Can you help? I'm new to kiting and am wanting to buy in to a power kiting system that will allow me to begin flying kites but may offer me the chance later on to progress on to kitesurfing or boarding, i'm looking for a good quality all-rounder. The main issue i need advice on is what size to get as i'm 6'4 and around 16 stone in weight. I'm looking to spend somewhere in the region of £200 on a kite alone, give or take some. Advice?

HQ make a kite designed for training to advance to water. It comes on a bar. The new model has a bit better control thanks to a new style of bar. Last years model ( cheaper ) is called a TSR . This years is called the Scout.

HQ SCOUT with a bar maybe 4M. this should allow to get started. The water thing could be down the road.

solid stART WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND GET A LESSON

GOOD LUCK

thanks, that's great. What's the sort of guidance on kite sizes though in relation to the size of person flying it? does it really depend on what you want to use it for that dictates the size?

YOUR WEIGHT AND APPLICATION FOR USE. MORE SO YOUR WEIGHT. YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE POWER.

START SMALL 3-4M WILL TEACH YOU A LOT.

Don't forget wind speed has a whole lot to with determining the size of kite.

i notice that the HQ Scout comes in three sizes. Taking into account my height and weight, would there be any disadvantages to me getting a 5metre one over a 3metre etc.

Yeah, 5 meters is a lot to start with, without someone experienced to look over your shoulder and help you out.
3 and sometimes 4 meter sizes are most often recommended for beginners. Still enough to drag you around in 10-12 mph winds without beating you up too much if you make a mistake. Remember any kite can spank you with enough wind. Later with experience, you can fly it in up to 20 mph or more.

Do not try to start out with a larger kite and think you can just wait to fly in lighter wind- that actually takes more skill and will either dissapoint/ frustrate you or beat the crap out of you if you guess wrong.

And remember- this will not be your water kite. This will be a starter to teach you the dynamics of the kite and the wind window. When you get on the water, you will be with inflatable kites 12-16 sq. meters, which is why you must have professional instruction. No one kite does it all.

The TSR and now the Scout are the most often recommended kites for those wanting to progress to the water and I sell a good lot for that reason. Have fun.

YUP,

Size of kite has as much or MORE to do with wind speed than your actual size at 1st.
Most people I have met who got too big a kite ( 5m or bigger ) to start wish they started a bit smaller.
The 3m will be good and will give you the largest range to fly in. 4m if you have SUPER light winds and because you are bigger.

If money is no object HQ also make the Apex. It is a depower kite and will act more like the water kites you will move to.

what's the general consensus on Flexifoil's Sting 4 line at about 3.3metres in relation to the HQ Beamer?

Nice kite, the Sting. Easy and stable like the Beamer. $50 more