Feeling the tug of a kite as it climbs higher and higher in the sky is one of life’s better freebies.  Granted, you have to purchase the kite, but after you do, it’s free to fly whenever and where ever you like.  Pack it on a picnic, a bike trip or keep it in the trunk of your car, and you’re ready for easy to enjoy action any place with an open sky.

 

PRISM STOWAWAY DELTA KITE

 

I’ve been enjoying the Stowaway Delta kite from Prism Kite Technologies recently and I’ve been impressed with its construction and compactness. It comes in a slender carrying case that also holds its good-sized reel of line. Loosen the mini bungee strap, then slip out the line and the kite. There’s only one bungeed cross bar to install and the kite is ready to fly.

Kite Specs:

• 64” wingspan
• 5 – 20 mph wind range
• Frame – fiberglass
• Sail – ripstop polyester
• Line – 200’ of 30# Dacron

 

When it comes to launching a fixed wing kite, its easiest if someone holds it up into the wind as you let out some line and then start running from about 25 – 30 feet away. When I had the opportunity last week to fly it by myself, I pondered how best to simulate someone hold it vertically for me.  Then it hit me – use my tripod.

Since I usually have one or two camera tripods in my car, it occurred to me to stand the kite up against the front two legs.  Leaning back slightly, it was the perfect angle to catch an air current.  I let out about 25 feet of line, and with one tug, the kite lifted itself straight up into the air.

That was very helpful since the day I was trying to fly it, I didn’t have a good, constant breeze down by the lakefront. Winds blew maybe 12 – 15 MPH one second and then maybe 4 -5 MPH the next – not the ideal kite flying weather – but the Stowaway Delta stayed aloft for quite a while.

HOISTING A GO PRO CAMERA

It was especially notable since I had tied a payload to the leading edge of the Stowaway Delta – a GoPro Hero 3 camera. Using a simple six inch twist tie, I set the camera, in its waterproof case, to photograph upside down, and crossed my fingers to see what kind of photographs I could capture.  The additional weight was a true test for the Delta kite, and I really didn’t expect it to work with the intermittent breezes.

The camera did swing considerably, since there was nothing supporting it other than the twist-tie.  After the couple short flights however, I looked at the pics I was able to grab, and was quite happy with the afternoon’s effort. See for yourself here below.

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Check out the Prism Stowaway Delta and the huge line of other kites available from Prism Kite Technology.  Read my review of the Stowaway Parafoil kite.

Have you ever done any kite photography?  If so, please share with our other readers in the comment section below.

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