Power Kite Forum

HQ's new depower Kites for 2016

nate76 - 14-10-2015 at 08:41 AM

Here's a glimpse of HQ's new snowkite models for 2016.

The Apex is getting a bar upgrade and moving to a front-line flag out system (as is the M9).

All Montana IX kites are going to come standard in a lightweight fabric - really looking like its going to be a sweet kite.

The Zeekai is the new free-race offering; Feyd is lucky enough to be testing them now

Should be available by mid November. You can contact me for pricing and availability. I personally plan on having 5.5/8m Apex5, 12m Montana9, and 19m Zeekai available for demo in the CO area for anyone wanting to try them out.

Should be a fun Winter!

11m Apex V


12m Montana IX


HQ Zeekai

shortlineflyer - 14-10-2015 at 10:49 AM

are they making another matrixx or discontinuing it

Feyd - 14-10-2015 at 11:22 AM

Matrixx 2 has been out since last year. And it is AWESOME. :D

http://www.hardwaterkiter.com/kite-and-gear-reviews/hardwate...

At the moment the 9m is unavailable and will be for the unforeseeable future. If you want that size and someone has it, grab it. It's a uber versatile kite.

chris - 14-10-2015 at 11:23 AM

HQ does not update every model every year. The Matrixx II will continue in the lineup for 2016.

nate76 - 14-10-2015 at 11:53 AM

Quote:
At the moment the 9m is unavailable and will be for the unforeseeable future. If you want that size and someone has it, grab it. It's a uber versatile kite.


I've got a 9m Matrixx II I'm willing to sell to anyone who's interested. They are indeed a sweet kite...

MotoFoo86 - 14-10-2015 at 01:51 PM

Apex V sticking with the same sizes as the IV?

nate76 - 14-10-2015 at 02:09 PM

Quote:
Apex V sticking with the same sizes as the IV?


Yes, they are. You can find copies of the Technical Data Sheets here:

Apex V

Montana IX

Zeekai

gemini6kl - 14-10-2015 at 04:39 PM

nice wish I could afford them all. kites just keep getting better and better. looks like they added a 13m to the apex lineup. HEY nate lets get some video of these kites up soon.

nate76 - 15-10-2015 at 04:14 AM

Kelly - I definitely will. Need to get them first though! Probably a good thing work is busy right now to keep me distracted...

Some video of the HQ Zeekai in action has just been released:



https://vimeo.com/141411971

gemini6kl - 15-10-2015 at 07:00 AM

nice thnks.

Quote: Originally posted by nate76  
Kelly - I definitely will. Need to get them first though! Probably a good thing work is busy right now to keep me distracted...

Some video of the HQ Zeekai in action has just been released:



https://vimeo.com/141411971

nate76 - 19-10-2015 at 11:44 AM

For anyone interested, there's some nice pics and rider profiles in the latest 2016 Snowkite Flyer.

Definately feeling the Stoke!




http://www.powerkites.de/tycon/file.php?id=1477

volock - 19-10-2015 at 12:06 PM

So who wants to upgrade to the new Montana and sell me their old one?

nate76 - 19-10-2015 at 02:17 PM

Montana 9 promo video.


https://vimeo.com/141382230

BeamerBob - 19-10-2015 at 03:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by volock  
So who wants to upgrade to the new Montana and sell me their old one?


I have a VII 7m and an VIII 8m that need to move out. Get with me if interested.

volock - 20-10-2015 at 05:06 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob  
Quote: Originally posted by volock  
So who wants to upgrade to the new Montana and sell me their old one?


I have a VII 7m and an VIII 8m that need to move out. Get with me if interested.


Thanks Bob, were I not looking a size up from that ideally, I'd jump. I think I really want 9.5/10m so I have a bit more float for air, which is going to happen with this kite, not to mention my weight class.

Brekke89 - 20-11-2015 at 04:16 PM

I just recieved my Montana 9 (8 m2) today! I had M8 before that (great kite). I haven't had the chance to try it out yet, just unpacking and having a look at the details.

M9 compared to M8:

+Velcro attachment for the depower handle. Very good!
+5th line safety. Finally HQ!
+ It seems like it has a "sharknose" type of leading edge, taken from paragliding designs. It increases the internal pressure and it looks really good :)
+ Nice graphic design.

- Same backpack, just different color/design. I would prefere a more robust backpack, but it's good enough i guess..






windrider1 - 20-11-2015 at 04:36 PM

nice!

Quote: Originally posted by Brekke89  
I just recieved my Montana 9 (8 m2) today! I had M8 before that (great kite). I haven't had the chance to try it out yet, just unpacking and having a look at the details.

M9 compared to M8:

+Velcro attachment for the depower handle. Very good!
+5th line safety. Finally HQ!
+ It seems like it has a "sharknose" type of leading edge, taken from paragliding designs. It increases the internal pressure and it looks really good :)
+ Nice graphic design.

- Same backpack, just different color/design. I would prefere a more robust backpack, but it's good enough i guess..






nate76 - 8-1-2016 at 05:35 AM

Thanks for the pics Brekke! Have you been able to get out and ride with it much yet?

