HQ Beamer II 5M

Hi this is my review of the 5m Beamer II. This was my second kite, the first was a 2.5m Beamer and I would warn anyone who is getting in to this sport that, personally I would get a smaller kite first. Even though the beamers are low lift kites, in the right (or wrong) winds this kite can lift me a good 6 foot plus and I’m 11 stone.

The whole package

I can imagine that every one and their granny knows about the BIG zipper on the HQ bag, but it’s like Marmite you either love it or hate it. The one thing that does impress me about the Beamer range is that every thing is in the bag to get you flying as quickly as possible, Kite, lines, handles, kite killers, and ground stake. You also get a good manual explaining the basics and how to set the kite up and about tuning the brake bridle.

Now the main problem with HQ is that the handles aren’t all that comfy to hold, but they are good enough to start with BUT the kite killers do leave a bit to be desired as there have been many a report that they have snapped when used. Not good. There has been word that the KK’s prob has been sorted, but a set of Flexifoil handles with KK’s is about £10-15 and feel much nicer.

The flying experience

The first flight with the 5m Beamer was in about 10mph winds down the beach, after only flying the 2.5m Beamer the power this kite has is a real eye opener it pulled like a train. As I was accustomed to setting the kite up by now, this was no problem for me and soon had the kite ready for take off, a gentle pull on the handles was all that was needed and it went straight up to the zenith and sat there waiting for me to do something so I did and brought it down the side of the window and swung it though the power zone and scudded through soft sand like never before. This kite does prefer clean wind but as the beamer’s are a stable kite inland flying is not to bad.

The kite only lifts you if you work it or do something silly with it, at my weight I could fly the kite in winds up to 20mph before it really started to lift me at the zenith and in winds above 15mph it has to much power to static fly comfortably but this is the perfect speed to board in (my opinion).This kite has enabled me to master boarding techniques like power slides, broard slides, 180 to toe side and a few more besides. I have been down the beach before a few times and had seen people with 4.9 blades not doing much, and me and my mate will be screaming up and down the beach this kite, it installs confidence

Summary

A great cheap second kite if your not into brand names, but the same as with anything cheap you do get what you pay for. The kite is very well made and fly’s very well, you need at least an 8mph wind to get moving in and it is the first to come down when it starts to rain. With static flying it gives a great work out and if you do a figure of eight you will just scud non stop down wind. In anything over 10mph a harness is a must if you want to fly for more than 10-15 minuets, I don’t own this kite any more but I would recommend it to any one who wants a medium sized budget kite, in fact I do miss the 5m meter Beamer. Six months of owning and flying this kite had given me the confidence and skill to move on to a more powerful kite.

Down the beach one day and a couple approach me and start to chat, it turns out he had a 4.9m BladeIII and had owned it for about a year and had a Silver reef board which he got at the same time. I had been boarding for about 4-5 months, after a while of me and him going up and down the beach, both him and his wife said I looked a lot more relaxed and rode better than him. I know own a 4.9m BladeIII. If your one of them people who wants to get into boarding but don’t to spend money on a kite to learn with and then another when you get good, then your daft I know about light winds first then progress but from what I’ve seen this doesn’t work that well. A 5m kite of any make will generate a lot of power the Beamer lets you discover this with out wanting to kill you.

Author : eazyrider