Build magic sticks

Magic sticks, sometimes called sissy sticks, are two small rods fitted to the back of a Revolution-style quad-line kite. They connect the vertical-rod area to tension points on the kite and create a third dimension behind the sail.

Their purpose is not only to “keep the kite standing”. Depending on length, tension and setup, they can help with parking, vertical-rod support, night flying and some slack-line tricks.

Flying Smiles Kites sells magic sticks for several quad sizes and gives a useful summary of their uses:

• Parking the kite without staking it down: leave it inverted, resting on the sticks.
• Supporting the vertical rods: the rear structure helps the verticals handle more load without excessive deformation.
• Opening slack-line possibilities with longer sticks, thanks to a more pronounced third dimension behind the sail.
• Mounting LEDs for night flight, using a simple support at the back of the kite.

The shop lists 12”, 16” and 18” lengths for different kite sizes. The 12” version is presented as enough if the main goal is vertical-rod support; 16” and 18” sticks add more rear presence and can help with slack-line use or larger kites.

The video below shows the installation of a commercial Flying Smiles Kites kit. It is useful even if you build your own version, because it shows the overall logic: sticks sit at the back, tension lines connect them to the ends and structure points, and the whole setup needs to stay symmetrical.

Magic sticks for Revolution / quad-line kites

More recent commercial versions also reuse the magic-sticks idea, but add 3D-printed parts to hold, guide or adjust the assembly. The main benefit is reducing the improvised part of the build: contact points are cleaner, angles are more repeatable, and the setup depends less on small knot assemblies or repurposed end caps.

Example of a commercial variant based on 3D-printed parts

Build and use demonstration

The principle stays the same: two rear sticks, symmetrical tension points and a geometry that can affect the sail if it is over-constrained. This approach mainly gives a more finished option for pilots who want to buy a kit or reproduce parts instead of tying the whole assembly by hand.

In April 2017, Christopher Engel published a workshop note on cengel-kites.de titled “Tip: MagicSticks”. The original page is no longer online; this section preserves the useful points.

His main observation was restrained: he did not notice a fundamental change in flight behaviour, but the setup allowed several tuning and modification options.

Effects to watch:

• Added weight and weight distribution change depending on the materials used.
• The sticks create new places to add weights.
• They provide a practical support for rear LED lighting.
• If vertical tension is increased, the vertical rod bends forward and the sail becomes tighter.
• If horizontal tension is increased, the leading edge bends upward and the sail becomes deeper.

That last point matters: magic sticks are not neutral if you tension them strongly. They can become a sail-shaping tool.

On the same day, Christopher Engel also published a variant called MagicRolls “simply the best”. The idea was to simplify magic sticks, reduce the number of parts and even save weight. The page explained that Christopher was still looking for the right carbon and that instructions were supposed to follow later that year.

MagicRolls by Cengel Kites

Advantages listed over classic magic sticks:

• Easy rear LED lighting setup
• Lower cost
• Less building effort
• Cleaner visual appearance

Materials listed:

• 2 carbon rods, 2 mm, or 2 wound fiberglass rods, 1.5 mm
• 5 m of bridle line
• 4 rubber protectors, 8/10 mm, for quad-line end caps

Treat this as a workshop lead rather than a complete tutorial: the page announced diagrams and a “coming soon 2017” PDF, but those documents are not available in the sources we have recovered.

The Cengel plans below are for a standard Revolution 1.5 with vertical rods around 78.6 cm. Line dimensions include loops.

For his setup, Christopher Engel listed:

• About 8 m of light bridle line or 65 kg single-line kite line
• 2 HQ 6 mm split caps
• 2 APA 8 mm to 6 mm connectors
• 2 lightweight 6 mm carbon rods, for example Excel Cruise

These are the materials for his setup, not the only possible recipe. The important points are keeping the assembly light, symmetrical and compatible with the end caps and connectors already on the kite.

Christopher wrote that the setup is more reliable and easier when the kite uses original Revolution end caps, or similar caps.

He considered FSD split caps less suitable because of their side slot. With split caps, he recommended adding a short line loop, then feeding three bridle lines through a sequence of knots that locks the attachment point. The idea is to stop the attachment from moving: two lines are tied, the third passes through the knot, then the same operation is repeated on the other side before tightening. Once the third line is tied above the knot in the split cap, the small assembly pulls upward and locks.

That detail is technical and depends heavily on the end caps used. The practical takeaway is simpler: if the attachment point moves inside the cap, the tension setup becomes unstable.

Magic sticks work best when tensions stay balanced. With very little tension, they mostly act as parking supports. With more tension, they start influencing the kite geometry.

Two axes are worth separating:

• Tension working with the vertical rods.
• Tension working with the leading edge.

Increasing vertical-related tension pushes the vertical rods forward and tightens the sail. Increasing horizontal tension raises the leading edge and makes the sail deeper. These adjustments can help in some conditions, but they can also change a flight feel you already liked.

Advantages:

• The kite can stay parked inverted without a stake.
• Vertical rods get more support in wind.
• The sticks offer a clean support for LEDs.
• Longer sticks add a real third dimension useful for some tricks.

Limits:

• Weight and weight position change depending on materials.
• The setup adds lines, knots and points to inspect.
• Too much tension can noticeably change the sail shape.
• Incompatible or poorly locked end caps can make tuning unreliable.

• Magic Sticks at Flying Smiles Kites
• Video of a commercial variant with 3D-printed parts
• Demonstration of a commercial variant with 3D-printed parts
• Former cengel-kites.de page: “Tip: MagicSticks”, published on April 3, 2017, now offline
• Former cengel-kites.de page: “MagicRolls ‘simply the best’”, published on April 3, 2017, now offline
• KiteLife forum discussions:
  • Rev 1.5 SLE standoffs
  • What are sissy sticks?
  • Magic sticks review
  • Revolution Magic Quad Sticks gallery

Last updated Jul 31, 2026