Red is a stylish color, particularly when it’s applied to objects that move fast or fly high. Red is a very good color for high-quality kites, especially when there’s a bright blue sky for the red kite to dance across.
The StuffKidsLove Best Delta Kite is one of the best red kites in terms of lightness, durability and ease of use. There are also many other high-quality kite products on the market for those interested in more ornate, exotic or maneuverable designs.
To have a fun time flying your new red kite, you need the right environment and the right weather. Large open spaces such as parks, fields and beaches will give you space to watch and fly your kite freely without worrying about getting the line tangled in trees or buildings. Weather-wise, most kites function best on sunny, cloudless, moderately breezy days, with just enough wind to lift a kite into the air without tearing it from its owner’s hands.
To fly a kite that has a single line, put your back to the wind, lift the kite by the juncture where it’s connected to the line and release it once it’s caught by the breeze. Alternate between pulling down on the kite and unspooling the line to make the kite climb higher. To steer a kite with a pair of lines, you can carefully tug the left line to make it move left and tug the right line to make it move right.
Old-fashioned “diamond kites” and other kites with flat surfaces are still popular today thanks to their straightforward design that’s easy to make. Delta kites are a more modern triangular kite design that can easily take flight in light breezes. Parafoil kites lack solid frames, instead becoming semirigid when pockets of wind inflate cells within their fabric. “Box” or “cellular” kites are generally made from squares or loops of fabric kept rigid by intricate lattices and can come in truly bizarre, intricate shapes.
The lighter a kite is, the higher it can fly under normal breeze conditions. The tougher the fabric and struts of a kite, the less likely it is to tear from fierce gusts or break if it falls to the ground. The best kites are generally made from light and tough synthetic materials such as fiberglass, nylon, polyester, Orcon or even carbon fiber. These materials can be further reinforced through a crosshatch pattern of weaving that creates “ripstop fabric.”
If a kite line gets tangled through improper storage or a sudden crash landing, it can take ages to unravel. Fortunately, many high-quality kites come with lines that are less likely to get tangled thanks to their braided design and core material. In general, cotton lines and unbraided nylon lines are very easily tangled, while braided polyester kite lines are hard to tangle and easy to untangle.
Over the centuries, kite-makers have learned how to create more sophisticated, reliable kite designs that are easier for owners to launch, reel back down and steer across the sky. Delta kites and sled kites are particularly easy for novice kite flyers to launch and control, while parafoil kites with multiple lines are very maneuverable in the hands of experienced kite flyers.
Most individual kite products cost $10-$18, while packages of multiple kits and kites with exotic designs are closer to $30 in price.
A. According to the American Kite Fliers Association, humans have probably been making and flying kites since long before the start of recorded history. Some anthropological evidence suggests that kites were independently invented in China, Malaysia, Indonesia and other locales in the South Pacific. The earliest literary references to kites appear in Chinese accounts from 200 B.C.; by the 13th century A.D., kite-making and kite-flying had spread to Korea, India, the Middle East and Europe.
A. Most “fighter kites” are small and flat in shape, anchored in the air by a single line. In kite fighting tournaments, competitors try to cut or capture the kites of their opponents, in some cases using kite lines covered with abrasive materials such as broken glass or small blades. Some countries have banned the use of abrasive lines in kite fighting events due to the dangers they pose to spectators and wildlife.
What you need to know: This single-line delta kite is durable, light, flexible, easy to assemble and easy to fly.
What you’ll love: This kite is 60 inches wide, 32 inches long, has 200 feet of anti-tangling flying line and a pair of 8.5 foot-long tails for stability. It’s packaged with assembly instructions, a kit of spare parts and a bag with a storage handle.
What you should consider: Individual kites from this product line may vary in quality when it comes to balance and the line handle’s durability.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
In The Breeze Red 30-inch Diamond Kite
What you need to know: This bargain kite product has the diamond shape of a classic, archetypal kite and comes with a kit line and bag.
What you’ll love: This red diamond-shaped kite is made of ripstop polyester fabric and comes with 130 feet of polyester kite line. The kite is stabilized in flight by three long tails and has a wind range of 6-20 miles.
What you should consider: The two plastic rods in the kite’s structure need to be aligned correctly to make sure the kite flies well.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
What you need to know: This beautiful red software-printed kite has a novel octopus shape that is fun to guide through the air.
What you’ll love: This octopus-shaped kite is 196 inches long, 31.5 inches wide and has eight tails in the shape of octopus tendrils. Owners of this kite can take it right out of the bag and fly it without any need for assembly.
What you should consider: It takes quite a bit of time to reel the kite back down to the ground when the line’s fully unraveled.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Coleman Gailloreto writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
