koma Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 I'm hoping someone can recommend a foil kite that i can use as a trainer to let my friends and family loose on. Given the number of kite helpers (read as kite catchers) i've been recruiting alot of them are wanting to give it a go, and i don't want to give lessons on any full sized inflato so i'm in the need for something that still has a bit of grunt that can be my dedicated bash'em crash'em trainer. I've no problem giving mini-lessons on things like kite setup and basic flying skills but beyond that i'd rather leave it to the IKO'eggsperts. I started out on the Kitepower website and saw the Ozone Imp trainer which looks relatively solid; also the Flexifoil Buzz which is a bit cheaper, but i'm wondering what else is out there in the ~2-3m foil range that is cheap enough i'm not going to wince every time it hits the ground. The Pansh Legend 2m/3m are quite affordable (~$95/$110 delivered) but are they any good as a trainer? Also, whats the go with converting it over to a bar setup? Just a matter of getting handy with a broom handle and cutting a ~55cm bar then wrapping it in tennis tape or is it really worth attempting to get an old kitesurfing bar? I'd think that having a trainer on a bar would be far better than just handles as it's one step closer to strapping in to a full sized inflato. If anyone has a trainer kite they'd like to let go for a reasonable price feel free to PM me. Cheers. Quote
JKS Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 Koma, I start my victim ... oops, Friends off on a $20 E-bay trainer ... its a 2 liner. Almost zero pull but it gets them understanding the basics of the window, launching, re-launching etc without any fear of being pulled or hurting a bystander ... (kite in the face @ full speed in 15k doesn't hurt / just makes kids laugh) [ATTACH]1743[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]1744[/ATTACH] Great cheap solution to the first 1/2 hour when your expensive trainer spends most of it's time hitting the ground. Then I get them on a 1.8 Beamer ... depending on the skill they are showing and the wind speed I will either set them up on a 2 line bar or 4 lines and handles. The Beamer is a good solid kite, the lines are nice and light so even in a bees fart of wind you can still get a fly. But as the wind speeds up so does the power ... makes them smile and think at the same time. Happy Days Quote
koma Posted February 11, 2008 Author Report Posted February 11, 2008 Well my victims (teehee) have a little bit of kite experience so i'm going to skip the eBay-20-buck-foil and put them straight on a proper trainer kite. I think after talking to a fresh learner with a trainer kite that i'll be going for a 2m trainer, no bigger. I guess i was just wanting a kite that i could fly and have some fun with as well... but if the winds blowing anything but a hurricane i guess i'll be out on the water anyway! Me thinks i'm just going for a cheapy and will order one of the Pansh Legends. I'll give it a bit of a write up when it arrives from the perspective of a newbie (the victim having the lesson) and from my perspective as well. Quote
Oooo Posted February 12, 2008 Report Posted February 12, 2008 hey komo, 2 or 4 line kite if they want to surf maye a 4 line or just fun a 2 line p/l vibe 1.9 cost round $120 from brizkites ,i got a 1.6 vibe lotsa fun in high wind:D,hope this helps Quote
Luke Posted February 12, 2008 Report Posted February 12, 2008 I have a 10 meter manta for sale, thats something you could grow into, good clean family entertainment there I can assure you Quote
koma Posted February 12, 2008 Author Report Posted February 12, 2008 I have a 10 meter manta for sale, thats something you could grow into, good clean family entertainment there I can assure you Teehee. Biggest foil i've flown was a 6m fixed bridle and in light wind that thing flew like a tanker! I'm sure the Manta would be a great kite to 'grow in to' but i'd like to keep my friends and family grounded until they've got some skills. FWIW i ordered a 2m Pansh Legend last night in hot pink (gf's request) so keep an eye out for it down at Altona's Apex park in the not too distant future. Quote
JKS Posted February 12, 2008 Report Posted February 12, 2008 Koma .. who is selling the Panch's in Aus ? Quote
Andyfly Posted February 12, 2008 Report Posted February 12, 2008 FWIW i ordered a 2m Pansh Legend last night in hot pink (gf's request) so keep an eye out for it down at Altona's Apex park in the not too distant future. I have a 2mt legend for friends and family and have found it very usefull. Easy to fly and stable. My 12 yo daughter flys it the most and loves it in light to medium winds. And I love it in big winds. A neighbour smashed it into the ground nose first 10-15 times which eventually split the seam on one cell (easy tape fix). And no worries if it does get wrecked for the price paid. cheers Andy Quote
