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Pocket Kite

Kite-on-a-keychain

I’ve collected quite an assortment of logo emblazoned pens, mousepads, stress balls, and other tchotchkes at professional conferences, but far and away the most fun and useful (as in, it gets used) item I have picked up is the pocket kite. The pocket kite is a small sled-style kite that is kept in a small zippered pouch attached to a key ring that also contains a little reel loaded with kite string.

The kite is very easy to fly, but doesn’t have any wooden supports or anything else that could break. The pouch is barely 3 inches across and weighs next to nothing, so it is easy toss into a backpack for a hike. I keep mine in the courier bag that goes with me everywhere. It is really fun to bust it out when unexpected kite flying opportunities arise. Day at the beach; reaching a summit; dull company picnic. Unless you are a hardcore kite nut, you probably aren’t hanging around waiting for a windy day so you can drop everything and go fly a kite. A pocket kite is ready when you are. And it’s cheap, so when it inevitably gets stuck in a tree, it’s not the end of the world.

Deluxe Pocket Kite Open.jpeg

-- Toby Plewak 06/28/10

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