Oh my
A very good question from jurihc, and he explicitly says he could make one himself - but NOT interested in that, just how above two tether launch solutions works compared
And what happens ?
Till now 30 answers with mostly DIY solutions, and whining
Only 5 has actually answered to the question, namely coyoteface, Don Monnot, markchatwin, slingshotuch, and CFS !
Thumbs up for the replies you guys made
A lot of the other replies are DIY stuff and whining that could be made in another thread IMO
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Back to the topic:
I have none of above, but having loads of experience with all kinds of tethered launches (as we all do that without exception around here, no matter how many we are out), I would say that the KiteBuddy looks to work for softer sand, whereas the KiteAnchor could be good for harder sand or even soft grass areas - like Mark said.
So both having slightly different usage area, depending on surface
My only concern about both of them, and especially with the KiteBuddy, would be :
Why is the line to the carabiner so short ?
It would require that you almost lay down (at least go on your knees), to put it into the CL
We always have at least 1½ or a couple of meters from the stake to the carabiner, as it makes it both faster, and easier to launch/land, and less stress on the anchor
You can still bend down if you want minimal "pull up" stress on the anchor - and it is way easier to grab the carabiner and put into the CL if the line is longer - and safer as you can be oriented towards the kite all the time easily, to keep an eye on everything/everyone.
Have sometimes had to tie my setup around something big low on the ground, so my line becomes "short" (but not as short as the KiteBuddy)
And what a hazzle it was, to get in/out now
Remember - you typically do this many times per session/day
So a short carabiner line would not be my choice, and I really wonder why it is made like that ?
I can see one reason though - that if you are forced to bend down, you would probably not put stress on the stake yourself - whereas if a longer line, you could make the mistake of pulling "up" much easier...
Just my 2 cents about these - think they are for a slightly different ground/surface, but apart from the short lines which is not my cup of tea, they seem fine both of them, and alternatively both can be used together in really soft ground.
Peter