WTD: Trainer kite for friend learning on land board

[Northern Kites Australia]

Good morn kiters!

A young student and apprentice here at TecNQ College wants to give land boarding a go (after seeing me on my gear recently of course  crazy I know).

I've convinced him a 12m kite is not ideal for a beginner, as much as he wants to jump! Besides, I can lend him my kites later on.

So he is looking for a trainer kite ideally something with a good wind range (open or closed cell) as winds here tend to be anything from 7knots to 15k on average. He weighs mid 70kgs. He would like ideally to learn with his harness and a bar setup, not handles. I have handles anyway if he decides to give em a go. Oh and his board is an Ozone landboard scored at a local cashy store.

Anyone have something around 4m or maybe 5m at the most (that's just my thinking of course, but open to suggestions in terms of sizes)?

His budget is up to $100 plus postage (I told him I would cover the postage to get him going). Yeah so, anything left over, excess kite, or even damaged as I can repair it here is ok.

oh and a LEI is not an option. He just doesn't like em. That made me smile and encouraged me to help him out!

Thank you every1

Edited October 21, 2015 by Fernando

[123matt]

If he could stretch his budget I have a BWS Jeep trainer kite.  It's 2.5m on bar, and would be a perfect start.  Kite is near new condition, less than 6 months old.  Used twice only by experienced kiter. They fly well.  

Not quite what you were after price wise and also size, so just PM me if interested.  

[igeighty]

Mum bought a jeep..

[ssayre]

If he could stretch his budget I have a BWS Jeep trainer kite.  It's 2.5m on bar, and would be a perfect start.  Kite is near new condition, less than 6 months old.  Used twice only by experienced kiter. They fly well.  

Not quite what you were after price wise and also size, so just PM me if interested.  

Did they make a lot of these?  I've never seen one before which doesn't necessarily say a lot but that's one cool kite.  Who knows maybe it's worth a lot of money to a Jeep collector if it's rare?

[123matt]

This is the only one I've ever seen out and about.  I'm not sure what the licencing arrangements are between BWS and JEEP as to how many were produced and how rare they are.  You can still get them brand new off the BWS website but its in USD.  On current conversion it comes in at $250 AUD. Most 2.5m trainers are about $299, so its reasonably priced, and yes I think they look pretty cool.

[Northern Kites Australia]

Kites, are probably the only sporting item in the entire sporting world, that have zero to no value, other than to kite enthusiasts. They are not like collecting a retro Colnago Master or De Rosa Italian and hand-made bicycles, that are worth thousands more than their original price.

[Northern Kites Australia]

Well thanks to Jon, I now have his PL "trainer", but it's not really. That thing pulls like a bear! In fact it is a bear, the Purple Bear! LOL

I flew her (him!?) in 14 to 17knots yesterday and it was a pig to launch. Didn't want to take off, until every frikin cell as filled up with air. Very greedy Bear!!

But at Zenith he was as tame as a lamb. Loved it. I was too hesitate to dive him in, but I did a little... hmm maybe a 1 oclock dive, not a 2 for sure and off I went.... Weeeeee!!!!! It was awesome. Oh I am referring to land kiting, not kite surfing.

I didn't sine it much and just let it pull me naturally. Easy peasy. For now at least!

It's got a fifth line connecting point, so I might just switch him over to my depower bar and try again.

All stallions can be tamed I believe! Hehehe

Oh this means, I am not on the lookout anymore for a specific trainer kite. I'll just focus on what I have. Besides, my young student friend is happy with my old Gastraa 1.5m trainer.