lift me, float me....

[squidrunmegzy28]

have read alot of talk regarding the amount of lift on the blade 4.9 very curious to know what the float is like?? ive not flown many different kites, but am having ample fun on a 7.3 frenzy... looking at getting something smalller, and was curious to know the best floaters around, or if chasing the float, should i be looking at bigger kites???

regards,

squidrun

[nigel]

A 4.9 Blade will have much the same performance as your 7.3 Frenzy.

Fixed bridled kites have a higher performance for their size against de-power kites.

If your after float, something the size of your Frenzy, or bigger (fixed bridle).

Float is all about coming down slowly, a big kite does this.

Float is good, but if your jumping, then you'll need pop!

A big kite is slow to turn and slow to gain the required pop that you need for big jumps.

The trick comes in getting the right combination of float and pop.

Too small a kite, lots of pop, no float (you'll go high quickly, and land hard).

Too big, no pop, but lots of float (not much height, but you'll be up for ages).

The new 6.5 Blade creams the 4.9 for float, and is small enough to give good pop.

Try the Haka's from Ozone for another jumping kite.

They seem to have more float, but must be used powered up (read well or over powered).

As for what size kite to get, it comes down to how hard your willing to hit the ground.

For you to be jumping a 2m kite, you have to be well powered up, you will be acceleratored to wind speed (or quicker) when you jump.

Did you want to hit the ground at this speed, or slower (a bigger kite)?

The smaller kites also get out of hand quicker too, they don't have much forgivness if you get it wrong.

The 4m Blade might be what your looking for if you want smaller than your Frenzy.

[BillyMac]

Hey Nigel, very informative piece of information!

Squidrun, great question to flush out that answer, you got to be happy with that answer!

I have yet to grab me self some air and not yet trying, I didn't realize it was such a fine combination to get POP and FLOAT.

I suppose one kite with all this going for it still needs the correct wind conditions to activate it's best performance.

[Steve]

Yep excellent advice there from Nigel, pay attention to what he said about how hard are you willing to hit the ground, and just plain avoid jumping with small kites, it always quickly ends in someone getting mashed.

Land jumping is extremely dangerous, I guess thats why we are talking about it! :-)

I did lots of it, now I never do it, I just jump on water now, and I can go as big as I dare without the consequence of hitting the ground hard.

Its the gusts that get you!!!

If you want to jump on land do it with bigger kites, in places where you get, and on days of, good smooth wind.

Beaches with onshore wind, and not on the wet hard sand, I can vouch thats like concrete when you fall on it from 6/7M up!!!