What are your thoughts on this?
 

This isn't an advertisement but wanted to get your thoughts on this before I ordered one. 60 bucks for a safe single launch land is worth it to me....

http://www.thekitebuddy.com

There is thread on this somewhere on the forum. Some plusses and minuses were given on that thread.

I'm not sold on the idea. Not at all.

HaHAHa!!!
It should be good for 10 knots!

LOLLLl!!!!


http://www.nwkite.com/forums/t-7628.html

Agree... looks like plastic junk. I've used a plain old dog screw stake and it worked fine, just don't stub your toe on it. Not my favorite method leaving a metal screw in the ground.

You can get a canvas bag with handles on it. Fill it with sand a put a carribiner through the handles.

But, 75% of the time I use my trailer hitch, the bench at lassing, or the garbage can at PAG. The other 25% of the time I put sand on the wing tip or bury my board in the mud and attach to the handle. Once in awhile I use a canvas bag if I can remember to bring it.

For landing you can do the same thing or just release to a front line.

Self launching is easy enough without any of these launch gimmicks but if forced to choose one it would be the canvas bag filled with sand.

I don't really understand how self launching and landing has become such a mystery.

Don't instructors teach this stuff anymore?

Oh ok... 60 bucks is highway robbery. Do not buy it.

Here is the "real deal". http://www.rapidanchor.com/ if you want an anchor.

Just not sure they are in the U.S. yet.

I would have just asked you at work Tom but I didn't see you in the office ;)

No mystery, just cautious.

Thanks fellas.

if i were an instructor i would not teach self launching or landing.

i would explain to my students that it is possible but not recommended until they are very comfortable riding and piloting their kite.

i *think* once riders get to that point where they feel they are good to ride by themselves they will have educated themselves on how to properly launch and land solo..

i would teach how to solo emergency land their kite *which could be taken as a self land*.. but i would not teach it as such and knowing that all kites have a little different technique to self land.. i might just teach riders on how to flag their kite out in the case of emergencies and they are stuck by themselves and have to put their kite down.

ive had one solo launch that went sour.. luckily i knew how to handle it only due to the hours i'd already put into the sport..

if the same thing had happened on my first solo launch attempt i'd probably have to have been scrapped off the sides of one of the buildings down at cypress park.

Perhaps, but in my opinion, not teaching riders how to self launch safely is probably the #1 reason so many self launch attempts go bad. I was self launching and landing from day 1. Guess I should thank my instructor.

Not teaching to self launch and self land is much the arguement of not teaching teenagers the proper way to use condoms. On one hand if you're not having sex you can't get yourself in trouble, but on the other hand, if you decide to try you would want to have some clue as to how to work it properly, by work it properly I mean a self landing and launching :)

don't bother with that gimmick
 

Really?!! Never gave much thought to any safe practices (e.g. condoms) at all when only my "self" was involved... just balls to the wall.. well, maybe not literally :p Sorry, couldn't resist ;)

I have to agree though.. that thing is a piece of junk. Just find someone to show you how to self launch and land. Plenty of helpful people in this crew. It's not difficult at all once you've practiced (under supervision) a few times.