HQ announced some details about the 2010 Neo II in the November issue of Kiteboarding magazine just out.

They say faster turning and more depower. Also larger LE vents for faster inflation. Also redesigned chicken loop and "TDS" or Total Depower Safety that provides "increased level of safety and simplified self landing".

Also noticed they added 6m to the 8, 11 & 14m

can't wait to hear more. Tim?

Jep, got the magazine yesterday as well. If its all true what they write then there will be nothing more to complain about.

Angus, we offered a 6M this year as well.

Chris and Craig are currently demoing the kite at the AWSI Demo days in Hood River, OR.

Well, once we have official literature, you'll be the first to receive it email.In the meantime, check out some snowkite action with the Neo II and Montana V
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8lf5suFjCs

Cheers
Tim

Nice vid. Looks like HQ continues to push forward with quality gear at affordable prices (assuming current pricing structures remain).

Nice job HQ!

very nice video...

looks like HQ is all set to enter the paraglider market lol, those were quite the ridge soars near the end.

Can you say "HANGTIME"?

i want to get the 8. it would be the perfect "mellower" engine for landboarding in high wind. as well as a high wind kite for water. i want my quiver to be 8 , 12 , 20

Awesome video! Looks like the montana went back to its colors right? If that was a blue Montana?

i like the kites, but the bar and safety systems were very poor for a modern kite, does anyone know what improvements they have made to improve the self landing and depower aspects of the Neo's.

You need to be fairly experienced pilot to get them to sit down and safely stay down in moderate to strong winds.

Have had a few moments.......

... sounds like they are trying to dump or flag the kite entirely (or mostly). I'm looking forward to learning more.

and yeah, I know, before someone jumps, the only way to totally kill a kite is to put it in the bag...

Quote:

Originally posted by acampbell and yeah, I know, before someone jumps, the only way to totally kill a kite is to put it in the bag...

Didnt hitler have a 100% depower?

Looks sweet, thats for sure... i need to get my ring paid off so i can start feeding my addiction again... grr...
a few 'crap my pants' moments in that video... people that do the 'mountain-side-jump/floats' are freaking nuts! That is some nasty hangtime!

oh gosh. just when i was thinking of going back to inflatables they had to do this!!

anybody found that the lines/sleeving degrades quite quickly on the neo when used alot on water?

also ive found the kite fabric is beginning to wear a bit and have had to patch quite a few pin holes

anybody got a link to the article?

NEO II will come with a new molded chicken loop as well as a new TDS (Total Depower Safety) flagging line that provides an increased level of safety.

More news to come folks.

Tim

Quote:

Originally posted by HQ-Powerkites NEO II will come with a new molded chicken loop as well as a new TDS (Total Depower Safety) flagging line that provides an increased level of safety. More news to come folks. Tim

will the new set up be able to be retrofitted to the original NEO?

Quote:

Originally posted by _thephantom_ Quote: Originally posted by HQ-Powerkites NEO II will come with a new molded chicken loop as well as a new TDS (Total Depower Safety) flagging line that provides an increased level of safety. More news to come folks. Tim will the new set up be able to be retrofitted to the original NEO?

The TDS is a major improvement - Total Depower Safety. It operates as a fifth line attached independent of the speedsystem at the center of the kite. It functions as an attachment for a safety leash. One could add the additional line, but may need to modify the bridle.



photos of the NEO II in Hood River > NEO II in the Gorge

nice graphics. Are HQ doing demos anywhere in the UK?

Quote:

Originally posted by Drewculous Didnt hitler have a 100% depower?

Well.... sort of.

Wadogirl posted a video in mid-summer that tells the whole story.

My stomach hurt from laughing.

Danger, Will Robinson, Danger !!: Dicey language for the easily offended. --> 100% Depower Myth

ATB,
Sam

Just a quick test ride report from the Hood River event. The Neo 2 was much faster to inflate on launch and in fact took in air so well while on the ground that you could easily preinflate it and then launch from the side of the window if you want ,instead of the downwind launch. The addition of more cells and some bridle enhancements has made the kite much quicker turning and more stable while at the same time having a expanded depower range when you sheet the bar in and out. The new TDS line is a huge change from a riders point of view. The red "top hat " safety is gone replaced by a line that runs from a ring below the bar you clip into up to a series of attachment point arranged in a vertical line at the center of the canopy. Now when you release the bar or the chicken loop the kite folds back both wingtips and falls out of the air with almost no pull.And it will relaunch after you do this if you want. And yes it will relaunch in a heavy river current with gusty wind conditions and a barge on the way (whew). I have a new level of respect for Hood River riders now. Other enhancements will come on the production version such as the new molded chickenloop assembly. This was the first Neo 2 flown in the US and all the riders at the event that tried the kite had very positive input about the precise handling and much better pop when you want it. I cant wait to try it on snow.To be clear I am a HQ team rider and work for the company as well. Hope to see you all at a Demo soon. Good Winds


Craig Young

Hiya HQkiter. Thanks for the info, the kite sounds nice.

