KITE FLYING BASICS

If you’re just getting started with kiting, our Kite Flying Basics will help you get comfortable with a few important concepts:

How different styles of kites compare, and what each has to offer.
How to read the wind, understand turbulence, and find a great place to fly.
How to choose, handle, and repair your flying line.

Already have your kite? Start with Kiting Safety, then explore the wind and flying-location sections below. For assembly and flying instructions specific to your kite, find your product manual.

We want to give our flyers the information and tools they need to get the most out of their kites. Have an idea for something you’d like to see covered here? Let us know!

Choosing Your Kite

Shopping for a kite can feel a little overwhelming. Kites come in many shapes, sizes, and control configurations, and each offers a different experience. Here’s a look at the most common kite types to help you find the right fit.

Single-Line Kites

Best for:

Marking your spot in the sky
Beginners and younger kids
Socializing outdoors
Gifts for non-kiters

Single-line kites are perhaps the most popular style of kite out there, and for good reason! They offer a huge variety of interesting shapes, bright colors, and eye-catching accessories that allow flyers to mark their spot with a unique piece of flying art - all while being simple to launch and easy to keep in the air.

As most single line kites are designed to fly steady and stable, holding their position in the air once launched, they're a great option for flyers who want outstanding visual impact that they can kick back and enjoy without the need for constant input to keep it aloft.

An example of a delta style single-line kite, the Zenith flies stable without input from the person holding the flying line.

Framed Dual-Line Kites

Best for:

Grownups and older kids 
Fully controllable loops, spins, and tricks
Folks who enjoy the challenge of learning new skills
A fully engaging sport you can enjoy for years

Framed dual-line kites - also called sport kites or stunt kites - put you in the pilot’s seat. A fabric sail stretches over a lightweight frame, and two flying lines, one in each hand, let you steer left and right.

You’ll start by learning to keep the kite airborne through loops, spins, dives, and sweeping passes across the sky. Add a tail for extra flair as it traces the kite’s path through every turn.

As your skills grow, you can explore freestyle or trick flying. This takes you beyond basic steering into flying on the kite’s back, flipping it end over end, or floating it sideways with an eerie, ghost-like calm.

Some designs do a little of everything, while others specialize in light winds, speed, or tricks. Some can even fly indoors with no wind at all!

If you enjoy learning new skills, a framed dual-line kite offers plenty to grow into - from your first controlled turns to challenges that can keep you captivated for years.

The Quantum, Nexus, and Jazz are examples of classic framed dual-line kites, using simple left-right inputs to steer them through the air.

Dual-Line Foils

Best for:

Learning basic dual-line control
Occasional flyers with less time to invest
Travelers with limited luggage space
Teaching a friend to fly

Dual-line foils have no rigid frame. Instead, wind enters openings along the front of the sail and inflates the fabric chambers into a wing. A network of lines called the bridle gives the sail shape and connects it to your flying lines.

With no rods to assemble or break, foils pack small and are easy to take anywhere. They’re a great way to learn basic dual-line control or introduce a friend to flying thanks to their outstanding durability.

They won’t perform the same range of freestyle tricks as a framed kite, but there’s still plenty of fun in their turns, spins, and pulling power. The flying experience varies with the design and size, with two common styles to choose from:

Speed foils emphasize quick turns and lively flying. Like framed dual-line kites, they use two lines connected to wrist straps.

Power trainers trade some of that speed for a stronger pull. A control bar replaces the wrist straps, giving you a different way to steer and experience the wind’s power.

Speed foils like those in the Synapse line aim to reproduce the classic dual-line experience with a frameless, all-fabric design.

Power trainers like the Tantrum use a control bar instead of wrist straps to allow fliers to hold on, lean back, and wrestle against the wind.

Power Kites

Best for:

More experienced pilots
Pulling yourself on land or snow
Traction sports like buggying, land boarding, and snow kiting

Power kites are built for pull. Like dual-line foils, they use an inflatable fabric wing, but their larger sail area lets them harness more of the wind’s energy.

That extra pulling power opens the door to traction sports: riding a kite buggy, land board, skis, or a snowboard with the kite providing the drive. It also makes choosing suitable conditions and learning the control system especially important.

