Why should I take lessons or attend a camp with Virginia Power Kites 

A reason to take lessons with Virginia Power Kites is that we offer personalized instruction. Other schools offer instruction with very large groups, and that means that you do not get the one on one instruction that you could get at a smaller school. Also, larger schools become more commercialized and are often more motivated by profit. At Virginia Power Kites, we emphasize quality instruction emphasizing safety. We only have PASA certified instructors in our school. We are interested in teaching students how to kiteboard effectively on their own so they can feel confident as riders at the end of their training. Another point is that we also use many skills for cross-training, such as kite buggies, kite landboards, and other equipment. We keep our prices lower than many other schools on the market because we do not have as much overhead expenses as other kite schools that have to maintain a large retail area. We are very concerned that our customers get the best quality instruction possible. Since every student has a different learning curve, we do not state that you are going to immediately learn the sport of kiteboarding. We realize that students learn at a different pace and adjust our teaching style to reflect the needs of each particular student.We also have written tests that you should pass when you study under us, and we get you to know basic meteorology. We follow the general curriculum instituted by PASA concerning how to learn kiteboarding.

LEVEL 1 KITEBOARDER

1. Is able to determine wind direction, speed, and quality to assess safety.

2. Understands the requirements of a good launch area.

3.  Undersands the rules of the road with other kiters.

4. Understands how to set-up equipment independently and safely and perform a pre-flight check.

5. Use and reset all safety features on the equipment.

6. Use of kite kite harness.

7. Perform self-rescue techniques to disarm the kite and get to shore with gear.

8. Perform a safe launching and landing of the kite.

9. Execute kite water relaunches.

10. Body dragging in control of direction.

LEVEL 2 KITEBOARDER

1. All skill listed in level 1.

2. Meteorological knowledge.

3. Perform water start on the board and maintain control of kite and board solo.

4. Control speed with advanced kite and board handling.

5. Work the board and kite in harmony for extended rides.

6. Can perform basic turns and transitions.

LEVEL 3 KITEBOARDER

1. Using Trim Strap and Loop to adjust 4-line kite power intake.

2. Consistently going upwind.

3. Perform advanced turns and transitions under power.

4. Maintain control in most wind conditions.

5 Perform simple jumps.

PASA or Professional Air Sports Association is a recognized and reputable organization that trains kiteboarding instructors. By becoming a member of PASA after receiving training through Virginia Power Kites, you receive liability coverage up to $1,000,000, a 20% discount to iKitesurf wind site, a free subscription to kiteboarding magazine, and your skill level as a student is evaluated according to PASA standards. It is important to take lessons from a credible school with trained instructors who are certified to teach kiteboarding.

At Virginia Power Kites, we assess all kiteboarders we instruct according to PASA rules, but also we provide further instruction by giving you a written test, the Virginia Power Kites test. You can see this test on this website. When you get a lesson, our instructors will go over the test with you. We want you to have a complete knowledge of the sport of kiteboarding, and we believe that written tests are important because they ensure that you have absorbed all of the knowledge you have gained from the lesson.

For more information about PASA, please go to www.pasakiboarding.org.

Why should I take one of the longer camps like the Expression camp in July or the Passion camp?

Longer camps are a great way to ensure that you learn all of the kiteboarding skills that you will need. First, when you attend a longer camp like the Expression camp in Cape Hatteras, you get days of back to back kiteboarding skills. Repetition is the mother of learning, so the best way to learn kiteboarding is to keep practicing. If you just have a brief lesson, chances are that you will forget the material. It usually takes at least 5-7 days to learn how to kiteboard effectively. If you take several lessons and camps, you can accelerate the process, but the best way is to attend a longer camp in which you can get more sustained instruction.

Can I learn to kitesurf without purchasing my own equipment? Also, can I buy equipment and just watch videos online to learn how to kitesurf?

You can learn to kitesurf without your own equipment, but you will spend a great deal more money on lessons than you would if you purchase your own equipment. Also, there is so much equipment on the market that you can get confused if you don't stick with your own equipment. We recommend that you purchase your own equipment as soon as you get a lesson or even before you get a lesson. That will ensure that you can practice what you have learned from your lesson. You should only use your equipment after you have basic power kiting skills and are at least a level one PASA kiteboarder who understands self-launching and self-rescue as well as all safety mechanisms with kiting. Always have a person who understands how to help you launch the kite and land the kite once you are confidently able to fly the kite and perform body dragging. You should have very good power kite skills before you take your equipment out. You should NEVER try to learn from videos online on your own because videos do not replace qualified instruction. They are an excellent training tool.

