There is a lot to be said for low power.

[Senior Space Cadet]

The mid and high power guys might get all the prestige and glory, but there's a lot to be said for building low power rockets.
If feeling motivated, I can go from Open Rocket to launch in three or four days.
Once you have all the tools and a supply of parts, it doesn't cost much to build a low power rocket.
Motors are cheap.
You can launch in a relatively small field. I launch at some soccer fields.
I imagine, at some point, I will get bored with low power and either move up or find another hobby, but for now it's a good apprenticeship.
From what I've seen on You Tube, I think some people try and move up too fast.

 

[Antares JS]

Well said. This is exactly why I still build low power even though I have a level 2 cert. I typically bring 6-8 low power, 1-2 mid power, and 1-2 high power rockets to every club launch. Low power is way cheaper and quicker and still tons of fun.

 

[dr wogz]

I will toss in, that some big events have had an HPR guy (or two!) buy a kit, and with 5-minute epoxy, have it flying that afternoon (if not the next day)

But, i do agree with you. LPR has many many advantages. The strength to weight ratio of the components allows for some pretty elaborate designs! Look at the fantasy & sci-fi stuff!! It's a great way to (cheaply) flush out a design idea of a larger build, or to truly explore 'outside the envelope'!

I, as well, will get 1 HPR flight, 1-3 MPR flights, and double that of LPR on a single launch day..

 

[Jay Rairigh]

I fly mostly mid-power...but I think I missed out on all the prestige and glory stuff!

 

[HHaase]

I'm a bit pickier about my LPR kits, but I still buy/build/fly them all the time. The most fun for me with LPR is since the weights and velocities are so low, you get so many more creative looking kits.

-Hans

 

[GlenP]

They take up a lot less space in the garage too. Although rockets are kind of like a gas, they fill up all of the available space in any container.

 

[dpower]

No prestige and glory in HPR, it's just another aspect of the hobby. I fly everything from 1/8A to J, and it's all fun. For every HPR motor, I probably fly 20 LPR motors. If you want prestige and glory (what little there is, anyhow), try contest flying. Virtual NARAM was fun, since it didn't cost much, and a newb contestant like me was able to win a few (very) small cash prizes. For those of you who haven't flown NRC yet, give it a try! You get to see your name on the National Scoreboard: https://www.nar.org/nrc-scoreboard/

 

[Big-Bob]

I have been into low power rocketry for over 50 years. I'm currently 61. High power is out of the question, mid power is way more expensive than low power, so you can't do as much with it. I started building kits and using the cheap toy launch equipment from Estes and Centuri as a kid. I was hooked. I moved from that to designing and building my own rockets and launch equipment. Designing and building everything yourself gives you a lot to do for the money. My main goal the last few years is chasing altitude using nothing larger than D engines, and have been somewhat successful at it. However, that means I can't launch in the local park. I have to drive a considerable distance to a launch site. Many of my rockets have come down half a mile from where they were launched. Since I am disabled and cannot walk very far, I now carry an electric bicycle in the back of my truck to retrieve the rockets with. They often come down in places I can't get to with my 2 wheel drive S-10.

 

[Bdpeters]

Rocketry itself has so many aspects and many of them reside in the LPR range. So much to explore and keep you busy for years. For example right now I am interested in clustering in the LPR range. A year from now it could be competition or gliders. I still enjoy mid and high power though to be sure

 

[LW Bercini]

Some time around 2013, my late friend, Gary Byrum and I met up at a launch in SC. One of the organizers, a fellow who flew only HPR, strolled by our table and commented, "You fellows are not rocketeers, you're modelers who fly rockets." (We initially interpreted that as being a dismissive comment. Later, when we got to know the guy, we understood his point. We took that comment up as our credo). We looked around and saw that we were the only people there with rockets that looked like this:

That's when we formulated this concept that in general, there are two kinds of sport rocketry hobbyists (albeit somewhat tongue in cheek):
1. Those hobbyists whose focus is the rocket itself, that the motor is the mechanism that proves out the rocket design
2. Those hobbyists who focus on the power. The rocket is the vehicle that allows the desired amount of smoke and flame (but they are usually loath to admit it)

I fly everything from 1/8A to I, but my sweet spot is C through G. As I fall under that first category, I am always experimenting with intriguing and unique designs (a la Neil_W). To me, flying above G forces me to fly designs that are just engorged beginners' models - just 3 fins and a nose cone. I got bored with those simple designs back in the 70s. Yes, I do have some L1 rockets that are 3FNC, but they are all scale subjects (e.g. Black Brant V)

 

[Gunstar]

Well said. I love designing and testing unconventional designs and low power rockets make it easy.

 

[milehigh]

I only fly LPR and celebrate every aspect of it immensely. There is plenty to keep me busy - building and flying classic models, gliders, keychain camera launches, scale projects, plastic conversions - the list goes on.
And all at a price that doesn't strain my hobby budget. I fall squarely in L. Bercini's hobbyist category 1 described a few posts back.

 

[XrayLizard]

Indeed, it takes extra effort and an artistic touch to be a space modeler !
I’m just a rocket builder lol.

 

[Woody's Workshop]

I have been into low power rocketry for over 50 years. I'm currently 61.

I'm with ya Big Bob! I started in 1970. I'm currently 60.
Although I was in the process of going for L1 when my world was yanked out from under my feet...
I have built some rockets for that process. They wait for paint, and maybe I'll finish them.
I've got decals for them from Sandman.
I did a bt-5 to bt-80 Wizard fleet.
Mini 13mm to 11" 29mm Engine Mounts.
I still have hope, but until then, nothing beats designing something in RocSim, then make it happen and fly withing a couple weeks.
And I mostly fly 13mm engines these days. Way less expensive, and staging really gets those little boogers up there!
I'm lucky I got some interest from the kids in this complex that love to fetch-em for me!

 

[Back_at_it]

Senior - I hear you. I've been in and out of this hobby for 30ish years and still love my LPR stuff. While I am messing around with MPR here and there, it does cost more and there are only so many places I can fly them. Currently living north of Chicago, it's an hour drive for me up to Bong Rec area if I want to do anything more than a C motor. I did fly a heavy LOC IV on an F44 in a fairly large park once but it made so much noise we had everyone looking out of their houses at us and someone called the cops so.....

I like that I can grab a few of the medium sized rockets that fly 200-300ft and head to a park a mile away and fly A8-3's all day long without anyone saying a word. I have an Alpha 3 that flies on A10-3T motors and I can't tell you how many times it's been up in the park by my house.

 

[Joekeyo]

It's not just rocket science It's model rocket science.

 

[JPalmer621]

I fly mostly low power and most of mine are scale. I did a two stage shuttle modeled off the 1284 kit and a two stage cluster SaturnV modeled from the 1/100 kit from Estes 5 D motors does pit me into modpower