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Gary Engvall - building a kite? Gary is a master builder and overall fount of kiting knowledge. Gary was instrumental in getting the NYKE workshops off on the right foot. Got an idea for a workshop? Talk to Gary.

Kitelife Magazine - An incredibly large site that covers all aspects of kiting. It includes instruction, articles, videos, and a used kite section where you can buy or sell. You can (and should) easily spend days on this site.

Kite Studio - need kite plans, instruction, discussion, parts and supplies? Features forums on all aspects of kiting as well as online workshops.

Hang-em High - need parts and supplies? Carries some things not at Kite Studio.

Into the Wind - online kite store which also publishes a nice printed catalog. The catalog compares flight characteristics of the sport kites they sell based on the experience of their own fliers. They also have supplies and repair parts.

Gone With the Wind - another large online kite store. They also have supplies and repair parts. There's always something on special.

From a shopping perspective, nothing beats walking into a kite shop, studying a kite in person and talking to somebody who knows about the kite. Most shops also do repairs and some offer test flights and instruction. Unfortunately, that means at least 4 hours of travel for me. When I travel, I shop where I fly. "Local" shops benefit the entire kiting community, but can't survive if the community doesn't support them. Many kite shops have an online presence and would love to talk to you about special orders. A listing of member merchants can be found on the AKA website - they offer a 10% discount for AKA members. If you are traveling, check the listing and support the local shop. These are some of my favorites:

Kite Loft - Ocean City Maryland. They have an online shop and a live beach cam - there might be somebody flying right now!

Sea Side Kites - Nantasket Beach, Hull MA. This shop is a valued NYKE supporter.

High Flyers - Newport, Rhode Island. This shop is a valued NYKE supporter and sold the kite that started my involvement in kiting. The proprietors have recently announced their intention to close the physical shop and concentrate their efforts on the online business.