I've flown 2 line flexifoils in the past. I'm 6"5, 96KG and 30 years of age. I'm fit and athletic and a snowboarder. I'm wanting to eventually try out kite surfing, but figured i would give traction kiting a go first as it's more accessible. Innitially i would just be standing, but might give a land board or buggy a go too.

I'm interested in either the HQ Beamer III 4meter kite or the HQ Crossfire 4 meter kite.

From what i have read the Xfire will provide much more pull and lift. I don't want to outgrow the beamer too quickly so was thinking about getting the Xfire.

Is this adviseable? Or would i be far better off with the Beamer for my first kite? I figured the extra lift, would put me in good sted for kite surf style kites.

Between those two, Crossfire. Is Flexifoil Rage an option for you? - Brian

having just read this on the site


"Here is the good and bad about jumping and kite sizes. Small kites and jumping will get you hurt. You get a sudden gust with a 4m kite, and you get alot of air, but then you dont have enough sail up there to keep you up. So you crash down at a good rate of speed. If you have a larger kite, you get set down much easier with the parachute effect. Another thing is wind speed. To get the power out of a small kite, you need a lot of wind, and higher winds tend to be gusty. Lower winds for jumping with a larger kite, tend to be less gusty and more stable"

i think i would be safer with the Beamer.

Hi cygnusx04,

I suggest to go with the Beamer III 40.0 to start. The mark III is a fantastic kite to start of with. It is not as lifty as a Crossfire, but that is a good thing for a beginner. Plus it is more stable, more user friendly and believe me, it soes have a lot of power. The new mark III version is only on the markert for 4 month and a lot of people have not even flown it. It has a lot more performance than the Beamer II version.
You will not outgrow this kite at all. Whenever you fly in high winds or especially gusty winds, you want a Beamer over a Crossfire. The Crossfire is quite explosive and requires experience to handle well.

Go with a Beamer III 4.0 and upgrade to a more agressive kite later - if you want to.

Cheers
Tim
HQ-Powerkites USA

excellent - thanks Tim

cygnusx04,

I'm with Tim!

I own both... I love my Crossfires...but:

The CrossFire is quite liftey, and for your first quad, I recomend a bit of practice before taking a big bite like the Crossfire...Start out with the new BeamerIII, and go from there

hope this helps with your decission,

Rob

Personally i would look away from HQ and towards something like a PKD, Peter Lyn or even DP, your getting more for your money with those brands, just my two pence worth

Why Why why, is kite buying so extencive!

Has anyone heard of the Jo-jo rm?

I have the same problem.ExceptI don't know why I am not attracted to the beamer when I know it is most likley the best kite for me right now.Hard choices when it comes down to fun & moneyFor me right now it is .. Beamer,Bullet, Or Blade. At least a 5.0 on all. Being 200# and winds are only8-15ish. What to do? All I would like to do is scudd and small jumps. I'm 40 and I have been scared by my little kite a stylus p-4 in 30mph+ winds. But I am ready for something new. Thanks Bye.

Beamer!

Blade?

Bullet?

Beamer would be a solid kite to start with. I'd start with something 3 - 4m though, don't jump right in at 5m until you get the hang of things and decide you want something larger for lighter winds.

The Flexi Rage is getting a lot of good words from people, I'd definitely consider that. I'd recommend a Rage over a Bullet from what I've been hearing.

A Sami II would be another option. Maybe able to get one cheap second hand since they're being replaced by the Ozone Cult.

I wouldn't recommend a Blade, definitely not in the 5m size range for getting started - that's a seriously lifty kite, and chances are you'll be caught off-guard in a gust... maybe not the best confidence builder when you're learning :-)

To answer your question about the JoJo RM+ - thats a race kite... not as stable and forgiving as some of the otherkites you're considering - I wouldn't learn with that kite, but definitely a good option to move to if you get into buggying and want some serious speed...

Exactly what Khooke says!

Beamer before Crossie. My first 2 kites were HQs the B2 3.6 then the XFire 5.0. The Crossie would have been too much kite to begin with! Not fun to be overpowered and with little or no experience! Fly hard fly safe!

Quote:

Originally posted by davmeva Personally i would look away from HQ and towards something like a PKD, Peter Lyn or even DP, your getting more for your money with those brands, just my two pence worth

Whoah! Take alook at the new HQ Stuff. They have really stepped up with improvements on stuff that was not bad in the first place.
Beamer III: Sewn bridle loops on a entry level kite and re-designed foil. What other entry level foils ar bridaled every other cell with V-ribs in between for support?

Even their new kite killers are better: Marked left and right and now with thick bungee leashes, curiously just like the more expensive Flexifoil.

Quote:

Originally posted by Sthrasher38 Bullet?

The Rage Replaces the Bullet in the Flexifoil line up. It is a really great kite. Very powerful for its size yet still stable and predictable, making it suitable of first-timers. My 3.5 Rage is one of my favorite buggy engines

The Beamer is a better choice over the Crossfire as has been said here. One reason to add is that the Crossfire requires some finesse and experince to get the most out of it. If not careful, it will snap shut like a mousetrap and fall from the sky in lumpy winds at the edge of the window, and this would frustrate a beginner. Great lifty kite, just not for the first-timer.

Don't warry about becoming bored with a Beamer, later, you will just fly it in higher winds that you never would dare as a novice and have a blast with it.

Another good entery level choice is the Peter Lynn Pepper. It comes in a plain stuff sack. By the time you add kite killers (not incl.) it's priced close to the Beamer, which also includes kite killers and ground stake

For more powerful kites that are still OK for a novice, the Flexi Rage and the Peter Lynn Reactor. They are pricier, of course, esp. the Rage.

Thank you

You guys are very informational thanks again. Glad I found this site.

Is the Bullet less stable than the Beamer?

No. The Bullet is pretty stable and easy to fly. The bullet has been replaced by the Rage in the Flexifoil line and is no longer available from Flexifoil (new), but there appear to be a lot still out there.
The Rage is very stable and easy to fly. It is built more for traction and less for lift. It is arguably more aggressive than the Beamer, but you pay a lot more for that.

That being said, the new Beamer III''s are pretty nice. I have yet to fly the Beamer III against the Rage head to head in the same session. Might have a chance tomorrow...