Frequently Asked Questions

Unfortunately, we discontinued our print catalog in 2020. Our current product selection is available here on our website, and we are available for any questions you may have via email, or over the phone at (800) 541-0314.

For domestic shipments, delivery dates may vary depending on travel distance from Boulder, CO. Generally we see delivery within 5-7 business days. Give us a call for a specific shipping timeline to your area!

We ship all of our international orders via Priority Mail through the U.S. Postal Service (unless otherwise requested). If you have not received your package after two weeks, please bring the tracking number to your local postal office for more information.

Our standard shipping method for international orders is through the U.S. Postal Service. They have a 42" length restriction to many countries. Parcels up to 60" in length can be shipped to Belgium, Canada, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. For countries not on this list, we can ship packages longer than 42" via United Parcel Service. UPS typically costs 2-3 times more than our standard international rates, but packages can be tracked and usually arrive within 7-10 days. Please contact us to obtain the pricing information for your particular order.

Of course! We have tracking numbers on file for every order. If you provided your email address when ordering, the tracking number should have been sent to that (from the sender “Stamps.com")...check your Trash/Spam folders to make certain your email program did not dispose of the email as spam. If you can't find that email, just give us a call or send us an email, let us know your name and the date of your order, and we'll provide the tracking number! We can also track the package for you online.

Unfortunately, we do not offer gift wrapping but we will gladly include a complimentary gift card with a short message. All gift orders include a packing slip in the box (without pricing).

The Bargain Bin inventory is constantly changing as we evaluate, repair, test and discontinue items from current stock, as well as previous catalogs. For the most up-to-date information, contact us and let us know what style of kite or item you're looking for (use the same categories we use on our website to narrow down the search). If we don't have exactly the product you're looking for, we'll try to find something similar so that you can walk away with a deal!

The Frustrationless Flyer is an easy to assemble, child-friendly sled. They are made of Tyvek and are great for a pre-flight art project for kids. We suggest using acrylic paints or permanent markers to make one-of-a-kind masterpieces using this affordable kite kit. These are available in discounted packs of 10 and 20!

The best kite to travel with is a small parafoil. Into The Wind offers a variety of smaller parafoils, and soft sleds. You can choose between single-line or the maneuverable dual-line stunt kites. Most foil style kites have no sticks, so they pack easily into a corner of your suitcase. When the time comes to fly, you can stuff one in your backpack.

When you build a kite collection, include kites that fly at the extremes. The core of your collection can be all of the interesting stuff that flies in 5 to 20 mph winds, but have something in your bag for those "windless" and "too windy" days too. Glider kites are perfect for windless days (and even indoor flying!), while airfoils like our UltraFoils can handle winds up to 30 mph.

Look for a fairly large kite that would provide enough lift to carry a large amount of line. It would also need to have a high angle of flight and stability in a variety of wind speeds that it might encounter at various altitudes. We would recommend a Delta or DC kite.

Falconers usually prefer kites that fly high and almost directly overhead. Delta and DC kites often have a higher angle of flight compared to other styles.

When shopping for a stunt kite for a child, it is important to look at the test weight of the line (i.e. 50-lb., 100-lb., etc.). This indicates the "breaking strength" of the line (the amount of force that must be exerted on the line to cause the line to break) but it also correlates to the relative pull the kite will exert on the flier; the higher the line test, the more pull. Stunt kites that use 50-lb. or 80-lb. line would be the best choice for a pre-teen. Coordinated 8-years olds may be able to fly a beginner stunt kite while a 12 year-old without strong hand-eye coordination may not. Keep in mind, the child's size and weight when making a choice, and always supervise your child while they fly. It can take only a brief, strong gust of wind to pull the kite out of their hand.

When it comes to ultra-light kites, polyester is definitely better. Most polyester fabrics used for kites are a .60 oz. versus a .75 oz. for the ripstop nylon, which means on a full size sport kite the difference in sail weight is significant. Polyester has a different finish or coating on it, which makes it less porous, so almost no air can go through the material. Polyester is also highly water resistant, unlike nylon, which will absorb water and hence make your kite heavier in damp or wet weather conditions. Polyester retains its color longer and is less prone to stretching than nylon. Polyester is also more expensive. Using ripstop nylon on high wind kites has the advantage of slowing the kite down a bit. A lot of times it depends on the design of the kite whether to use ripstop nylon or polyester. If you are a newbie, there’s no doubt that ripstop nylon is the best choice. Nylon has a good amount of stretch, which helps the fabric avoid tearing in the event of a crash.

Each kite you add to a stack adds that kite's pull and force to the line. For example, one (1) Rocky Mountain DC uses 100-lb. test line, so stacking two (2) Rocky Mountain DCs requires 200-lb. line, and three (3) Rocky Mountain DCs need 300-lb. test line and so on.

While swivels are not required to fly a single-line kite, they do help you attach your line quickly. You can just keep your flying line attached to the swivel and hook it up to your kite's bridle as needed. The swivel also keeps twists and tangles out of your line.

Some manufacturers include swivels on the bridles of their stunt kites, but we generally prefer to tie a Lark's Head Bridle Knot to attach lines to a stunt kite. We have found that swivels wear down the bridle rather quickly; to prolong the life of your kite's bridle, it's much better to learn the knot!

Most kites do not require a tail to fly in their normal wind range. In gusty winds, adding a tail can help to stabilize the kite. Plus, tails always look great! They add drama and color to your flight. Long tube tails trace the path of your stunt kite in the sky for a cool effect and slow the kite down, making it easier to fly. We recommend stunt tails for beginner stunt kites.

