You’ve flown a stunt kite. Now you want to fly a kite with a bit more fun and excitement. Power Kites have enough pull to lift you up into the air and are used for traction in a range of board sports. How do you decide which brand and size power kite to buy?
What is a power kite?
A power kite such as the HQ Kites Symphony is a soft canopy kite that provides enough pull and traction to lift you off your feet. Power kites are used in a range of extreme sports for pulling you along. These include:
- Kite Surfing is an extreme sport where you use a power kite to pull you across water whilst standing on a specialist power kiting surf board.
- Kite boarding is where you use a power kite to pull you along whilst you are mountain boarding.
- Snow kiting is an extreme sport where you use a power kite to pull you along on your snowboard.
- Kite buggying is a sport where you sit in a buggy and use a power kite to pull you along a beach.
- Power Kites for Ships – Power kites are so powerful that you can tow ships with a power kite.
Choosing the Best Power Kite for You
There are several key players supplying power kites, with the best brands including Flexifoil, HQ, Ozone and Peter Lynn. The key characteristics of power kites are whether they have two or four line (quad line) control, and how big they are.
Two lines or four lines?
The main two lines on a power kite are used for steering it. If you pull the left line the power kite goes left. If you pull the right line the power kite goes right. On four line power kites, there are two additional lines that are attached to the trailing edge of the kite. These are the brake lines. The brake lines on a power kite are used for reducing the amount of pull the power kite is giving, and also for bringing the power kite down.
How to fly a 4 Line Power Kite
On four line power kites, you control the power kite using two bars, one for the left, one for the right. The top lines are for power, the lower lines are the brake lines. Some power kites also have bungee cords that attach to your wrists to act as a safety device. When you let go of the control bars, the bungees release the power lines and pull on the brake lines which brings the power kite down.
What Size Power Kite Should I Get?
The size of power kite you choose depends on your body weight, fitness and the strength of wind you will be flying your power kite in. Power kites come in a range of sizes. To help you understand what size will suit you, here is a comparison of the different Flexifoil power kite sizes.
Flexifoil Buzz and Big Buzz
The Big Buzz kite is the 2.05m version of the Buzz 1.45m. The only performance difference between the Big Buzz and the Buzz is an increase in power due to the increase in size yet the kite is still a super-easy and safe-to-fly kite.
Flexifoil Sting
Flexifoil’s entry-level 4-line power kite. Designed to provide a precision flying experience, perfect for learning to fly on 4-lines and bridging the gap into the world of traction kiting (skidding, buggying or landboarding). Available with 4-line handles or a 2-line bar.
The Flexifoil Sting power kite comes in several sizes.
- 1.2m The most junior of the Sting power kites, guaranteed to keep you smiling long after you have finished flying for the day.
- 1.7m Gives more power to your moves and introduces the traction element to your flying. Perfect for the younger first-time flyer wanting to get into power kiting.
- 2.4m This is where power kiting can become a reality. With a good wind, the 2.4m Sting power kite is powerful enough to move you on a mountain board or buggy. You will start to get a real sense of power in your kite flying.
- 3.3m Flexifoil’s new 3.3m size bridges the gap between recreational static flying and zooming along in a buggy or mountain board. This kite is the perfect first time power kite. If you’re keen on progressing with kite sports then this is the best way to learn.
Flexifoil Rage
A full on 4-line traction kite. The Rage power kite provides fantastic grunt in all sizes and is the ideal first power kite for older teens or adults who want a kite that they can learn with, yet with enough power to use with a buggy or mountain board. The Rage power kite can propel you up to great speeds with a buggy or mountain board. It is the power kite of choice for all kiters wishing to harness the elements.
Available in five sizes sizes from 1.8m to 6m, with either 4-line handles or 4-line bar.
Please seek advice on which size to go for, but for most adults the 2.5m or 3.5m is the right place to start.
Supplied ready to fly with all you need to get power kiting. A legend amongst kite flyers. Pure fun, pure adrenalin, pure power!
Flexifoil Blade IV
The Blade IV is not a power kite for the feint hearted – it is seriously powerful and designed for the most extreme power kiting activities. Flexifoil Blades have an exciting history – sailing the first kitesurfers across the English channel, pulling explorers across the South Pole, and powering our outrageous freestyle buggy team.
The BladeIV is an ideal second kite in your kite bag, best suited for people with some previous flying experience!
It is available in four sizes from 4m to 8.5m. If you already have a Rage then you can buy the BladeIV power kite only and fly it on your Rage lines. Due to the awesome power of the BladeIV, you may need to upgrade your lines in strong winds.
Recommended Best Power Kites
HQ Symphony
The HQ Symphony is an excellent power kite. It comes as a 1.3 metre size and 2.2 metre size power kite. It allows you to do a lot of stunts and has quite a pull when in full flight. Easy to launch, and because it does not have any solid spars, it survives all crashes.
Children aged 8 and up should be able to fly this power kite with ease and supervision. Also lots of fun for adults who want to practice their stunt flying. Excellent value for money and makes a super gift to get someone outside.
Peter Lynn Hype
The Peter Lynn Hype is incredibly easy to set-up and suitable for all ages and skill levels. Flying the Hype does not require any prior kiting experience, as it’s docile flying behaviour ensures that there are no sudden power surges when flying the kite through the wind-window.
It is a 2-line fixed bridle kite with straps. It has an extremely robust construction, with great control and easy handling. This power kite is easy to launch and relaunch.
Flexifoil Buzz and Flexifoil Big Buzz
The Flexifoil Buzz power kite is suitable for ages 5 to 95. The 2-line Flexifoil Buzz is the perfect first power kite. Simple, robust and set up ready to fly straight out of the bag – all you have to do is unwind the lines.
Great in winds from 10mph up to 30mph, you will be able to practise precision flying with manageable power in all weathers making this the perfect fun family kite that you can fly time and time again.
The Flexifoil Big Buzz is the Buzz’s big brother. With a 2m wingspan, the BIG Buzz creates a strong but manageable pull across the sky. This gives you a more radical experience, with the same user friendliness as the Buzz.
The BIG Buzz is ideal for older kids, teenagers and anyone who wants to have fun with a traction kite that
will pull them in stronger winds. No trip to the beach or park is complete without the Buzz or BIG Buzz.
The Big Buzz comes with 18 metre colour-coded flying lines to ensure easy set-up and pack-down. When packed away, the carry bag is 40x20x10cm so can easily be stored in the boot of the car or suitcase.
You don’t have to buy the best power kite to have fun. Kids stunt kites provide plenty of entertainment for kids of all ages.
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For more advanced power kite users, you should get some kitesurfing lessons.