions. You'll find lot's of help here at Kitelife. Just ask, and :ani_victory: good luck.

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Thanks Reef Runner! I appreciate all the responses. I think I am leaning toward two B-series Midvents with the 13" handles and 120' 90# lines. I think this will be a great starting point for both of us. We can add sails as we progress. I am excited for this summer and we will have tons of fun I am sure. How is the instructional video? Do I need to watch any other tutorials before starting? Again thanks for all your help.

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Thanks Reef Runner! I appreciate all the responses. I think I am leaning toward two B-series Midvents with the 13" handles and 120' 90# lines. I think this will be a great starting point for both of us. We can add sails as we progress. I am excited for this summer and we will have tons of fun I am sure. How is the instructional video? Do I need to watch any other tutorials before starting? Again thanks for all your help.

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Watch all the tutorials you can, until you have them memorized, then watch them some more.

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Thanks Reef Runner! I appreciate all the responses. I think I am leaning toward two B-series Midvents with the 13" handles and 120' 90# lines. I think this will be a great starting point for both of us. We can add sails as we progress. I am excited for this summer and we will have tons of fun I am sure. How is the instructional video? Do I need to watch any other tutorials before starting? Again thanks for all your help.

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The most important tutorials, that I can reccommend, at this point are:

1. Line Management http://kitelife.com/forum/videos/view-41-rev-tutorial-line-management/

2. Assembly & Disassembly http://kitelife.com/forum/videos/view-40-rev-tutorial-assembly-and-disassembly/

3. Basic Launch & Control http://kitelife.com/forum/videos/view-281-basic-launch-and-control/

Watch the "Line Management" tutorial over and over, until you are tired of it, and then watch it a few more times. You've got to know that, or your second trip out, will be a disaster. Line worry's shouldn't take up your time - flying should......... :ani_victory:

ps...............just ask CaptainBob about that !

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Thanks Reef Runner! I appreciate all the responses. I think I am leaning toward two B-series Midvents with the 13" handles and 120' 90# lines. I think this will be a great starting point for both of us. We can add sails as we progress. I am excited for this summer and we will have tons of fun I am sure. How is the instructional video? Do I need to watch any other tutorials before starting? Again thanks for all your help.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The most important tutorials, that I can reccommend, at this point are:

1. Line Management http://kitelife.com/forum/videos/view-41-rev-tutorial-line-management/

2. Assembly & Disassembly http://kitelife.com/forum/videos/view-40-rev-tutorial-assembly-and-disassembly/

3. Basic Launch & Control http://kitelife.com/forum/videos/view-281-basic-launch-and-control/

Watch the "Line Management" tutorial over and over, until you are tired of it, and then watch it a few more times. You've got to know that, or your second trip out, will be a disaster. Line worry's shouldn't take up your time - flying should......... :ani_victory:

ps...............just ask CaptainBob about that !

Also:

Rev Tutorial – Larks Head Knot

Download | YouTube

Rev Tutorial – Changing Frames

Download | YouTube

Rev Tutorial – Line Equalizing

Download | YouTube

Rev Tutorial – Line Weight & Length

Download | YouTube

Rev Tutorial – Wind Window

Download | YouTube

Rev Tutorial – Figure 8

Download | YouTube

Rev Tutorial – Flat Relaunch

Download | YouTube

Rev Tutorial – Basic Hovers

Download | YouTube

Rev Tutorial – 180 w/ Positive Drive

Download | YouTube

Rev Tutorial – Rollover Landing

Download | YouTube

Rev Tutorial – Body, Posture and Grip ***

Download

Rev Tutorial – Tuning Theory I ***

Download

Rev Tutorial – Kite Walk ***

Download

Rev Tutorial – Side Slide ***

Download

Rev Tutorial – Inverted Hover ***

Download

Rev Tutorial – Reverse Flight ***

Download

Rev Tutorial – Bicycle Rotation ***

That should keep you busy ;)

BTW, after much experimentation, I am now officially the master of the 2 line holder method of setup and tear down . Haven't had one tangle, or hiccup using 2 holders, in almost 3 weeks. My motto is, " If it ain't broke, don't fix it...... :ani_whistling:

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Wow! I guess I better get busy. I will have to take notes and make a cheat sheet so I can keep my stuff straight. Thanks to everyone that has helped me by sharing their knowledge. I will post pics when I get the new kites. My son thinks the red one will fly the best.

