Ok here it is ive been flying a HQ Hydra 3 meter for a while, then bought a HQ link line and safety and a a harness and have been flying on a harness. I feel like i would like to move up in size. I like the HQ Scout II because i looks like it operates a lot like the 3 line Hydra for launching reverse launching and so on. what size do i need? do i go for the next size up 4 meter or the 5 meter. I was wondering if i had a 3 meter and a 5 meter do i still need 4 meter or will that range be covered. Or do i need a 3, 4, and 5 meter kite to cover all wind ranges. Any help would be appreciated because im to new to know.
thank you.
I guess if i have to have all the kites could live with that.
mike.

I mostly fly depowers now but my fixed bridle quiver, at one time, consisted of the following kite sizes:
1.2, 1.5, 2.5 low A/R, 2.5 high A/R, 4 high A/R, 5.5 low A/R, 6 high A/R, 7 low A/R, 8.5 high A/R and I can tell you truthfully, at one time or another I needed every single one of those and sometimes wished I had a 2 and a 3 meter. I also appreciated having high and low A/R kites as I could step up or down depending upon how much power / speed I wanted and how bumpy or clean the wind was.

So can you get away with a 3 and a 5 meter... sure. But at some point will you find the 3 too little and the 5 too much... you bet.

More is better and the smaller the gap the better but only you know if you are comfortable working a small kite or riding out a gust on a bigger kite.

What are you going to be using the kite for? Wind range for all the kites you mention are nearly the same with a little higher range with the 4m scout II, 4mph to 29 on the hydra , 4-31 on the 4m scout, and 4-27 on the 5m scout. The biggest determining factor will be what your typical winds are and your ability to control the kite in those winds. This is where your weight and experience come into play. If you have a normal wind range from 10- to 15 mph then either the 4m or 5m would be a great buy. One will just give you more grunt than the other. The other factor will be what you are going to use the kite for, if you are buggying I would go for the 5m, on a landboard maybe the 4. You would need more kite to get the buggy rolling in the same winds. Like B-Roc said as well, at one point you will probably wish you had a 4 m kite if you already had a 3 and a 5m kite. Likewise there will be a time you wish you had a 5m if you only had a 3 and a 4m kite.

I currently snowboard and am going to start landboarding this spring. and I just flying static.
never tried a buggy but it looks cool. I will start buying depower kites as soon as i think im ready to learn new stuff
thinking of the hq apex to start that but im a little ways away from that now. Also i was in hoodriver OR. alot this summer and took a kiteboarding lesson. i never got on the water that lesson but i can see that im going to want to try
so im going to probably buy some lei kites in a couple of years. until then i think i will keep taking lessons and using their gear in the mean time. Im inland so if i want to kite alot i have to go for the traction aspect of it first then
the water later.
It doesnt hurt my feelings to have to buy a bunch of kites but dents my wallet a little.

I just got back from the Hood River area (business trip). Visited Gorge Sports in Portland and bought a spreader bar pad from them - nice shop.

If you're only getting one kite for now, get the 5m first. A common fixed bridle quiver is 3, 5, 7m or 2, 4, 6m depending upon your weight and wind conditions. Its never too early to consider depowerables. They are simple to fly and offer a lot more range.

thanks B rock that makes a lot of sense and probably answers my question go with the 5 meter. And hood river is a very cool little town if you like breweries they have 3 great ones down town all within walking distance of each other.
great place to play hard during the day and have a lot of fun in the evenings. oh ya they also have a place called mikes ice cream and thats the place to relax when its 100degrees and 20mile an hr winds all day.

If you are interested in a 5m Scout, I've got One of my customers that I am selling for him. Not used much at all. Its a version 1, but the price is really good.

http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=16070

thanks guys just ordered my 5meter