does anyone here own an hq apex snowkite? how do they fly? is the material rip-resistant?

I have not flown the Apex but I've flown other HQ foils and think that they have decent quality. I'm sure that the material is fairly "rip resistant" but I'm not sure what you mean by that exactly.

I believe that there is an Apex II out or out soon so you might want to look into this before buying an Apex. At the least you might be able to score a deal on the older Apex's once the new one is released.

I also have to strongly recommend the Ozone Access as a great depower kite to get started on. Probably a little more $ but I think they are worth every penny. They have a great safety system and are really well made. They will also have a much higher resale value than the Apex will.

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That guest post was me.....I'm new the forum and didn't realize that I wasn't logged in.

thanks. i see that the apex is about a hondred or so dollars less then the access. im curious about how the apex feels to fly and how long it will last. 2, 3, 4, or more years?

I've never owned an Apex and have only had my Access for a single season so I really can't estimate how much longer one will last than another or even that the Access will absolutely last longer.

If you can fly both kites first that would be the way to go. I feel like the Access being in its 3rd generation is probably a more refined and overall better flying kite. Personally given what I've seen from my other HQ kites and my Ozone I would spend the extra $100 for the Access but its all about personal preference. You'd probably get that $100 back when you went to resell it as well.

With the 09 Access kites coming out you might be able so score a deal on a used XC model from last year. That could be your best bet. Also, I don't know if I'm supposed to post links but on another forum I browse someone has a 4m and 6m Access is almost new condition for great prices (no, not me). Shoot me a U2U for the link.

What site did you see the 4m listed on? I'm looking for a 4 or 6 m frenzy.
Thanks

I've ridden both the Apex 1 for a season and now the Apex 2 and they're both really great kites. The Apex 2 is faster turning and has a little more power but the both handle really well, the build quality is great and they don't generate a lot of lift so they're ideal for beginners, high wind situations or just cruising/touring.

The Access is a great kite also and the build quality is typical Ozone goodness but if you're strapped for cash and want to get a nice kite for short $ the Apex is the way to go.

Either way you can't go wrong.

Ive been riding an apex 1 since the beginning of this season and I love it. I dont know much about the new apex II but im sure its great too. When I bought mine the II's were just coming out and the dealer I bought mine from said they fly about the same, with minor improvements made on the II's. Ive never flown an Access, however, I know the safety mechanisms on the apex I bar is the same as on the older frenzy control bars. There is a small red knob on the power lines to flag out the kite, then of course the chickenloop disconnect. As far as rip-resistant, it handles me beating up on it really well. This is my first kite, and I grew out of the 5m pretty quick, now im on the lookout for bigger, but, long story short, I highly recommend it. But like it was mentioned earlier, the Access will have a high resale value.