BigDavey

Erk... Sorry Scott - I'd forgot the fieldcard... I have one here and I'll post it out to you, just to complete the set And yeah - the wingtip tensioners on the 'Lix are mustard to get in - even more tension than on the Gemini.

Yah - I know... Gutting when an E2 goes for 80+ and the Elixir goes for the cost of a couple of linesets... 'Tis the fickle nature of ebay (and my bad for no reserve) Scott - you'd better enjoy it - or else

Bloody good deal that... I'd be inclined to say so - it was me selling it. Next time I make sure I'll put reserves on these things As mentioned the tear is only a cm or so and has been double-patched (front and back of the mylar) with flexifoil sail repair tape... It's nigh on invisible at anything beyond 6 inches or so... let alone the end of the lines. Line lengths - I'd say about 20m would be spot on, probably about 70kg weight would be more than enough.

I had pruned the links from previous rounds off the site - On the most part the links weren't valid anymore. There are a few of the videos still available here though: http://virtualfreestyle.khite.org Thanks to Ed Green (Khite) for his support in hosting the clips.

As Steve mentioned I'd sorta pruned a few links off the site - a lot of the videos were removed from their original hosts just after each round. There are still a few here though: http://virtualfreestyle.khite.org Thanks to Ed Green for his support over the past few rounds.

As long as it's your own and meets the rest of the criteria then work away Looking forward to getting all the entries in.

http://www.virtualfreestyle.net Plenty of time yet - Submissions are due by 11th July 2005.

Vive la difference

Different kites altogether - so to speak. Nirvana is a precise, strong pulling delta. Well capable of all the modern technical tricks but does require an assertive approach to flying it. THe kite needs to be 'dominated' (for want of a better word) into tricking - Not that tricks are difficult on it - just require a very 'definite' input. Think flying from the shoulders, rather than from the wrists. Gemini is a much more playful kite - Nowhere near as precise as the N, but then it's not meant to be. Easier to trick in general than the Nirvana, but with a slightly different trick repertoire - for instance the N is much more capable on it's back with turtle based tricks compared to the Gemini, but I've always found the Gemini easier to learn and refine tricks on. Both are excellent kites - Among the top of their respective fields, but as I said - they are different to one another. I've recently sold my Nirvana, but I'd be reasonably sure to have another in the bag eventually. As with Desciple - complete Gemini series in the bag is always worth having

Never mind who it's tagged as - Just sign up already!

Different ball-game altogether. The Fury does have some pull, in comparison to other dual-line deltas of that type - i.e. Competition / Precision / Trick kites. It's not a power-delta or a power-kite however. That said - It'll be a bit harder to axel the stacker than it would be to axel the Fury

Just cause your a Francophile... Ros Bif!

Depends on the kite... In general you'll lose some stability with the kite in the turtle/backflip position and moves like lazy susans etc. can be made more difficult - Especially with a stright tip-spine-tip trick line. It does give a bit of additional leverage for flic-flacs which can make it easier to pull the kite from the pancake into a fade again. I'd found that if I allowed a kite with no trick line to over-rotate in the pancake and show more of the kite's back then flac-ing the kite back into a fade became a bit more difficult. A number of kites use an incut M-shaped line - to allow the flying lines to sit deeper into the sail whilst still giving the advantage of easier unwrapping of tipwraps etc. that a trickline often gives. Yet again there's a V-shaped line that goes from the lower LE fittings to the spine. As has been said - if there's one there, keep it there. A number of kites use the trick line as an integral part of the frame - e.g. Stranger / Psycho / Gemini's - It's tensioned slightly pulling the wingtips in a few mm. HTH

You'll find the smaller SULs like the Babytana are very squirrely and need really fine movements so as not to 'over-control' them in the air. Larger indoor/zero wind kites like the Innerspace and Amazing etc. would tend to float better in the air by comparison, as well as being much smoother in flight, and less sensitive than the smaller variety. There are a lot of mid-size SULs the like of the 00 from l'Atelier and the Sweety from Wolfgang Siebert. Capable kites, slightly smaller than the full-size IS and Amazing, but somewhat cheaper - The Sweety for instance will set you back in and around 60 quid new. Less than twice the price of the Babytana, and (no disrespect to the 'tana) probably mroe than twice the capability. Hope this helps.

Get in touch with the IKO and BBC (not the telly one) regards instructors courses etc. See where they can lead you. Wouldn't have a clue anywhere beyond that I'm afraid.

What style of kiting are you referring to - Just want to check so I can reply with a bit more relevance.

It's some sort of arrow nock used at the end, although I couldn't tell exactly what type... You may well be able to get some generic end nocks for the P100 frame easily enough though.

I'd suggest going for the Gemini especially with the new bridle, it's a very capable kite and well behaved to boot. I've had a few Benson's and really love the feel of the kites - I wouldn't mind to flesh the bag out a bit with a BoT myself at some point... ...and mebbe a Matchbox, an Innerspace, an Outerspace (again)...

CJ M8y! - Where are you flying at these days? Haven't seen u fly since Missile that time (although did bump into you at Redburn...)

That keeps the Addiction in the picture then - It's solid carbon frame is apparently very resilient... Hard to go wrong with change from 50 quid! Might have to get one myself - for the kids of course

Good call - Any chance from a sticky thread, admins?

25m lines are fine - I tend to range from 15m to 35m for outdoor flying. Depends on how close I want to be to the kite and what style of flying I want to get into at the time. It's worthwhile getting a handful of spare spars of the shapes and sizes your kites are framed in. It'll save any long downtime and with a bit of confidence you can do a field repair to get you flying again in the same session.

Take things nice & easy - Buying a trick kite doesn't automatically get you tricking - even one as capable as the Gemini. From the reviews I've seen of it, the Pulsar *is* supposed to be quite trickable. It's the usual Flexifoil fare though - in that it's a strong pulling kite, which can be a lot for a young one to deal with. Keep flying in the lower end of it's range which will minimise the risk of breakage when it eventually comes hurtling downwards. Try to get your hands on one of the tutorial DVDs or videos about - Dodd's Flightschool is excellent. Best taking your time and go through things in stages - It's difficult and often really frustrating- but when you do nail that trick it's *very* rewarding - Welcome to trick flying

Another option is give Chalikes a ring http://www.kiteworks.co.uk - His big bag holds a load of kites - is well made and won't break the bank either. It's also endorsed by Davey HTH

Heh CJ - I'm going the other direction: less wind is more... Gemini UL will be on the way shortly. As for the huge kite - Call it a trick kite if it axels - Any duvet can drag you around a field