The Parafoil Kite
Engine For Many Extreme Sports
For a good overall picture of the parafoil kite scene back in 2007, see the big information table below. Prices change, and a new kite comes onto the market from time to time, so this info is obviously out of date now.
However, have you seen anything like this table anywhere else on the Web? I don't think so! Out of date or not, it tells you a thing or 2 about foil kites.
The cheapies are at the top of the table, and are not necessarily of much use to you as a traction kite! Ok for a bit of a slip'n'giggle out on the frozen lake with someone's old pair of skis or toboggan, maybe.
The e-book Making The MBK Parafoil Kite shows you how to construct a simple 4-cell single-line parafoil. Check it out if that's more your style :-)
Parafoil Kite Table
Serious about going cross-country under parafoil kite power? Look towards the bottom end of the list.
Price (USD)
Manufacturer
Name
Type
Sizes (sqr m)
< 100
Brookite
Sky Witch
2-line
0.6
Brookite
Sky Wizard
2-line
0.8
Flexifoil
Buzz
2-line
0.8
Flying Wings
Mighty Bug
2-line
0.5, 1.0, 1.5
HQ
Bongo
2-line
1.2
HQ
NPW 5
2-line
2.4, 3.4, 4.4
HQ
Symphony
2-line
1.2, 1.4, 1.8
Ozone
Imp 07
2-line
1.0
Spirit of Air
Power Foil
2-line
1.1, 1.4
Thunderbird
Speed Foil
2-line
1.0
PKD
Buster
4-line
0.7
Rhombus
Firebee
4-line
1.0, 2.0
Feed The Rat
FTR
depowerable
2.0, 3.0
100 - 199
HQ
NPW 5
2-line
6.9
HQ
NPW 9
2-line
3.4, 5.3, 7.6, 12.0
HQ
Rush
2-line
1.3, 1.8, 2.6
HQ
Symphony
2-line
2.2, 2.7
Ozone
Imp 07
2-line
1.5, 2.0
HQ
Beamer III
4-line
2.0
New tech
Ballistic
4-line
2.2, 3.6
Ozone
Imp Quattro
4-line
1.5
PKD
Buster
4-line
1.4, 2.0
Rhombus
Firebee
4-line
3.0, 4.0
Feed The Rat
FTR
depowerable
4.0
200 - 299
HQ
NPW 9
2-line
15.0
Ozone
Imp Trainer
2-line
2.0, 2.5, 3.5
Gin
Zig
4-line
1.0, 2.0
HQ
Beamer III
4-line
3.0, 4.0
HQ
Beamer TSR
4-line
1.8
New Tech
Ballistic
4-line
4.9
Ozone
Imp Quattro
4-line
2.0, 2.5, 3.5
PKD
Buster
4-line
3.0, 4.0
Spirit of Air
Cyclone
4-line
2.0, 3.0, 4.0
Feed The Rat
FTR
depowerable
5.5
300 - 399
Gin
Zig
4-line
3.0, 4.0, 5.5
Gin
Yoz II
4-line
1.8
HQ
Beamer III
4-line
5.0, 7.0
HQ
Beamer TSR
4-line
2.5, 3.6
Flexifoil
Rage
4-line
1.8, 2.5
New Tech
Ballistic
4-line
6.2
Ozone
Samurai 2
4-line
2.0, 3.0, 4.0
Ozone
Razor
4-line
2.5
PKD
Buster
4-line
5.5
400 - 499
Flexifoil
Rage
4-line
3.5, 4.7
Gin
Yoz II
4-line
2.6, 3.8
HQ
Beamer TSR
4-line
5.0, 7.0
Ozone
Samurai 2
4-line
5.0
Ozone
Razor
4-line
3.5
PKD
Buster
4-line
7.0
500 - 599
Flexifoil
Rage
4-line
6.0
Gin
Yoz II
4-line
4.8
Ozone
Razor
4-line
4.5, 5.5
PKD
Buster
4-line
9.0
600 -699
Gin
Yoz II
4-line
6.2
Ozone
Razor
4-line
6.8
Gin
Yoz II UDS
depowerable
1.8
Ozone
Access
depowerable
6.0, 10.0
700 - 799
Gin
Yoz II
4-line
8.5
Ozone
Razor
4-line
8.5
Gin
Yoz II UDS
depowerable
2.6, 3.8
North Husky Ltd.
