Tied to the Sky

Stunt Kite Flying Basics

Have you seen our stunt Kite flying manual?

 Flying stunt kites is an exciting way to enjoy the fresh air, get some exercise and relax.  Many people like to learn the latest tricks, while others like to fly their kite listening to music on their iPod.  Stunt kites are a wonderful way to spend your leisure time with friends and family. The following is our illustrated start up guide for flying two line stunt kites.  This material was collected from a variety of sources and presented here for your information and interest.

These basic tips will help you get in the air faster and enjoy more success as you take to the skies with your new kite.  Also have a look in our resource section for some great online kite fly tutorials to help take you to the next levels!

 Click on images to enlarge

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Extended leaders on B-Series Rev Kite Handles

If you haven't tried a Revolution kite - you really have to take the plunge!   Revolution kites are one of the most dynamically expressive and interactive sport wing kites you can enjoy today!   If you have, you know the thrill first hand and are at work studying the master flyers and tuning your kites and accessories for your personal flying preferences.

You also know that Great Canadian Kite Company is hands down one of the best Canadian sources for Rev kites and accessories including lines,  custom handles, frames and replacement parts - all at competitive prices with great personalized service!

B-Series flyers will recognize the extended leaders on their handles but for those of us flying 1.5's and other Rev kite packages the extended leaders may be new to us.

The extended leaders replace the top leaders on your flying handles.   They are almost 2 times longer and have a series of knots along the length of it.  These make for a series of  points to connect your flying line to the handles.  Each point alters the aspect of the wing (kite) in effect adding or reducing brake.  This ideally helps tune our kites not only for the conditions but also our flying preferences and abilities.

We had time to spend with the Master himself, Jon Baressi and among other things he shared his tuning tip for new fliers on B-leaders.  

"Start at the end knot, try to launch, bring in one knot at a time until you can launch. Every couple months, do the same approach again and as they get better, their "happy knot" will be further and further out."

It is a very simple and practical approach and with practice your skills will improve dramatically.   When we teach people to fly Revolution kites we like to use handles with extended leaders because we find it increase flyer success much faster.   The sooner our students experience success with their kites, the sooner they're tearing up the sky - with a big grin on their face!

If you have a set of handles with the normal leaders, not to worry.  We stock extended leaders here at the Great Canadian Kite Company.   The are so easy to install!  You may want to consider including those new leaders with a new Revolution kite as well!

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Kites for Father's Day - June 19

Father's Day is just around the corner, but it's not too late to get the special dad in your life a gift that will thrill!. Kites are a fantastic way to get some fresh air, fly stress away and have fun! Whether he is tearing up the sky with a Stunt Kite or chillin' with a Single Line Kite dancing on the wind, are great fun for the whole family!

We have a wide selection  of quality made, great flying single line kites for almost any taste!.  Easy to fly kites in a variety of shapes, sizes and designs make single line kites a great choice for family fun and relaxation!

Our Stunt kites will Thrill!!  Stunt kites allow the flyer to become a pilot as they take control of the kite lines; fly loops and spins, and with practice, you can learn some jaw-dropping kite tricks.  Stunt kites are a great way to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

Great Canadian Kite Company is your full service Kite Shop serving Canada and beyond from Alberta.  Check out our selection of quality kites in our online kite shop.  Quality Kites, selection and top notch service and support before AND after your kite purchase!

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Prism Isotope & Mantis Kite : Tech Tips

Prism Kites has had reports from Isotope and Mantis owners that they were having trouble getting them to fly stable without wandering back and forth. It took a while to diagnose the problem because whenever we'd get a kite back to check it would fly perfectly- frustrating! After much detective work we finally figured it out, and kites in production from summer 2015 onward were tweaked to address the problem. Here's what you need to know- please pass the word if you hear from someone having trouble:

Mantis: The Mantis flies nice and stable as long as the Velcro at the end of the spine is tightened enough to put a downward bow in the spine when it's assembled. If the Velcro is loose and the spine has no bow it will reduce stability, especially in stronger winds. That info is in the instructions for the Mantis, but there is now a printed tag sewn right onto the Velcro to remind customers as they assemble the kite.

Isotope: The early Isotopes had a similar issue with spine tension, but with the opposite result- of all the rotten luck!  For the Isotope, the kite can be unstable if the spines are tensioned very tightly with the tail Velcros during assembly. This flattens the sail too much for stable flight and the kite can wander back and forth in stronger winds. To fix it in production last summer we shortened the Isotope spines slightly so it would be impossible for a customer to pull the Velcro too tight.

