The Complete Guide to Kite Flying

Decent overview, and I appreciated the honest numbers on cost. The chapter about what a session actually feels like was helpful — it painted a real picture. But I felt it dragged in places and wanted more on the actual physics of why some kites fly better than others. For a complete newbie like me, I got the basics, but I'm not sure I could pick a kite at a shop confidently after reading it. It's a fine start, just not the definitive guide I hoped for.

This is the book I wish I had before I wasted $60 on a kite I couldn't fly. The chapter on gear alone saved me — I learned my $15 delta from the hardware store was actually fine for learning, and the expensive one I bought was too advanced. The self-assessment checklist in chapter two was brutally honest, which I appreciated. I've now flown my cheap kite three times in the last two weeks. If you're curious about trying this hobby, just read the first three chapters — they'll tell you exactly what to do.

Honestly, I picked this up because the title promised a complete guide, and it delivers on the basics. The cost breakdown was useful — I had no idea a decent setup for a serious hobbyist could run into hundreds of dollars. But I was hoping for more on the flying techniques themselves, like how to handle different wind speeds. The chapter on sessions was well-written, but I felt it was more narrative than instructional. Good for deciding if you want to start, less good for actually teaching you once you do.

I've been curious about kite flying since I saw a stunt kite show at a park last summer, but I had no idea where to start. This guide gave me everything: the exact kind of kite to buy ($25 single-line delta, got it), what to expect my first few times (tangles, frustration, then magic), and how much space I really need. The cost tables were eye-opening — I didn't know you could do this hobby for under $50, or that serious folks spend thousands on kites. I bought a kite three days after finishing this. Worth every penny.

The book is fine and I can see it helping total beginners, which I am. I liked the friend-like tone and the honest talk about how frustrating the first few sessions can be. That said, I expected more practical instruction — like diagrams or step-by-step launch techniques — and this is mostly prose and checklists. The chapter on where to learn was thin, too. It pointed me to a few clubs, but I could have found those on Google. It's okay, but it's more of a 'deciding if you want to fly' book than a 'how to fly' book.

As someone who was skeptical that kite flying could be an actual hobby and not just a beach activity for kids, I really appreciated the grounded, realistic approach here. The writing felt like a friend explaining it to me over a coffee — no gatekeeping, no hype. I especially liked the honest breakdown of a typical session: the setup struggle, the wind that dies just as you're ready, and then the genuine thrill when it catches air. I've already started scouting for a decent cheap kite based on chapter three. Solid read, four stars, would have been five if it had a troubleshooting guide for common beginner mistakes.

What sold me was the chapter on what it actually costs — both money and time. I'm a busy person, and I liked knowing that a typical session is about 20 minutes of setup and an hour of flying, and that I could do it with a $30 kite that fits in my car's trunk. The comparison table of starter options was practical, and the reviews of different learning paths were realistic — I think joining a club is a bit too social for me, but the online community suggestions were helpful. A bit dry in places, but it's a genuinely useful guide for making an informed decision. Four stars.