I have been flying smaller two and three line kites for a few years now. I am finally ready to start landboarding and am looking for a de-powered kite. Here is what I am wanting it to do. I live in Kentucky where the wind is very unpredictable from day to day. Also I am turning to this site for advise because as I just said I live in Kentucky and I am the only person I have ever seen here who even owns a power kite so getting lessons would be impossible. I am 35 years old, self taught and I do have respect for the wind not taking a new kite into anything more than a breeze. With that said I want a kite that has tons of lift and float, but is also predictable. I was leaning towards the Montana but since I have never owned one I have no clue about what size to get. Keep in mind I am a very small guy weighing in at just 130 pounds. Also looking at the Apex but wasn't sure that it even produced much lift. Please help anyone with comments and suggestions! I know the smart thing would be to get a small de-powered kite and work my way up, but I don't have the money for three or four kites in my arsenal. Besides my wife would probably shoot me! Also I am not too hip on inflatable kites due to the fact that all my flying is on land and it would kill me to spend that kind of money just to have it get punctured on the ground. But I don't claim to know it all so lets here what you guys have to say!

I have got the Apex 5 & 7.5m. Very stable, easy to use kites. Not overly fast and not lifty - although any kite will lift you given the right circumstances. A few of the guys I fly with use Montana 9.5's which seem to have a pretty good wind range - say 6 knots up to 15 or so (add 10% for mph). One of our buggy jumpers also uses Montana's now almost exclusively - he gets plenty of air time. They are a much faster kite than the Apex but they don't seem to be any harder to fly. I think it would be a good choice for snow/buggy or landboard. If your winds are 10-20 knots, then maybe the 7m Montana.

Assuming your 2 & 3 line trainers are fairly small, keep in mind the Montana's will have an enormous amount of pull in comparison.

Montana=Lots of fun :wee: I think the Montana 3 and beyond are very very good kites compared to other similar if not better (I am biased) . I have a 7m Montana 2 that just sits around I never use, havn't used it in years. Spanked me a couple times. I think the Montana 3+ is much more stable in gusty winds.

If HQ kites are what you're looking at , the 7m Montana should fit the bill. I had a 9.5 and at 150# it flew me around , you would run a high risk of getting hurt before you reach a reasonable skill level. The 7m would be slightly less risk , get you in the air , and have great resale when you achieve the skills for big air.
Or you could be wise and get a very small depower fly it in all conditions for the skills and muscle memory then get your wife to try it on a very mild day. When you see her smile at the joy she is having immediately buy a late model 9.5 , both of you will have many years of fun flying.

Taking short cuts and jumping up too much in one go are dangerous choices.

You can't have it all in one kite.

You get what you pay for.

You have to learn to walk before you fly!

You have the same problem going in that most do. You want it all in one cheap package and now. Sorry, it isn't available !

Accept that you WILL need more than one kite . Buy quality used gear. Explain to the wife that ANY sport you get into will cost you almost $1,000 for a proper set up. $1000 will get you set with 2 kites and a ride if you shop smart !

Well, you could always get a Peter Lynn 13/16m Venom/ VII or 16m Scorpion $350-400 is what I'd expect to pay for either of the aforementioned kites, RTF. Venoms are very easy to use; many people had a Venom as their first depower kite. They are great for park n' ride, are very stable, and pull like a truck. Scorpions are fast lifting machines, but are a tad tricky to launch. Both kites have a huge range of depower -- out of the two, the Scorpion probably has slightly a bit more, due to it's high aspect ratio. Both kites practically have an unlimited gust absorption. I weigh 125 pounds or so and I can fly my 13m Venom in anything from 10 mph to 28. The 16m Venom for me would probably see winds of 7 - 23, and the 16m Scorpion would be good for 10 - 25. Just a rough estimate.

These kites are cherry. If you want a one kite quiver for a hell of a deal, this is about as close as it gets. Or, you could just go ahead and get two ARCs and still save money... $550 - 600 or so for a 10m/16m Venom combo. Just my 2c. This forum got me hooked on ARCs. We only blab about them so much because they WORK.

mmm, if you like kiting, you're pretty much 100% guaranteed going to want more than one kite in the future. You'll only stick with one kite if you try it out, and drop the sport.

If you really want the most wind range for one kite, I would think about getting an arc, like Seanny mentioned.

upside for beginners - pretty much the closest kite you'll get to a one kite quiver because the upper end is amazing, eats gusts like no other kite, autozenith would come in handy for learning on.
downside - launching is tougher, probably not as durable for crashes compared to foils, and the lower end range is not as good (but is well compensated for by the upper end).
If you have the winds to support an arc, I would do that, as you'll fly it A LOT.

13 venom would suit the bill as per Seanny's recommendation, or a Synergy 12/15 (not sure about the size-weight thing for you).

Can't comment on HQ montana, don't know them very well. Keep an eye out for any used Flysurfer Pulse2 as well though - maybe 8-10m for your weight. Going prices have been very good and FS are sweet kites. Float is pretty much inherent in all of them, the Pulse2 can't jump *as* high as the other models...but...better for new comers to depowers (easier to learn on).

Thanks for all the help guys! Much appreciated!