If you have difficulty getting your kite to fly at the same location on multiple attempts, you should always try another location first. Sometimes structures and buildings can block the wind resulting in unstable and turbulent conditions. These variable winds can make an otherwise excellent flying kite perform poorly. If the kite fails to fly at several different locations, double check that you have assembled it correctly and make sure you're flying within the recommended wind range.

It is a good idea to let the tension out of your sail so that it does not stretch over time. If you keep your kite in a cool, dry place and out of direct sunlight, it should still be flying high when you're ready to get back into the wind. Also, keep all of your parts for your kite in one place so that they don't get lost over time.

Our windsocks, flags, and lawn ornaments are made from the most resilient of materials. Although durable, constant and direct exposure to the sun can degrade these materials over time. In addition, any abrasion the item may sustain as it encounters another object, (i.e., a tree, the side of a house or an awning) can cause it to wear or fray. In a shaded or protected area, your wind art product may last several years, but in areas with constant and direct ultraviolet light exposure, you may need to replace it annually.,

Calipers or a micrometer make it easy to get a precise measurement of the outside diameter of round objects like kite spars. If you do not own them you may be able to access calipers at a hardware store, machine shop, sporting goods or outdoor gear store. They are also commonly used in automotive and science applications.

Obtaining a measurement in thousandths of an inch will allow you to match your kite spar with the replacement material we carry. If you can't measure the spar, we can usually determine what size you need by checking our specification chart. As a last alternative, you may need to send us a piece of the broken spar, along with the name of the kite, so we can determine what you need. Sometimes spar sizes are noted in the manufacturer’s instructions or on the spar itself.

You shouldn't have to run to launch a kite. If you do, then there's probably not enough wind to fly. Running is the hardest way to launch a kite. The uncontrolled tugging on the line makes kites dive and crash. Let the wind and your reel do the work instead.

The best way to control a large kite is to anchor it to the ground. We carry several different anchor options, which run the gamut for effectiveness in firm soil to loose sand. Or, tying the line to a large immovable object is also an option.

Connecting laundry to the flying line is easy. We use small carabiners wrapped into the line, normally three twists work just fine. When the line is slack, you can slide the carabiner anywhere you want. However, when the kite goes up and tension builds on the line, the carabiner is locked in place. Make sure each piece of line laundry has a swivel attached to it before attaching it to the line laundry connector loops or carabiners clips. It is quick, easy, and doesn't reduce line strength. You can stretch laundry out along the length of your line, or cluster several pieces - like long tubes - at a single point. Experiment! Build a collection of color-coordinated spinners, drogues and tubes that you can vary for different conditions and fields.

The stable flight of delta kites is partially due to a certain amount of wing flexibility, accomplished by allowing the two wings to flex independently of each other. If the two wing spars extended all the way to the nose, the delta frame would be too rigid, preventing the self-steering and self-correcting actions that allow deltas to ride out gusts and drift on thermals so effectively. Always push delta wing spars to the wing tips of the kite, not the nose.

"Stunt Kites" is a generic, umbrella term used to describe all two line controllable kites. "Trick Kites" are one variation of "Stunt Kites." Specifically, they are dual line high performance stunt kites capable of advanced maneuvers or tricks like Fades, The Turtle, Mobius or The Full Monty, just to name a few.

Most stunt kites are assembled the same and have a simple design. Here are some generic terms you can use when talking about parts of your kite

Spine: A one or two-piece tube that runs up and down the middle of the kite
Upper Spreader: A tube that spreads the top third of the kite horizontally.
Sail: The sail is the surface of the kite and sits on the frame just waiting for you to fly it.
Lower Spreader: A one or two-piece set of tubing that runs horizontally across the bottom of the kite. It connects to the leading edge and the fitting on the spine called the center-t.
Standoffs: Thin rods connected to the lower spreader that push out the sail and give it depth.
Leading Edge: One or two-piece tubing joined together with a ferrule, on the outside edge of the wing. These pieces are in a sleeve of the sail and maintain the kite's shape.

It depends on the kite. Most entry and intermediate kites come with line and some even come with Spectra, which has a lot less drag and stretch than other line. Spectra and Dyneema are essentially the same material.

Dacron and polyester are "stretchier" kite lines than Spectra and Dyneema. (Dacron and polyester line are rated at about 15% stretch, whereas Spectra line is listed at 3-5% stretch, and Dyneema 4-7% stretch.) A line with more stretch means it takes longer for hand motions to be "transmitted" via the line to the kite.

That's a good thing when you're a beginner because it slows the kite's response. Longer flying lines, also typical with beginner kites, have the same effect. As you become more experienced, you will want the improved response that an upgrade to either Spectra or Dyneema lines will provide.

Ready to Fly stunt kite line sets often include line wrapped around a plastic winder that can resemble a plastic handle, but it is not. Use the pair of straps included with the kite for flying. When you're finished flying, wrap your lines back onto the winder for storage.

Most experienced pilots will tell you that spending the time to learn basic maneuvers first will help new pilots develop a stronger knowledge base and instinctive feeling for control than jumping right into to axles and other slack line tricks. Everyone eventually gets into these tricks, but those who spend sufficient time drilling the basics will be able to learn them better and faster. Straight, smooth ground passes with even speed control, squares with crisp corners and straight lines, symmetrical circles, clean snap stalls and side slides, tip stands and spin landings are all basic maneuvers as necessary to learning competitive tricks as learning the alphabet is to reading a good book. Also, don’t forget that fun is the first priority!

It depends on which type of quad you would like to fly. A quad-line foil kite steers like a dual-line kite, but with bottom line brakes. A framed quad-line kite requires you to learn to use your thumbs during maneuvers. If you point your thumbs straight at the kite it backs up, and with both thumbs back it shoots off the ground. When you have one thumb forward and one back it will spin around. Also, when turning with a quad you rotate your wrists, rather pulling and pushing with your hands.