:singing:
I'm a future buyer and I want to buy a good power kite for a beginner. I've been looking at a couple of kites and was wondering how is the HQ Hydra
3m?
I looked at it initially because I want to train near the water but how well would it hold up on land?
How much force would this kite produce?
I weigh about 180 lb. is this good for me?
Is it a good overall product for a beginner?
thanks! :tumble:Bladerunner - 11-11-2009 at 05:46 PM
There is a bit of debate about how much extra value the closed cell on the Hydra is to a beginer.
If you plan to fly the kite where it will be likey to crash on water then it is a good idea , IMHO.
The Hydra can be crash on land as hard as on water so is a pretty good choice as a beginer package.
The Hydra is a kiteboard trainer and is designed to boost your learning experience moving to a depower kite. If that is your direction it is an
excellent start !macboy - 11-11-2009 at 05:51 PM
Is there any risk of exploding-kite syndrome with the Hydra? I know I slammed my first kite around pretty good. Just something to look into. (and
welcome to PKF!)snobdr - 11-11-2009 at 06:19 PM
If you are going to kiteboard(water) i would skip the trainer and go for lessons. They will teach you on their kites. The kite you will use on water
will be much bigger and the 3m would just be a waste.BeamerBob - 11-11-2009 at 06:28 PM
Do you want to powerkite for the fun of it or as a means to some other activity. That will help us steer you the most efficient direction. We want
you to stay safe and have fun at the same time.ignachile - 11-11-2009 at 06:44 PM
I'm mainly interested for the fun of it but landboarding is something i want to look into. Would this be a good kite to start with?PHREERIDER - 11-11-2009 at 06:54 PM
if you are looking for a good starter power kite at your size a 5m would give good skill development in light wind and usable power once handling
improves..
after about 20-30 hours on this kite you will be searching for applications and there will be enough power and range for fun . unfortunately not
enough for riding on the water in reasonable conditions. good way to see if you like the sport as well.
if your goal is to ride on the water this is a great start but be prepared for a fountain of gear and some lessons so your expense could be 10x cost
of a single starter kite .
so a 5m kite and learn about the weather and conditions and your experience will be more well roundedpower - 11-11-2009 at 06:54 PM
Unless you are thinking about getting into kitesurfing later on or are going to be flying your kite over an area where it might land in the water, its
not worth the money for that kite. You should probably look into the hq beamer or the peter lynn hornet. Also, read this: http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=1985Bladerunner - 11-11-2009 at 07:04 PM
If you are flying in a spot that you are likely to crash on the water recovery is possible with the Hydra. Crashing an open cell in the water creates
what is sometimes called a sea anchor. A royal pain to recover from. If you aren't likely to crash on the water the closed cell isn't worth the extra
cash. If you are likely to crash on water then it is .snobdr - 11-11-2009 at 07:11 PM
A fountain of gear to kiteboard?
Kite
harness
boardJolt - 11-11-2009 at 10:03 PM
Helmet
Pads
Extra kites for different wind conditions.macboy - 11-11-2009 at 11:57 PM
sunscreen
flip flops
beach towel
water proof camera:singing:Jolt - 12-11-2009 at 01:04 AM
Well youre sticking to land, i know ive met a guy here who was training with a slingshot kite he got a great deal on a whole setup, he got a board
kite and harness, cant remember how much though. but the kite was only a 2 line, and not a real depower...soccerflyer - 12-11-2009 at 06:00 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by snobdr
A fountain of gear to kiteboard?
Kite
harness
board
oh ya, and a bar, and lines, and a pump (depending), and helmet, and impact vest?, water booty things?, safety leash?, board leash?, gloves?, eye
protection?
Prolly realistically more than one kite. So ya, it could be considered a fountain of gear.
I am realizing this as I am just getting into kitingboarding.snobdr - 12-11-2009 at 06:16 AM
If your buying new the kite will come with bar ,leash, and pump. Then a board and harness. If your a beginner one kite will do ya. These days with the
kites large wind range you can do with just 2.
The rest is not needed items.PHREERIDER - 12-11-2009 at 07:01 AM
yeah snobdr i can do simple and be on the water in five minutes (no bag or pump or flips either!)
i am sure you can to, but a beginner has not been living it, after a few lessons confidence helps a beginner simplify things. even a tidy
package deal is complicated by time and lessons and the learning process. its a spendy sport and understanding that for the first round of gear esp.
for the water. i think for success , rather than expensive hurry up and wait for wind to get on the water , a small kite is gonna give more time
experience quicker than waiting on enough wind for a water setup. example, for every water session i get i have about 5 land sessions if not
more. it only translates to a better flier and probably safer
but i am all about simple for suresnobdr - 12-11-2009 at 10:09 AM
Its simple,
But really complicated
but simple
???????????
Dosent matter because ignachile is looking for landboarding.stetson05 - 12-11-2009 at 10:26 AM
If you compare another beginner kite like the beamer IV 3m to the hydra 300 they are about the same. Price is about the same. The beamer comes with
4line handles and the hydra comes with a 3 line bar. The open cells on the beamer fill faster than the closed cell hydra. The hydra stays inflated
when the beamer might not and is water relaunchable.
It really depends on where you want to go in the sport. If you want to be on water the hydra is a good place to start. If you think you will be on
land the beamer or other brand kite with 4 lines would be great. If you want to take a lesson later you already know how to fly the kite.
I also like the idea of taking the money for a trainer and spend it on a lesson. You will probably still buy a small kite but the education would be
valuable and you might make a more informed decision later.
If you buy from a good local dealer they should be willing to give a quick lesson on flying the kite too.
