The 61/49 is a light wind, controllable single line kite. It can make those days with light and variable, frustrating winds fun! One of our friends calls the 61/49 “the most fun you can have with only one line!” I tend to agree. It’s a natural bridge between the worlds of the static single liner and the often frantic stunt kite.
I'd built a lot of kites before this one came along, but If I were to pick one kite that was a turning point in rethinking design and construction as a whole, it would be the 61/49. I started the project with a vague idea of where I wanted to end up, but the 61/49 taught me so much along the way. It's informed design decisions in every kite since. It was a major influence in the updates of the Ichiban and Reprise.
Seventeen years in, it's still the kite I always keep at hand at festivals. When the wind lulls, the 61/49 becomes my dance partner, and it's still teaching me new steps.
61/49 Reviews
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This is one of my favorite kites (out of hundreds). If you have flown other maneuverable single line kites, like fighters, you’ll get the hang of the 61/49 real quick. If not, take the time to learn and you will be rewarded greatly.
I’ve had my 61/49 for many years and love it. It’s not a kite that likes a lot of wind and flies best when the breeze is a bit light. It flies like a fighter when it’s slacked and is great fun. Some of the attachment points got a bit twisted but were easily fixed. Ken’s very helpful in diagnosing problems and finding solutions. The ferrule on the cross spreader got unglued and slipped in the tube, cracking the other tube. Best to keep an eye on that.
I bought my 61/49 last year. The contact, the handling and the shipping to Germany went very well. Even after the purchase Ken was there to help me with advice and action. Thank you very much.
The 61/49 is a very special kite that I love to fly. It has very special flying characteristics that you have to get involved with – and then it is a lot of fun. In the sky it looks just great!
Bunduki Vlieger
A fantastic kite I always keep on hand for when the wind goes away. Superb craftsmanship and a joy to fly, it has saved many flying sessions with only a breath of a breeze.
One of my favorite kites to pull out anywhere. Handles extremely low winds and I put mine away around 6mph. Super easy to pack up, carry and assemble. Ken makes a fantastic kite that offers a lot of fun in the outdoors.
Give it lots of slack and it will happily play like a kitten on a string, It is not a lightweight per se so if you give it a lot of slack and the wind dies it will promptly drop directly unless it has some forward momentum, then it would be in a glide at a relatively high angle.
Def a kite that you will want to fly in as many wind conditions as you can so that you can get a feel and know how the kite would respond.
This kite is not a small UL kite, it has a large footprint and that provides both wonderful control when you learn to use it, but also fills the sky very nicely for any audience.
Multiple places that you can manually adjust for flight changes, how tight is the front sails pulled down to the spine, attachment point on the bridle, etc… but honestly after many years with mine I have never changed them, it comes from Ken in a perfect set up. Get one and fly it, you will not regret it!