What the Kite

Kites and kite flying

Get a kite up, keep it there, and bring it home in one piece

Plain guides to kite types, reading the wind, choosing a place to fly, launching and landing, and making a simple kite yourself. Every page puts safety near power lines, roads and airports first.

Red and yellow diamond kite with a long tail flying in a clear blue sky above a grassy hill

Which kite for today's wind?

Wind is the first thing to check, and it decides which kite will fly. The wind ladder below runs from calm at the bottom to a near gale at the top. Find the rung that matches what you see outside, then read across to see which kite types are in their element.

Sweet spotCan flyStay downShaded rungs: the usual flying range
  1. 7

    Near galeabout 32 to 38 mph, 50 to 61 km/h

    Whole trees move. Walking into the wind is hard.

    Stay on the ground.

    • Diamond: Stay down
    • Delta: Stay down
    • Sled: Stay down
    • Box: Stay down
    • Parafoil: Stay down
    • Rokkaku: Stay down
    • Dual-line stunt: Stay down
  2. 6

    Strong breezeabout 25 to 31 mph, 39 to 49 km/h

    Large branches move. Wires whistle. Umbrellas are hard to use.

    Most fliers pack up. Line and frames can break.

    • Diamond: Stay down
    • Delta: Stay down
    • Sled: Stay down
    • Box: Can fly
    • Parafoil: Can fly
    • Rokkaku: Stay down
    • Dual-line stunt: Stay down
  3. 5

    Fresh breezeabout 19 to 24 mph, 29 to 38 km/h

    Small trees in leaf start to sway.

    For strong-wind kites and experienced fliers.

    • Diamond: Can fly
    • Delta: Stay down
    • Sled: Can fly
    • Box: Sweet spot
    • Parafoil: Sweet spot
    • Rokkaku: Can fly
    • Dual-line stunt: Can fly
  4. 4

    Moderate breezeabout 13 to 18 mph, 20 to 28 km/h

    Dust and loose paper lift. Small branches move.

    Strong steady pull. Sturdy kites shine here.

    • Diamond: Sweet spot
    • Delta: Can fly
    • Sled: Sweet spot
    • Box: Sweet spot
    • Parafoil: Sweet spot
    • Rokkaku: Sweet spot
    • Dual-line stunt: Sweet spot
  5. 3

    Gentle breezeabout 8 to 12 mph, 12 to 19 km/h

    Leaves and small twigs keep moving. Light flags stand out.

    The easiest wind for most single-line kites.

    • Diamond: Sweet spot
    • Delta: Sweet spot
    • Sled: Sweet spot
    • Box: Can fly
    • Parafoil: Sweet spot
    • Rokkaku: Sweet spot
    • Dual-line stunt: Sweet spot
  6. 2

    Light breezeabout 4 to 7 mph, 6 to 11 km/h

    You feel wind on your face. Leaves rustle.

    Good for deltas and other light-wind kites.

    • Diamond: Can fly
    • Delta: Sweet spot
    • Sled: Can fly
    • Box: Stay down
    • Parafoil: Can fly
    • Rokkaku: Can fly
    • Dual-line stunt: Can fly
  7. 1

    Light airabout 1 to 3 mph, 1 to 5 km/h

    Smoke drifts, but flags and leaves barely stir.

    Only very light kites, and only with patience.

    • Diamond: Stay down
    • Delta: Can fly
    • Sled: Stay down
    • Box: Stay down
    • Parafoil: Stay down
    • Rokkaku: Stay down
    • Dual-line stunt: Stay down
  8. 0

    Calmabout under 1 mph, under 2 km/h

    Smoke rises straight up. Nothing moves.

    Too still for any kite.

    • Diamond: Stay down
    • Delta: Stay down
    • Sled: Stay down
    • Box: Stay down
    • Parafoil: Stay down
    • Rokkaku: Stay down
    • Dual-line stunt: Stay down

A rough guide based on the Beaufort wind scale. Weight, size and design vary, so the range printed on a kite's packaging or plans takes priority.

Most single-line kites fly best somewhere between force 3 and force 4, a gentle to moderate breeze. The reading the wind guide explains how to judge the force without a meter, and how gusts and obstacles change the picture.

Where to start

Pick a kite type

Diamonds, deltas, sleds, box kites, parafoils and more, with the wind each one likes.

Find a good place

Open ground, clean wind and nothing overhead. What to look for and what to avoid.

Launch and land

The high launch with a helper, the solo launch, letting out line and walking a kite down.

Make a simple kite

A sled kite from a plastic sheet, two thin sticks and some tape, in an afternoon.

Your first flight in six steps

  1. Check the forecast and look outside. A light to gentle breeze, with leaves moving and flags lifting, is ideal for a first try.
  2. Pick a wide open space with no power lines, roads, trees or buildings nearby, and well away from any airport.
  3. Stand with your back to the wind. The kite will fly downwind of you.
  4. Have a helper carry the kite downwind about 20 to 30 paces, hold it up and let go when you say so.
  5. Pull in a little line as the kite rises, then let line out slowly as it climbs and steadies.
  6. To land, wind the line in steadily or walk toward the kite, then catch it or let it settle on the grass.

If a kite ever catches on a power line, let go of the line at once and leave it. Don't pull on it, climb for it or try to knock it down. Call your electric utility. The kite safety page covers power lines, roads, storms and airports.

Common questions

Do I need to run to get a kite up?

Usually not. In a steady breeze, a helper launch or a simple pull on the line is enough. Running is a sign the wind is too light, and it is easy to trip while looking up. Try a lighter kite or wait for more wind.

What is the easiest kite for a beginner?

A delta or a sled. Deltas climb well in light wind, and sleds are forgiving and need no assembly. A diamond with a long tail also works in a gentle breeze. See the kite types guide for the wind each one needs.