Pick the right kite
1. Kids’ kites
Children can start flying simple single line kites from a very young age. We have had tots as young as 2 year olds starting to fly a mini kite but generally speaking 4 to 5 year olds can fly their own kite with a bit of help. A simple, stable single line kite like a soft sparless Sled, small Delta or classic Diamond is a good starting point. The cost of a Nylon kite starts from under £5 and you can get yourself a well made kite that will last for under £10.
2. Stunt or sports kites
A stunt kite is different from a single line kite in that it can be steered using two strings. This means that it requires a bit more skill and concentration on the part of the flyer and therefore is not suitable for younger children. As a rough guide 7 to 8 year olds can usually manage to fly a two line kite successfully although some adults never seem to get to grips with them! The first stunt kites were diamond in shape and had long tails- The Peter Powell was the first commercially successful one back in the 1970’s- but these days most kites are a Delta (triangular) shape or a controllable soft Parafoil. The Delta kites are faster and more manoeuvrable than a parafoil kite but be aware that the very small stunters can be quite difficult to fly as they require a lot of wind and are not very stable in flight. A slightly larger kite will have better flying characteristics and usually have a wider wind range although this can vary according to the quality of the kite. Soft parafoil kites are becoming much more popular and are now more reasonably priced. A Parafoil is a 3-D wing shape kite created with nylon fabric supported by a bridle. Small Parafoils are a little slower turning than a similar sized delta kite and they are generally happier in slightly stronger winds, but they have advantages in that there are no spars that can be lost or broken and they fold away for easy transport. A good quality beginners stunt kite will cost anything from £15 to £50 depending on size.
3. Power Kites
Power kites are designed to produce a large amount of lift and strong pull, and can be used for traction to pull land buggies, boards, snow boards and skis and boards and even boats on the water. Land traction kites are usually parafoil style kites controlled with 4 lines. They are measured on their flat area and can be anything from 1 to 12 square metres in size. The size of the kite will obviously determine how much power it generates in a given wind so lager kite = more power in less wind. The four lines used to control the kite are two main or power lines and two break lines which attach to the trailing edge of the kite. The break lines can be used to change the shape of the foil, to slow it or, when used fully on to give a “reverse gear”. Break lines are also useful as they allow these large kites to be set up and launched alone when using a ground stake.
Big power kites are obviously not suitable for small children, although kids looking to start in the sport can start off around the age of 10-12 with a smaller kite in light winds.
Kite surfing kites are different in that they are designed to re-launch from the water if crashed and most of this type of kite are a single skin which is given its shape with inflatable tubes. Kite surf kites are generally even bigger than land kites as you need more power to overcome the drag of the water, plus the design of the kites is less efficient for its size. Typically an adult would use a kite of 9 to 15 square metres on the water. As a guide, prices for land power kites will start around £80-100 but can go up to £5-600 for very large high performance models. For the water, a kite can cost from £500-1000 depending on size and sophistication.
4. Large single line display kites
If you can’t resist being the centre of attention then what better than a 35 metre long special shape kite to draw the crowds! The big single line kites are certainly spectacular in the air but can be badly behaved when the winds are strong or turbulent. They also need an experienced hand on the line when launching in light winds as they some times require a lifter kite to persuade them in the air. Big display kites are usually hand made in small numbers and that will be reflected in their price, expect to pay £500 -£1000