Should I purchase used equipment on Ebay to learn on if I am a beginner?

Unless you have experience, I highly recommend getting a newer kite because they have better safety features than before. If you are an intermediate rider with some experience, you should feel free to buy older equipment as long as you feel competent riding it and understand its limitations. Older C-kites can be very difficult to relaunch from the water. Many used kites have popped bladders. Furthermore, newer kites have improved turning speed and enhanced depower. Older kites are fine to have once you have gained experience, but by then, you'll probably be envious of the people you see flying newer kites while you are having to work so much harder because you have an older kite that turns slower. I don't believe that you have to purchase new kites every year, and you should value whatever kites you have (some people even throw out decent older kites that could be repaired easily with some basic knowledge of kite repair). However, the improvements made on newer kites trumps any of the benefits of investing in an older kite. To make an analogy, how many people would go out of their way to buy a computer from five years ago when they could purchase the latest computer? There are so many benefits from purchasing a newer model than an older model of kites.

I would like to get one size kite that I could use for kiteboarding in all conditions. Does that kite exist?

No, there is no such kite available. First of all, the standard kite size is between 9-12 meters depending on your weight in moderate wind conditions of 15-20 knots. Most kitesurfers purchase one large kite, say 12 to 14 meters, one medium size kite of 9 to 10 meters, and one smaller kite of 5-7 meters. The larger kite is for lighter wind (10-15 knots), the medium kite for moderate wind (15-25 knots), and the smaller kite for strong wind (25-35 knots). The ideal conditions for kitesurfing are 15-20 knots side onshore. If your weight is different than the average rider, you may need one size smaller or large kite than the average rider. As for boards, you should start out with a large, wide board and then progress to a smaller board once you get accustomed to riding. Smaller boards are more maneuverable, but they require more wind than larger boards.

What brand of kite do you recommend that I buy? You have a lot of kites available, and I don't know what to choose.

Each of the kites that we offer is a quality kite that you will enjoy for years. HQ Kites has been producing foils for years, and the HQ Neo II is an ideal crossover kite if you snowkite and are interested in kitesurfing as well. RRD produces excellent kites that have a great deal of depower and a lot of power that you can use instantly. They have been in the market for years, even since the first days of kitesurfing. Epic Kites is a new brand of kites designed by Dimitri Maramenides, a local kitesurfer from Cape Hatteras who produces some of the highest quality kites on the market. The Screamer is designed for more advanced riders who like jumping, while the Renegade is for riders who are more interested in cruising around (although you can jump with the Renegade). Eclipse Kites produces the Thruster, which is designed for jumping and freestyle, the Kima (for waveriding), and now the Surge (a redesigned C-kite for those who like the unhooked performance of C-kites). The more experience you gain as a rider, the more open minded you will become about kites and their design. Take your time making your decision about which kite you purchase and keep your riding style in mind. Do not go by price alone. HQ, RRD, Epic, and Eclipse are all excellent brands, and of them that you purchase will grow on you. Whatever you buy from us, you should go riding with it as much as possible.

There are a lot of kite dealers and online stores in the market. Why should I purchase from Virginia Power Kites?

There are several reasons why I recommend purchasing from us. Virginia Power Kites is a kite school as well as an online store. We also give free repairs for ANY kite you buy from us, foil or inflatable, for ONE ENTIRE YEAR. A lot of manufacturers give you a warranty, but the warranty only covers what you originally purchased. If you rip your kite, we'll repair it for you without charging you a dime. There are many online stores where the dealers have no idea how to kitesurf, landboard, snowkite, or kite buggy. We have years of experience with inflatable and foil kites and with all types of power kite activity. We can give you advice for you specifically, and we'll answer any of your questions online at customersupport@virginiapowerkites.com or on the phone. We promise to answer any of your questions AFTER you purchase a product from us as well. We are truly dedicated to promoting our sport. Purchasing a power kite is often a difficult process because there are many products available. HQ, RRD, Epic, Eclipse, and Mystic are all recognized manafacturers of top notch kiteboarding gear and equipment. However, it is very important to get advice about what type of kite you should purchase. If you already have inflatable kites, you might want to try the Neo II out because it will add to your quiver of kites.  There is a tendency for people new to the sport to imagine that everyone should have the same kite, but more experienced power kiters know how to fly almost any power kite and appreciate the unique flying characteristics of beginning, intermediate, and advanced kites. 

