11 replies to this topic

[CobraGeek]

I've been reading through many posts on this forum and have decided that my first (and maybe only, due to finances) Rev will be a 1.5B. The extra spars and setup provides the best all around use.

However, I can't quite decide between the standard or mid-vent. I know that most here recommend getting the standard and the full vent, but as I mentioned, I can barely afford one, so getting 2 is out of the question. The next is that I should base the choice on the wind where I fly. Typically I fly on the north Oregon coast and sometimes in the portland area. Not huge wind, but I believe 10-15mph is fairly common on the Oregon coast which can be handled by the std version but gets into its "twitchy" area. But there are also quite a few summer days with 2-4mph winds where the std would probably be better. I've read that the mid vent would solve the twitchy problem on the 10-15 days, but will it work OK on the 2-4mph days?

Thoughts? Recommendations from the northwest experts? What would you bring if you can only bring one?

Thanks!
-Bret

[Simon]

I've been reading through many posts on this forum and have decided that my first (and maybe only, due to finances) Rev will be a 1.5B. The extra spars and setup provides the best all around use.

However, I can't quite decide between the standard or mid-vent. I know that most here recommend getting the standard and the full vent, but as I mentioned, I can barely afford one, so getting 2 is out of the question. The next is that I should base the choice on the wind where I fly. Typically I fly on the north Oregon coast and sometimes in the portland area. Not huge wind, but I believe 10-15mph is fairly common on the Oregon coast which can be handled by the std version but gets into its "twitchy" area. But there are also quite a few summer days with 2-4mph winds where the std would probably be better. I've read that the mid vent would solve the twitchy problem on the 10-15 days, but will it work OK on the 2-4mph days?

Thoughts? Recommendations from the northwest experts? What would you bring if you can only bring one?

Thanks!
-Bret

Hi,

Is the wind smooth where you fly? The mid vent is very suitable for inland flying (bumpy wind conditions)

Have you flown a Rev before? The mid Vent will reward you once you have more experience

The B series will work better low down the scale compare to the upper end of the scale, so if the winds tend to be lighter go with the full sail.

Can you fly before you buy? That always the best option if you can.

[LS Kite Stakes]

Welcome to the forum Bret!

If you are able, come to the Washington State International Kite Festival (WSIKF) in Long Beach WA. Here is the thread for more info: LINKY There are going to be 40+ Rev fliers there, Team iQuad, Team Islandquad, several fliers from the east coast, and many locals, myself included. It happens all next week and the following weekend, August 17-23rd. I and just about all the other fliers would be more than happy to let you have a go at it. Ben D and Lolly from Revolution will be there as well and can also provide flying instruction. Please come join us!

[kairusan]

Sounds to me like you should get a standard. You're simply not going to be able to fly the midvent in 2-4mph until you have a lot of experience, and even then, <4mph is still difficult to fly a standard in, let alone anything with vents on it (unless you have perfectly smooth, consistent beach wind). Standards also work quite well in 10-15mph winds; they only get unwieldy when the winds get over 15 consistently and become quite scary in 20+ gusts (lots and lots of frame distortion, sail starts wrapping around the vertical spars, etc.).

[Baloo]

Another thought, it may well have changed however when I bought my mid vents they only came with on frame set.

You are probably better, value wise to go for a full sail with the 2 frame sets.

If you go for a mid, seriously think about getting a race set as far as rods are concerned. Most shops will swap them out. The race might be a bit more expensive, but you are sort of getting the best of 2 frame sets in one go.

Please dont think the Race rods are only fore experinced fliers.

Then what you need to do is get a lot of practice in on other folkses kitse (you dont want to crash your new one now do you?) then when you have the hang of it fly your own one. (tee hee)

[RevWizard]

I've been reading through many posts on this forum and have decided that my first (and maybe only, due to finances) Rev will be a 1.5B. The extra spars and setup provides the best all around use.

However, I can't quite decide between the standard or mid-vent. I know that most here recommend getting the standard and the full vent, but as I mentioned, I can barely afford one, so getting 2 is out of the question. The next is that I should base the choice on the wind where I fly. Typically I fly on the north Oregon coast and sometimes in the portland area. Not huge wind, but I believe 10-15mph is fairly common on the Oregon coast which can be handled by the std version but gets into its "twitchy" area. But there are also quite a few summer days with 2-4mph winds where the std would probably be better. I've read that the mid vent would solve the twitchy problem on the 10-15 days, but will it work OK on the 2-4mph days?

Thoughts? Recommendations from the northwest experts? What would you bring if you can only bring one?

Thanks!
-Bret

I might suggest that you chat with John B. He lives in the area thus could give the best advise.

[Kitelife]

Aye, we've been touch... We'll make sure Bret gets some good hands-on experience at WSIKF.

[CobraGeek]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

I have not flown a rev previously, but I have a "new tech" quad-line kite that has the same basic control setup, but much more... sloppy.

Kairusan - The standard very well might be the right option for me, especially as a "mostly beginner with Revs. I've just read so many posts about how everyone here loves the vented kites so it made me start wondering if I'd be better off with a mid-vent.

I have chatted with John a bit in email and I will try to make it up for the last Saturday or Sunday of the Kite Festival. That would be the best. Then I can try before I buy (and maybe someone will have some good deals while I'm up there :-)).

