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Total newbie questions. Please help!


Darren James

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Hi All.

I'm not totally new to kite flying, I've owned dual lines before. I wasn't so much into tricks as to the speed and accuracy, and the large amount off pull I would receive from them. However a while ago, whilst trying to teach my significant other how to fly, the kite shattered a few rods. Poor tution probably.... however....

I have really only just stumbled across Revs. I have want to get a kite again, and never have, but these seem something totally different. I have watched several videos and have been amazed by how (presumably) good fliers have got them to fly in reverse, sideways, and suddenly stop in a dive! My favourite was diving the dual lined kite straight down wind and a very sharp 90 at the bottom to leave it skimming the ground. I understand that even in dual line kiting I was only doing very basic stuff, but the discovery of Revs is really tempting me to trying quad. Which leads me onto various questions, as a complete newbie.

Some facts first. I live in the UK, Plymouth, and I intend to fly in good weather up on Dartmoor. I don't know wind speeds, but would say generally it ranges from a breeze to a gale, (it's a moor, weather changes fast!). I only want to buy one kite to start, (maybe add a frame or something to make it more versitile), and take things from there. I'm after an all rounder which will keep a Sunday afternoon flier happy. Thats all the info I know I should put forwards, I'm totally new to kiting forums too, so please ask for more info, or even just to correct the terms I'm using! Also, I have trawled this forum and have a mix mash of info and no real idea, so if one or two of my questions is gobbledygook then sorry, and try to decipher what I ment!

1) And which is the most asked question. "Which kite should I get, that I can learn with AND grow into and not have to replace?". My guess is 1.5B Mid vented?

2) What is wraps? I see 2 wrap, 3 wrap, 4 wrap, and it all means bugger all to me!?

3a) I see talk about different frames to go into the sail, and people seem to say stick a race frame in. So what is the frame and how do they differ?

3b) can you combine frames in the sail to give you more strength in windy conditions? (Something I thought I saw somewhere?)

4) Handles. I know there are different ones. People tend to love Race Rods. I'm guessing these are handles? Is this what I want to get?

5a) Lines. Whats the advantages to long and short lines? I have only used 90' lines, and I liked how high it would go and how far and fast it would sweep.

5b) Line strength. I want to fly this kite in various wind conditions. What strength line should I be looking at getting for all round use?

6) Do these kites pull? I used to fly 6-8 foot duals, and they would give me something to fight with, which I liked, especially on gusty beaches. I'm guessing they do, being 7 1/2 foot wide!

7) Is there any important questions I am missing? And if so, please ask and answer it!

8) Is there a good second hand market to buy these from, I haven't notice a "For Sale" section on this forum?

Many thanks in advance!

Edit.

9) Sould these kites have much of a pull on them to be controlled so easily?

10) I see videos of these kites being very acrobatic and precise, which is good. But the videos tend to be low level and slow stuff. Are they fast fliers AND acrobatic at the same time?

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1) Most versatile kite all depends on your winds. We have found that the most used kite is the standard full sail. If the winds in your area are a little stronger than average, then the mid or even the full vent will be the one you want.

2) Wraps vaguely refer to the amount of wraps used to make the frame/rods of the kite. A 2 wrap rod will have two wraps of carbon. A 3 wrap rod = 3 wraps, etc....etc... Although there are many unique and secret processes used to layer up a Revolution rod, that is the basics and reason as to their labeling. The more wraps of carbon, the heavier the rod will be. So for the lightest of winds, the 2 wrap rods are used as they are the lightest but also the most delicate. For strong winds, the 4 wraps are used because they are the strongest.

3a) Frames can be interchanged in a Rev super easy and usually in less than 1 minute. With the ability to change frames so easily, you can extend the wind range of your Rev or even change the handling characteristics of it by swapping one frame for another. As an example, for the lightest of winds you will most likely want to put in a 2 wrap frame (lightest of all Rev frames). For stronger winds, the 3 wrap or even the super strong 4 wrap frames. Having multiple frames is like having 2 different kites, changing to the light frame will be like an UL or SUL model. Moving to the stronger frames will be like having a standard model. Frames can be purchased separately in all different wraps / types.

