Hey guys,

I'm hoping you will be able to offer some advice. I'm looking for my first depowerable kite. I have only flown on a hq beamer 3m. I think I've mastered it. Surprisingly in high winds I can jump quite high on it. It took me a broken angle to realise that one should respect the wind and not take it out in gusty conditions! Now I want to progress on to the next stage! I've read in many places that once someone has flown a depower kite, they rarely look back at flying fixed bridles?

Basically I'm looking to get into land boarding. I want a depowerable kite, one that will suit me well in inland, in relatively low wind, maybe a 10m. I'm stuck choosing what one. I want one, which will allow me to progress, thats not too basic and has good characteristics for inland 12>18mph winds which will give me some good hang time. Maybe an ozone frenzy?

Are my demands too much?

I appreciate the advice.

Thank you!

Dan

I know that the frenzies are very popular for land use, but if your planning on hitting the water someday its better to plan ahead and get a closed cell kite like an ARC or maybe an LEI.

I don't plan on hitting the water any time soon as it's bit of a trek to the coast. You think the frenzy's be a good choice? What year do you think would be best?

You'll have to ask some other guys. I don't know too much about the frenzies except for the fact that they're very popular.

Frenzy might be too lifty and fast for a beginner. How about a HQ Apex or even the Popular Ozone Access. Both great kites aimed at the same thing. Low lift and beginner friendly. Both great brands IMO. The Ozone Access is a little pricer, and top notch quality. HQ Still great at it's price point too, bar a little more simple.
My first depower was my 7m HQ Montana and it was at first very difficult to learn the curve of depower being considered a freestyle kite (Like the Frenzy)....and I broke some bones. Pilot error though, wasn't ready for the high teen winds at the time.

I'm not very experienced with more than a couple kites so I may not be the best to give this sort of advice. But, I flew a 3.5m imp three line trainer (only about 20 hours) and now I have a 6meter 2010 access xt. It flies amazingly! Easy to get the hang of, yet it still leaves me impressed with the power it can produce. I have only flown it three times and assume that after a while I will be wanting more. So IMHO for what its worth I can recommend an access. Size would depend on your experience and weight and of course wind speeds. Very stable and a treat to fly, built with awesome detail from an awesome company. Will be hanging on to mine for as long as it flies to be my high winds engine after I've gotten more kites in my quiver. Here's a video in case you haven't seen it yet. Good luck with your search and fly safe.

Cheers
Shaggs


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gzlLUFw5AY&feature=playe...

I know what your saying dgkid. It is a bit difficult to learn on a kite that is lifty and a bit more high performance when you're first starting. I've only gotten a few sessions on my best nemesis, and that is certainly a lifty and grunty kite. The first 2 times I went out, after 2 hours I still couldn't manage to get on the board. It was a bit frustrating and dissapointing, but I just got one good session in today, and now I'm pretty comfortable with riding and I can tame the beast:duh:. So in response to danman, its really a matter of whether you want to have more fun in the beginning or later on. If you get a depower meant for beginners, it'll be easy to learn on but you may find yourself wanting something a little higher performance in a few months. If you get a gruntier more high performance kite, getting past the learning curve might be a pain but once you do you'll be glad that you have the power and performance of a more intermediate kite.

I vote ARC! Peter Lynn Twin-skins are beautiful in gusty inland wind conditions!

My first depower was(and is) a Synergy 15m, and I find it perfect for the 15-25mph winds I usually get here.

Brian

I can say that I and my son who was 12 at the time both learned on an HQ Montana III. We traded up to the IV when it came out. It is a very user friendly kite that has a great wind range, high stability but enough kick to it that you can grow into it. The Montana V comes out as soon as they clear customs and we've got our name on one of the first batch of 9.5m models. This is the kite we both figured out depower on and I wouldn't be without one. I fly with it in the buggy and Wexler rides it on the landboard. I don't have more than a half hours experience with an access, but I can't say anything bad about it. Others like it well. I don't have trouble recommending the Montana in the least though. Top quality kit thats ready to fly out of the bag. I mean even all the lines are hooked up and you can unroll and fly in 5 minutes or less. I set my buggy pb with our Montana IV at over 35 mph at Jekyll Island in May.

I've got an HQ Apex II 10m in the for sale section. You might take a look at that. The Apex is considered very beginner friendly, but is still used by some very experienced riders just for ease of use and stability.

Cheers for the replies. Dgkid78 I think I will take your advice and purchase the Ozone Access. I know what a trainer kite can do when the conditions are right, and I can only imagine how much I would of hurt myself if I had purcahsed a blade 4 for my first kite. There's a new Ozone Access on ebay at the moment. Hopefully get it for slightly less that retail.

http://forum.kitecrowd.com/wanted/will-buy-ozone-access-8-10...

From searching on ebay I've come across a kite which I don't think is very popular but looks like auction will end with it very cheap. Would anyone recommened it? I don't mind if it isn't quite as good as the Ozone but it could save me £300 or so! Just as long as I'm not going to kill myself learning on it. The kites an AIR EVOLUTION Z-AIR BOX 10MTR


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270...

Many thanks

Dan

Review of the Air Evolution Z-Air Box can be found here:
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=4417&pa...

ATB,
Sam

access 4m

Quote:

Originally posted by Jack1988 access 4m

He was talking about 12-18mph wind in his first post. What exactly is he going to manage with a 4m depower besides static flying?

Quote:

Originally posted by Maven454 Quote: Originally posted by Jack1988 access 4m He was talking about 12-18mph wind in his first post. What exactly is he going to manage with a 4m depower besides static flying?

I was being sarcastic, i know nothing about depower.

Surely that would drag you along though.

Im in exactly the same situation tbh, im ready to get on a board in roughly same conditions, im going to learn on 6m FB because thats all i have but eventually ARC will be the way forward, they seem to tick all the right boxes.

you need about 25mph for a 4m access to be any fun at all.... good kite for extreme winds, though...

ARCs are the most beginner friendly kite IMO... and they are cheap when found used

Ozone Access

I'm also thinking of getting a depowerable foil and the one i'm thinking of is the Ozone Access 8m.

The reason I want one is so I can take a wind range on holiday with me!!

I don't think I would ever stop using fixed Bridle kites - I have flown Sabre's and Frenzy's but find neither as good as Blades or Twisters for landboarding.

I would also echo what others are saying about Arcs - they are really user friendly, they cope with gusty wind and they give nice smooth jumps and landings. the Down is that all this smoooth makes them power hungry so get one a bit bigger than you would get a foil or inflatable.

Quote:

Originally posted by lives2fly the Down is that all this smoooth makes them power hungry so get one a bit bigger than you would get a foil or inflatable.

He means way way bigger. In this video tdmc96 is flying 5.? PL reactor, (he said he was feeling a little over powered), Rip is flying a 15m Arc, not sure what model, and I am underpowered, but moving, flying a 2m.
S

I JUST received my new HQ Neo 2 8 metre kite. This will be my first depower kite. I did alot of searching and chatting before deciding on this kite. It's good for land and water, big enough to get some practice on a kite but not too big, hopfully, to get tossed around too much. I'm hoping to try it in a week when we get back from holidays.

Great choice! The Neo is going to treat you well

Quote:

Originally posted by bribe36 I JUST received my new HQ Neo 2 8 metre kite. This will be my first depower kite. I did alot of searching and chatting before deciding on this kite. It's good for land and water, big enough to get some practice on a kite but not too big, hopfully, to get tossed around too much. I'm hoping to try it in a week when we get back from holidays.