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Thanks to Prism Kites for this information.  These issues are related to kites in the first run of production, early last Spring.  Great Canadian Kite Company didn't receive kites from this manufacturing lot but we have received customer service calls from those who purchased this lot from other kite retailers.  We have provided this info and sure it will help you really enjoy your kites!

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How to tie a Larks Head Knot

A great how- to tie kite flyer's favourite knot - the Larks Head Knot!    A very easy know to learn and makes connecting your lines to your kite a breeze! 

The Larks Head knot is the single most useful knot in kiting. You will use this knot to attach your flying line to your kites tow points (akaPig tails). The Larks Head is a slip knot, therefore the more you pull the tighter it becomes, so there is no chance of it coming loose in while the kite is in the air. As soon as the tension is released (after landing the kite) the knot is easy to pull loose and undo. 

Check out this great video by Kitelife.com:

Be sure to check out our kite resource section on our Canadian online kite shop where you will find a host of kite related resources: trick tutorials, kite terms, kite diagrams, weather links, kite festivals and more!  Another reason why Great Canadian kite Company is a great place to buy kites in Canada!

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Gift Cards!

Shopping for someone else but not sure what to give them? Give them the gift of choice with a Great Canadian Kite Company Gift Card.

Gift cards provide a flexible way for you to purchase a gift for someone from Great Canadian Kite Company, while maintaining full freedom of choice! You simply purchase gift cards the same, secure way that you purchase any other of our product. And unlike a gift certificate, the recipient can spread the gift card balance over multiple visits!

Gift cards are delivered by email and contain instructions to redeem them at checkout. Our gift cards have no additional processing fees.

See our New Gift Cards

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Rev Kite Order Going In!

Hey friends,
Just a heads up that we have a fresh shipment coming out of Revolution Kites very soon!  If you are looking for that something special now would be a great time to talk with us to get it included!
Remember - we fly Rev Kites and we can set you up with the package that you want!  We can customize frames, handles, line sets and we can also help you get a custom sail!   Contact us or call us Toll Free 1-877-382-3956

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Multi Kite Bag by Revolution Kites - Smart, Secure and Efficient

Back by popular demand - The Revolution Multi Kite roll-up bag. Folks, these are VERY well made. More than a simple bag, it is packed with quality features. Heavy duty construction, attractive embroidery, beefy, durable clips and more. The outside also boasts a nice shoulder strap and good-sized zippered pocket ideal for car keys, sunscreen and various odds and ends.

Open this case up and you will be impressed with the efficient design - Space for at least 5 kites with a fold-over velcro cover to keep your gear in place. Each slot has quality mesh on the bottom so you can see what kites you have with you, and reduces the chance of the pockets to fill with sand/dirt or grass. There are also plenty of velcro mesh pockets for line sets and flying handles. I love this bag because you can see what you have at a glance. Reduces the instances of getting to the flying field and discovering that you forgot your handles or your vented Rev! (I know I'm not the only one to do this!!!)   

Folks, if you don't have 5+ Revs to fill it, you can carry many of your dual line kites in it as well. This Multi Kite Bag by Revolutions packs your gear safely, securely and smartly and is ideal for travel - car or airplane. Efficient and well thought out for the flying field!

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Glide Kites - Zero Wind Elegance

No wind? No problem!   Glide kites are hugely popular for just this reason.   A combination of single line kite flying and the skill and interactiveness of stunt kite flying these tethered gliders float, spin stat all dive and glide on a puff of wind or a simple tug on the line.    This incredibly graceful for of kite flying is don up close and personal which makes it ideal for small spaces and indoor flying!

One of our favourites is the Skate from the good folks at Into The Wind.  The Skate is a Paul de Bakkers design. Paul de Bakker's Skate is flown by many top indoor competitors. Adding grace and elegance every place you fly, it turns kiteflying into performance art. Its nose pocket accepts one to three coins, allowing you to tune it for indoor or outdoor conditions, add weight to the nose to make it glide. Remove the coins to fly it as a kite in 0 to 6 mph winds.

See it in action!

Skate Specs.

Wing Span: 162cm

Height: 123cm

Sail: 0.6 oz. Ripstop Polyester

Frame: Micro-Carbon rods

Line: 100ft x 50lb Dynema included.

Wind Range: 0 - 9kph

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