Customer Reviews

Go Fly A Kite Skywinder 30#X500'

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

As soon as my kite got up in the wind, the winder stripped the gears and let out all my line. When I pressed the button to stop the line, it broke even further. This winder would work great if there was absolutely no wind, but then again kites are supposed to be flown on semi-windy days. It winds the line in great, once the kite is on the ground, but any pressure from the air while turning the crank will strip the plastic gears iside it. Over all, I was displeasd with this product.

Great line but a little misleading. Letting the line out is a breeze but for a casual flyer reeling in is impossible. Also, don't use this product at the beach. If sand or any debris gets into the mechanism your winder turns into instant junk.

We purchased one of the winders for my son for Christmas. In examining the "new" product, we found string tangled and knotted through the gears. I disassembled the winder to try and untangle the string, but was unable to do so. Looking inside the device, however, did reveal just how cheaply the thing is made. This is definitely a ripoff. When my son flies his kite in the spring, I'll suggest he roll the line around a stick as we used to do rather than waste any money on another winder.

This is my first time flying a kite and I used the line on winder and what a Blessing. When I used my hand and finger to guide the line as I let it out, the wind took the kite so fast the string cut my finger; thanks to this little contraption I go kite flying in luxury.

If you want bloody knuckles and aren't worried about trying to get the up or down in any orderly fashion this is the unit for you.

When I used the winder for the first time I noticed about 25 feet into unwinding, that the line had a knot in it! Apparently the knot held 2 ends together. I have only let out about 100 feet of the 500-feet line and do not know the quality of the remaining line. However, a new winder should consist of 1 continuous line. I feel like I have been cheated and I will proceed to have this winder exchanged.
I do like the winder itself; the handle makes it easy to hold, and the line can be locked in place when you just want to watch the wind play with your kite.
Update on 4/7/2004: Upon E-mailing AMAZON with my concern, I soon received confirmation that a new winder had been ordered for me. I also received simple instructions to return the first winder postage-free. I am inpressed with the customer service.
In the meanwhile I can say that the line on this winder is of good quality; it can withstand pretty tough winds without ripping.

after about a half hour of using this, the line was tangled inside the winder. so i took it apart and untangled it. its a good idea, but it needs to be made a little more solidly.

We found this product to be very dangerous. The handle starts whipping around and you cannot stop it. It will break small fingers and badly damage adult ones. We had to cut our kite loose and chase it down the beach. Wrapping the string on driftwood worked a lot better! I wrote a letter to the manufacturer but they did not respond.

I purchased this WINDER, along with a couple of kites, for my 29 month old daughter. I tested them out on a very windy day - sustained winds of 25 to 30 mph, with gusts over 50 mph! I really had to "fight" the elements to get the kite back down to the ground, having let out the entire 500 foot (30 lbs) test line. This winder worked flawlessly. The next afternoon I took my 29 month old to the park, and the look of splendor on her face will forever thrill me. Go figure, I didn't have a camera with me.
Suffices to say both she and I had a great time, my daughter, while too young to real the kite back in, had a blast running back and forth with the winder while watching her kite flutter in the breeze a couple of hundred feet up. A great buy!

If there is anything but a gentle breeze this will hurt your hands when you try the wind the kite in. Children cannot use it at all. If there is a real wind, you might as well cut the line on your kite because you cannot wind it in.