Quote:

Originally posted by indigo_wolf Quote: Originally posted by Drewculous Didnt hitler have a 100% depower? Well.... sort of. Wadogirl posted a video in mid-summer that tells the whole story. My stomach hurt from laughing. Danger, Will Robinson, Danger !!: Dicey language for the easily offended. --> 100% Depower Myth ATB, Sam

That's funny, must be a popular clip to use from that movie. I saw the same clip used for a media streamer I have when it suffered all kinds of delays to the market. Good stuff!


Oh, and I can't wait for the NEO II to be released. I love my 8m NEO I have now.

So this flags out on it's front 2 power lines, instead of the back 2 steering lines like with a normal Red Hat release?

Quote:

Originally posted by lad So this flags out on it's front 2 power lines, instead of the back 2 steering lines like with a normal Red Hat release?

Sounds like a flysurfer kill that I saw. It has a 5th line that only goes to the center of the kite and hooks to your chicken loop. When you release the safety the bar goes down the 5th line which makes the power and brake lines go limp and the 5th line pulls on the center of the kite to taco it.

Quote:

Originally posted by DAKITEZ Quote: Originally posted by lad So this flags out on it's front 2 power lines, instead of the back 2 steering lines like with a normal Red Hat release? Sounds like a flysurfer kill that I saw. It has a 5th line that only goes to the center of the kite and hooks to your chicken loop. When you release the safety the bar goes down the 5th line which makes the power and brake lines go limp and the 5th line pulls on the center of the kite to taco it.

The Flysurfer safety works exactly as you described, however, the safety that the Neo uses, and from the sounds of it, the Neo II will be something different. It doesnt sound like a 5th line like what FS uses...

Quote:

Originally posted by lad So this flags out on it's front 2 power lines, instead of the back 2 steering lines like with a normal Red Hat release?

See Chris's post above where he clearly describes it as a 5th line safety to the center of the kite.

you guys are right on.The flagging line or fifth line is attached to 4 reinforced connections in a vertical line dead center of the kite. the line is totally independent and does not attach to the flying or brake lines. I like the taco reference cause that just what it does, and yes if you have seen the current FS system in use it looks the same in the air when it "tacos" or flags. If anyone is in the Outer banks Area and wants to try the kite just let me know. i have the 8m and 11m for demo.We will be sending demos out to dealers as soon as there are more than 2 in the US.

Quote:

Originally posted by yugga nice graphics. Are HQ doing demos anywhere in the UK?

All summer long. Joe Hockley is back as an HQ Team rider in the UK.

http://www.powerkites.de/index.php?option=com_content&vi...

Check out the news section of www.powerkites.de for upcoming events. Joe has been very active.

Cheers!

Chris

obviously i have not seen the new neo bar, but one concern I had on the FS bar was if the lines were wrapped around each other (like after a couple kite loops) when you release the safety the bar did not want to slide up the 5th line. This happened in front of me to another pilot. I hope it was a freak accident or HQ has addressed this somehow, but it sure was no cool when it happened.

HQkiter can you see this happening with the new neo setup?

With a bar other than the infinity bar that can be an issue. With the infinity bar (on the flysurfer kites) a good tug on the bar will untwist all the lines. Do you know if the kite in the reference had that bar on it, or was it something else? I have had my power kites on my Outlaws get pretty twisted up before, but never had it not release on safety when I pulled it. Course, I spin the kite a lot to untwist the lines when it does twist.

Interesting to know that HQ is going the same route. I really like that safety system on the flysurfer. But the twisting of hte center lines is a pretty big issue. Hope that is figured out.

Quote:

Originally posted by chris Quote: Originally posted by _thephantom_ Quote: Originally posted by HQ-Powerkites NEO II will come with a new molded chicken loop as well as a new TDS (Total Depower Safety) flagging line that provides an increased level of safety. More news to come folks. Tim will the new set up be able to be retrofitted to the original NEO? The TDS is a major improvement - Total Depower Safety. It operates as a fifth line attached independent of the speedsystem at the center of the kite. It functions as an attachment for a safety leash. One could add the additional line, but may need to modify the bridle. ]

ok so back to my original question will HQ be offering retrofit to the NEO 14? as the safety systems and bar were dare I say it - rubbish !!! - as a qualification I will say useable until reaching higher wind range, then the kite would not stay down on deployment of primary safety and would sit pulling you madly along the beach until you run it up against a wall or some one standing still.
Technique evolved to an elaborate ritual of hauling in single rear lines and flagging kite out, but quite frankly this was 2003 flysurfer pshyco stuff.
When I brought the 14 i was hopeful for better safety to be honest. However, the kite in itself is perfectly ok. Just the bar and primary saftey on landing was a big let down.
So whats HQ going to do for its current customers?:roll: