I am new to all of this and i am thinking about buying a HQ beamer III 4.0 for my first kite. I am 6 ft tall and weigh around 195lbs. The area that I live has wind speeds that avarage between 10 and 15 mph usually more around the 10 mph mark. I want to eventually get into land boarding as well so I want to get a kite that I will eventually be able to use for that. So my question is do you think the 4 meter kite will be enough for someone my size with winds thats dont get over 10mph to often or should I get a 5 meter kite?

Hey bro, check it out : http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=8145



3m will DEFINITELY scare the crap out of you. I know that's what I wanted out of my first kite and I ended up getting a beamer III 3m, awesome kites and you can fly it in practically any winds you want! lol

And as you progress you will WANT to fly in higher winds, imagine.. it's windy as hell outside, you've got a 5m kite... AND CAN'T FLY! You WANT to have a large wind range, and as you start out the 3m will be perfect.

I fly my 5m in winds 15mph at the top end of the kite. I dont think you want that... yet. If you have no experience I recommend a 3m... it was my first kite size, and it took me for a few rides. The link to the beamer above is a good one for you.

Make sure you get some pads and a helmet... wear some clothes you dont mind getting messy... ask lots of questions... better to fly with others (or at least other people around in case you get hurt)...

Start saving your money, cause you will most likely need more kites anyways... When you get confident with your 3m, then you can start looking to larger and higher performance kites.

Welcome to the forum, BTW

alright thanks for the quick response. I think Im gonna send a message to him and let him know if he still has that kite ill buy it.

Welcome Hguidry.

3m is fine to start with, 4m can be a bit much and 5m is definitely NOT a good idea. I amd 200 + lbs and have been tea-bagged (tossed like a toy) by a 3.5 when I got careless and #@%$#!y. My 3m Beamer has pulled me at over 40 mph in the buggy and I was holding back, so never think of such a kite as a kite as a toy that you will grow out of. Later on, when you do get that 5m kite, the 3m will be the one you fly in winds over 18-20 mph.

Don't think you can start with a 5m and compensate by waiting for light wind. That actually takes some finesse that you will not have yet and will frustrate you. Fly it in too much wind (does not take too much to qualify) and you will get whacked and maybe hurt as well as frustrated.

Good starters and good performers that come with what you need....
HQ Beamer III 3meter
Peter Lynn Hornet 3m
Flexifoil Sting 3.3m

I would start with that Beamer 4m only if you had someone experienced to fly with you all the time while you start, even then it's more than you need to drag you around in the sand or on the grass.

Have fun and be safe. Ask lost of questions here

Where are ya?

You will do well to deal with Bobby for that Beamer III. Good seller and good kite.

weighing at 195-200 lbs and about 5'11-6' when I got into power kiting, I started with a Beamer III just like the one linked above. I had quite a thrill the first while I had it, and it took me a while to figure out how to control all the power that the 3m had on tap. I haven't ever tried landboarding, as I've never had luck with skateboarding. However, on a buggy (I imagine it's very similar in reference to power needed to pull) the 3m gives a nice smooth ride. It's a great kite that can help you advance your skills, and it's good for about 7mph and up. The top side of the windrange will really depend on how far you've advanced and your comfort level with it. A 3m kite will be plenty to give you the foundation for moving to larger kites. You'll find that a 3m is a good all around kite that has a wide range. The Beamers are stable enough that you can be a little rough with it, and it won't be detrimental to the flight pattern of the kite.

Thanks for all the helpful info guys. I sent an email to BeamerBob and if he still has it I going to buy it.

What size kite would you guys recommend for a 250lb guy?

Sounds like a 3.0m would be ok?

Jeff

welcome to the forum...

you should've felt free to start your own thread, although this one is good to piggyback / hijack...

I recommended a 4.1 twister to a guy a while back, and with that and a 2m pkd brooza he seems to be doing well.

the thing to remember is that what you want from your first (and for a while your only) kite is a maximum of wind range, low winds to high winds. The 3m is big enough to get off the ground in low winds, which is where you can learn to finesse your flying skills, yet small enough to fly in 15 mph gusting 18 or so with reasonable safety as a beginner. even a 4m brings you down to 12 or so for safe flying at first, and a good 5 can be a handful in 8-10 mph. Any kite is a blast at first, exploring the response of the kite thoughout the wind window in a variety of winds is immensely fun and also a very important first step in building your skills. A 3m will allow you to develop your skills in the widest possible wind range, which is what you want.

don't caught up in getting bigger kites for bigger pull, that's like throwing money at the wind and expecting to deliver just the right amount of power for you... You'll need to learn to accept what the wind gives you, and a 3m is best for getting started with that.

By the time you are ready for a second kite, you'll know your local winds & have some (and/or better) idea of where you want to go with your flying, and that's when you go for a more refined kite choice.

If you ultimately want to jump or start dealing with enough power that lets you do so, you're much better off doing it with larger kites, but you'll need more skills and wind awareness to fly those safely, and the 3m can give you that, plus it will remain your go to kite when the wind gets up a bit more...

where are you? what are your winds like? do you know where you will go to fly? are there any other kiters around where you live? what is your budget?

ok, short version: go for a 3m! watch the for sale ads here, they come up every once in a while. If you find something on ebay that looks good, check with the forum first, there is the odd predator lurking out there...