 Why are kite manufacturers shortening the line length on control bars?

The answer is really simple. Shorter lines make a more responsive kite. If you have longer lines, send us an email at customersupport@virginiapowerkites.com, and we can resleeve your lines by shortening them. The industry standard is now 22 meters, while five or six years ago, 27 meters was standard. You do get a little less power on shorter lines, but the speed of the kite is critical because it will do what you want. If you enjoy jumping, you want longer lines, but with longer lines, you will get decreased responsiveness. When you have a large, less responsive kite, it is more difficult to prevent it from crashing because you cannot steer it as effectively. Therefore, shorter lines make a more responsive kite. It is true that longer lines will actually give you more power in lighter winds, but your kite will be so much less responsive that it would probably not be as fun to kite. If you weigh more than the average rider, you can increase the power of your kite by adding another four meters of line extensions. For instance, a 12 meter kite with 20 meter lines and 4 meter line extensions will fly like a 13 meter kite with 20 meter lines. If you add 8 meters of line, you will actually have a 12 meter kite that flies like a 14 meter kite with 20 meter lines. The only problem with this formula is that you decrease the responsiveness of a kite with every meter of line length that is added. So, generally, the trend has been towards shorter line length.

Will wakeboarding skills help me learn to kiteboard?

We highly recommend coming to us to learn to wakeboard. You can actually wakeboard with a kiteboard. Wakeboards can be converted to kiteboards for kiteboarding in the surf because the amount of rocker on a wakeboard helps you get through waves and chop. However, we don't recommend using a wakeboard because the increased amount of rocker slows you down when learning to kiteboard. Kiteboards are generally flatter than wakeboards. If you are a wakeboarder, you can do wakeboarding with a kiteboard. The footstraps are much easier to take on and off than heavy bindings. Wakeboarding will help you with your water start and will give you a lot of skills necessary to get started in kiteboarding. The main difference between the two sports is the height of the tow point. You are being towed by a kite that is much higher in the air than any tow point on a jet ski or wakeboarding boat when you kiteboard. This means that all of your wakeboarding tricks can be done with a kiteboard. If you are new to kitesurfing, I recommending coming to Lake Gaston and getting a wakeboarding lesson before taking a kiteboarding lesson. We now have the Airshot 9.0 meter Wakekite, which is a great experience on the water when there is no wind.

How do I kitesurf strapless?

. If you use a surfboard, choose a board that is no larger than 6'2" and no less than 5'10". We offer an entire line of kitesurfboards by Jimmy Lewis and custom made kite surfboards by Eclipse.  Jimmy Lewis has been designing surfboards for over 40 years--think about the years of experience and the wisdom that are put into boards by Jimmy Lewis. They are the best boards on the market and highly recommended. Professionals use them all the time.We also sell kite surfboards by Eclipse as well. These are kite surfboards designed to perform well in the surf with waves. The standard size is 5'9" for the average rider, whereas for larger riders, the 6'1" is ideal. Typically, you want a wide board with three fins, although you can take off the third fin if you want less drag and more of a kiteboard feel. You don't want to have a leash on because you can get rammed into the board. Kitesurfing--this is real kiteSURFING, not kiteboarding--involves a different style--you must adapt to the wave and do all the tricks surfers do, such as cutbacks and off the lips. You also can kitesurf in lighter winds than you can kiteboard in because surfboards are much wider and longer than the typical kiteboard, so it is easier to get more momentum and start planing with a surfboard. Surfboards with straps are not a good idea because they defeat the purpose. The whole idea is to surf, not to imitate the kiteboard style with straps. You can use straps, but I don't recommend it, and every seasoned kitesurfer has told me to take off the straps when I put straps on my board. I typically kitesurf strapless with my trusty Jimmy Lewis Custom Kitesurfboard (6'1"). Learning kitesurf strapless should come after learning to kiteboard. It is not an extremely difficult skill to learn. First, I recommend getting a lesson wakeboarding with us. We will give you a skimboard to try wakeboarding on. You can learn to do 360s with the skimboard. Getting up is hard because you don't have straps. The water start is a lot harder when you ride strapless. Basically, you have to put a lot of wax on your board. Point it downwind. Put your weight on your back foot first, then put your weight on the front foot. If you are in surf, you need to water start fast and head at a 45 degree angle towards the waves. You might jump a few waves while you go out. You'll be amazed about the ride you will experience. It is like constantly surfing on an endless wave. You can even jump waves, but be sure not to jump high because you don't have straps. Mainly, I use the surfboard to actually surf the waves, so I stay close to shore or next to a sandbar. When you lose your board, sometimes, you'll have to body drag back to the beach. Watch your board from the shore and see where the current is. Let the kite pull you back to your board, wait for a lull between sets, and then get back onto your board. Riding strapless is the ultimate experience in kitesurfing. If you are interested in this, contact us for a lesson at Virginia Beach. We'll be glad to teach you the ins and outs of kitesurfing strapless. As a traditional surfer, I've always felt the desire to get an endless ride. The whole ocean is your playground when you kitesurf strapless. Of course, a directional surfboard involves a little more skill. You can't just zip back in the same direction without changing the direction of the board.  You can of course learn to ride toeside on a surfboard. Most kitesurfers in fact just move from toeside to heelside as they go downwind across the waves.

