Kiteboarding is a sport that I have been trying to get into for many years now. One of my main setbacks in regards to getting involved with this sport is that it requires a lot of equipment. Another reason I have not been able to get heavily involved yet is because of the cost associated with learning this sport. It is highly recommended you take lessons with a certified kiteboarding instructor instead of trying to learn on your own, because of the unforgiving nature of a kiteboarding mishap. So, on top of having to purchase all of the gear, you will have to add kiteboarding lessons into you budget as well. I have checked online and lessons can run you anywhere from $150 to $600 depending on what instruction and gear are offered during the course. I would recommend Googling “Kite board lessons” plus your area to see if anyone is offering quality lessons close to where you live.
Another thing to think about is how often you will be able to kiteboard where you live. Kiteboarding is obviously dependant on favorable wind conditions. You will find yourself checking wind advisory websites very often if you get involved in the sport. One site that I check regularly is ikitesurf.com. This site gives you wind conditions that are separated out by regions. The only catch is that you have to pay a fee for some of the better wind spots. I usually just check another wind station that is free and close by to try and get a good idea of the conditions at my favorite spot. If I do end up getting into this sport more I will probably break down and buy a membership for the site, just another thing to think about.
Make sure you do some research to determine the average wind speeds for your region. This is important because you will need to know this when purchasing your kite. If you are on a budget and can only afford one kite when you start out, then you should get a kite that you will be able to use more often. Larger kites (16 to 20 sq meters) are good for lighter winds (10-15 mph), medium kites (12 to 15 sq meters) are ideal for medium winds (15-20 mph), and small kites (6 to 10 sq meters) are best in higher winds (20-25 mph).
A good way to learn how to fly a kite without going out and buying a full size kite is to get what’s called a trainer kite. I bought a trainer kite called a Rush 3 Pro from a local kite boarding shop called Calikites and I love it. It is a 3 meter kite with a safety line running down the middle just in case you need to deflate the kite quickly to remove all of its power. Below is a video of a guy demonstrating the Rush 3 Pro.
Here are some pics of my Rush 3 Pro. Again, I bought it from Calikites so they put their logo on it but it is a Rush 3 Pro.
Here are a couple of photos of me flying the Rush 3 Pro.
If you put in some time with a trainer kite and are able to fly it without having to think about it then you are in good shape for when you decide to move onto a bigger kite. I am still in the early stages of learning this sport. I can't wait until I am able to get all the gear required and go out on the water. I am just being patient with the sport because San Diego is not the ideal location for Kite Boarding because of the moderate winds we get. Here are some pics I took a few days ago at Tourmaline when the surf was blown out from an onshore wind. Those conditions are not good for surfing but perfect for Kite Surfers. Enjoy.
I also took a video that day. I figured I would add these images and the video below for some extra motivation. Wanting these guys glide across the water is awesome and I can't wait until I am proficient enough to be able to get out in the surf, that is my ultimate goal.
I hope this information is useful. Once I get more involved I will be post a lot more about this sport.
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