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you should've felt free to start your own thread, although this one is good to piggyback / hijack...

Didn't mean to hijack.. Just figured a forum like this gets "what kinda kite should I get" questions all the time..

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where are you? what are your winds like? do you know where you will go to fly? are there any other kiters around where you live? what is your budget?

I'm in Alabama.. Average winds here are usually between 6-12mph.. There are a couple areas I can fly.. I some land that I can fly on.. There is also a local park that has an awesome ridge that allows kite flyers.. That's where I first saw these things..

I'd like to try to get into it for under $250, just to make sure I'll enjoy it.. I have quite a few other expensive hobbies I try and keep up too..

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ok, short version: go for a 3m! watch the for sale ads here, they come up every once in a while. If you find something on ebay that looks good, check with the forum first, there is the odd predator lurking out there...

Yeh, sounds like a 3M might work out for me.. Now I need to do some reading on handles, lines and all that stuff..

Right now, I'm a guy who saw another guy flying kites and thought "That looks like fun..." I didn't get to speak to the guy but I've seen him flying several time..

J

Be sure and talk to that local next time you see him. Show up with a kite as well and you will have an instant new friend !

3m is good ! As far as handles or bar go, either works well.

People who just fly static and ride buggies are the ones who enjoy handles most. Handles provide the best control of fixed bridle kites. Often the best prices are on kites with handles.

People who ride a board on land or water tend to prefer a bar. Often they move to Depower ( not fixed ) bridle kites.

Avoid most 2 line kites. Less control and almost impossible to relaunch !

Just under $250 is your sweet spot for a 3 meter kite like the HQ Beamer III or Peter Lynn Hornet. Both have similar design objectives, come with just about all you need and will give you years of enjoyment. Don't think you'l out grow it just because it's a good kite for novices. Later on it will be your high winds kite for 25+ mph and then you will have a 5m kite or something for under 20 mph. My little 3m Beamer has had me at over 40 mph in the buggy - and I was holding back some.

Welcome and have fun. If you ever get east towards the coast of GA, look me up. We are developing quite a large 'posse of good riders/ flyers in several disciplines here in the southeast.

you could afford to buy new with that budget...

HQ beamer III 3m $240 but the the IV comes out in april

Ozone flow 3m $265 this has ony been out for a couple months, very nice quality...

you could try this guy, he has a beamer 3m for sale along with a depower bar, which don't match, but you could likely get a bar kinda usable with the kite as well as the kite for $250, don't know if he's sold.

http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=8420

if you go back a few pages in the for sale section of this forum, you'll find older beamers and an ozone imp, one on a bar I believe, all well within your budget.

There are a few 4m kites for sale, you can consider those for your winds and weight, but you'll find the 4m kite can begin to be a real handful around 12 mph, especially if you have gusty winds...

pansh legends new have treated first-time flyers well, it will give you what you're looking for at a far lower price, try www.dakitez.com and have a look at the instructions section of his forum for a good description of what goes into making sure a 4-line is ready to fly. You can buy pansh from him with confidence that they're set up and ready to fly, but not from their website direct.

:dunno:

hey tram...i go to school at UA in tuscaloosa, where do you live in alabama? by the way my first kite was a pansh ace 4m. i weigh 115 lbs and it was a great first kite for me for alabama winds. i hate to say it but i dont think there are enough days in AL that you can fly a 3m. at your weight and our wind speed i think a 4m would be better. pansh ace's are not the easiest kite to fly(as i've heard) but until a few weeks ago it was the only kite ive ever flown. but i flew it as much as i could until i had proficiency. ive had bigger friends fly it for the first time in 15+ winds after a short intro and they did just fine. if your detirmined to fly and want to save money get an ace 4m. it will fly well in 6+ winds and spank you after 15 mph. once your kite instinct develops you can get it out in 20 mph and really have some fun

the one thing i would avoid doing is dipping it too low in to the powerzone. thats usually the death of all newbie kiters. its a very lifty/snatchy kite and will produce superman's with ease(you flying parallel to the ground with arms outstretched). however if respected it can be a great learning kite if your willing to put the time in.

if you live close to tuscaloosa come on over and ill let you fly mine and i'll help you get the hang of it before you even decide to buy a kite. i've taught 10+ people how to fly on this kite and they were usually proficient in an hour. having a person there helping exponentially increases the speed at which you can learn to fly well. i didn't have a person showing me what to do so i learned what a superman was the hard way...several times.

if you get the same winds as piku above, esp. if you get a little guidance at the beginning or a practice fly or two with another kite, maybe 4m would be alright, but the ace has double at least of spankage potential in the same winds as a 4m beamer....

with your weight it won't be long before you're looking for 6m kites in 10-15 winds....:D

smooth winds take a lot of frustration out of edge-sensitive kites like the ace, have you figured where you can fly and what kind of winds you can expect????

Thanks guys..

Piku - I am up in Florence.. Used to come down to T-Town all the time.. Rollll Tiiiddddeee.. I might have to fly down one day and take you up on your offer..

I'll have to check out a Pansh...