peterheirman wrote:@OceanAdventures: the problem with shop keepers and their staff is that they speak marketing stuff: as where else can they get all the info. And as such you end up with buying a kite from one of the big marketing brands.
I doubt they have actually tried all the kites (brands times models times sizes > 60kites at start of each season) they sell.
Actually this is pretty far from the truth when it comes to shops that have been around, especially since the beginning.
The yahoos who become a "team rider" or run an internet shop and only sell one or two brands, yes they will give you the marketing info to persuade you.
Me and my instructors do our best to fly every type of kite we can get our hands on, and my recommendation are always based on that, what I know from flying them and comparing them. Now can I ride every kite, no. And if you call and ask about a kite I haven't ridden I'll say that first, but from other customers experiences and looking at the kite design I can usually give a decent assessment of a kite.
I wouldn't be running a shop that's been around since 1999 if I sold kites that were horrible. The cream does rise to the top, and that's usually the brands that I keep in stock.
There are a bunch of great shops with great guys who love to help people find the right kite, and enjoy it when someone says thanks, your advise was right and I love my kite. And those are the guys who will bend over backwards to help make sure you don't waste money on a kite you don't like.
If you want to be an internet shopper and buy a cheap kite you see to save a buck, then yes you may have a lot of disappointments. Find a shop with a guy whose opinion you trust and you will have much less heartache.