There are obvious differences between water relaunchable and dry-land-only trainer kites, but do you know that each kite comes with it’s own drawbacks? If you’re not sure what the drawbacks of each style are, or even if you don’t know how they work, then keep reading and find out.
Dry Land Only (Open Cell) Trainer Kites
Trainer kites that are designed solely for use on dry land, called open cell kites, are made up of 7-15 rectangular tubes that are open on one end. The tubes are sewn together with the open ends facing forward and form the kite itself. As air flows over the kite, some is forced into these openings which inflates the kite and gives it its shape. Because these cells are open on the end these kites are called open cell or ram air kites. www.topentertainmentblog.com
What Are Open Cell Kites Good For?
The main advantage of an open cell kite is that they are designed specifically for land, where the main risk is popping it – crashed hard enough, the cells making up the kite can burst and render the kite useless. With the open cell design, it’s possible for air to escape the kite when crashed, making damage less likely. Since 95% of all the skills that you can learn with a trainer kite can be learned easily and effectively on dry land, the durability of an open cell kite is a great advantage.
Water Re-Launchable (Closed Cell) Trainer Kites
The defining factor of a closed cell kite is the inclusion of a one way valve on the open end of the cells in the kite. This valve makes it possible for air to enter and fill the kite, but traps it in the kite and keeps it inflated – this is why these kites can be used in water. If crashed in water, an open cell kite will fill with water and sink, where a closed cell kite retains its shape and can be re-launched.
What Are Closed Cell Kites Good For?
Because they float, closed cell kites are good for using on the water. If you are in an area where the only open spaces to fly a kite happens to be in water, or if you just like to get wet, then a closed cell kite might be for you. However, because close cell kites get their shape from trapped air, it’s much more likely that they will be damaged in a hard crash – and this is their main disadvantage. Although it may seem that a water re-launchable trainer simulates kiteboarding more realistically, it only allows you to practice one more exercise than a land-based trainer would.
In reality, neither type of trainer kite will make you learn faster or better than the other. Instead they are just suited to where you want to fly them – which begs the question, do you want to be dry or wet when you start learning?