koma Posted February 12, 2008 Author Report Posted February 12, 2008 Koma .. who is selling the Panch's in Aus ? No one sells Pansh locally that i know of. I ordered directly from Pansh in China via the panshkites.com website. Easy enough to follow and just a paypal/CC payment at the end of the process. $104 delivered to my door for a 2m trainer kite sounds like a pretty sweet deal especially if it comes in hot pink! Quote
JKS Posted February 12, 2008 Report Posted February 12, 2008 Cheers Koma, I have seen the Panch site .... I just thought you had bought one here Quote
koma Posted February 12, 2008 Author Report Posted February 12, 2008 Cheers Koma, I have seen the Panch site .... I just thought you had bought one here Yeah, i was hoping to get something locally as well... but in the end seeing the price delivered to my door was the deciding factor. Also, the average delivery time reported by the people over on Racekites.com is ~3 days from order to delivered. If i get it by this Friday i'll be stoked, but am expecting it early next week. Quote
JKS Posted February 12, 2008 Report Posted February 12, 2008 I have a Panch Blaze 7m .... its like an old F150 .... you either accept the way it drives and love it or just hate it. Im keen to see how your Ledgend goes as I am up for some foils @ the moment and the minister of finance has been pretty tough!! Reading the Panch feedback racekites.com and flexifoil.com I think they are good budget kites. The only thing I hear with consistency is the lines are pigs. Happy Days Quote
koma Posted February 12, 2008 Author Report Posted February 12, 2008 Yeah, thats what i had gathered from my reading as well. As long as you check the line lengths when you first get it out of the bag, possibly prestretching them before your first flight, and maybe doing the brake line mod that was mentioned on racekites.com, they're meant to be a fantastic bang for buck kite. *Sits patiently tapping fingers on desk* I was more patient than this waiting for my Naish Alliance to arrive! Quote
JKS Posted February 12, 2008 Report Posted February 12, 2008 LOL .... your back to the "3 more sleeps deal" Quote
.Joel Posted February 12, 2008 Report Posted February 12, 2008 Hi Koma, I have a Peter Lynn Impulse here on demo from the guys at PL. Still haven't sent it back as i've used it to teach people and used it to demo to people. Overall it is a fantastic setup for a two line cheap trainer kite, and the thing flies damn nicely! After flying a small handful of the trainers the Impulse was by far the smoothest trainer I flew and actually felt like a much more expensive kite. Gallery Photos: Peter Lynn Impulse Trainer Kite The Ozone Imp Trainer 3 Line version is also outstanding! The build of the kites is better then the PL, consequently a little more in price. However if it is a kite that you think is going to be consistently bashed into the ground then the price is justified as it will last longer. Regards, .Joel Quote
squidrunmegzy28 Posted February 13, 2008 Report Posted February 13, 2008 have just taken delivery of an ozone IMP3,($100 off ebay) for my now keen girlfriend...took it out for a test drive and must say that i was impressed...it does come with the bar setup,(2 lines) and a leash... after flying it for a few minutes on the bar, i decided to land the kite and fit some padded flying straps that i use on my larger deltas... i must say that i enjoyed it more on the straps than the bar, as it allows for faster, tighter turns.. the bar will have its place, but i will encouraging Deb to fly on handles first... build quality appears to be great, and i can see this is going to be hours of fun for anyone who wants to join in! For $100, i couldnt ask for anything more!!! Quote
Luke Posted February 13, 2008 Report Posted February 13, 2008 Awesome SRM28. Great news bro.Hope the GF gets right into the kiting. Quote
squidrunmegzy28 Posted February 13, 2008 Report Posted February 13, 2008 cheers rocket....once we get her sorted, im sure she is gonna wanna go halvies in a buggy!! the plan is falling into place!! still trying to get rid of that manta? would love to take it off your hands, but i think im a fair ways off the league... squid Quote
kiter_grrl Posted February 19, 2008 Report Posted February 19, 2008 squidrunmegsy28 cheers rocket....once we get her sorted, im sure she is gonna wanna go halvies in a buggy!! the plan is falling into place!! ROTFL! Quote
squidrunmegzy28 Posted February 20, 2008 Report Posted February 20, 2008 i hope that was "Rolling On The Floor Laughing!" and not "ROT F*&^*$# Liar!", just kidding... i know we are gonna have to speak more about this... but do you wanna go halvies in buggy, babe?!?! Quote
kiter_grrl Posted February 20, 2008 Report Posted February 20, 2008 yes hun, that was "rolling on the floor laughing"........and only cos i was already one step ahead of ya! but lets just get that other kite sorted first so u can stop running off down the beach with mine!!!! Quote
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