hey guys i recently picked up a kiteboarding package locally. i tried it out last week with the help of a very nice person who knew i was brand new to this.

after crashing the kite a few times he recommended i get a trainer kite so the one i have now doesnt take a beating. after my research it seems the hydra would probably be the best bet for me.

anyone have any for sale?

heya...welcome! me and you already kinda met...imo you dont want a trainer, get a 3meter 4line kite and learn to fly the snot out of it..you will always want a kite this size if you stay w/ the sport... your other kite shouldnt come into play for a while and the trainer will be outgrown quick unless you want a kite to pass it to a friend to teach them..either is good but the 3m is better spent money

thanks for the reply

since we are brand new to the sport i figured the trainer kite would help us learn to fly the kite fluently before we took the next step. also for the exact reason you mentioned...to provide to friends as a stepping stone as well.

Folks on this forum are partial to 4 line foils and handles + a strop for added control and hooking in. Since your goal is water it might be good to go with a kite on a bar like the Hydra. Whatever you buy , don't buy a 2 line on a bar. Re-launch after crashing can be a real bother or impossible with 2 line. The 3rd or 4 line is there for reverse launching after a crash and a safe way of backing the kite down using " brake lines " on the back.
The Hydra is nice because it is closed cell so you can reverse launch off water. If you will be training on land then you can go open cell like the Scout. You can use open cell on water but if you crash you have a sea anchor and must self rescue then start again on the beach. Big incentive not to crash.

Getting a good trainer is a great idea for the reasons you already see. Learning yourself and then being able to bring friends safely into the sport.

No single kite does everything. You will probably need another size of LEI kite down the road as well to cover more winds. I assume you got something mid sized like a 10m ? I suggest you shop used since you are hard on your gear at 1st. If you don't have a small LEI now I suggest you consider buying a used one around 7 meters. It will serve as your high wind kite + not be too much to handle while getting used to depower. The catch is that you are best off learning very well powered so a 7m won't be the best kite for learning board starts unless the winds are up in the 20's. Good news is, If the winds do get up in the 20's you will still have a kite to fly . Nothing worse than having wind too strong for the kites you have and having to go home on a windy day ! Easier to go home because the wind is too light and you don't have a dedicated light wind kite . Light wind riding is riding but not a rush.

If money is tight and you will be learning the ropes on water you may want to consider going straight to a used 5-7m LEI ? They produce similar power to a 3m trainer . Foils are great for learning ( flying ) on land since they are nearly unbreakable . While it is not impossible to pop a bladder on water , it usually happens on land . Launching and landing in particular.

Welcome to the sport !

If you want a hydra, I think we have one, I will check and send you a message, or just give me a call, number is in my sig We have some other smaller kites as well.

If Rich can't help you out, we have Hydra's in stock as well. Great kite and one of the best trainers out there....you can also buggy with it.

U2U sent

No matter what you get make sure you hook up with. Brandon if you can, or any of the other guys close to you. Great group of kites in he area.

Come to WBB for a day or two and learn to fly with us

You can pick up a buster soulfly with a bar and have the best of both worlds. A trainer kite with a 3rd line to relaunch (with the bar setup), and a 4 line with handles. The best part is the kite was designed to be used with a bar or handles. Would you like a 1.5m, 2.2m, 3.3m, or a 4.4m?

thanks for the replies guys. the package we bought has a 9m kite. since we are new to the sport we didnt want to break the bank right off the bat so we figured a cheap trainer kite (as recommended) would be the best route. the hydra seemed to be a good choice for the water relaunch ability (and being 3 lines). it was suggested to get a 4 line kite 3m kite for used to help better teach being a "pilot".

the purpose for the trainer kite was to not worry if it crashes and not to kill the one we bought already when learning. there have been some offers of a hyra in the 200+ range but for that price we might be better off with the suggestion of the 4line 3meter? :dunno:

3m kites new are in the 275-350 range depending on what you look at.

If someone here has a very used 3m kite you may be able to stay under $200

You can get a new 3.3m buster with a bar for less than 200.

Yes that you can

Jeff, do you have the 3.3m in stock, my buddy is still interested?

Shoot me an email.

I agree, from the little I have looked the 3.3m Buster on a bar is about the cheapest good quality kite that will suit your needs new.

If time is on your side you can search forums for used but kites on a bar don't come up as often as handles. Don't rule handles out !

I actually use handles and my trainer to teach people the concepts of how a depower kite works. I stand beside them with a depower and them hooked into handles with a " strop ". With a bar you are basically flying 2 line . On the front lines only. Handles give you individual break control. Your depower will fly by " break turning " . You can't imitate that with a bar !

1st I teach the student to fly to the point they can do break turns and fly hooked in. Making sure they understand how to take the power through the harness via the front lines. I tell the beginner to hold their handles horizontal , like a bar, Brakes outside. I show them how when I turn my bar I am more or less doing a brake turn , just like when they add break to only one side of the handles. I then show them how adding even brake input is like pulling my bar in. Stalling the speed of the kite as it travels through the window and eventually stalling out + backing down. Learning this lesson makes folks who are moving to depower far more clear on what is happening to their kite as they move their trim + bar in and out. It just generally makes folks better understand how the kite works !

Going to a used 3m on handles will really reduce your expense and offer you much greater possibilities from the kite ! You can always pick up a used bar cheap and rework a 4 line to 3 line . But I wouldn't !

hey friend.

This is a trainer kite if you like to have a look..

thank you
Konstantinos

http://www.ebay.com/itm/121298661225?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:...

the search continues. what do you guys think about the Flexifoil Quark 3 for my needs?

That looks the job.

I still stand by my suggestion to consider handles. It truly adds another dimension to your kite control. Getting to play with " brake action " teaches you so much more about how your depower kite will produce power + turn.

I learned on a similar 3 line kite and when I moved to depower all I knew to do was steer the kite. That is basically all you can do with a bar. It taught me the wind window but nothing about trim. I was confused about how to trim the bar in and out and why / what to expect. The term " depower " is a very poor term IMHO. It is really a case of knowing when to be flying on the front lines and when / how to add brake input. I went to depower thinking pull in the bar to power up and go ! WRONG !

Just being able to steer the kite means that you will have learned everything you can in a matter of hours. When you add brake input the learning is far greater and so you won't be done with learning + enjoying flying the 3m near as fast. Hooking in with handles is possible and a real valuable step toward depower.

my intentions are for kiteboarding only...since i will be using a bar, do you still feel strongly about getting handles?

If still looking for a kitesurfing trainer kite i have a 2m ocean rodeo inflatable four line trainer kite. carring bag turns into harness. bought it for my girlfriend she tried it once not really into it. so it's brand spanking new. if you're still looking.

thanks guys. i appreciate the feedback and offers.

i picked up a hydra 350 for a good price. it should fit my needs for now....will post back and let you know how it works out