When we arrange for lessons in the surf, we usually do downwinders. It is hard to go upwind in the surf if there is a strong current, and you can easily go downwind in one direction (just slightly going toeside and heelside as you steer the kite downwind, passing over the waves). It is a beautiful experience.

What is the difference between a fixed bridle foil and a depower kite?

A fixed bridle power kite never has any depower, so you have constant power. In certain conditions, constant power is good to have. For instance, in light wind conditions, a fixed bridle foil kite has more power than a depower kite and constant power is good to have. The one drawback is that fixed bridle foil kites do not have a wide wind range. Also, they do not have any depower, socontrolling them with a landboard is difficult. Another point is that fixed bridle foils come with handles. Handles give you better control, but you have less stabiity and can't use a harness, so they are ideal for kite buggying and kite scudding (flying your kite on the land without anything else). Depower kites have a larger wind range and can handle the wind range of at least three different sizes fixed bridle kites. The Apex II, the Montana V, and the Neo II are depower kites. They are ideal for all forms of power kiting and are used with a depower bar. You can' use a bar with fixed bridle kites, but the bar doesn't fly the kites as well as handles. If  you are into kite buggying, the Crossfire II is an excellent medium aspect ratio kite. The Beamer IV is a fixed bridle kite, as well as the Hydra trainer kite.

When do you use a harness?

Harnesses are used for depower kites and for larger kites that hook into the harness. We sell seat harnesses because we find that they are better on your back. Also, because they pull on your lower body, you will get launched higher in the air with a seat harness because the attachment points are lower than with a waist harness. You should usually fly hooked in. You should only unhook in certain instances, like when you need to unhook from the kit and are being pulled towards an obstacle. Once you are hooked in, your kite is no longer pulling on your arms, but on your waist. You can ride unhooked, but you will have less control of the kite, and your arms will get tired. You don't use a harness typically with handles. If you are a beginning or intermediate kiter, I suggest using a harness most of the time. You will develop safer kiting skills. However, you should avoid flying in overpowered conditions regardless of being hooked in. If you fly a 10 meter kite like the Apex II in 35 knots winds, you will be thrown around like a piece of paper.

I just started kiteboarding. What should I get?

That depends on your weight. For closed cell foil kites, the 11 meter Neo II is the best for most conditions. If you weigh 175 pounds, then I wouldn't fly in above 25 knots. I would use an 8 meter or 6 meter Neo II in 25-30 knots at the same weight. In any case, when you first learn, use smaller kites first. I would buy a trainer kite like the Hydra because you can use it in all conditions. Start small and then progress to larger kites. A five meter fixed bridle foil kite like the Crossfire II will give you great skills. The five meter Crossfire II is difficult at first, but once you learn how to fly it, it will be just as strong as a 12 meter bow kite. The Beamer IV is a great kite. I recommend getting a medium sized kite 3-5 meters until you get your kite skills dialed in. Then, I would get an 8 meter kite like the Neo II. Lastly, I would get a larger kite later after learning how to landboard and kite buggy.

For people interested in kitesurfing primarily, if you like inflatable kites, then I recommend the Screamer or the Renegade by Epic kites, or the Surge, Kima, or Thruster by Eclipse. The Kima and the Renegade are designed for freeriding/wave style riding in mind, while the Thruster, Surge, and Screamer are designed for the freestyle rider who likes jumping. On all of these kites, you can enjoy both freeriding/carving through the waves and jumping. All of these inflatable kites are excellent quality, but each has slightly different performance characteristics. A 12 meter inflatable kite is the standard size for most wind conditions for the average sized rider.. Please contact us if you are interested in finding out more about the kites that we sell: customersupport@virginiapowerkites.com. We would be glad to help you make a decision. We need to know about your weight and your interests to help steer you to the right kite.

