Do You Have Any Reviews Between the Rush 4 Pro 350 and the Hydra 350

by Mike
(Waterloo, Ontario. Canada)

I've done some research into Trainer Kites, I also want to get the most bang for my buck. So my question would be which is the most durable kite the Rush 4 Pro or the Hydra 350. If you have a review on the two that would be even better.

Comments for
Do You Have Any Reviews Between the Rush 4 Pro 350 and the Hydra 350

Click here to add your own comments

Nov 21, 2011

Almost...
by: Glen - KiteboardingEvolution.com

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your question. I don't have any actual reviews like the Trainer Kite Reviews between the Hydra and the Rush. The reason is that they are almost identical (in all aspects except the closed cell style of the Hydra), and they perform the same. One of these days I'm going to do a crash-test of these kites and see how they fare compared to each other.

I've had a similar question to this here: Can You Compare the HQ Hydra with the HQ Rush PRO?

To sum it up,

"The only difference of note between these two kites is that the Hydra is a closed cell foil. It doesn't make the kite fly any differently, but it does make the kite a touch more fragile. A closed cell foil is more likely to be damaged if crashed hard on land than an open cell. Because the air is sealed in the kite, it has fewer chances to escape when crashed and is more likely to build up pressure and damage the kite.

That said, I have seen a Hydra take a lot of abuse and not show any wear. These kites are designed to take some real beatings, so it takes a lot to wear them down (to date, none of my Rush or Hydra kites have been damaged - even after using them for the Trainer Kite Reviews...and they took a lot of beatings then, trust me!)"

Ultimately, the Hydra will be a bit more fragile. How much more? It's hard to say, but both my Rushes and Hydras are still in operation.

I think the real considering factor when choosing between these kites is where you want to use them.

You should choose the Rush PRO line (or any open cell foil) if you want to fly the kite on land and aren't going to be on or near the water.

If you want to fly the kite in water, on water, or over water, you should go with the Hydra. You'll be able to launch the kite when it's crashed, and you'll be able to use it to drag you through the water, pull yourself on a paddleboard (or old windsurfer, etc...).

And finally, if you're worried about the Hydra being sensitive on land, just fly it in lower wind conditions. Crashes in these cases are much less violent, and your kite is less likely to be damaged. If you do this when you are learning (i.e. most likely to crash the kite) you'll have more time to respond, and less intense crashes.

Anyways, I hope this helps!

Glen
KiteboardingEvolution.com

Mar 02, 2012

Hydra NEW
by: Anonymous

I blew out an interior wall in my 350 Hydra, luckily it was next to the zipper air release, so I just taped her up with some dacron.

My second time flying it, Rooster Rock blowing 25+ and gusting, launched it on the right side of the window tried to bring it to 12...loop bang leading edge into the ground. After that I got good practice keeping it at the edge of the window and gingerly going from one side to the other. And I learned to not fly it in winds over 20, 15 really that thing pulls hard.

It still flew fine I didnt even notice till I got home and hung it to dry.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Trainer Kite Questions and Answers