Power Kite Forum

Is HQ no more?

B-Roc - 30-11-2022 at 10:22 AM

I'm not in the market for a new kite but was clicking through old bookmarks last night to see what companies, stores, forums, etc. were still around and the only thing you see of HQ on the few sites that carry them is the Apex. Have they completely dropped out? No more Montana or Matrix or high end kite? back in the day I thought they were a great company to pursue for entry into this sport. Did Pansh kill them? Anyone know what's become of them? :puzzled:

Randy - 30-11-2022 at 10:36 AM

They still have a web page and were active on Facebook earlier this month. They have do show some power kites.

TEDWESLEY - 1-12-2022 at 12:32 PM

Hardwatwer Kiting has them on their site

nate76 - 1-12-2022 at 07:30 PM

Yes, sadly HQ/HQ4 discontinued production of the Montana/Empulse/Matrixx and is only making the Apex now. Really too bad, as the Montana X was a great kite.

The spirit of these kites lives on in the Little Cloud Pelican2, which is kind of the culmination of everything the designer Tom learned from the Montana/Matrixx/Empulse; but he recently confirmed in the LC facebook group that he is more interested in focussing on paragliders with no real interest in kite design in the near future. :(

The 10m LC Pelican is still one of my favorite kites ever; it just does so many things well and typifies Tom's Happy Flying philosophy.

SecondWind - 4-12-2022 at 03:38 PM

Thanks for the update nate76 - curious, do you know where Little Cloud's are made? I haven't flown one yet.

nate76 - 4-12-2022 at 09:58 PM

Little Clouds are manufactured in Sri Lanka.

SecondWind - 5-12-2022 at 04:44 PM

Got it - thanks! I had an old Sunfish sailboat and the sails were made in Sri Lanka and the quality was really good.

Baluk - 5-12-2022 at 04:55 PM

I dont know if Pansh killed them but it doesnt help.

Last year I wanted to buy a depower foil for snow kiting, after taking a lonng break from kiting in general.

It broke half my heart but I bought a kite from Pansh and im quite happy...