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Wow! I guess I better get busy. I will have to take notes and make a cheat sheet so I can keep my stuff straight. Thanks to everyone that has helped me by sharing their knowledge. I will post pics when I get the new kites. My son thinks the red one will fly the best.

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Still, first things first. All of those are great info, but you don't want to suffer information "OVERLOAD"

I still gotta recommend, as a beginner, concentrate on:

1. Line Management http://kitelife.com/...ine-management/

2. Assembly & Disassembly http://kitelife.com/...nd-disassembly/

3. Basic Launch & Control http://kitelife.com/...ch-and-control/

and in particular - Line Management...........the rest will come, in it's own good time, but too much info, right up front, can be mind boggling. :dizzy:

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I have been reading a lot on the forums and I have seen quite a positive response to the Magic Sticks. Does anyone have experience with them? Would this be beneficial for myself and my son? If I didn't have to land to help him launch every time he crashed I would get a lot more flying in. We wouldn't know any performance differences due to no prior experience. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks in advance!

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I have been reading a lot on the forums and I have seen quite a positive response to the Magic Sticks. Does anyone have experience with them? Would this be beneficial for myself and my son? If I didn't have to land to help him launch every time he crashed I would get a lot more flying in. We wouldn't know any performance differences due to no prior experience. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks in advance!

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I will be flying with my Magic sticks for the first time today, I will let you know how it goes. The setup was really easy. The main reason I ordered them is I live in an area where the wind is low many days and very erratic. Wind shifts of 180 degrees , with lulls in between, are quite often. Walking back and forth to the Rev, to set it up for launch after it falls over, happens so often, I probably have walked miles doing this. The idea of setting the kite up, and it stands there until launch, and not having to stake the kite between launches, is worth the price of admission to me. The other issue, is that gusty winds are another issue I run into. The Magic Sticks spread the load more evenly on the frame, so that you can actually frame lighter, than without them, according to people that use the Magic Sticks. I'm thinking that my 3 wrap should be OK for my B series mid-vent (with the Magic Sticks), for most of the winds I encounter in my area.

http://magicquadsticks.com/Welcome.html

http://www.flyingsmileskites.com/wordpress/2013/06/22/magic-stick-for-revs/

http://www.revkites.com/forum/topic/23-quad-sticks/?p=82265

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As Paul mentioned, personal preference, for sure. :ani_victory:

So from this personal point of view, I've never used sticks, and with the exception of "one" time, on someone else's kite, I've never even flown. During that one flight, I really didn't notice any differences in handling, but if you're hung up on landing the Rev in the upright (leading edge up) position, then they do have a real advantage there. You can lean the kite back, and allow the sail to prop against the sticks, leaving the kite ready to launch, from that same position. I'm sure there is another purpose, for these sticks, other than landing and launching upright, and maybe Paul, or someone more familiar than I, will share that purpose. I'll be the first to admit, I don't know, and I surely don't want to be critical of something that I don't know anything about. However, I've got to add, with the Rev being just a bit more complicated/tedious, so far as setting up, than say a dualie, I'm all for simplifying the process, and to me, the sticks add just one more thing to put together, and to keep up with, and for that reason alone, I'd probably pass.

Now, as for flying without, I find that launching and landing the Rev, in the inverted (leading edge down) position, and staking the lines at the top of the handles, to be just as quick. After just a bit of flight time, this method will become, almost second nature to you, and you'll never give it a second though. I'll almost bet, that most people that fly a Rev, with the least bit of regularity, can land (inverted), stake the lines, and walk away, quicker than you can land in the upright (leading edge up) position, and lean it back on the sticks. Oh, and the inverted Rev, staked in the ground, will never result in an unplanned, self-launch, which can be disastrous - it'll always be there, when you come back from helping your son. (this is just my personal opinion) :cat_shy:

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As Paul mentioned, personal preference, for sure. :ani_victory:

So from this personal point of view, I've never used sticks, and with the exception of "one" time, on someone else's kite, I've never even flown. During that one flight, I really didn't notice any differences in handling, but if you're hung up on landing the Rev in the upright (leading edge up) position, then they do have a real advantage there. You can lean the kite back, and allow the sail to prop against the sticks, leaving the kite ready to launch, from that same position. I'm sure there is another purpose, for these sticks, other than landing and launching upright, and maybe Paul, or someone more familiar than I, will share that purpose. I'll be the first to admit, I don't know, and I surely don't want to be critical of something that I don't know anything about. However, I've got to add, with the Rev being just a bit more complicated/tedious, so far as setting up, than say a dualie, I'm all for simplifying the process, and to me, the sticks add just one more thing to put together, and to keep up with, and for that reason alone, I'd probably pass.

