Editorial Review

This colorful kite is perfect for spontaneous outings or long-distance travel. Since there are nosticks to break or bend out of shape, it is very low maintenance. When it is soaring in the atmosphere, itfans out into a substantial 19 by 14 inches, but it collapses into a tiny carrying case that measures 8 by 5inches. Sailing in the sky, this pocket kite looks just like a paraglider on a wing of hot violet, tangerine,turquoise, jade, scarlet, and lemon yellow. It's best when used in a recommended wind of 8 to 25 mph (13to 40 km/h). The kite comes with a generous rainbow tail and 30 pounds of test feed line on a spool; it's anideal kite for bikers, boaters, hikers, or families heading for a beach vacation. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A great, durable, easy kite
I absolutely love this kite. My wife and I recently spent a week at a friend's cabin and they had this kite on their shelf of toys. We found it incredibly easy to fly, too easy in fact. It didn't take us very long to get it very high in the air... and then tangled in the cabin's solar panels.

When we got the kite down, we were amazed by how durable it was. Despite taking a lot of abuse by the wind on the roof, it was in excellent shape.

We bought one for ourselves recently and love it (though we are more careful to stay away from obstructions now). The fact that it collapses down into such a small bag is especially wonderful. When we go to the park I can put it in my jacket pocket and if we don't end up flying it, I don't feel like I've wasted my time lugging it around.

I would recommend this kite to anyone, no matter how young or old.

An Easy Kite for Kids to Fly
My son got this kite for his 7th birthday and had a great time fying it. The kite is very durable, ready to fly and easy to fly for a child. I liked that there was nothing to break on it which made it possible for him to run up and down the field with it in the air or dragging it on the ground.

Small, Colorful and Fun
I bought this kite for my 29 month old daughter. Before taking her to the park, I test flew it the afternoon before in relatively high winds (25 - 30 mph, with gusts over 50 mph). I really had to "fight" mother nature to get it back down to earth, but it flew and held up perfectly.
I took my daughter to the park with it the following afternoon. We had much lighter winds (10 - 15 mph). What a blast! I got the kite up in the air for her and then let her run wild with it. Now she LOVES flying kites. After a little over a half-hour (thats about as long as a 29 month old can focus on kite flying) I took it down for her. EASY!

Smooth sailing with this kite/parafoil
We bought this parafoil while visiting the Oregon coast last summer. What a blast! With the steady winds from the ocean, this kite zipped into the air when we launched it and flew extremely well. It folds up into a package the size of a small fannypack, can be carried anywhere easily, and is easy to fly. Our kids are perfectly capable of flying this kite successfully. The 8-year old had no problems getting it airborne. I spent a bit of extra time with the 6-year old making sure that we could get it off the ground but, once it was in the air, he had tons of fun.

The fact that parafoils are built completely out of nylon ripstop fabric with no wood or carbon spars support means that, unlike kites, there is no way to break anything through either a ground crash or in winds that are too strong. In short, with the flying experience offered by this parafoil, this kite ROCKS!!!

Charlie Brown Could Fly This Kite
Today I spent the afternoon with my children (ages 3 & 6) flying this kite. It was fantastic. The kite is easy to set up and will literally fly out of your hands. I wish I had this kite when I was kid. I grew up thinking that I just wasn't coordinated enough to get a kite up in the air. Now I know that it wasn't me - it was the kite. Even Charlie Brown would be able to get this kite airborne and he wouldn't get tangled up in the string! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Anywhere but the beach
Great line but a little misleading. Letting the line out is a breeze but for a casual flyer reeling in is impossible. Also, don't use this product at the beach. If sand or any debris gets into the mechanism your winder turns into instant junk.

purchased new, but line was apparently cut and knotted
When I used the winder for the first time I noticed about 25 feet into unwinding, that the line had a knot in it! Apparently the knot held 2 ends together. I have only let out about 100 feet of the 500-feet line and do not know the quality of the remaining line. However, a new winder should consist of 1 continuous line. I feel like I have been cheated and I will proceed to have this winder exchanged.
I do like the winder itself; the handle makes it easy to hold, and the line can be locked in place when you just want to watch the wind play with your kite.
Update on 4/7/2004: Upon E-mailing AMAZON with my concern, I soon received confirmation that a new winder had been ordered for me. I also received simple instructions to return the first winder postage-free. I am inpressed with the customer service.
In the meanwhile I can say that the line on this winder is of good quality; it can withstand pretty tough winds without ripping.

Wind Up Happy
I purchased this WINDER, along with a couple of kites, for my 29 month old daughter. I tested them out on a very windy day - sustained winds of 25 to 30 mph, with gusts over 50 mph! I really had to "fight" the elements to get the kite back down to the ground, having let out the entire 500 foot (30 lbs) test line. This winder worked flawlessly. The next afternoon I took my 29 month old to the park, and the look of splendor on her face will forever thrill me. Go figure, I didn't have a camera with me.
Suffices to say both she and I had a great time, my daughter, while too young to real the kite back in, had a blast running back and forth with the winder while watching her kite flutter in the breeze a couple of hundred feet up. A great buy!

Great way to fly a kite!
We love the, "go fly a kite", kite winder. It is easy, but not too easy to take the fun out of flying a kite. A+

Decent line winder until the wind picks up.
As soon as my kite got up in the wind, the winder stripped the gears and let out all my line. When I pressed the button to stop the line, it broke even further. This winder would work great if there was absolutely no wind, but then again kites are supposed to be flown on semi-windy days. It winds the line in great, once the kite is on the ground, but any pressure from the air while turning the crank will strip the plastic gears iside it. Over all, I was displeasd with this product. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Coastal winds....HA!
As the storm approached, the onshore winds built,sending most of the kiters scurrying home, kite tails between their legs. With our tough, attractive Duster, we stood our ground. Great kite with good in-air stability and fun, colorful appearance. ... Read more

Editorial Review

With its aggressive, double-notched V profile, this multicolored nylon stuntkite is fast and ready for action. This is a big rig: a moderate 38 inches from nose to tail,but with a massive 84-inch wingspan. It's held rigid by six, lightweight plastic struts--twoin the V, two across the width, and two as small vertical spacers that are perpendicularto the main cross-strut. These struts keep the wing shape just right. The twin flying linesare wound around two grip-shaped winders for easy control. Go find some airspace--a lotof airspace!--Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The sun, the sky, the wind in your face
I like to take this kite backpacking.
I have flown it over the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania,
Mt. Michelson in the Brooks Range of Alaska at the Arctic Ocean
and in my hometown. When its up high I love it. I have put it on a line and through a fishing pole and "troll" the kite behind a boat. You sure can't have this much fun with a board game or a GameBoy.
Having a bad day??? I say..."Go fly a Kite!" ... Read more

Editorial Review

Fly the Stars and Stripes! With its aggressive-looking, double-notched Vprofile, this kite is somewhat reminiscent of a B-1B. It's a fast nylon stunt kite that'spatterned after the U.S. flag and looks ready for patriotic action. Only 23 inches fromnose to tail, it has a 63-inch wingspan and is held rigid by six, lightweight plastic struts.Two struts make the V, two are across the width, and two are small vertical spacers thatare perpendicular to the main cross-strut. Working together, the strutskeep the wingshape just right. The tip of the V is blue with 10 white stars; the tail has red-and-whitestripes. The twin flying lines are wound around two colored, circular grips for easycontrol. Defend your airspace! --Richard Farr ... Read more