Why purchase the Peter Lynn folding plus kite buggy w/extra large wheels when a standard buggy is available?

Most of the time, if you plan to kite buggy, you will definitely travel. For example, even though I am able to kite buggy here in the small town where I live, I much prefer to kite buggy out west. I recently made a trip to Nevada to kite buggy at a dry lake (Ivanpah). It is the place where a kite buggy went the fastest speed ever recorded. The folding buggy collapses into a very small shape, whereas a standard buggy has a long rear axle. It is constructed out of stainless steel and can withstand the same beating as any other kite buggy. Kite buggying is the most relaxing of all activities because you don't have to concentrate on balance, etc. It takes a couple of hours to learn to kite buggy, and it can be tremendous fun. If you plan on kite buggying in a park, choose a large field with regularly mown grass. Learn how to fly your kite solo before getting into the buggy. Get a big stable kite like the Apex at first, and then progress to more ideal buggy kites like the Crossfire II. If you prefer handles (you have more control with handles), then you should get a beamer. Here's a video of Virginia Power Kites in the desert with the original Apex 10 meter: www.youtube.com/watch

 What is aspect ratio? I've heard people talk about it, but I don't understand it.

Aspect ratio is the length divided by the width of the kite. The narrower a kite, the faster it moves, but it is also more difficult to handle. Can you tell which kite has a higher aspect ratio in the pictures below?

The kite on the left, the Crossfire II, has a higher aspect ratio than the Beamer IV on the right. You can see that the Beamer IV has a lower aspect ratio because it is not as long and narrow as the Crossfire II. Because of its higher aspect ratio, the Crossfire II develops more power in the wind window and moves much faster, but it is less easy to control than the more stable, beginner friendly Beamer IV. High aspect ratio kites need to be constantly flown and demand attention while lower aspect ratio kites do not demand as much attention.

Higher aspect ratio kites need to be flown constantly and can produce super fast reactions that can startle a beginner kiter. The lower the aspect ratio of a kite, the less it goes upwind. Higher aspect ratio kites easily go upwind. It is a blast to go upwind with the Crossfire II in a kite buggy. The Crossfire II almost flies upwind better than downwind because of its higher aspect ratio. The Prodigy will be a very high aspect ratio kite that is very high performance and demanding. The problem with high aspect ratio kites is that they require tremendous skill to fly and produce a great deal more power than medium aspect ratio kites. Most kitesurfing kites have a medium aspect ratio and have depower, while kite buggying is most exciting with a high aspect ratio kite (although beginners will only get frustrated using a high aspect ratio kite). It is better to have medium aspect ratio kite for kite landboarding and snowkiting, although some people have used high aspect ratio kites to cross Greenland on a kiting expedition. I wouldn't recommend a high aspect ratio kite if you are a beginner. Typically, high aspect ratio kites are flown with handles. Now, if you are interested in flying a kite without a buggy or a board, then I recommend kiting with a Beamer IV and then getting a Crossfire II.  You'll have a great deal of fun flying a high aspect ratio kite because it really gets your kiting skills together.

What is the wind window?

The edges of the wind window are where the kite is least powerful (9 o'clock and 6 o'clock). Directly downwind is where the kite has the most power, but if you head towards the kite downwind with a kite buggy, kiteboard, or landboard, you will eventually lose power as your lines go slack. Therefore, you should never stay heading downwind unless you know how to criss cross the kite from side to side to maintain tension on the lines. Good power kiters know how to maintain tension on the lines to kite most effectively.

