So in about 2 weeks I will be buying my very first power kite. I was just wondering if anyone has any input on either one of these kites.

Few things about me. I'm 5.6, 166 pounds and the wind out here in Chicago is unpredictable. Some days it can be calm around 4-10 mph and other days it can be a scary 20-30 mph. Also I know this might sound newbish but I as every other starter I'm sure, am looking for something with awesome lift/pull.

First off is the Beamer V 5m much different than the IV? I have a kite shop out here in Chicago that has the IV's and I'm not sure if its worth the hassle of ordering the V online. I believe they are the same price.

Secondly I haven't seen any posts of people using the 5m Crossfire 2 so I don't really have much to go off of but is the extra 100 bucks worth getting the Crossfire over the Beamer? I read somewhere that if you want hang time then you want to look at the aspect ratio of kites and this one appears to have .8 more than the Beamer.

If anyone has flown both of these kites I would love to hear from you. Lastly if anyone has any tips or suggestions I'm all ears. Look forward to your response.

The 5m Crossfire II is about the last kite you want for your first kite. I"ll elaborate tomorrow.

Great can't wait.

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBob The 5m Crossfire II is about the last kite you want for your first kite. I"ll elaborate tomorrow.

won't be substantial difference between the two beamer (as far as I know, if the BV has an adjustable bridle then it def would be the one to go for -- IDK tho.) generations, the crossfire is a completely different animal, best suited for someone trying to get good performance out of a buggy.

The biggest dealkiller against the CF II for me on reading your post is your mention of gusty winds, the beamers will handle the gusts far better than the CF, and place you at much less risk.

You will get plenty of adrenaline and be able to go a long way up the learning curve with the beamer, also you will get plenty of pull in the conditions you describe.

Do take care, pick your winds carefully for your flights, and consider protective gear. 5m is BIG for a first power kite. There's a dude who broke a fumer during their first few minutes on a 6m kite.... BB might remember the story... :evil:

Quote:

Originally posted by furbowski There's a dude who broke a fumer during their first few minutes on a 6m kite....

Pretty sure this is the thread you are referring to:

Gravity Always Wins

AFAIK: The Beamer V doesn't have an adustable bridle (DTS).... the Crossfire II does. They bumped up the performance on the Beamer V by redesigning the shape/profile and slid the Alpha into the position that the Beamer IV used to occupy in the HQ totem pole (although the Beamer V is still supposed to be beginner friendly).

If the winds are gusty or even have a tendancy to ramp up during the course of the day, a 5 Meter may not be the best choice, as there will be too many instances of the kite flying the pilot as opposed to the pilot flying the kite. It also increases the likelihood of flying in suitable winds and being tempted to fly just a "little bit longer" (while the winds a geting stronger and stronger) which turns into long enough to get in over your head. It can happen with a smaller kite too, but your window to exit the field gracefully (read "on your feet") is diminished with a larger FB kite when you are starting out.

If you are fortunate enough to have access to a brick and mortar shop, I think it would do you a world of good to see what kites they have in their demo fleet and arrange a demo flight or hook up with them at a local event.

3, 4 and 5 meters are just numbers until the kite is dragging you around on the field, scaring little children and local dogs.


Most first time buyers would kill for a chance to fly before buy, so if there is even a chance of such an opportunity....

.

ATB,
Sam

I found a site that carries the hq cf 2 4m for about 50 bux less than the 5m beaner. With that said would anyone still not rocommend it and would the lift and pull be less then that of the 5m beaner?

Definitely go to the kite shop and see if they will demo a 3M Beamer with you. That way the owner (anyone we know?) will show you how much power can be generated by a 3M, and perhaps you will also realise this. And maybe they will let you demo a small Crossfire, and you will see the difference in ease of handling, and how easily the crossfire can put you in a place you really don't want to be, as a new flyer. Just my thoughts. Also there are members here from your area, maybe they would get with you and let you try their gear, and give advice.

Did you see this thread? http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=7008

edit: sorry, I see that you did!

One step ahead of you :p

So does anyone know if the beamer 5 is a must over the 4?

For a beginner, you couldn't differentiate much between the Beamer IV and V. There is a small performance boost for more advanced fliers but the V is still very forgiving and predictable. Get the smaller size as well to give you more range of wind you can comfortably fly in. The Crossfire II is a kite that will challenge the skills of even proficient experienced fliers. It has a performance advantage due to it being designed to fly right up to the edge of the window. However, it would be very frustrating for a beginner flying a high performance kite that flies right up to the edge. You could even give up on the sport, never being able to develop the skills to a level where you have full control of the kite. Add in the lift that the CF II produces and you have a kite very inappropriate for a beginner. I bought a CF I 5m as my third kite and I was ready for it yet shocked at the difference in flight characteristics. The CF I is a more forgiving kite however.

Everyone else covered your question pretty well. I will throw in this tid bit of info. The crossfire II is discontinued as well as the beamer IV. The beamer V to the best of my knowledge is not even available in the states yet. So before you buy something off the net I would highly suggest you check with the place you are buying it from to be sure they physically have it in their hand.

I will also recommend staying away from the CF II with gusty conditions.

Oki doki thank you all for your help.

On the Crossfire II: I've got a 3m and a 10m and would really like to stumble across a 6.5m.

If you are not completely comfortable with divided attention tasks, forget about the Crossfire II because the learning curve is very steep and potentially PAINFUL.

