Mid vented wind range

[Wayne Dowler]

Like I said - it's a guess! It's all about how my kite feels in my hands on that day! Even my mood affects my kite! But like I said - I'm also one to switch to something vented as soon as I think the wind will still keep it full and driving! I am not bound by product info, wind ranges, etc, - just how my kite feels, in my hands, on any given day!!

I guess the overlap explains why a mid is usually thought of as a "luxury", not a necessity. Swapping out frames will usually overlap the std and f/v - why it is the recommended first stage in a quadhead's purchase order. You can usually get enough overlap to make those 2 sails work by frame swaps. If you are a team flier and do demos and stuff, then having the full set makes more sense, or your budget allows. Each kite has a sweet spot in the wind range, a place where it is the best, By frame swaps, you CAN get enough overlap to fly, just not as well. Maybe that f/v is a tad underpowered? Maybe that std is a bit overpowered? It's all about compromise!!!

[makatakam]

I started with a standard sail SLE, then soon added a full vent Phantom. Those were the only two real Rev 1.5's I owned for the first five years. If the wind was anywhere around 10mph or more I flew the f/v because it is so much smoother. When those are your only options, you learn quickly how to deal with it, and how to deal with it quite well. It's a matter of personal preference for me because I don't want the kite to pull hard, but when flying alone I usually fly with max brake. When you have to make do with what you have, you get better at it. You must push the edge to reap the benefits in anything you do. If the wind is too choppy or inconsistent at 10mph I'll pull out the m/v now that I have a full set. If the wind is really good (seldom happens) I'll pull out the f/v.