HQ Beamer II

Well, after reading up about this kite it all seems to have been said before...

I'm new to all this. I wanted a kite that would give me a good intro to flying 4 lines, but that would be controllable for a novice. I don't have a board (yet!) or a buggy, so massive traction seemed to be unneccessary. I also wanted a decent make, without spending a lot.

The Beamer is excellent. Everything shouts quality - from the rucksack with the huge zip to the groundstake with handy belt clip! The kite seems to be very sturdy and has coped with a couple of heavy landings so far.

The first launch was a scary event. I reread a number of times the "How to... guides" on this site, and after a week (felt like a month) the weather was looking good. It took about 20 minutes to set it up - tying the power and brake lines on, checking and rechecking, and then the moment of truth.

The kite was sitting on the ground, brakes on, and with a tug on the handles it shot into the air! I had braced myself for this (fortunately), and the power was amazing. It certainly made me smile! It was surprisingly easy to fly - the last time I had flown a kite it was a Peter Powell stunt kite in the 70s!! It all felt very intuitive, and the braking for landing and tighter turns was easy to pick up. I even did a bit of skudding.

I parapacked it away when my arms started to ache ("How to... guide" again) and have used this successfully the 3 other times I have been out. Upper body is getting used to some exercise now.

I live next to an old WWII airstrip in Devon, so I pop the rucksack on my back, walk 2 minutes and then in goes the groundstake holding the handles, out come the lines, out comes the kite, a shake and it is ready to go. AWESOME!

This is a great beginners' kite, fantastic value for money and very recommended.

By : MikefromDevon