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HQ kites are a bad joke

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snowkitejoe
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HQ kites are a bad joke

Postby snowkitejoe » Sun Jan 09, 2011 4:54 pm

This is my third and last HQ purchase. By the way, my kites have always been purchase new.

Foiled kite were always made to be ridden on snow in my case, I have a quiver for kitesurfing as well.

Anyways, to make a story short, Montana 5, will drop you like a rock, very fast but no power !!! Montana 11.5 is so slow, no lift and dangerous when powered.

Now my latest purchased for my son (7 years old), the Hydra. If you want to turn off any kid with the sport, the Hydra is your nightmare. First, the lines are crap, all white and leaders are a joke. Now for performance, the stupid does not inflate, which leave you with a rag in the sky with no response.

I'm affiliated with IKO instruction school up north but that meaningless, I' m a freestyle machine that have ridden for many years and know that HQ staff and owners offer poor quality kites.

Do yourself a favor, avoid deception, and avoid HQ.

Chris-HQ-Kites
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Re: HQ kites are a bad joke

Postby Chris-HQ-Kites » Sun Jan 09, 2011 5:57 pm

Hey Joe,

Sorry to hear of your disappointment with HQ products.

Montana 11.5? Maybe you are referring to the 12.5? Certainly it is not as fast as a 9.5 Montana, but we don't often get negative feedback on the performance of these kites. No lift? Doesn't sound like a Montana. We'd be happy to inspect the kite if you like. The Montana's have so much lift I like to fly 'em on water for lighter wind days.

The Hydra is closed cell ram-air, so before it fully self-inflates, it will not rise to zenith. Usually this only takes a few moments, depending conditions. Until it inflates it is a rag. Make sure you have the rear zipper closed. The 350 Hydra includes a coloured line set, the 300 does not.

Feel free to contact me directly and we'll see what we can do to make you happy.

Best regards,

Chris Shultz
chris@hq-kites-usa.com
snowkitejoe wrote:This is my third and last HQ purchase. By the way, my kites have always been purchase new.

Foiled kite were always made to be ridden on snow in my case, I have a quiver for kitesurfing as well.

Anyways, to make a story short, Montana 5, will drop you like a rock, very fast but no power !!! Montana 11.5 is so slow, no lift and dangerous when powered.

Now my latest purchased for my son (7 years old), the Hydra. If you want to turn off any kid with the sport, the Hydra is your nightmare. First, the lines are crap, all white and leaders are a joke. Now for performance, the stupid does not inflate, which leave you with a rag in the sky with no response.

I'm affiliated with IKO instruction school up north but that meaningless, I' m a freestyle machine that have ridden for many years and know that HQ staff and owners offer poor quality kites.

Do yourself a favor, avoid deception, and avoid HQ.
Last edited by Chris-HQ-Kites on Sun Jan 09, 2011 7:29 pm, edited 2 times in total.

waynepjh
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Re: HQ kites are a bad joke

Postby waynepjh » Sun Jan 09, 2011 6:12 pm

Are you sure yer not just comparing performance from tube to foil if so every kite will seem slow!
Bashing a company over bad service is one thing but bashing because you don't like there kites is BAD! You want mr hq to go bankrupt lose his house,wife,dog. I hope not! I have flown a hq kite and I liked it! There is this saying that I repeat alot
Sometimes its the pilot and not the plane! :nono:
imo! wayne

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geokite
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Re: HQ kites are a bad joke

Postby geokite » Sun Jan 09, 2011 6:18 pm

Hey, there is no arguing with him, he's a freestyle machine. Whatever that is...

Steve

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skyhighkite
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Re: HQ kites...

Postby skyhighkite » Sun Jan 09, 2011 6:30 pm

We have been using the HQ Hydra for our school program now for 2 seasons. The Hydra has revolutionized our instruction methods by opening up our real-estate in which we can teach. No longer to you need a beach to fly a trainer, the student can fly safely in shallow water away from bystanders... Yes, it is true the launching is wacky, and if the kite is wet it can be a hassle until you get all the water out. When the kites are brand new, you really need to make sure the intake valves on the leading edge raw open by spreading out the fabric to let the air in, as they are folded up tight when packaged and do not allow the air in until they are flown once. The initial launch is always precarious but once inflated, relaunching on water could never be easier...
The hydra 300 does come with white lines (probably has to do with the weight of the lines), but the hydra 350 comes with colored lines... I prefer the 350, as the 300 is A bit fast and darty... I have found that these kites max out at 20 knots, and begin to fly at 4 knots...best at 8-15 mph.
I would hesitate to put a 7 year old on any kite. Maybe a 1m kite if you are with him and holding on... True you hear the stories of youth kiters ripping it up, but after 10 years / 2000 student safely taught, i have come to the conclusion that 13 years old is the more appropiate age in which the participant can deal with the mental aspects of the sport and can deal with a kitemare, but truly every participant is different and there are exceptions... As a parent I won't be putting my kid on a kite until they can prove themselves worthy of it, I've witnessed to much carnage...
But back to the HQ rip, the hydra kites are a great tool, everything is a compromise, but if you are looking for water relaunchable foil trainer kite, than this the only one on the planet.

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Carlos_C
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Re: HQ kites are a bad joke

Postby Carlos_C » Sun Jan 09, 2011 6:58 pm

but if you are looking for water relaunchable foil trainer kite, than this the only one on the planet.
not quite right - Flysurfer have just release the Viron which comes in 2 - 4 and 6 mt sizes

http://www.flysurfer-uk.com/kites/viron/

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Re: HQ kites are a bad joke

Postby bigben91682 » Sun Jan 09, 2011 11:29 pm

I've flown montanas on the snow for 2 years now and I quite like them. Well made, stable, powerful and predictable. I've never heard any say a Montana isn't lifty.....I'm a plus size gentleman and have no problem getting air with the montanas.

I'm flying the IV's as well so I like them even though they aren't the latest version.

Good company, good products. I call shenanigans on OP, granted some people don't like foils, but for those that do the montanas are top notch.

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Re: HQ kites are a bad joke

Postby geopeck » Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:22 am

I second the call of shenanigans on the original poster, there must be some kind of grudge happening. I've demoed a few HQs, owned a few and sold a few to other kiters and don't think that any kiter could reasonably say that they perform badly or aren't a good deal for their price. It's true that they are still evolving, like every other kite/bar system (hopefully they add a touch stronger spring on the primary QR), but they are not out of line with other foils. I think Ozone and Flysurfer make gear that's a little bit better but for a lot more money.



All my dealings with the company have been very square - I think that the US guys are people who are excited about kiting and excited about the kites they sell. When I bought some used demos from them they told me exactly what to expect condition wise and what features they had received negative feedback on, which they were planning to change for the next model. No surprises on my end, which is more than you get from a lot of companies - I felt comfortable teaching with or selling the kites with a few caveats just like any other kite would get.

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Re: HQ kites are a bad joke

Postby frankm1960 » Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:35 am

I started out with an HQ kite, the 3.6 Beamer :) I had a great time with it. Well built, easy to use and performed better than I had hoped. I'd easily buy another HQ product.

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Geronimo79
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Re: HQ kites are a bad joke

Postby Geronimo79 » Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:50 am

Hahah funny some guy bashing an entire company.. trying to inforce his bullshit with the fact he might be an IKO certified instructor (something that doesnt say ANYTHING GOOD AT ALL)

In every case very nice from HQ to still try to solve any problems even with this stupid bash topicstarter.


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