Now, as for flying without, I find that launching and landing the Rev, in the inverted (leading edge down) position, and staking the lines at the top of the handles, to be just as quick. After just a bit of flight time, this method will become, almost second nature to you, and you'll never give it a second though. I'll almost bet, that most people that fly a Rev, with the least bit of regularity, can land (inverted), stake the lines, and walk away, quicker than you can land in the upright (leading edge up) position, and lean it back on the sticks. Oh, and the inverted Rev, staked in the ground, will never result in an unplanned, self-launch, which can be disastrous - it'll always be there, when you come back from helping your son. (this is just my personal opinion) :cat_shy:

The additional time it takes to set up and tear down the Rev with the sticks is a total of about 5 seconds.( About the same time it takes to put your LE end caps on) . A big improvement in time saved over spending hours walking back and forth to the kite to set it up again, after it falls over. You don't land and lean it up on the sticks. You just land, and it rocks back on the sticks either LE up or down, which ever way you land. With it sitting on the sticks, there is no way the kite can launch itself either LE up or down, since any wind is pushing it towards the ground. The second important feature to me as I already stated, is the distribution of load on the frame. I'll get a chance to try that today, because the wind forecast is for fairly high and gusty winds. ;)

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You don't land and lean it up on the sticks. You just land, and it rocks back on the sticks either LE up or down, which ever way you land. With it sitting on the sticks, there is no way the kite can launch itself either LE up or down, since any wind is pushing it towards the ground.

Bob, I understand about the kite just leaning back onto the sticks. Maybe I wasn't clear on that. The reason I mentioned the unplanned launch, is that I noticed a lot of the people that were flying with the sticks, didn't bother to stake their kites, and they only let them lean back against the sticks. When you stake the kite in the inverted position, the wind is already forcing the kite into the ground, so no problem. If the kite is just sitting there, leaning against the sticks, it can still get blown around, with a few degrees shift, in the wind direction. I witnessed this happen, that same day.............

Maybe I'm being a bit over cautious, but just bringing up the possibility......... :ani_victory:

Hope you have a great flight today.............let us hear about the stick, a bit more. I would really like to know the real purpose of them :confused!: I really don't know !

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Know Eye Deer, but seems to me the extra frame spars make the kite stiff, like the speed & power series Revs, keeping it flatter in the glide. Also they triangulate the kite frame giving more ultimate strength in specific directions, change the rotational center with the added mass, provide a kick-stand while parked & give your kite a cool look which may be an important custom feature. Being an inland flyer I may have to make some out of some of my extra too short spars left over from some dramatic duelie flying sessions.

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Sticks "change" the float and glide, not better or worse,... just different. You are adding a structure onto the back of the sail, stiffening and connecting the two halves. Balance point changes, the kite will want to glide downwind from the top of the windowALL BY ITSELF, without handle inputs or even dropping them entirely to drag behind the kite.

I want you to do a comparison, ideally with a friend, try different wind conditions and some precision figures too, one stock, one with sticks.

Try some slack line tricks, you can probably get out of any screw-ups because the sticks will "shed a flying line tangle", roll-up the kite to land and do the dramatic unroll to launch! Only sticks make this a novice technique in either direction.

I flew the first 6 years with the stock bridle, the first 7 years without sticks, the first 14 years with stock sail construction. I hope you also develop a style and feel that's yours alone. Some folks love to fly my rig and some hate it!

Experiment and prove to yourself whether sticks are beneficial. Eliot makes and sells 'em but doesn't use himself. My nemesis Dennis smith is stick-less, Burka, Dantonio, Johnny bee, lots of respected pilots can prove you don't need this crutch! My flight role model does and until I can do what he does, as well and as easily,... The sticks STAY

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