I had so much fun flying my new Octopus Kite from the Hengda Kite Store that I knew I had to share it with you today. I was very skeptical ordering a $10 kite online. But with over 3,000 positive reviews, I took the chance. I'm glad I did.
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During different periods of my life I have flown kites. I am not an expert on kites, nor do I understand much about the different styles of kites and why they fly better on different speed of winds. But whether it was flying kites with my sons when they were young, flying kites as an adult on the beautiful Assateague Island in Maryland, or the few times I've tried to launch a kite up here on my ridge in West Virginia, I do know that I love flying kites. And good kites make the experience almost magical.
Octopus Flyer Kite from the Hengda Kite Store
My preferred type of kite is the Delta style. I find that they are easy to fly in a variety of wind speeds. I have flown parafoil kites but have never owned one. Until now.
The "Software Octopus Flyer Kite" is a parafoil style kite. That means, there are no "sticks" to assemble - no cross bars that we are familiar with in the diamond style and delta style kites. Parafoil kites are only the material, sewn in cells - or tubes - that help catch the wind and keep the kite aloft.
Information from the Henga Kite Store page:
- no kite sticks; soft [parafoil] style
- strong, durable, and lightweight polyester 210 material
- measures 31" wide and 157" long
- comes with a plastic handle and kite string
- made in the International Kite Capital, Weifang, Shandong, China
- Hengda has been manufacturing kites for 20 years
My Experience with the Octopus Kite
The Octopus came with a length of kite string on a handle. But I prefer to use my own kite string on a wooden spool. So I attached the hook from my string into the end of the strings attached to the kite, and off I went.
An internet search showed that I probably should have chosen a day with more wind for my kite's maiden flight.
"Deltas, Diamonds and Dragon kites fly well in light to medium winds (approximately 6-15 mph) while Box Kites and stickless Parafoil kites fly better when the winds get a little stronger (approximately 8-25 mph).
-- NationalKiteMonth
It flew! Sluggishly on the very low wind day, it flew. And when it came down I had to wait for the next puff of breeze before I re-launched. But it flew. And I loved it!
The Kite Loft in Ocean City, Maryland - A Brick and Mortar Kite Store
I mentioned having spent time on Assateague Island, Maryland flying kites. Whether it is Assateague Island or nearby Ocean City... beaches are the best place to fly kites in my opinion. There is a store in Ocean City called the Kite Loft. If you enjoy flying kites, this store is a must-see.
This specialty store is located beach-front that offers top-of-the-line kites. They also host a variety of festivals and kite-related events; including the SunFest Kite Festival. It is quite a sight to behold seeing the sky above the beach full of intricate and interesting kites.
Related Links:
Our BarbRad took us to visit Moonstone Beach in Cambria. In that review, she enjoyed watching a family flying stunt kites. Stunt kites have 2 lines and you hold one in each hand. This gives you the ability to control the kite and cause it to make turns and loops. I was never able to master the art of stunts kites because they are very responsive to small movements and I wasn't coordinated enough. I enjoyed watching the video in her review - maybe you will too.
Visit the Hengda Kite Store link on Amazon here.
