When I considered my first hard bet the short kit was kind of a turn off. It seemed like it would be extra expense and another hassle but it is really only another 10 minutes worth of work, call up one of the many balsa suppliers tell them what you need and in 3 to 4 days you have your wood. a complete list is available with the kit and it is listed on the web site so you can order the wood the same time you order your plane. It's no different than buying gear, wheels, motors, etc.
I will say when you order your wood from a wholesaler you usually get heavier balsa. If your looking for the lightest ship possible you can go to the hobby shop and pick your own. All the balsa I have seen and bought lately (sticks) seems to be kind of heavy but I guess the plus side is you get a stronger ship. If your going to the trouble of building a fun fly that is different then whats a few extra minutes on the phone? The plus side it is to be the only one with a different plane than the 20 other knife's and pizzaz's at the field.