i am looking to buy the HQ Hydra 3.5 and wants to know if anyone has used it or seen it used in the water and if its what is seems to be!
-Z

The hydra is a very good kite and flies very well. For use on the water it is small because it is designed as a trainer so you will need some stiff winds to do any kind of training in the water with it.

The Hydra is great for what it is. A kitesurf trainer. It relaunches well and is a nice stable kite, if that is what you are asking?
If you are asking if it is worth the extra money over the Beamer then it depends on your needs. If you want to fly on or by water then the Hydra is worth the extra cash. If you just want to fly on land then , not so much.
If you are looking for a kite to actaully kitesurf you want to look at it's big brother, the Neo.

I've never flown one, but you won't be able to kitesurf with it unless the wind is nukin. If you just want to get pulled through the water, then it'll work well for that but if you're looking to get into kitesurfing you might as well get a cheap trainer and then get a water kite when the time comes.

like the other posters it depends on your needs. i have one and realy enjoy it. over all well mannered (unless you get into very high winds and it becomes to much to hold down)
its fairly new person friendly, ive taught a few how to fly on it and all handed it back with a large smile.
the only issue ive found while using it in the water is that is not a depower so your not hooked into a harness wich makes up wind body dragging not as easy as it could be.
other than that it does good on the water as long as you dont dilly dally while its landed on the water. after a few min it loses a bit of its air and can take a lil extra effort to pop back up. but so far its always gone back up.

Quote:

Originally posted by highazakite the only issue ive found while using it in the water is that is not a depower so your not hooked into a harness wich makes up wind body dragging not as easy as it could be.

throw a d-loop on the bar and hook in. You will be good to go

oddly i've sold some ... it seems to appeal to new kitesurfers that want to learn over say a two / three line open foil.

after learning to fly you can semi teach yourself what it would be like to water relaunch

in high winds its a great learning tool for body dragging and teach you how to get back to your board.

if you want to see what hooked in feels like, if you're a windsurfer you probably have a harness line kicking around that you could use on the bar. if not its very cheap to get one from any shop that sells windsurf EQ. they probably have some used instock too.

I have this Kite and am new to the sport and Can honestlly Say it is the most fun I have EVER had with a kite, it generates sufficiant power to Do long sustained bodydrags in 15-20 kmh winds ( on land ) and also you can learn jumping in consistant winds, I got the 3.5 meter and have yet to launce on water. take the time to learn right as I recentlly Fubarred myself being lofted by a 54 Kmh wind gust that picked me Way way up into the air and brought me down into a broken ankle.. I had had over 20 full 8 hour days flying by this point and was perhaps over confident or under observent of the weather and minutes earlier had decided on a final lap with the kite before I packed it in ... shouldn;t have waited... Disclaimer Over.

My impressions.

Easy to fly
Easy to self launch ( a few sand weights help hugely )
predictablle
Big enough to play with the powerzone
safety works flawlessly

buy this kite and I'm sure you wont be dissapointed..




.... Powerkites arn't dangerous, underskilled pilots are the real danger.

Just want to aid that it is actually great as a snowkite trainer. When dropped into the snow it doesn't scoop like some other trainers.

Very nice kite for all the reasons stated and I sell a lot for these reasons but if you try to put it in motion on a land board or buggy it will be disappointing. It sits too far back in the window for any kind of upwind work.

Angus, can you explain a little on what you meant by "back in the window"? I am starting to learn how to use a land board with the Hydra 3.5 and since I have never flown any other kite before, I have no frame of reference.
Do you mean that it sits too close to the edge of the wind window?

I think what he means is that it doesn't geterate enough power on the edge of the window ( where you need to fly to oppose the edge of the board to travel upwind.

Sorry, should have elaborated. Great kite the Hydra for playing in the surf and static flying, but it will not get as close to the edge of the window as other kites, so there is more side-pull and less forward pull. This might actually help you in the learning stage, since one problem I see with people learning to buggy (and would be the same on the board) is the kite racing to the edge of the window quickly before the rider gets in motion, then the kite luffs or hangs there. If you have sailed before, this is like being "stuck in irons" (dead into the wind with no power).

If the kite holds back a little, it gives more time for the novice to get things sorted. Later on, as you are more comfortable with your board starts and getting yourself balanced against the kite, you might appreciate a kite that flies out closer to the edge to improve your upwind work and widen your wind range.

Again, nothing wrong with the Hydra. A question of application. sounds like you are on your way.

FWIW, HQ Powerkites put out a video showing the HQ Hydra in action. They are pretty honest about what can and can't do.




-Mike

good video, feel free to have a chuckle at Craig (in the water) and Chris's expense. They are good boys that are pretty honest about the kites like Mike said.