To make this power more manageable, power kites often offer more complex control configurations than speed foils or power trainers. In addition to the basic left/right control lines, a third group of lines called brake lines allow pilots finer control over these large kites. Brake lines allow a pilot to tune their kite for the day's wind conditions, and also provide a method to quickly de-power their kite if they feel unable to safely control it at any time.

Some power kites also offer the option to convert the control configuration from dual-line to quad-line control, where brake lines give the pilot the ability to finely control the amount of power generated by adjusting the angle at which the kite's sail is presented to the wind (called angle of attack).

A power kite designed for amphibious use, the Mentor delivers enough pull for traction sports while providing a control configuration that makes it manageable and safe to use.

Kiting Safety

As a pilot, you - and only you - are responsible for your safety and the safety of those around you when you fly. Read these instructions thoroughly, and make sure you understand how to properly use your kite before launching. Below are some important notes to keep in mind in order to ensure a safe flying experience:

            Make sure your flying space is clear before launching. Kites can move quickly and unpredictably, and your kite or its line could seriously injure anyone in their path if something goes wrong.
Never wrap your flying line around your hands. In a gust, the wind can cause your kite to pull hard enough for the line to cut you seriously. Always hold the lines by their wrist straps.

Never fly near people, airports, power lines, cars, or storms

Wind Speed

Developing an ability to read the wind will go a long way towards making your flying session a safe and satisfying experience. With a little practice, you can make surprisingly accurate judgements about the wind's speed, direction, and quality. Familiarize yourself with the basic indicators for wind speed, direction, and turbulence, and you'll find that choosing areas to fly that have the smooth, consistent wind is a snap.

Visual Indicators

As the wind sweeps across the ground's surface, it leaves tell-tale signs that you can use to determine its speed. Keep an eye out for these clues, and over time you'll be able to gauge the wind's speed by instinct. This is especially useful for kite flyers, as weather forecasts often only provide general wind speed estimates for a large area, and actual conditions will vary from spot to spot, even along the same beach or within a single flying field. Here are some visual cues to pay attention to when judging the wind's speed:

Tall grass moves when the wind is almost too light to feel on your face, 1-3 mph.
Moving trees also indicate wind speed. In 4-7 mph you'll see rustling leaves. In 8-12 mph you'll see smaller twigs in motion as well. As the wind increases past 12 mph you'll see small branches, then large branches, then entire trees starting to sway.
Texture on the surface of water. If you fly near the water this is the most useful of all clues about wind speed. The ripples and waves on the surface are noticeably different for every 3 mph change in wind speed. A good rule of thumb is that the first whitecaps usually form on the surface when the wind is blowing at about 12 mph.
You can tell a lot by watching how vigorously flags are flapping in the wind. A flag up high in unobstructed air is a more reliable gauge than a flag surrounded by buildings or sheltered by a hill. Flags will seldom extend in less than 7 mph.
Swaying stoplights at intersections often indicate 15 mph or more.
Telephone wires start to whistle in 25-30 mph. Be sure to respect the wind rating of your kite and exercise caution when deciding to fly in strong winds. Do not fly your kite anywhere near overhead wires!

Portable Wind Meters

Also called anemometers, these pocket-sized wind meters provide a fast and easy way to determine the wind's speed. Used together with visual indicators, a wind meter can help you train yourself to read the wind more intuitively by giving you a number to associate with what you are seeing around you. Wind meters can be found online and at many kite shops starting at around $20-$30 for basic models, getting more expensive with improved accuracy, durability, and the inclusion of additional features.

On-the-Ground vs In-the-Air

You are most likely going to be measuring the wind's speed at ground level, while your kite is going to be spending most of its time considerably higher up in the air. At ground level, the wind experiences extra friction and drag as it makes contact with the ground's surface, which makes it move more slowly than the wind you'll find further up off the ground. If wind speeds at ground level are approaching the upper limit of your kite's wind range, be aware that speeds will be even faster at flying altitude. It's best to avoid launching under these conditions to prevent damaging or losing your kite.

