Fractured Axel

Hello all,

I would like to introduce myself and request some assitance in buying my next kite.

I am Lee and live in Nottinghamshire, I have flown kites for many years ranging from a £10 stunt kite from Shell Island (where it all started), Flexi psycho, stranger, super 10's, Gemini, traction kites with buggies, depowers, Revs. i now have no kites .

I thought I wanted to start with Revs again, but as my age tumbles on (36) I am getting more interested in trick flying (stunt, sports,framed or what ever the PC name is given now).

As I am a pretty competant kite flyer generally I am thinking about getting a good kite to start with as I know I like kite flying albeit I stink at tricks!

I have read loads of posts on this site and GWTW, where everone suggests kites, but I am not sure where anyone in the UK would buy these kites from (Widow Maker, R-sky etc etc) obviously I am aware of Mr Benson and normally I would have bought one from the Highwaymen, but I think the shop is closed down.

So what would everyone recommend for my first proper sport kite to fly in 5-20 capable of all tricks and ideally just making shapes , I would like to buy a kite ideally which has an UL sister / brother to accompany it in the future. Also where would you / do you all buy your kites from?

Lee

Lee, welcome to the forum!

What would help is if you could give an indication of what you're willing to pay for the kite. Not aware that the Highwaymen is closed down, and Benson kites are normally bought directly from Tim. As you mention a kite which has an UL version, two Benson kites come to mind: Deep Space and SuperFly. But they may not be what you had in mind budget-wise, so give us a rough idea of what you want to pay.

Oh yeah, sorry that might help!

I initally started - as all my searches for the next purchase do: quite sensibly - £100 Prism /HQ all in.

Then you get on a forum, do some research and end up wanting a full set of custom Fury's from Carl / Superflys from Tim!

However I have pulled my expenditure back in and would like a kite, lines and straps sub £200 ideally.

Bearing in mind a need a kite which will help with tricks not hinder as I said before I STINK! So perhaps something like a Superfly may be a bit too Pro for me at the moment, I would not want my new found enthusiasm to be beaten out of me by buying the wrong first kite.

Hi there and welcome to the forum!

It sounds like you're looking for something decent and the first suggetion I would make would be a Benson Deepspace ( or possibly Superfly). The DS will do any trick you like, it's top quality and tough ( the Superfly is a bit more radical but most owners love them!). Slightly over your £200 but well worth the extra as you won't outgrown it's capabilities unlike a cheaper kite. A decent set of lines is about £20 but again worth the investment.

Stuff like R-Sky isn't sold direct in the UK as far as I know but you can buy from Europe easily enough - somewhere like bilboquets though there is an R-Sky Next in the sales section of this site at the moment. You can also get Level One kites from Kites Ireland

A lot of the stuff you read about on GWTW you can only get from America - easy enough to order, but import duties make them very expensive - what they pay in Dollars you will pay in Pounds by the time it arrives.

The Highwaymen are still in business as I bought some stuff from them a couple of weeks ago.

Hey Steve

The Deep space was one of my first choices, but @ £210 + £30 for lines and straps + £10 postage, it may be stretching too far.

I have edited my post above as I think that this may be a step too far with the bank manager (err in doors).

Fair enough, I can appreciate it's a big investment. If you look in the sales section there is a R-sky Next and a Flying Wings Silver Fox 2.3 - both good kites at a good price and would keep you going for a long time. If you want to buy new then look at HQ Maestro 2 which is pretty good for the price and good for learning tricks also look at the Spiderkites Zodarion - not one you hear much about but I have one ( in fact I have both) and it's also a good kite for the price and very tricky - both are around £100. You get a lot of good kites in the sales section so keep an eye out there!

I am selling the Next and the Silver fox. I like them both very much but (as other member of this forum will testify) I have too many kites and need to get rid of a few. They are both really nice to fly and have good solid frames and I am happy to answer any questions that you have

Why not get some lines and straps from the FA shop? They are half price at the moment. then you'll be sorted all in for about £100 !

Thanks HS, I was after a new / undamaged. They do look like good kites though, good luck with your sale.

Thanks for the pointer to straps and line though, that will save a few bob.

ljs1977 wrote:

Thanks HS, I was after a new / undamaged. They do look like good kites though, good luck with your sale.

Thanks for the pointer to straps and line though, that will save a few bob.

For the record the silver fox is in nearly new condition and if it doesn't sell I am reframing it as an UL. Brilliant kite

If you want new go for a Superfly, however if I was in your shoes I'd go for the 2nd hand Silver Fox, your new kite won't look new for very long!

Yeah, what ^they^ said.

Grab that SilverFox and let it suffer your learning curve. When you're half decent invest in a Benson - SuperFly or DS.

Linesets/straps are a bargain from the FA store at the moment - get a couple of different lengths.

-Frazer

Thanks so far chaps.

HS seems like a top chap, we have been chatting on PM.

This kite looks like a bargain, but its not for me.

Any more suggestions? whilst not trying to offend / swear! would a Prism E3 / Zephyr be a good purchase or are they rubbish?

New,decent quality sub £200 kites that you can fly in (roughly) 5-20mph that are trickable, ready to fly and available in the UK is going to limit your choices.

up to £100

HQ Maestro 2
HQ Jive 2
Spiderkites Zodarion
Prism Quantum (?) ( a bit heavy and not that trickable)

£100 upward

Prism Hypnotist (£116) (better than the Quantum)
Prism E3 (£140)
Prism Zephyr (£160)

HQ Crackerjack (£140 - no lines)
HQ Infinity (£140 - no lines)

I think thats most of them

Neither the E3 or the Zephyr aren't bad kites but import duties make them quite expensive for what they are. If you're going to spend £140/£160 on a Prism then you may as well spend the extra £50 or so and get a Benson.

Just replied to you on GWTW before seeing this - I'm on the Derby side of Nottingham. Do you want to meet up and I'll let you try a Deep Space, its worth the extra.