3b) Yes, you can mix n match all frames for the 1.5 series kites to personally customize the feel and performance of your Rev. Most pilots just go with one frame-set model at a time though.

4) I would recommend starting with the basic handles. If you can spring for a little more money then the no-snag handles are nice but not necessary for beginners. Handles come in different lengths as well. What length is best depends on personal preference. Some like the longer ones, some the shorter ones. Nearly everyone I know uses the standard 13" handles that comes in the package.

Race Rods are not handles, but another designed Frame for your Rev. The Race Rods come in only one wrap version and are made from a different modulus carbon fiber material that has a quicker "spring-back" rate. Meaning that when the frame is loaded and stressed in a hover, it will spring back into shape faster than the other carbon giving the kite a faster acceleration - hence the name Race Rods.

5a) Lines are always a personal preference. Longer lines give you a much larger area in the sky to play with and somewhat slow the kite and control down a little. Shorter lines make the kite respond quicker and give you less area to play with. Which is better? That's like asking someone what color is prettiest.

5b) I fly nearly all my Revs on 90# lines. The exception would be the Blast & larger kites and the Shockwave & Supersonics. Those I fly on stronger lines. For the EXP, 1.5, B-Series and the New York Minute models....most you will probably ever need is 90#. If you happen to be on a Full Vent kite as your most used kite, you may want to up to the 150# lines but I fly my full Vents on 90 as well. For stronger winds, heavier lines will have very little effect on the kites performance. Usually the lighter winds is when line weight comes into question. Some will use 50# lines for the lightest of breezes.

6) Yes and no. In stronger winds the Rev's will give some pull. Most of the time the pull is what I would consider light to moderate. The exception would be the Sonic or Shockwave and of course the larger Rev's like the Blast and 2-4 or the monster 4-8. The speed series and blast series can give some pretty serious pull. The 1.5 series and the Rev 1 are very light to moderate pull.

7) Lots of information on this forum. Spend some time searching around and you will learn more than you imagine. smile.png

8) Rev's are super fun to own and fly. It is not often that a person wants to sell, but keep an eye out and you can find some pretty good deals on them. Be very cautious about e-bay as there are aftermarket knock-offs being sold on there which claim to be reputable Rev dealers and have authentic Rev kites....but they are junk and will not fly properly. When buying used, try to buy from reputable people and make sure you are getting a genuine Rev product.

9) The control you get from a Rev is absolutely amazing. Even on the SuperSonic or Shockwave which are lightning fast and have some pretty good pull, the control will blow your mind. Search Youtube for Supersonic Rev videos. I think you will be amazed. Even the larger Blast series kites have amazing control. The best precision and control will always be the 1.5 series (EXP, 1.5, B-Series and NYM) or even the Rev 1 which is also amazing.

10) Again check out the different models. Usually the best control and precision is done in the lighter winds. As the winds pick up, so does performance and speed in the Rev's. A master pilot will have the same awesome control in higher winds as lighter winds but normally as wind increases, control and precision will begin to decrease. Skill will overcome that though.

Hope that answers your questions. As mentioned above, the best way to learn about the different models is to find other Rev pilots and have a go on their kites or even see them first hand. That is always best.

Good luck....and remember, you can't just get one. LOL

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1) Most versatile kite all depends on your winds. We have found that the most used kite is the standard full sail. If the winds in your area are a little stronger than average, then the mid or even the full vent will be the one you want.

2) Wraps vaguely refer to the amount of wraps used to make the frame/rods of the kite. A 2 wrap rod will have two wraps of carbon. A 3 wrap rod = 3 wraps, etc....etc... Although there are many unique and secret processes used to layer up a Revolution rod, that is the basics and reason as to their labeling. The more wraps of carbon, the heavier the rod will be. So for the lightest of winds, the 2 wrap rods are used as they are the lightest but also the most delicate. For strong winds, the 4 wraps are used because they are the strongest.

