A little less conversation, a little more action

[rubyred]

Website http://www.robertoriccidesigns.com/hypertype/

states it's a 4-line, 7 strut kite

[Live2KITE]

Yeap - it's a 4-line kite.

Ray - come over to check it out on Thursday when they arrive.
We will also have the ATOM from Flexifoil for testing this weekend.
It will be a blast! Too bad I can only watch... :-(

[BrokenDC10]

Vangelis,

I want to see these puppies when they arrive. Give me a buzz when it happens.........Thursday you say?

- Mark

[Live2KITE]

Thu afternoon in MV and across the bay over the weekend.

[bounceback]

"I couldn't help noticing though that the pre-production HT was not a beginner kite. This is not your regular bow people - this is a high performance kite!"

I'm sure that this is true, and I'm glad Evan is making the statement, since many of the RRD kites seem to be so fast moving that they potentially would slow the learning curve for anyone except an expert kiter. When you get spanked on an RRD kite, it hurts! Adding a TDB helps, but it doesn't change the nature of the kites.

IMHO, North seems to have made a kite in the Vegas that allows everyone who flies it to quickly improve their kiting, whatever level they are. At Sherman, everyone from beginners to experts are on these kites and have taken their kiting to a new level this year. I heard an expert RRD rider last weekend talking about how much more stable and confidence-building the Vegas he tried was, while being just a tad slower turning, than his Type 7.

HmmÖ I am compelled to deviate from paulís post a bit here.

In addition to good wind range, i would say rrd kites can be fun for kiters in different stages in their kiting career. Itís both a matter of preferences and what you are used to. For one, I am by no means an advanced rider; canít claim to be an intermediate either as this is my first full season of kiting. Yet I have been having a blast on my 05 Wave and 06 Type 7. The Type 7 and the Wave are definitely fast but ìscary fastî? that would be subjective depending on ones point of reference. For me, having always flown small kites (physical limitations, my biggest kite was a 12m, now a 10m) going from low-aspect small kites to medium-aspect RRDs wasnít that big of a deal. They are all fast but the range of depower on the RRDs made riding more forgiving and enjoyable.

Will a beginner get spanked on RRD kites? While I do agree that choosing the right kite is important to learning/riding pleasure, as a beginner, I would think we all get worked no matter what kind of kites you fly. How much one gets worked and how quickly one progresses would depend more on oneís kite control (e.g. time on the trainer), conditions one chooses to fly in (e.g. learn at Sherman? Alameda? Third?óeach has its own strong points as well as dangers/limitations), own risk-tolerance (e.g. # of ride-able days vs comfort of knowing that you can walk up the shallow without the fear of rocks?), and efforts/tenacity than the kite itself (assuming we are comparing newer kites). I started out in April slow at everything learning to waterstart in light wind Alameda, these days I am confident riding in different spots around the Bay, though not without a healthy dose of nerves before each session, especially at new places.

Besides, a little nerves keep us honest and promotes good kiting habitsó keep your hands towards the center of the bar, be cautious, be alert, be ware of the environment and our own limitationsÖ you guys set the guidelines, you know how it goes.

in conlusion: i like my demonic rrd kites. And today I will fall in love with them all over again after work.

[fearlu]

"They are all fast but the range of depower on the RRDs made riding more forgiving and enjoyable."

Yup. Not to mention the incredible whipping qualities.

"In conlusion: I like my demonic RRD kites. And today I will fall in love with them all over again after work."

I hear the whistle blowin' now...

[whitecap]

I just noticed, looking at my type 7s yesterday when we made a trip down to third, that you CAN slow the suckers down if you want, as there are multiple attachment points. We have all of ours on the fast setting, however.

I think the reverse is also true about speed of the kites....once you get used to it, other kites feel like trucks. Kinda simple, these kite go where you want them - it is up to you to learn how to fly the kite, although the comments about keeping your hands in the middle are essential...

Bob

[Bulldog]

Ahhh, the similarities between speed freaks and fast kite freaks...

You guys sound like a bunch of drug addicts. Yeah, man, as long as you check the dope before you shoot it up...

That was all in humor, of course.

BB, the reason you think that any kite will spank you as hard as your Type Wave has to be because you haven't flown very many kites. I was trying the same tricks on my TW in the spring as I am now landing with my Vegas', and I'm sorry to tell you that it is just a fact that the TWs spank you harder (and more frequently). I was nailing spins on my first session on my Vegas; it's really quite a fast kite when you want it to be, the difference is that it doesn't do things when you don't want it to. You always know where it is even without looking up. That is just NOT TRUE with the TW, it has a frickin mind of its own. That thing yarded me harder, farther, and faster than any other kite I've used and I wasn't even trying tough moves. Anyone who flies on will tell you the same things: keep your hand close to the bar, and keep your eyes on the kite. These are not things that any beginner should be expected to do while learning to kite. If you want to try to learn new moves on it, you should expect to see other people at your skill level advance more quickly on other kites.

[zgur]

Hey guys,

I started the post talking about a sweet demo board to ride, and it evolved into an RRD speed discussion - you gotta love these virtual conversations.

A quick addition to my "demo" posting - all that I ask from people in return for riding a sick sweet board is to tell me what you thought of the ride, in person. If you want to post, have at it......but we can see here how virtual discussions get sidetracked.....

It's going to be a good week filled with wind at your favorite spot. Get your work done, finish that yard work, take care of family needs - but do it all before 2 pm, as after you will have other "commitments".

Now, stop reading the forum, and get some!!!

Z.

[Proparoo]

At least we are not going from parking a camper at Sherman to DOG POO POO and wanting to kick some guys ASS!!!!