KiteLife's quad line tutorials

KiteLife tutorials are one of the best-known online resources for learning quad-line kite flying.

This page focuses on outdoor flying tutorials. KiteLife also offers indoor tutorials.

KiteLife started as an online magazine in 1998, created by Mike Gillard and later taken over by John Barresi. The website now hosts:

• Kite tutorial videos
• The KiteLife forum
• The former magazines Kite Lines, Stunt Kites Quaterly and Sportkite news

John Barresi is an American kiteflier well known in the kite world as much for his performance as for his human qualities. Here are a few notable facts:

• He holds 31 US national championship titles.
• He was leader of the iQuad team and currently leads Team KiteLife (TKL).
• He designs and sells his kites and gear through his KiteForge store.
• He has been teaching quad line and dual line kites for over 10 years via his “clinics”.

To find out more: KiteLife, John Barresi, Team KiteLife, KiteForge store.

• These tutorials are widely recognized and used in the quad-line kite community.
• John and his kite are visible at the same time. This is very useful for understanding the relationship between the kiteflier and the kite, and the impact of each movement.
• The explanations are clear, well-paced and mostly subtitled.
• John breaks down and describes each practice.
• He also provides unique explanations, e.g. aerodynamics.
• Beginner-level tutorials are free and listed below.
• For full access (paid), you can download all the videos and subtitles available.
• Paid access finances the maintenance of kitelife.com and part of John Barresi’s activities.

• Full access to the videos requires an annual subscription of around $33. You can limit it to one year or continue to support KiteLife later.
• Videos and subtitles can only be downloaded one by one via multiple pages. Full downloads require a little patience.
• Subtitles are not always available.
• Subscription cancellation is not intuitive on Paypal. (This was the case in 2020.)

Tutorials are grouped by level. Advanced tutorials refer to previous ones. You are of course free to view the tutorials in any order you like.

The videos for this level are free and listed further down this page.

• Larks Head Knot
• Assembly and disassembly
• Changing frames
• Line management
• Line equalizing
• Line weight and length
• Launch and control
• Wind window
• Figure 8
• Flat relaunch
• Basic hovers
• 180 with positive drive
• Rollover landing

• Body, posture and grip
• Tuning theory
• Kite walk
• Side slide (horizontal slide)
• Inverted hover
• Reverse flight
• Bicycle rotation

• Sail loading
• Clockwork
• Flic flac
• Rotational drills (launch, turn in place, land)
• Traveling bicycle (turn on the spot while sliding in one direction)
• Light wind flying
• 3D flying
• Water flying

The videos are in English. You can activate subtitles in the Youtube player if you need to! How to activate subtitles)

KiteLife offers access to all tutorial videos from around $33.

You can subscribe here: https//kitelife.com/video-tutorials/

Useful points before subscribing:

• You are free to download all useful content and to cancel your subscription within the first year.
• These subscriptions help support KiteLife.

• Learning path
• Learn to fly
• Flying with precision
• Tricks
• The 187 Fly 4 Fun videos by Guido Maiocchi
• Club 38 by Revolution Kites

Last updated Jul 21, 2026