:singing:
I'm a future buyer and I want to buy a good power kite for a beginner. I've been looking at a couple of kites and was wondering how is the HQ Hydra 3m?
I looked at it initially because I want to train near the water but how well would it hold up on land?
How much force would this kite produce?
I weigh about 180 lb. is this good for me?
Is it a good overall product for a beginner?
thanks! :tumble:

There is a bit of debate about how much extra value the closed cell on the Hydra is to a beginer.

If you plan to fly the kite where it will be likey to crash on water then it is a good idea , IMHO.

The Hydra can be crash on land as hard as on water so is a pretty good choice as a beginer package.

The Hydra is a kiteboard trainer and is designed to boost your learning experience moving to a depower kite. If that is your direction it is an excellent start !

Is there any risk of exploding-kite syndrome with the Hydra? I know I slammed my first kite around pretty good. Just something to look into. (and welcome to PKF!)

If you are going to kiteboard(water) i would skip the trainer and go for lessons. They will teach you on their kites. The kite you will use on water will be much bigger and the 3m would just be a waste.

Do you want to powerkite for the fun of it or as a means to some other activity. That will help us steer you the most efficient direction. We want you to stay safe and have fun at the same time.

I'm mainly interested for the fun of it but landboarding is something i want to look into. Would this be a good kite to start with?

if you are looking for a good starter power kite at your size a 5m would give good skill development in light wind and usable power once handling improves..


after about 20-30 hours on this kite you will be searching for applications and there will be enough power and range for fun . unfortunately not enough for riding on the water in reasonable conditions. good way to see if you like the sport as well.

if your goal is to ride on the water this is a great start but be prepared for a fountain of gear and some lessons so your expense could be 10x cost of a single starter kite .

so a 5m kite and learn about the weather and conditions and your experience will be more well rounded

Unless you are thinking about getting into kitesurfing later on or are going to be flying your kite over an area where it might land in the water, its not worth the money for that kite. You should probably look into the hq beamer or the peter lynn hornet. Also, read this:
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=1985

If you are flying in a spot that you are likely to crash on the water recovery is possible with the Hydra. Crashing an open cell in the water creates what is sometimes called a sea anchor. A royal pain to recover from. If you aren't likely to crash on the water the closed cell isn't worth the extra cash. If you are likely to crash on water then it is .

A fountain of gear to kiteboard?

Kite
harness
board

Helmet
Pads
Extra kites for different wind conditions.

sunscreen
flip flops
beach towel
water proof camera:singing:

Well youre sticking to land, i know ive met a guy here who was training with a slingshot kite he got a great deal on a whole setup, he got a board kite and harness, cant remember how much though. but the kite was only a 2 line, and not a real depower...

Quote:

Originally posted by snobdr A fountain of gear to kiteboard? Kite harness board

oh ya, and a bar, and lines, and a pump (depending), and helmet, and impact vest?, water booty things?, safety leash?, board leash?, gloves?, eye protection?

Prolly realistically more than one kite. So ya, it could be considered a fountain of gear.

I am realizing this as I am just getting into kitingboarding.

If your buying new the kite will come with bar ,leash, and pump. Then a board and harness. If your a beginner one kite will do ya. These days with the kites large wind range you can do with just 2.
The rest is not needed items.

yeah snobdr i can do simple and be on the water in five minutes (no bag or pump or flips either!)

i am sure you can to, but a beginner has not been living it, after a few lessons confidence helps a beginner simplify things. even a tidy package deal is complicated by time and lessons and the learning process. its a spendy sport and understanding that for the first round of gear esp. for the water. i think for success , rather than expensive hurry up and wait for wind to get on the water , a small kite is gonna give more time experience quicker than waiting on enough wind for a water setup. example, for every water session i get i have about 5 land sessions if not more. it only translates to a better flier and probably safer

but i am all about simple for sure

Its simple,
But really complicated
but simple

???????????

Dosent matter because ignachile is looking for landboarding.

If you compare another beginner kite like the beamer IV 3m to the hydra 300 they are about the same. Price is about the same. The beamer comes with 4line handles and the hydra comes with a 3 line bar. The open cells on the beamer fill faster than the closed cell hydra. The hydra stays inflated when the beamer might not and is water relaunchable.

It really depends on where you want to go in the sport. If you want to be on water the hydra is a good place to start. If you think you will be on land the beamer or other brand kite with 4 lines would be great. If you want to take a lesson later you already know how to fly the kite.

I also like the idea of taking the money for a trainer and spend it on a lesson. You will probably still buy a small kite but the education would be valuable and you might make a more informed decision later.

If you buy from a good local dealer they should be willing to give a quick lesson on flying the kite too.