They require some skill and experience just to launch and not get overpowered.
Very lifty at speed even at the lower end of the wind range on the low AoA setting.
Very edgy and super prone to bowtie. One MUST master the brakes and work window edge wisely.
Will drop you like a rock !!! Gravel rash and helmet scars are the norm.
Evil, Fickle Temptress in a satin bodice and combat boots.
That just about sums it up.

All that said, I like these naughty, sassy, strumpets A LOT !!! Blisteringly fast, powerfully grunty and will fly well ahead of the wind when worked properly. They require ALL of one's concentration and attention to detail. Keeps me thinking and flirting with disaster and pure joy in equal measure.

But, then again, what do I know... ?

Everyone has good advice. Stick to a 2 or 3m to start. You can learn on it and it will become your higher wind kite later. The Beamers in all versions are good kites. There was a batch of V's that came through..i still have a 4m left sitting here. pulled it out of the backpack once to look at it. Looks pretty nice anyway. I'm sure it flies nice too.

Crossfire is one to stay away from at your level of experience.
Good luck on your quest.

Quote:

Originally posted by greasehopper On the Crossfire II: I've got a 3m and a 10m and would really like to stumble across a 6.5m. If you are not completely comfortable with divided attention tasks, forget about the Crossfire II because the learning curve is very steep and potentially PAINFUL. They require some skill and experience just to launch and not get overpowered. Very lifty at speed even at the lower end of the wind range on the low AoA setting. Very edgy and super prone to bowtie. One MUST master the brakes and work window edge wisely. Will drop you like a rock !!! Gravel rash and helmet scars are the norm. Evil, Fickle Temptress in a satin bodice and combat boots. That just about sums it up. All that said, I like these naughty, sassy, strumpets A LOT !!! Blisteringly fast, powerfully grunty and will fly well ahead of the wind when worked properly. They require ALL of one's concentration and attention to detail. Keeps me thinking and flirting with disaster and pure joy in equal measure. But, then again, what do I know... ?

Every word is true. If you can handle this kite, it can give you some awesome buggy power. When the wind hits it, there is no wonder. BOOM, and you're off like a rocket.

Viperkid:
I'm a noob too...by just a few weeks...so let me give you my (noob) perspective on what 'seeing the light' is.

I was thinking the same thing...I don't want no wimpy kite...so that when I get a few skills (in just a matter of weeks, of course) I'll be stuck with this small kite until I can buy a 'real' kite. I listened to the guys closely about sizing, and I'm glad I did.

Here's the deal: look at the experienced guys signatures - they all have what seem like small kites in their stable. But...but...they're good already!? Here's why: From 2m to 15m - they can all flip-flop you around the field like a rag doll - it just depends on the winds. With only one kite...there are going to be days when you just can't fly. Whether big or small - either there will be too much wind or not enough. So they keep various sizes as options. Think of it like your golf bag.

Given that anyone who really enjoys the sport is going to have small, medium, and larger kites in their stable...buying a smaller kite is not wimping out...it's just filling out that 'slot' in your stable first..while giving you more opportunities to fly without having a bad experience during the learning process.

You make a bad judgement call with a smaller kite...you're going to get pulled onto your face. You make a bad judgement with a larger kite, you're going to the ER. Watch a lot of youtube videos...these kites can yank you up off the ground and drop you without any notice. At all. The larger kite you buy as your first kite, the less wind it takes for it to have the capability to do that.

Spot on j0fer

Well said !

Quote:

Originally posted by j0fer Viperkid: I'm a noob too...by just a few weeks...so let me give you my (noob) perspective on what 'seeing the light' is. I was thinking the same thing...I don't want no wimpy kite...so that when I get a few skills (in just a matter of weeks, of course) I'll be stuck with this small kite until I can buy a 'real' kite. I listened to the guys closely about sizing, and I'm glad I did. Here's the deal: look at the experienced guys signatures - they all have what seem like small kites in their stable. But...but...they're good already!? Here's why: From 2m to 15m - they can all flip-flop you around the field like a rag doll - it just depends on the winds. With only one kite...there are going to be days when you just can't fly. Whether big or small - either there will be too much wind or not enough. So they keep various sizes as options. Think of it like your golf bag. Given that anyone who really enjoys the sport is going to have small, medium, and larger kites in their stable...buying a smaller kite is not wimping out...it's just filling out that 'slot' in your stable first..while giving you more opportunities to fly without having a bad experience during the learning process. You make a bad judgement call with a smaller kite...you're going to get pulled onto your face. You make a bad judgement with a larger kite, you're going to the ER. Watch a lot of youtube videos...these kites can yank you up off the ground and drop you without any notice. At all. The larger kite you buy as your first kite, the less wind it takes for it to have the capability to do that.

Thanks on your input I do appreciate it. One thing that I would like to give some feedback on is that the store that I will be purchasing the beamer from is out of crossfires so that right there just ensures that I wont be getting something that's out of my league for now. Tomorrow in Carol Stream, IL there is a kite festival and hopefully we wont get any storms so assuming weather permits I hope to see Mike from Chicago Kites there and maybe I can get a taste of the Beamer 5m. I'm leaning towards that but seeing as how I just got my first paycheck from my new job and it was only a weeks worth of pay I still can't afford the 5m and so maybe the 4m will be my first kite in the stable :p
For now I'm just looking forward to tomorrows event and I'll let you guys know how it goes. Youtube needs to have more videos I swear it feels like I watched every video at least 2 or 3 times now lol.

Youtube is not the only game in town.....

This should get you some more video of the HQ Beamer in various sizes and activities. To break the monotony, there are also videos of scantily clad women.... oooh the magic of Google.

Google Video Results of "HQ Beamer"

ATB,
Sam