I've had a couple opportunities on the 12m. Conditions have tended to be light, but initial thoughts are that it launches well in light wind, the pull appears more consistent through turns and lift/pop feels a little snappier. I think its going to be a really fun kite.

I've been getting more time on the 19m Zeekai and have really been enjoying that for super light wind riding. I've got one location just 5mins from my house that has a gully with 10ft drops which is fun to hit and glide off. I was out there the other day when winds were only registering 2kts on the ground - it was enough to get the kite airborne, loop up the hill and launch off the drops. It also produces some real nice speed and upwind reach in 6kts; most noticeable is the angle of your ski lines going upwind at these wind levels. I have a little footage from a couple weeks ago; I'm hoping to get some more of both the Zeekai and the M9 in the next week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oIAETBY4wA

Windstruck - 8-1-2016 at 06:11 AM

Quote: Originally posted by nate76  
Thanks for the pics Brekke! Have you been able to get out and ride with it much yet?

I've had a couple opportunities on the 12m. Conditions have tended to be light, but initial thoughts are that it launches well in light wind, the pull appears more consistent through turns and lift/pop feels a little snappier. I think its going to be a really fun kite.

I've been getting more time on the 19m Zeekai and have really been enjoying that for super light wind riding. I've got one location just 5mins from my house that has a gully with 10ft drops which is fun to hit and glide off. I was out there the other day when winds were only registering 2kts on the ground - it was enough to get the kite airborne, loop up the hill and launch off the drops. It also produces some real nice speed and upwind reach in 6kts; most noticeable is the angle of your ski lines going upwind at these wind levels. I have a little footage from a couple weeks ago; I'm hoping to get some more of both the Zeekai and the M9 in the next week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oIAETBY4wA



Nate - your footage is cracking me up! Out here in UT I've been doing the same sort of Snowkiting in open terrain with all sorts of tall grass, clumps of sagebrush and the occasional tall thistles. You seem to have a lot of those thistles! Those little buggers can slap you pretty hard if you hit them just right! Way to get some - kite looks great.

nate76 - 8-1-2016 at 06:44 AM

Ha! Ya, I know -beggars can't be choosers. The spots close to home tend to get a lot less coverage than up in the mountains. Believe it or not, on that particular day there was over a foot of snow in spots, its just that the sun is so intense here on CO that once a little brown starts showing through, it starts to burn off very quickly.

Those thistle looking plants are yucca plants. Definitely not an inflatable-friendly locale. On the upside, when the snow drifts against them, they tend to make nice little jump ramps. It becomes a game after a while - dodging some and trying to get air off others. All about making lemonade out of lemons I suppose.

We got a couple inches last night that should hopefully freshen up a consolidated base so I'm hoping to go do some yucca-dodging today. In my book, a day kiting with yuccas is better than no kiting at all!

Windstruck - 8-1-2016 at 08:30 AM

Quote: Originally posted by nate76  
Ha! Ya, I know -beggars can't be choosers. The spots close to home tend to get a lot less coverage than up in the mountains. Believe it or not, on that particular day there was over a foot of snow in spots, its just that the sun is so intense here on CO that once a little brown starts showing through, it starts to burn off very quickly.

Those thistle looking plants are yucca plants. Definitely not an inflatable-friendly locale. On the upside, when the snow drifts against them, they tend to make nice little jump ramps. It becomes a game after a while - dodging some and trying to get air off others. All about making lemonade out of lemons I suppose.

We got a couple inches last night that should hopefully freshen up a consolidated base so I'm hoping to go do some yucca-dodging today. In my book, a day kiting with yuccas is better than no kiting at all!


Yes, Yuccas. My bad. Same plant as we have here in UT, I just didn't have the good sense to call it by its correct name. :saint:

I put a Yucca plant to accidental good use earlier this week. I brought my 12m P2 down nose first on purpose to wrap up a session and as good fortune would have it the plant became a perfect backstop as I took off my skis and wound my lines! Better lucky than good!

We got that same snow last night (about 4-6 out here in the mountain valleys). Hopefully some wind will spring up today for a late afternoon session. Whup!

Brekke89 - 12-3-2016 at 03:53 PM

Hey guys!

Sry, I have not been online on this forum for a long time and haven't seen the questions about the M9. I have not been kiting much these last 2-3 months, but I have had 3 OK kiting sessions to test and get to know the M9. I've to say that I've been really disappointed with the M9 up til this point. The reason for this is the 5th or 4,5 line safety system. The safety line is just too short or something. It just gets twisted really fast and does not "want to" untwist if you loop the kite back in the same direction you performed the loops in. It gets twisted and difficult to untwist again.



BUT I think I have solved the problem. I have removed the standard safety line and installed a new safety line, which is thinner and about one meter longer. This seems to solve the problem or at least make it less prone to twisting around the center line.



I tested it yesterday and made a nice climb. The new safety line seems less prone to twisting and It untwists when looping back again. That is good...

Video
https://vimeo.com/158730869

Except from this, the kite is great. It's really good to turn and loop. It's also really stable. I'm happy with it now! :)

Cheers,
Matias.