Hi again guys
Wanted to rack your brains again. Had been looking at getting a hornet or a Beamer for my partner but our local kite shop also threw a flexifoil rage into the mix as he says it is a great all round kite, better than the 2 i had chosen but was obviously more expensive. If i can run to the extra he thinks it is a far better kite and will be suitable for progressing with, espec as we may not have the money again to buy another kite with for awhile so will be a bit of an investment. What do you guys think, is it worth me spending the extra money on?? or should i just stick with the hornet or beamer

gwen :singing:

also, what is better, handles or bar????? thanks so much

Handles give you far better control without a doubt. As for the Rage - I'm a bit biased but based on what I know of the Beamers both it and the Rage should be equally forgiving. I think the Rage in it's day was billed as an all-round traction kite, low lift, stable and forgiving. I've flown a Beamer 3m and it seems to me the flying characteristics were pretty similar. Compare that to the Brooza for example which needs to be flown a bit more to get the most out of it. I love the Rage, but know there are those that love the Beamers equally.

Guess that didn't help much huh?

The Rage is a great kite and a possible good choice for you if it fits your budget. It will fly faster and have a wider wind window than the other two, not from any defect of the first choices, but due to different design objectives and qualities that are reflected in the higher price.

The Rage gives up lift for speed and as such is a popular buggy engine. It is easy enough to fly that I can recommend it to any first time rider. As a recreational kite for static flying (on your feet), it is not lifty for jumping, but that not an objective for a first kite for a variety of reasons.

Unless there is a specific reason for wanting a bar (maybe training to move on to the water later), go for the handles. They are less money and offer more control in light winds, where beginner is likely to fly. Bars are hard to set up just right, too and that can be frustrating for a first-timer.

lol- no thanks for taking the time. Just getting so confused as just as i make a decision the Rage was suggested. It is about £100 more expensive than the other 2 kites but it is a surprise present for xmas and as we have a baby on the way i want to get something that is a quality kite he can fly for awhile and get the most out of. Ifthe rage is the best i can get for the money and is superior to the other 2 then i am happy to buy it but just wanted others opinions as don't want to waste my money. Help help help as £300 is a lota money lol- defo a complete new outfit for me ha ha

I don't know if it has hit your retailer yet, but there was going to be a price increase on all the Flexifoil gear soon if not already.

More than a few retailers have responded to the price hike by making Flexifoil special order items and phasing out the Sting entirely from their line card.

The Rage will give you the option of using the Flexifoil Angle of Attack Kit, if you feel like tweaking the flight characteristics down the line. I don't know if the Beamer or Hornet has something comparable.

Bias warning: I started on Stings and have more than a few Bullets and Rages. More than a bit saddened by what the price hike will mean down the road.

Oh well, the secondary market is still there. :singing:

ATB,
Sam

Thanks again Campbell
Rang up the kite shop for the Hornet and as we got chatting he bought up the Rage but did say it was a lot more expensive. If i am going to spend £300 its an investment and want to make sure i get the best i can for my money. Is this kite superior to the beamer and hornet, would it be your choice or can i get better for £300??? thanx

thanks indigo wolf
not sure if the price hyke has kit us yet but the beamer would cost me £150 for a 4m and the Rage would cost me £300. Is it worth the double in price tag ???

Trying to work through some nostalgic Flexifoil moments to give you a subjective answer (wait, wait... I can do it. :wink2: ).

OK... with a clear head.... the Beamer and the Hornet are both find kites and will take you a long way.

Is the $150 price difference worth it? Probably not... Flexifoils are nice kites, but....

Maybe this will be your tipping point and is something that is sometimes lost in the excitement and just bought scent of a new kite. Does your partner already have protective gear (knee pads, elbow pads, helmet, maybe some sturdy gloves with padding in the palm/heel area)? Perhaps some of the £150 would be better spent there and a nice picnic to properly present the surprise/gift

It's always best if gifts don't cause pain/injuries/death to our loved ones.... at least not until all the insurance paperwork clears and our names are on the beneficiary line

Hope that helps a bit,
Sam

lol- i do just wanna give him a fab present with my own money from my own wages before i have the baby and he gets only to buy boring family stuff and nappies.
£150 extra towards the kite equals $250 which is a fair amount. All his family are buying the helmet and stuff and i'm giving it him on xmas day so can't do the picnic thing-lol his beer would be frozen before he even got the kite off the ground- not that i condone drinking and flying.
What would your choice be if you had $500 to spend, wanted a kite to progress on, landboard n buggy later and were fairly newish to the sport- want a great kite that will last him awhile. We live by the sea and it can get windy, espec as winter now

Thanks thanks thanks

I own a Beamer. I have an older Flexifoil (Bullet which was before the Rage). I've never flown the PL Hornet, but its a quality brand and I'm sure they are good quality.

If it were my money I think that I would definitely stick with the Hornet or Beamer and save your money. If this is for a new flier he may not fully appreciate the slightly higher quality of the Flexifoil. My opinion is that the other kites will give you more bang for the buck. And if your partner does end up wanting to "trade up" down the road, he should have no problem getting a good price for the Beamer or Hornet.

My vote......Beamer/Hornet.

Get the man a Rage . I own 2 and I wouldn't sell either of them . And adding a AAA kit just makes it that much better.

But I guess I'm just flexi biased.

But do you also pay a premium for the Rage because of the nice backpack? Just throwing that out there. I love them to death BUT there was nothing wrong with the Beamer I flew (RevPaul's).

Oh....and props for doing so much research for your partner! That's one lucky kiter we're gonna all meet on here one day!

What about the Ozone- is that not on a par with the Rage but in a cheaper price band???? but slightly better than the beamer and hornet

gwen

I absolutely love my Ozone Flow and am planning to get another (larger) Flow. I would definitely take the Flow over the Beamer. I haven't flown the Hornet or the Rage, So I can't compare them. The attention to detail and quality of construction on Ozone kites is very high. I would definitely recommend them. Most people don't get them as a beginning kite, but that's usually because the Beamer or Hornet is cheaper. It is definitely a kite that he will be able to appreciate even after he's well experienced.

Think i'm defo leaning towards the Ozone flow as it seems to be a quality multi purpose kite that you can grow with at a fraction of the cost of the Rage and slightly better than the Hornet and Beamer for not much more in price.

Read a few reviews and watched a few vids and think maybe the exta money i save on the Rage i could buy the Ozone and maybe a harness? for boarding with. What you think.

Everyone has been great with there advice, has defo given me lots to think over so cheers guys, u r stars

Gwen

p.s maybe the money i save i should buy myself a little hornet or a beamer as think i could get well into this lol

If you have the money buy 2 kites at the beamer/hornet price range. 2 and a 3-4M both will get used alot. You mentioned that the wind is strong right now so a smaller kite may help keep him out of trouble. I am glad I started with a 2M I was very supprised how much my Pansh Legend pulled the first time I took it up. A 3 or 4 M in 12mph winds will be a lot of kite unless you are in a buggy. Make sure you get kite killers especially for the first time out.

The Flow comes with a strop line attached to the handles that is intended to be used with a harness, but I wouldn't recommend using it with a harness until he's got some good experience flying the kite by itself first.

Quote:

Originally posted by gwendaleila30 p.s maybe the money i save i should buy myself a little hornet or a beamer as think i could get well into this lol

As for something for yourself, the 1m Ozone Imp Quattro that I have is possibly my favorite kite ever . The Quattro is the four line on handles version of the Imp. It is also available as three lines on a bar (Imp Trainer) or two lines on straps (just plain Imp). The only down side to the 1m Imp is that it's insanely fast.

All the best,
--Maven