Variable Wind Speeds

The wind's speed is almost never constant, and can change unpredictably. This is especially important to keep in mind when flying at the low or high ends of your kite's wind range. A strong gust of wind can turn 20 mph into nearly 30 mph very quickly, so it's best to avoid taking your kite out when winds are both strong and gusty. It's also possible for wind speeds to quickly decrease, which can cause problems when flying at the very bottom end of the wind range. In these conditions, avoid flying over water, trees, or buildings - places where it would be difficult to retrieve your kite if it came down to the ground after a crash.

Wind Direction

Key Indicators

Judging the direction the wind is blowing in your current location is relatively easy as you can almost always find several good clues - even just the feel of the wind on your face will give you at least some rough idea of the wind's direction. For a better reading of the wind's direction, consider the following indicators:

Wet a finger. This is the oldest one in the book. Lick a finger and stick up in the air over your head - the side of your finger that feels coldest is the direction from which the wind is coming.
A few bits of grass or dry leaves released overhead will provide a good local indicator of direction.
Trees, particularly tall narrow ones, bend over away from the wind.
Flags are good indicators, but can't tell you much in less than 5 mph of wind.
Smoke drifts downwind even in the lightest winds
Other kites, particularly single-line kites, will always hover pointed into the wind.
Passing clouds will give you a good idea of the prevailing wind direction. Be aware, however, that sometimes the wind near the ground will be quite different.

Helpful Apps

You probably have some kind of weather app on your phone already, but the more time you spend flying the more you'll notice that basic apps tend to leave out a lot of information flyers care about. Below are some apps we've used in the past that provide more nuanced information about the wind, and can give you a clearer picture of the flying conditions expected over the course of the day. Detailed forecasts and interactive maps help take some of the guesswork out of planning a flying session, but don't forget to take stock of real-world conditions once you arrive at the flying field.

Windfinder (www.windfinder.com) | iOS App | Android App
Weather Underground (www.wunderground.com) | iOS App | Android App
Windy.app (www.windy.app) | iOS App | Android App
SailFlow (www.sailflow.com) | iOS App | Android App

Wind Turbulence

Understanding Turbulence

An ideal kite flying field is flat and broad, with nothing nearby to interrupt the smooth flow of wind. If, like most of us, you live in an area where conditions are often less than perfect, you'll want to find an area to fly which will give you the smoothest, most consistent wind possible. The key is to avoid turbulence.

You'll be able to feel turbulence as an irregular tugging on your line as your kite flies through it, and you may also notice that the dual-line kites have difficulty "hanging" in one place directly overhead or at the edges of the wind window. Single-line kites will be difficult to launch in turbulent wind, and will fly more erratically near the ground where turbulence is worse.

Turbulent air is formed when the wind is disturbed by obstructions in its path, and can occur both downwind and upwind of these obstructions. Upwind turbulence is created as wind builds up in swirling piles in front of buildings, trees, and other objects in its path, seeking a way around to continue its flow. Once the wind has overcome the obstacle, downwind turbulence remains for some distance as the wind struggles to smooth itself out again. We refer to this longer, downwind stretch of turbulence as an object's wind shadow. As a rule of thumb, consider that an object's wind shadow can cover a downwind distance of up to 6 times the object's height - a stand of 50' tall trees can cause turbulence up to 300 feet away! Because wind shadow accounts for the larger portion of the turbulence an obstruction creates, it tends to be the most common type of turbulence you'll encounter while flying. However, if you find yourself having trouble with uncooperative wind when nothing is blocking its path to you, don't forget to check for objects that might be building up turbulence ahead of you as well.

The following diagrams illustrate some of the ways turbulence can occur due to common obstructions you're likely to come across:

Wind turbulence before and after a hill — Changes in topography create turbulent zones where the wind piles up as it flows into and over hills. The wind remains turbulent as it pours off the leeward side, eventually smoothing out with the terrain.

Wind turbulence around a stand of trees — Wind flows both over and through stands of trees, piling up in front of them as it seeks a path through or around them.

Wind turbulence around buildings — Buildings are perhaps the most obvious type of wind obstruction. As wind hits their flat, unyielding surfaces, its forced to scramble over itself to find a path over, around, or between the buildings.

Turbulence at a steep shoreline — Wind coming in off of the water is usually smooth, but here a bluff causes the wind to tumble over itself as it is forced up and over the cliff face, before smoothing out again as it continues inland.

Finding a Place to Fly

Now that you know how to estimate wind speed, determine its direction, and identify obstacles that cause turbulence, it’s time to apply that knowledge toward finding the best flying spaces in your area. You might be tempted to head straight for the nearest park or beach to get started, but a few minutes invested in choosing your flying location can make the difference between an enjoyable afternoon spent flying, and a frustrating walk back to the car. Here's how we like to scout for new flying spaces:

To get started, identify the wind's direction & speed. Check your weather app, local news forecast, or use visual indicators to determine the direction and speed of the wind in your area.

Next, use a map to search for wide open spaces where you might be able to fly. Beaches, parks, athletic fields, and large unincorporated spaces are all easy to spot from above using something like Google Maps.

The last step is to compare the day's wind conditions against the flying space. For example, if the wind is coming from the north, check the space you've found to be sure that there won't be any obstacles to the north of you when flying that might cause turbulence. Below are some examples of flying spaces that are easy to spot on a map, along with some descriptions of how the wind might interact with their surroundings.

Beach bordered by water to the west and trees to the east

This beach will provide ideal conditions when the wind comes from the west, flowing in smoothly off the water. When the wind comes in from the east, however, the wind will be turbulent thanks to the large trees blocking its path.

Open field with tree cover along its boundaries

This field has only a few small trees along its northern edge, providing a fair chance of smooth flying when the wind is blowing from the north. The heavy tree cover to the east, west, and south will likely disrupt the wind from any other direction though.

School football field surrounded by low buildings

In a pinch, a local school football field can provide a flying space. Surrounded by mostly single story buildings, this field may be flyable when the wind comes from the north or south. Leaving as much empty space upwind of yourself as you can will ensure you get the smoothest wind possible.

Line Handling Tips

Flying lines are one of the most important components of any flier's arsenal, yet they are often taken for granted because they seem so simple. A little understanding of the materials, characteristics, and proper handling of your lines will go a long way toward ensuring they're kept in good condition, year after year.

Flying lines require proper care and handling to ensure their longevity. Used correctly your flying line will last many years, but if mishandled you'll risk breaks, tangles, and even the loss of your kite. We've outlined the most common issues flyers encounter with their lines below, along with information to help you avoid making these mistakes yourself. Replacement flying lines are not covered under your kite's warranty, so be sure you read and understand the information in this section before you start flying.

Broken Flying Lines

Lines can break under strain from strong winds, from snagging something sharp on the ground, and from getting cut by other lines in the sky.

Be careful launching your kite in winds near the top of its wind range. Wind speeds are variable, and flying in strong winds can easily break a line if conditions change or a sudden gust comes along. Wind speeds are also stronger the higher up you go, so if the ground level wind is near the top of your kite’s wind range you can be sure it will be stronger higher up.
Breaks can occur when attempting to tug your kite free from something it’s tangled in. Stay away from trees and other obstacles to avoid getting snagged, and if you have an unplanned landing be sure your lines aren’t caught on anything before relaunching.
Keep a safe distance from other kites while flying. Lines can easily cut each other if they touch in flight, so leave enough room for your neighbors when you choose your spot to fly.

Tangles & Knots

Tangles and knots are never fun but luckily they’re also easy to prevent. Just remember this: Your flying line should always be either completely wound onto its winder, or it should be making a straight line from the kite to your position on the flying field. To prevent a tangled mess, avoid dragging your lines on the ground, unwinding them onto a pile at your feet, or using your elbow to coil them instead of a winder.

Line for Single-Line Kites

Flying lines for single-line kites are available in a variety of materials, lengths, strengths, and styles. We've made things simple by including flying line with each of our single-line kites, but if you decide you'd like to have some additional options on hand the short primer below will help you choose an appropriate line.

Materials

While cheap kid’s kites sometimes include stretchy nylon, cotton or monofilament line, most quality line for single line kites is made from polyester (sometimes called Dacron). Polyester line is stronger and lighter for its size so it’ll add less weight and drag to your kite, making it easier to fly in light winds.

Braided Line vs Twisted Line

Because twisted line is easier to manufacture it’s generally less expensive than braided line, but it’s much more likely to twist and get tangled as you fly. We include quality braided line with all our single line kites and we strongly recommend avoiding cheap twisted lines so you don’t have to spend your flying time untangling knots.

Close-up comparison of braided line on the left and twisted line on the right — Close up comparison of Braided line (left) vs twisted line (right)

Length & Strength

We recommend a length of 200-300 feet for most single line kites up to about a 7 foot wing span. While you can use a longer line if you'd like, there are a couple things you should consider first:

The longer your flying line is, the smaller your kite will appear in the sky - at a certain point you'll start to lose some of your kite's visual impact as it becomes harder to see.
Wind speed often increases as you gain altitude, so you may want to use a stronger line than normal if you plan on flying at higher altitudes. Keep in mind that the kite itself may sustain damage if the wind is too strong.
A longer line can make it more difficult to retrieve your kite if it comes down unexpectedly. Make sure the length of your line does not allow your kite to drift over trees, water, or anything else that would make it difficult to recover if it were to crash.

If you’re flying at higher altitudes or in stronger winds near the upper end of your kite's wind range, upgrading to a stronger line may be a good idea. On a breezy day the wind aloft can be much stronger than it is on the ground, so when in doubt choose a line that’s stronger than you think you need. It may weigh your kite down a little more, but that beats losing your kite if it breaks in a gust.

Line for Multi-Line Kites

Maneuverable sport kites and power kites require high-performance line for best control. Sport kite lines need to be low stretch, light weight, and slippery so you can easily control the kite with or without twists in the line.

Dyneema (Spectra) line

Most sport kite line is made from Dyneema (also called Spectra) which is a high performance aerospace fiber that’s stronger than steel for its weight and incredibly low stretch. That gives you the responsiveness and control required for sport kites while keeping weight and drag to a minimum.

Very low stretch - for quick, fingertip control response.
Thinner profile - creates less drag so you can fly in lighter winds.
Super slippery - lets you easily control the kite even with multiple twists in the line.
More expensive - costs more due to the advanced manufacturing process required to make and braid the super-fine fibers.

Polyester line

Smaller sport kites can also be flown on braided polyester lines because they don’t pull as hard and won’t be as affected by stretch in the line. Polyester is less expensive than Dyneema and works well for entry level kites, but upgrading to Dyneema lines will give a huge performance boost to any sport kite and let you fly in a wider wind range with more control.

Less expensive than Dyneema
Bigger diameter adds weight and drag
Stretchier- makes your kite less responsive
Higher friction- harder to control the kite with many twists in the line
Best for smaller kites that don’t pull hard

Length & Strength

The lines included with your Prism kite are a good all-around length and strength for most typical flying conditions. However many serious pilots collect additional linesets for strong winds, light winds, and confined flying spots so they can get the most from their kite wherever they go to fly.

Longer lines will...

Increase the available flying space
Make the kite feel a little slower and give you more time to react
Generate more drag as they catch the wind, controls may feel less crisp

Shorter lines will...

Reduce the available flying space
Make the kite feel a bit faster
Make it easier to learn advanced tricks by bringing the kite closer, providing a better view of how inputs affect the kite
Make it easier to fly in light winds

Heavier/Stronger lines will...

Offer better protection against breakage in stronger winds
Weigh the kite down a bit in light winds
Create more drag than thinner lines

Lighter/Weaker lines will...

Weigh less and create less drag, giving a performance boost in lighter winds
Need to be swapped for stronger lines as wind speed picks up

Storing Your Lines

When you're done flying for the day it's important to properly store your flying lines back on their winder, ensuring your lines are ready-to-use and tangle free when you start your next flying session. Here's our preferred winding method:

Step 1: hook both wrist-strap cords into the winder's slot.

Hook the colored cords from both wrist straps through the slot in your winder to anchor your lines in place.

Step 2: wind both lines together in a figure-eight pattern.

