Line Over Top or Bottom of Hoop?

[Twin Roses]

Embarrassed to ask, super newbie question, but here it goes.  Purchased an In The Breeze Hoop and a ball bearing winder reel.  When holding the hoop and facing the air borne kite, should the line be coming from the front (facing me)/top of the hoop or from the bottom?  I'm not sure how else I can phrase this, I hope it makes sense.  I did see a video where it appeared the line was feeding from the back/bottom and through the "keeper hole" (for lack of kite vocabulary) at the top of the reel.  Somehow, with the hoop though, it seems more natural to me to hold the hoop where the line is let out from the part facing me/top. Maybe it's a matter of taste akin to how we hang the toilet paper roll lol? Am I over thinking this?

[RobB]

No, not overthinking. Its always right to observe 'best practices'. I would have to see a picture to really make a suggestion, as I use simple winders for my single line kites, I've always looked at those fancy winders, but decided to spend my kite $$$ on a new tail or some other kind of accessory.

My best suggestion without seeing it would be to experiment, start with your gut feeling as to what's right. If you're starting from scratch & loading the line on the reel, I would say to tie it off first and then wind it up. That way you don't lose your kite if the reel spools all the way out when you're flying.

[Twin Roses]

Thanks Rob   As we entirely messed up our old lines (twisted them terribly lol in a very gone wrong manner) and became knotted, we picked up some cheap ones through Amazon.  Will be interesting to give them a try and hope for better re-windings;)  The novice approach of reaching for line and wrapping it around was not the way to go;)

[Kansas Flier]

5 hours ago, Twin Roses said:

When holding the hoop and facing the air borne kite, should the line be coming from the front (facing me)/top of the hoop or from the bottom?

I have a couple different types of winders like this. I am going to assume you are holding it with your left hand and winding with your right. Even if you wind with your left hand, i think it's about the same. I fly with the guide (one style looks like a guide from a fishing rod, the other is a roller) on the bottom. The line from the kite goes through the guide, and toward the bottom of the reel. I "reel-in" in a clockwise rotation, like a fishing reel.

Now you could have the guide on top, but then you would have to reel-in the line counter-clockwise, and that feels backwards to me. If you reeled clockwise with the line on top, the string would rub across the guide keeper that sits above the reel(It does on both styles of reels I own), and I don't think you want that.

One reason I would suggest flying with the guide on the bottom is if you are reeling in a downed kite, the string feeds in easier that way. Flying with one of those reels feels like the same motions I would use while fishing.  

If you have a plastic guide keeper, be careful that the line doesn't wrap around it. If you reel in some line, it will burn through the plastic. Same thing for metal guide keepers, except it with cut at your line.

I wouldn't suggest unwinding them all the way, unless the string is tied off to the winder, not a slip knotted loop of string around the winder(which it probably is) or the loop of string is tight enough around the winder to be wound up. (It probably isn't) If you put string on a blank winder, make sure you tie if off well. 

And lastly, I fly on grass. I wouldn't take them to the beach. I think sand would mess one up fairly fast. 

[Twin Roses]

38 minutes ago, Kansas Flier said:

I have a couple different types of winders like this. I am going to assume you are holding it with your left hand and winding with your right. Even if you wind with your left hand, i think it's about the same. I fly with the guide (one style looks like a guide from a fishing rod, the other is a roller) on the bottom. The line from the kite goes through the guide, and toward the bottom of the reel. I "reel-in" in a clockwise rotation, like a fishing reel.

Now you could have the guide on top, but then you would have to reel-in the line counter-clockwise, and that feels backwards to me. If you reeled clockwise with the line on top, the string would rub across the guide keeper that sits above the reel(It does on both styles of reels I own), and I don't think you want that.

One reason I would suggest flying with the guide on the bottom is if you are reeling in a downed kite, the string feeds in easier that way. Flying with one of those reels feels like the same motions I would use while fishing.  

If you have a plastic guide keeper, be careful that the line doesn't wrap around it. If you reel in some line, it will burn through the plastic. Same thing for metal guide keepers, except it with cut at your line.

I wouldn't suggest unwinding them all the way, unless the string is tied off to the winder, not a slip knotted loop of string around the winder(which it probably is) or the loop of string is tight enough around the winder to be wound up. (It probably isn't) If you put string on a blank winder, make sure you tie if off well. 

And lastly, I fly on grass. I wouldn't take them to the beach. I think sand would mess one up fairly fast. 

Thanks so much K.F.!  Super helpful information.  And I hadn't even considered what sand could do to the reel.  Great advice, will keep that one away from the beach.  I really appreciate all your insight, thank you   

[SparkieRob]

When I fly slk's off a hoop winder, I have the line to the kite from the top of the spool. For me it's an ergonomic thing. Kite will pull on the line causing the force to act on the hoop to "unwind". Line on top means that I have my thumb on it and control the force with my wrist. I relax my grip to feed a little line off then lock it up.

Imagine you are giving the kite a thumbs up and the thumb rests on the line directly to the kite.

Sent from a Galaxy 8 Far Far Down Under.

[Twin Roses]

2 hours ago, SparkieRob said:

When I fly slk's off a hoop winder, I have the line to the kite from the top of the spool. For me it's an ergonomic thing. Kite will pull on the line causing the force to act on the hoop to "unwind". Line on top means that I have my thumb on it and control the force with my wrist. I relax my grip to feed a little line off then lock it up.

Imagine you are giving the kite a thumbs up and the thumb rests on the line directly to the kite.

Sent from a Galaxy 8 Far Far Down Under.
 

Thanks S.R., that makes a lot of sense.  I think that is how I will feel most comfortable too with the hoop.   I'm very appreciative of your description and explanation.  Now hoping for some great weather to try it out:)