Thank you all very much for the advice. You're a very helpful crowd.
-Bret (hopefully soon to be a Rev flier )

[Stone in Shoe Bob]

Right Bret you have had a lot of advice and offers of help from people with way more knowledge and experience than me but here are the thoughts of someone who still remembers what life was like at the bottom of the learning curve.

If you haven’t flown a Rev before you are off better going for something a little over powered rather than under powered to learn on. A lot of Rev flying is about reacting to the feedback you get from the kite and with an underpowered kite any feedback you get through the handles will be very subtle.

Another thing I recon you ought to consider, especially if you expect to only ever buy one (more of that later ) I recon there’s nothing more frustrating than a vented kite and just not quite enough wind to fly and you know if you had a full sail you would be in the air.

At the other end of the scale, it’s blowing a bit, to fly or not to fly, is not so much about what is possible as about what is comfortable or enjoyable and to be honest at that end, the difference between full sail and mid vent is minimal. These Revs are tough old birds, (especially with a double stuffed leading edge), and in my experience you will be more likely to pack up because it’s becoming hard work than because the kite can’t cope.

I wouldn’t even recommend a mid vent for a second Rev, from the std I would look at full vent there is still quite an overlap in the wind ranges of both kites. The mid vent is more of a connoisseur’s Rev, it is made for people with more money than sense, (okay, yes, I admit it that’s me) it won’t give you anything that either the standard or full vent will, but what it does give you it gives you in leather upholstered comfort.

Just one Rev? I don’t think so, either you will take this up as a serious hobby and add to your collection as and when you can afford to, or you will give up, the only people that stop at one Rev are people who stop flying Revs.

Good Luck and Happy Flying with whatever choices you make.

Welcome to the Darkside.

[kairusan]

I've just read so many posts about how everyone here loves the vented kites so it made me start wondering if I'd be better off with a mid-vent.

Disclosure: I do not have a mid-vent and have never flown one. I only have a standard (two, actually—no, it doesn't make sense but that's what Revs do to you), and a vented. When I first got my vented I LOVED it because it helped me do things I just couldn't do yet on my standard, like inverted hovers and all those other tough moves, and it was just so much easier to fly precisely. But after gaining more experience flying Revs, I tend not to take my vented out of my bag unless the wind is really blowing hard, or there are lots of strong gusts. I find that I prefer the much snappier control of the standard and its ability to do certain moves the vented cannot do well unless the wind is really up there, like ascending side slides for one.

I do realize I've just described exactly why people love mid-vents, of course—the smoothness of a vented plus the snappiness of a standard. But I still stand by my earlier recommendation. When I first got my vented I wanted to fly that—and only that—like ALL the time because it was just so much easier. I remember being so frustrated with how often I had to keep getting out the standard sail because the vented was just becoming a pain to fly, being very sluggish, trying fall out of the sky during lulls in the wind..... and this was on days when my wind meter consistently showed 8+mph and I had race rods in the thing and properly adjusted handles and all that (ergo, going by posts in this forum, I should have had my vented up). And of course, in lower winds, that vented just won't fly at all. (And of course, once I got it, I had <5mph alllll the time for months........)

Conversely, I remember the times before I had the vented when I'd have the standard out in these huge winds and thought the thing was going to fold in half during a giant gust or two..... but I was always able to compensate rather easily, by just flying nearer to the edges of the window, or letting off the brake lines temporarily when the sail pressure got too insane. Still compensating for less than ideal winds just like with a vented in low winds, but way less annoying. There's just nothing quite as annoying as a kite that doesn't really have enough wind to fly.

Bottom line: winds get high with a standard, you can still fly. Winds get low with a vented (or mid-vent), you can't, really.

But don't worry, like everyone else here, once you start flying Revs you'll have like 12 of the things before long.

[CobraGeek]

Bob, Kairusan, you both bring up excellent points about wind level. The full sail will fly easier in light wind and still fly in higher wind, even if less optimal, and at the highest winds where the std would have issues, I'm not likely to fly anything. I agree that it is very frustrating to have a little wind and not be able to fly anything. I can also see how it would be much easier for a beginner on the std.

I will very likely go with a std 1.5B after this input here, but first I'm going to see if I can make it to the Washington kite festival and try out a few versions :-). Now I just have to convince the family that it's a good way to spend a Saturday.

thanks for all the excellent input.
-Bret

[airin]

I will very likely go with a std 1.5B after this input here, but first I'm going to see if I can make it to the Washington kite festival and try out a few versions :-). Now I just have to convince the family that it's a good way to spend a Saturday.

thanks for all the excellent input.
-Bret

My friend, it is not only a good way to spend a Saturday, it is the BEST way to spend a Saturday - try to take the family with you!


And just a word about the two kites you are thinking about. I am a beginner Rev flyer and I have both a standard and a vented. As everyone one says here, if you only had one Rev the standard B series would be the one to have. The vented is a delight when the winds get strong and you have the luxury of another Rev in the bag. But as mentioned already, it is surprising what the standard can handle especially given the various rods it comes with and the bonus is that this kite can be flown very neatly in quite low winds. The Rev 1.5 B seems to be a a lot of bang for your buck and a very impressive all round kite.