Holding both flying lines together, wrap them onto the winder in a figure-8 pattern, continuing until all the line is on the winder (single line shown for simplicity).

Step 3: fold the wrist straps over the lines and secure with the elastic cord.

Once the lines are fully wrapped, fold the wrist straps over the wound lines. Pull the elastic cord around the winder and slip the knot into the notch on the winder’s handle to secure.

Flying Line Repairs

Equalizing Your Flying Lines

Sport kite lines should be the same length - within 1” - for easiest control. While all our lines are precision measured at the factory, your new lines will stretch in a bit as you use them, especially if they’re polyester. Don’t worry- this is normal. Sometimes one line will stretch more than the other, especially if like most of us you favor tight spins in one direction over the other.

The adjustable wrist straps that come with your lines make it easy to equalize your lines if they stretch unevenly over time, or if you break and repair one line making it shorter than the other. Here’s how to do it:

Anchor the sleeved ends of your lines to something sturdy and unwind them fully. Note any difference in length between the lines.

Anchor both line ends, unwind fully and compare the positions of the wrist straps.

Pull the knot out from inside the wrist strap on the longer line, and slide the wrist strap forward to access the adjustment pigtail.

Pull the longer line's adjustment knot out from inside the wrist strap.

Tie an overhand knot in the pigtail. The distance between the new knot and the old knot should be equal to the difference in length between the two lines. Slide the wrist strap back into position, seating the knot inside.

Tie a new overhand knot in the adjustment pigtail and reseat the wrist strap.

Confirm that the lines are now even (within a half inch), and reposition the knot if necessary.

Compare both wrist straps again to confirm the flying lines are even.

Useful Knots

If something goes wrong and you end up with a broken flying line, a quick knot is often all that's needed to get back to flying. Here are the three most useful knots for kite fliers making field repairs:

Blood Knot

Can be used to join two pieces of line if your flying line breaks.

Double Overhand Loop

Used to finish the end of your flying line. Works well for both sleeved and un-sleeved lines.

Lark's Head Knot

Can be used to connect your flying line to the line attachment point on your kite's bridle without the aid of an attachment clip.

Fixing Lines with Sleeving

The loops at the end of Spectra lines are often protected with a braided sleeve. The sleeving cushions the knot in the loop, making a sleeved lineset about 20% stronger than an un-sleeved one. It’s not strictly necessary to sleeve your lines, but sleeving will protect your line from abrasion for a longer-lasting lineset. Here's how to sleeve the ends of your lines using our sleeving kit:

Hook the intact loop ends over something fixed (hook, fencepost, log) and stretch both lines out to their full length.
Cut both lines to the same length with a knife, removing the loop on the unbroken side.
Use the included wire loop to fish each line through the hollow sleeving. Slide the sleeving off onto each line.
With tension on both lines, slide the sleeving to the same position on each side.
Holding even tension on both lines, use a permanent marker to put a tic mark across both lines about 1” beyond either end of the sleeving.
Fold each line so the tic marks match up, and use two overhand knots in a row to tie loops in the lines and sleeving.
Pull evenly on both lines to check that they are the same length within 1/2”. Loosen knots and adjust one loop if necessary.
Cut off the loose Spectra tail on each loop.

Sleeved line repair: mark the lines, align the marks, and tie overhand knots

Fixing Lines without Sleeving

You can also finish the ends of your flying lines without sleeving, which can be a handy option for repairing your line when you don't have a sleeving kit handy. Here's how to make this repair:

Hook the intact loop ends over something fixed (hook, fencepost, log) and stretch both lines out to their full length.
With even tension on both lines, use a permanent marker to make two tic marks across both lines - one about a foot from the end of the shorter line, and a second near the end of that same shorter line.
Fold each line so the tic marks match up, and use two overhand knots in a row to tie loops at the ends of the lines. Cut off any excess line.
Connect each of the lines to a pigtail with a Lark’s Head knot. (You can make your own pigtails using some bridle-weight line tied with an overhand knot.)
Pull evenly on both lines to check that they are the same length within 1/2”.

Unsleeved line repair: mark and fold the lines, tie loops and attach pigtails