I am looking into buying a first kite and I have done some research but I still dont know what to look for. Would a depower kite be good for both kite surfing and snow kiting or should I look for a kite that is best suited for one of these sports. Would I be able to use this kite for jumping too?

Will this be your very first kite?

lol... looking for first kite... is this your first kite... hahaha

HQ's access is a good beginner depower... but its a land kite only.

You'd prolly be better off starting with a fixed bridal, 4 line foil. In the 3-4 sq meter range. That way you can get a feel for the wind before you try to harness it for traction sports... like boarding/buggying/surfing

And as far as jumping, any depower will jump ya, but like i said, if this is your first kite... you want to start a little differently if you dont have someone there to help you learn the ropes (or lines)

Once you can fly proper you can use the same kite for snow and water.
The thing is, you need to learn how to fly + ride proper. If you are heading out on water you pretty much NEED to get lessons.
No matter what you need to get a good trainer kite to learn on. Only after you know how to fly do you want to buy your water / snow kite !!! It sucks but it's true!

yeah, gocardinals, you've got the boys all confused, we don't know enough to know where you're coming from!

And so cannot give good advice!

a) is it your first kite?

b) how atheletic / old are you and how much do you weigh?

c) what are the winds in your area? in winter as well as summer?

d) your budget.

with that info you'll get some stellar help! If you want to get a depower kite right away you'll probably be disappointed by the advice you'll get, but this forum has seen hundreds of folk get started!

Yes this will be my first kite. Although I am a beginer I still want to get a kite that I would eventually be able to use for jumping or snowkiting. I am 6'1 weigh 180 and am athletic. I am also in college so I am working on a tight budget.

Would a beamer III 3m be large enough to get me off of the ground?

Best off for you to find someone that already kites in your area. (I know, it's not always easy) If you ever see anyone flying in your area, don't be afraid to approach them (from upwind if possible). Most kiters I ever met won't be able to resist "hooking up" a newbie with one of their smaller kites to try, then sharing in the learning experience when the "addiction" takes hold! Where you at?

:bigok: Peter Lynn Hornet 3m, HQ Beamer 3m, HQ Scout 3m/4m/5m?, Ozone flow 3m/4m
(Did I forget any?)


Please look into those, they are all great kites.. I'm not experienced with the Scout so that's why I put all the sizes on there... I believe the scout is mainly for wanting to learn kite landboarding.

Everyone starting out has the same problem. They want to get one kite that will be a good beginner and can eventually jump on. That kite doesn't exist.

The Beamer III 3M would be an excellent first kite. You won't regret it. You can turn around and sell it for close to same value if you want, but you will most likely hold on to it. Can you jump with it? Not really. The only way you would be able to jump with it is in very high wind days and then it is not very stable - especially not for a beginner!

If you get a kite big enough to do good jumping then you can really hurt yourself learning. There are plenty of broken bones stories out there to prove it.

Other good beginner kites to check into are: Peter Lynn Hornet, or a Pansh Blaze (if you budget is tight). Stay in the 3-4 M range for your first kite.

Unfortunately, as stated above, there isnt a good beginner kite for going straight to jumping. You need to learn how to fly and control the kite before you progress to jumping. If you want to do snowkiting, then you can look at depower, but I would recommend getting a fixed bridle as mentioned above before you try to fly a depower kite. Take it slow and easy. You will live longer and much happier that way.