n/a
depowerable
7.3, 11.3
800 - 899
Ozone
Razor
4-line
11.0
Gin
Yoz II UDS
depowerable
4.8
Ozone
Frenzy
depowerable
5.0
900 - 999
Gin
Yoz II
4-line
10.6
Ozone
Frenzy
depowerable
7.5
1000 - 1099
Gin
Eskimo
depowerable
4.0
Gin
Yoz II UDS
depowerable
8.5
1100 - 1199
Gin
Eskimo
depowerable
6.0
Ozone
Frenzy
depowerable
10.0
1200 - 1299
Gin
Yoz II UDS
depowerable
10.6
Ozone
Frenzy
depowerable
12.0
1300 - 1399
Gin
Eskimo
depowerable
8.5
Ozone
Frenzy
depowerable
14.0
1400 - 1499
Gin
Eskimo
depowerable
11.5
Did you notice some groups or categories in all that parafoil kite data? Here's what I saw...
- 2-line stunt kites for flying in the park, with steering ability but not much power for traction sports
- bigger stunt kites, with more useful amounts of power
- small 4-line traction kites that could be used to snowkite, for example
- low-end de-powerable parafoil kites, tough and ideal for beginners
- more expensive 4-liners, quite good to snowboard or buggy with
- mid-range de-powerable foils, perfect for snowkiting
- most expensive large kites, stable with smoothly controllable power over a very wide wind range
Hope you got something out of all this parafoil kite info!
Just for a bit of fun, it's possible for anyone to whip up their own parafoil kite from plastic sheet and packing tape...
Try making my single-line parafoil one day :-) It has a very respectable wind range, although that's shifted towards the light end of the spectrum.
FREE E-Book!
I'm referring to Simplest Dowel Kites, my popular kite-making download. It's a printable PDF file. Make a diamond, delta or sled. Each kite is capable of flying hundreds of feet up for hours on end.
Could you do me just a small favor though?
Please sign up for my free monthly publication, "Tethered Flying". No other emails will be sent, and your details are safe with me. You need to be at least 16 years old. There's...
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P.S. Keep an eye out for books by kite author Glenn Davison, a prominent kite person in the USA.
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Wind Speeds
Light Air
1-5 km/h
1-3 mph
1-3 knots
Beaufort 1
Light breeze
6–11 km/h
4–7 mph
4–6 knots
Beaufort 2
Gentle ...
12–19 km/h
8–12 mph
7–10 knots
Beaufort 3
Moderate ...
20–28 km/h
13–18 mph
11–16 knots
Beaufort 4
Fresh ...
29–38 km/h
19–24 mph
17–21 knots
Beaufort 5
Strong ...
39–49 km/h
25–31 mph
22–27 knots
Beaufort 6
High Wind
50-61 km/h
32-38 mph
28-33 knots
Beaufort 7
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Hey - grab your free e-book first :-)
I'm referring to Simplest Dowel Kites, my popular kite-making download. It's a printable PDF file. Make a diamond, delta or sled. Each kite is capable of flying hundreds of feet up for hours on end.
Could you do me just a small favor though?
Please sign up for my free monthly publication, "Tethered Flying". No other emails will be sent, and your details are safe with me. You need to be at least 16 years old. There's...
- A huge "photo of the month" (via a link)
- 3 "tips of the month" (one each for beginners, parents and the more experienced)
- A "flight report of the month" (selected from my own flying logs)
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