Ordered a New Tech Ballistic 4.9 power kite on ebay. It was a flown once demo, and the price was right. Of course, I unpacked it in the living room when I go home, and was immediately impressed with the size of this beast. I understand that the Ballistic is a value kite, so I wasn’t terribly upset that the construction was not on the same level as the Prism Stylus. They did the right things: sewn bridle, stretched lines, etc, but there were loose/stray threads everywhere and the ends of the sleeving were not properly closed.

I probably should not call this post first flight, because I took the Ballistic out with the included control bar one time and quickly realized I should be flying this kite with 4-line handles. It was sluggish and slow turning on the bar, but the pull was incredible in 10mph wind.

After the first flight, I ordered a pair of HQ Quad Handles XL and some kite killers. Switching to handles required me to equalize the brake and power lines, as they were originally configured to use with a control bar. It took a few walks out to the kite before everything was dialed in, but it was time to do some real flying.

I took the Frankencruiser out to a local field about a mile from the shore, summer weekends at the beach are a bit crowded and the winds are brutally strong for a first flight. Launching the Ballistic in 8mph wind was easy, the kite didn’t fully inflate until it had passed through the power zone, so the pull was manageable. The handles were a smart investment, I could really turn this kite with the breaks. A totally different flying experience! The wind picked up throughout the session, getting up to 14mph, and the scudding was on. This kite has a decent amount of lift, so I am sure there is some static jumping in it’s future.

Got the Prism Stylus P.3 Power Kite (Seafoam) today in the mail. This is the first foil kite I have flown, and after one flight, I can guarantee it won’t be the last. The kite comes ready to fly with flying lines, winder, padded straps and includes a stuff sack. It packs down to slightly larger that a football.

Based on the Beaufort Scale, I estimated the wind to be around 8-12 mph at Sunset Beach, CA. I launched solo by weighing down the trailing edge, and gradually tensioned the lines until the kite inflated. A gentle pull on the straps and the P3 took off. I immediately felt the pull like nothing my Top of the Line Spin-Offs could generate. The P3 is loads of fun, fast and pulls like a train! After a few minutes, I was breathing hard and had worked up a full sweat. What a blast!

When my friend Fawad showed up some time later, I was ready for a break. Fawad is a novice kiter, but he’s always ready for anything. I turned over the reins and sat back to enjoy the show.

He’s hooked on the power kiting thing, and so am I.