3a) Frames can be interchanged in a Rev super easy and usually in less than 1 minute. With the ability to change frames so easily, you can extend the wind range of your Rev or even change the handling characteristics of it by swapping one frame for another. As an example, for the lightest of winds you will most likely want to put in a 2 wrap frame (lightest of all Rev frames). For stronger winds, the 3 wrap or even the super strong 4 wrap frames. Having multiple frames is like having 2 different kites, changing to the light frame will be like an UL or SUL model. Moving to the stronger frames will be like having a standard model. Frames can be purchased separately in all different wraps / types.

3b) Yes, you can mix n match all frames for the 1.5 series kites to personally customize the feel and performance of your Rev. Most pilots just go with one frame-set model at a time though.

4) I would recommend starting with the basic handles. If you can spring for a little more money then the no-snag handles are nice but not necessary for beginners. Handles come in different lengths as well. What length is best depends on personal preference. Some like the longer ones, some the shorter ones. Nearly everyone I know uses the standard 13" handles that comes in the package.

Race Rods are not handles, but another designed Frame for your Rev. The Race Rods come in only one wrap version and are made from a different modulus carbon fiber material that has a quicker "spring-back" rate. Meaning that when the frame is loaded and stressed in a hover, it will spring back into shape faster than the other carbon giving the kite a faster acceleration - hence the name Race Rods.

5a) Lines are always a personal preference. Longer lines give you a much larger area in the sky to play with and somewhat slow the kite and control down a little. Shorter lines make the kite respond quicker and give you less area to play with. Which is better? That's like asking someone what color is prettiest.

5b) I fly nearly all my Revs on 90# lines. The exception would be the Blast & larger kites and the Shockwave & Supersonics. Those I fly on stronger lines. For the EXP, 1.5, B-Series and the New York Minute models....most you will probably ever need is 90#. If you happen to be on a Full Vent kite as your most used kite, you may want to up to the 150# lines but I fly my full Vents on 90 as well. For stronger winds, heavier lines will have very little effect on the kites performance. Usually the lighter winds is when line weight comes into question. Some will use 50# lines for the lightest of breezes.

6) Yes and no. In stronger winds the Rev's will give some pull. Most of the time the pull is what I would consider light to moderate. The exception would be the Sonic or Shockwave and of course the larger Rev's like the Blast and 2-4 or the monster 4-8. The speed series and blast series can give some pretty serious pull. The 1.5 series and the Rev 1 are very light to moderate pull.

7) Lots of information on this forum. Spend some time searching around and you will learn more than you imagine. smile.png

8) Rev's are super fun to own and fly. It is not often that a person wants to sell, but keep an eye out and you can find some pretty good deals on them. Be very cautious about e-bay as there are aftermarket knock-offs being sold on there which claim to be reputable Rev dealers and have authentic Rev kites....but they are junk and will not fly properly. When buying used, try to buy from reputable people and make sure you are getting a genuine Rev product.

9) The control you get from a Rev is absolutely amazing. Even on the SuperSonic or Shockwave which are lightning fast and have some pretty good pull, the control will blow your mind. Search Youtube for Supersonic Rev videos. I think you will be amazed. Even the larger Blast series kites have amazing control. The best precision and control will always be the 1.5 series (EXP, 1.5, B-Series and NYM) or even the Rev 1 which is also amazing.

10) Again check out the different models. Usually the best control and precision is done in the lighter winds. As the winds pick up, so does performance and speed in the Rev's. A master pilot will have the same awesome control in higher winds as lighter winds but normally as wind increases, control and precision will begin to decrease. Skill will overcome that though.

