jburka

3 more hours of work before I start heading to the airport. Kind of excruciating! Really hoping my scale is correct when it claims my bags are at 49 pounds each... See y'all tomorrow.

More input with your feet or more input with your hands?
(or both)

I'd say neither -- for me, it's all about the arms. Much like the way iQuad style of flying, it's all about maintaining sail loading; as long as the sail is loaded, you'll have instant forward available when you need it, and you can get that just by rowing your arms.

How much you move your feet is dictated just by what you want to do. If I want to stand in one spot, it's possible to keep things going just by doing an up and over and then allowing the kite to float back around the circle to the "downwind" spot where I initiated the up and over.

It also wanted to keep up to momentum in order to fly, didn't feel like it liked to do slow floaty stuff at all.

This is where the 17" handles are useful. the II can get basically flat to the ground and do a beautiful float if you have the handle throw to let it.

To keep things light (even lighter than the Rev snag-free 17" handles), I use a set of old 11" handles in which the below-the-bend section has been doubled in length by inserting a piece of Easton AC .330 (aluminum tube wrapped in carbon). Very light, very strong. You just need to learn not to smack yourself too often in the thigh with the extra length!

If anyone following this thread will be there, I'll have my IIs with me in Berck starting next week...

The bulk of my low wind flying (indoor and calm outdoor) is currently done with a bridleless race-framed B2 on 10 to 25 foot lines.While the kite flies beautifully indoors (thought it definitely takes more input and finesse than an Indoor), it's more than strong enough to handle winds up to 10+, so I never worry about fragility issues.

 

All of that said, I have flown my Indoor outside...but I couldn't guess at a safe wind range (it'll depend somewhat on your flying skills anyway). The line length you choose will depend on how you want to work with the kite and whether or not there's actually any wind.  Shorter lines test your reflexes, but the kite will feel more responsive. Longer lines can allow for more grace, particularly downwind, but will require a lot more work/skill if you're working at the back of the window.

 

B2 indoor:

 

 

Same kite, outside:

 

 

 

 

Hooray!  I'm finally going to make it to WSIKF!

 

I can't make the whole week, but I'll be arriving in Long Beach sometime on Wednesday and staying through most of Saturday...need to fly home on Sunday morning! Hopefully that'll be enough for the mega fly.

They do fly sweet!!

And they don't suck to look at either!

I just saw the set at the kiteshoppe. $110 That seems to me a bit overpriced. Are they really worth it?

That's roughly the same price as a full 1.5 Race set...