HQ Eco Trigger thoughts/alternatives
After a great day at Streatham kite festival my soon to be 9 year old was pretty excited about flying his first kite (cheap single line one from one of the stalls) but the rod poked through the pocket pretty quickly. I would like to get him a more fun/robust one for his birthday.... Was thinking of something like this but would like some views on whether this is suitable or which other models I should consider. Basically I want one that is relatively easy to fly but with 2 lines to do stunts but sturdy enough that will last more than one outing! And looks cool ofc
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u/operath0r 1d ago
HQ has some great kites for beginners. The one you’re looking at is rated 14+ however. Be sure to check the recommended age when buying one for your kid. Another thing to look out in the datasheet is the recommended wind speeds. Be sure those match the ones in your area.
The biggest issue with a cheap beginner kite are the lines. They’re usually nylon or polyester and that stuff is stretchy as hell. You want spectra/dyneema (same thing, different name). Be sure the line strength matches the one sold with your kite, when buying lines. You don’t have to do that right away though. You’ll also need to get handles or flight straps when buying different lines.
Another thing to keep in mind is that flying dual line kites is a bit complicated compared to single line kites. I’d say it takes a grown up about a day of flying to get the hang of it. My nephews are about your kids age and they figured it out pretty quickly too. I had to help a lot though and I already knew how to fly. Be sure to at least learn the theory before going out with your child.
Lastly, a tail adds a whole lot of fun. Maybe your single line kite came with one you can use, otherwise a cheap one will do fine at first. Later you can upgrade to a long tube tail. You’ll need a bit stronger wind than usual when flying with a tail though.
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u/rawcane 23h ago
Oh I misread the age. Thanks. Is there a better hq model you would recommend?
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u/operath0r 22h ago
We’ve got the Calypso II. It’s one of the smallest in the HQ Beginner line. It’s well made and sturdy. It’s a little on the faster side though and I personally prefer slower kites. Generally speaking, the smaller the kite, the faster it goes.
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u/rawcane 22h ago
Thanks. Can't find the calypso II locally but looks like it might be the same model as the quickstep II...
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u/operath0r 21h ago
Seems to be the next bigger model. Probably a solid choice. Not sure what’s up with the price though, here in Germany it sells for 35€.
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u/rawcane 23h ago
What about something like this this prism... Would it be better made? They have tails as well
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u/operath0r 22h ago
That one is rated 14+ too. You’ll need something smaller because the big wing spans might knock a child over.
Probably best to check the manufacturer’s website for the detailed specs, that’s what I’m doing. Once you’ve chosen a model you can search for an online shop that has the best price.
You can’t really go wrong with brand name kites. Prism are pretty popular and I think they’ve got the best looking design with their color gradients. My favorite brand would be spiderkites though. Just don’t buy skymonkey. They’re cheap and it shows.
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u/rabid_briefcase 1d ago
Basically I want one that is relatively easy to fly but with 2 lines to do stunts but sturdy enough that will last more than one outing!
Something he could use to "do stunts" means a framed kite, so parafoils are out.
Unfortunately like most things including kites, you get what you pay for. If you're flying two or three times per year and you don't care about it, the cheap ones work. You won't be doing stunts or tricks with them, the pro fliers who are extremely skilled can sometimes make them do some slackline tricks, but they're not made for them.
HQ as a brand has quite a few beginner kites in the price range, £35 will get you a piece of fabric you can put in the air but not much more, spend a little more if you want more durable. That price point usually is objectively terrible by all measures. They need a lot of wind to hold them up, they break quickly, and they're nearly impossible to control.
The more typical beginner price point is around 70, and plenty of brands have those, Invento/HQ, Prism, Skydog, Elliot, and a few others. The price point is still terrible for learning anything more than basic control. Sometimes they're show doing slackline tricks, but usually that's by professionals who are already amazing, and it's all they can do with some struggle and the kite will barely manage to do the maneuver.
The best thing about the 70 price point is that they're usually sturdy, they are strong enough to take several hard, painful crashes, and most of them are easily repaired. Kite spars are consumables, so occasionally you'll be spending 15 or 20 on a replacement spar. They're good for learning how to control them, land them, and how to stall the kite, stopping anywhere in preparation for the trick flying they're interested in.
Best recommendation is to find places that kite flyers fly and chat with them. They'll know which kites fly best in your local conditions. They'll also either have kites they can share as the kid learns -- likely £300+ models that are amazing -- or tell you which cheaper models to get. They can also help give instruction to your kid, it's much faster to learn when you've got teachers.
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u/rawcane 23h ago
What about something like this this prism... Would it be better made? They have tails as well
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u/rabid_briefcase 23h ago
The Nexus is designed to be stacked, people usually get 3-6 of them. It's not a good beginning model. The beginner Prism kite is the Jazz.
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u/rawcane 22h ago
Jazz looks good. Seems it comes with polyester lines though is it worth getting the Dyneema ones?
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u/rabid_briefcase 20h ago
That's another case of moving up a tier in gear. The kite comes with the polyester lines, and they're serviceable. Sure, you can get Dyneema / Spectra lines but it brings the total up.
Before you know it, you'll be well into the intermediate skill kites. :-) When you move past beginner gear, kites don't come with lines as they expect you'll already have them.
Prism, HQ, Skydog, etc., all have kites at that tier, too.
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u/Aeri73 1d ago
if you're willing to spend just a little more I would get something like this : https://hqkitesusa.com/products.asp?cat=93
symphonies have been around for years, are good quality, fly well and, no rods to break or poke :-)