Hope that answers your questions. As mentioned above, the best way to learn about the different models is to find other Rev pilots and have a go on their kites or even see them first hand. That is always best.

Good luck....and remember, you can't just get one. LOL

What a superb and consise reply, Thank you very much awindofchange! Now I just got to find "the one"!

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The above excellent answers about the 1.5 series address your primary preferences of some pull, moderate speed, precision, and wide wind range using a couple types of frames, These characteristics also make the 1.5 series very easy to learn to fly and to participate in group or team flying.

Your favorite dual line flying is diving straight down and turning sharply to skim along the ground. All the Revs will do the dive stop and dive/turn/skim type stuff. The Super Sonic and B2 will do that stuff with more speed and give you an adrenaline rush, when that is your goal. They are more suitable for your second, third, ..... or Nth kite, since they have more speed and less precision than the 1.5 series.

B2 is my personal favorite, but I seldom fly in groups and have a preference for twitchy and speed over precision and slow. The Rev 2 (predecessor to the B2) was my first Rev and was able to learn how to fly with it (admittedly with more difficulty than a 1.5 would have been). The Super Sonic pulls hard in higher winds. The B2 pulls light in higher winds. Both have vented versions if you want to fly in gales.

My wife's favorite beach town is a kite boarder spot with winds often over 30 mph and too much for even the B2 for any length of time. I was often frustrated with the high winds until I got a vented Rev 2, which I can fly for hours in 30-35 mph winds, with decent control and able to most tricks except slack line tricks (which I don't do in light winds either). I usually stop flying because I'm tired of eating sand, not due to tired muscles. When that kite wears out, I'll get a vented B2.

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Hi,

I just got my first Revolution T300 Pro Series quad kite. It is white and with blue in the bottom corners. There are no signatures on it, but there is a date of 1988 in the lower right hand corner. I am trying to find more information about this kite. If that date of 1988 is when it was made, then it's about 26 years old. I bought it on Ebay and the guy that sold it to me says it's new. How can a 26 year old kite be new ... Plus it wasn't rolled too good. Anyway, I was able to fly the kite this afternoon and I'm happy with it's performance. If anyone knows more about this kite ... please let me know. Thanks, Werner.

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First, welcome to the forum!

I wrote a history a few years back that will answer most of your question at: http://johnnmitchell.com/IntSportKites/rev_history/index.html

The 1988 you see on the tab is the copyright date not the year it was made. Note the Copyright(c in a circle) symbol before 1988.

By following the information I wrote on the REV I you will find out right away, that it was made between 1989 and and 1995. You might be able to pin point closer to the real year by the changes made during the time that model was manufactured. If it was made in 1988 the logo on the front would say NeoOmega not Revolution.

You will also find a thread on this forum dedicate to the REV I with pictures.

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BillyBaller,

Click on the "member map" tab at the upper right. See who is near you and contact them. I guarantee they are friendly and more than happy to help. A bit of advice from them will cut a hundred hours from your learning time so you can smile more often. I know for sure that you will smile, a lot!

Mejda,

It might be brand new, many people bought them but never learned to fly them well. I recently purchased one that was over 20 years old but still crisp. 1988 is the year the patent was granted, I believe, and not necessarily the year of manufacture, although that one may actually may be that old. If you post a picture here, we can help you determine when it was made. The kite should be rolled a bit loosely when being put away. It is not good for the material to roll it tightly, it creates creases which will deteriorate into tears.

Any questions you have will be answered here, so feel free to ask. Also read the above. If you are near anyone, send a PM or just post up, and someone may be able to join you when you fly.

I welcome both of you to the "dark side", we have cookies.

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The 1988 is actually the copytight year, note the copyright symbol before 1988.

The first patent No. 4,892,272 was filed on October 14, 1988 which officially became a patent on Jan. 9, 1990.

There is a second patent No. 5,120,006 which was filed Jan. 8, 1990 which officially became a patent on Jum. 9, 1992

If I recall correctly there were some later patents.

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