Best Kiteboarding Gear For Beginners
Kiteboarding is considered an up and coming sport, with new riders deciding to give the watersports activity a try each day. With so many new kiteboarders starting to learn how to fly the kite and ride the board each day, there are a ton of questions new riders have.
General Kiteboarding Kite Info
Lets start out by talking about the kite. Kiteboarders use a large kite that has the unique ability to re-launch off a body of water and generate enough pull to lift you from a non-standing position and propel you on top of the water.
It’s unique for a kite to be able to be launched from the water. If you crash just about any other type of kite into the water and try to launch it back into the air, you aren’t going to have much luck.
As far as sizes go, for the most part, kiteboarding kite sizes range from being anywhere from 5 to 17 meters in length. Generally the larger the kite, the less wind you’ll need. Kiteboarding kites range in price from $1,000 to $1,800 with the newer the kite being the biggest separator in cost.
If you are serious about kiteboarding and plan on spending more than just one day every so often on the water, then you’re going to want to invest in more than one kite. Kiteboarding kites continue to improve in quality each year, however there really isn’t any way around getting a separate kite for each wind condition you may encounter. Most kiteboarders invest in a 9m and 12m combo dependent upon the conditions and rider weight.
A great kite option that will guide you from beginner through to intimidate and beyond (we sell hundreds of these a year) would be the Cabrinha Switchblade, which is very versatile when it comes to the various wind conditions you’ll encounter.
What about Kiteboarding Boards?
If you are just starting to learn the basics of kiteboarding, we recommend purchasing a bigger kiteboard. The bigger the board, the easier it is to balance yourself and ride on top of the water. A beginning rider would typically learn on a 140-150cm board. Kiteboarding boards range in price from $400 - $800 and similar to kites, the newer the board, the more expensive the kiteboard will be.
Kiteboarding Lessons Are The Way to Go
First and foremost, if you are interested in learning how to kiteboard, the absolute best way to learn is through lessons with an experienced instructor. There’s nothing like having someone who’s a seasoned kiteboarding enthusiast show you the ropes of this exciting sport. If you are fortunate to have a good friend who is a proficient kiteboarder, then you may be able to talk him/her into teaching you. If you live near or visit the coast of North Carolina, we’d be happy to have you at our kiteboarding school located in the town of Rodanthe on the Outer Banks.