The zenith is 12 o'clock. This is where your kite will be at neutral (parked). With the kite directly above you, you can get into your board or kite buggy. You need to learn how to hold the kite at neutral while not looking at it. That is why it is important to practice flying the kite without a board or buggy when you first learn how to kitesurf, snowkite, landboard, etc. With snowkiting, you actually have to get into your bindings first before launching the kite, then bring the kite to neutral, and do your power dive. Typically, you bring the kite to 11 o'clock (to the left) and then dive the kite downwards towards three o'clock (to the right). This is your power stroke. You turn the kiteboard downwind a little at the beginning, and then you gradually bring it upwind. Basically, you want to move your board towards the kite as you bring it downwards, but you have to regulate how much you bring it towards the kite. If you head towards the kite too much, your lines will go slack and the kite will fall from the wind window. So, as you bring the kite upwards from 3 o'clock back to 12' o'clock, you actually head upwind a little with your board so you can maintain the tension on the lines while you are flying. Eventually, you will be able to hold the kite at about 2 o'clock and adjust the bar so you can just cruise. You only need to do your power strokes to get your speed going. To jump, you usually have to ride upwind. Then, you bring the kite back to 11 or 12 o'clock overhead, and you should be jumping high (remember that you must be in overpowered conditions to jump). With kite buggying, you usually ride perpendicular to the wind except that you might start out with your buggy heading downwind a little. Landboarding, snowkiting, and kiteboarding require heading downwind a little more--the kite buggy is faster than any of these other kite traction sports. In the picture above, you see a person using handles. Handles are typically used with fixed bridle kites. Fixed bridle kites cannot change the angle of attack of a kite. When a kite's angle of attack changes, you can decrease the power on the kite. The Apex II, the Montana V, and the HQ Neo II are all depower kites w/the possibility of changing the angle of attack. You typically use a depower bar with depower kites. The Beamer IV and the Crossfire II are fixed bridle foil kites. Fixed bridle foil kites are better for kite buggying because they have the constant power you need for buggying. The Crossfire II is an excellent race kite and requires a lot more skills than the Beamer IV.

How do you use handles? How do you use a depower kite with a bar? Do all of your kites come with a bar and handles?

All of our kites come with handles  (Beamer IV, Crossfire II) or depower bars (Apex II, Montana V, Neo II). Depower control bars allow you to adjust the power, so a typical depower kite has a typical wind range of three fixed bridle foil kites. A 9.5 meter Montana V has the power of  a  10 meter Beamer IV, an 8 meter Beamer IV, and a 6 meter Beamer IV because of its wide depower range.

When you use handles, you need to make sure that you don't have your lines tangled. If the kite flips over, you may have to check the lines again. You can depower the kite with handles by putting your wrists down. The top lines attached to the handle lead to the leading edge of the four line kite. These lines create the power for the kite. To raise the kite up, you need to bring your wrists up, so the lines at the leading edge of the kite inflate the kite. You then step backwards a few steps while the kite heads to the zenith. While the kite is going up, it is good to make it turn to the side. Pull one handle closer to your chest and punch with the other, holding it outwards. The kite should turn. If this doesn't work, whenever you pull the bottom part of one of your handles closer to your chest, the kite will turn because you will be pulling on one of the brake lines. The brake lines of a fixed bridle foil kite are attached to the trailing edge of the kite. Brake lines are attached to the bottom of your handles. Pulling back the power lines attached to the leading edge of the kite powers up the kite and launches. Pulling the bottom of the handles towards you depowers the kite, putting on the brakes by pulling the brake lines. Pulling one brake line (the bottom part of the handle) towards you causes the kite to turn in the direction of whatever handle you pull (if you pull the bottom of the left handle towards you, the kite will turn left). Handles are more efficient than a bar, but the kite is less stable. Handles are more efficient especially in lighter winds because you can control the power more with your hands. I recommend using handles when kite buggying except with the Apex II, the Montana V, and the HQ Neo II. In moderate to strong winds, you can use a depower bar, but in light winds, handles are recommended.

Typical depower bar with a chicken loop to hook into your harness.

  Kite handles w/

power lines attached to the top

or the leading edge of

the kite and brake lines

attached to the trailing edge.

Pulling back on the power lines

launches the kite. Pulling one of the

brake lines towards you at the bottom of a

handle turns the kite.

 With both handles and depower bars, you must maintain tension on the lines for the kite to fly. The more you can control the tension intuitively, the better you can produce power with your kites. By pulling the depower bar in, you typically gain power. However, after a certain point, pulling the bar in slows the kite down. For example, if you are launching your Neo II directly downwind, you should pull the bar in so you won't get pulled too hard by the kite. In some situations, if you pull the bar in, you will gain a lot of power. The depower bar can also be adjusted by lengthening the lines reaching to the leading edge. The longer your inside lines or power lines on the depower bar are, the less reactive your kite will be, but it will be more powerful. The shorter your lines, the more reactive your kite will be. However, you will lose power as the inside power lines are shortened. There is also another way to decrease/increase the power. You can increase power by pulling the depower strap and lengthening the inside lines. You decrease power by shortening the inside lines with the depower strap.