Kites Used For Kiteboarding

The kite or aerofoil is the center of your kiteboarding kit. It is what lifts you out of the water
and what moves you forward. It is also what helps you to steer and what you need to be
able to control to be able to stop. Manufacturers are going in two main directions with kite
designs. The first direction is more specialist designs that focus on a particular area such as
lift for jumpers or size versus power for high speed. The second direction is producing all in
one type kites that can do almost anything good enough for many people.

Leading Edge Inflatables

These kites are inflated and have section across the front leading edge and other sections
front to back. They do take some time to inflate before they can be used but have the
advantage of floating when they are in the water and keeping their shape without the use of
the wind.
One of the problems with this type of design is that the bladders can be damaged if the kite
hits a solid object. It is popular because it is the easiest type to re-launch from the water and
will float making them ideal for beginners.

Foil Kites

These foil kites do not have bladders and use the wind to keep them inflated. They use a system
of lines to give the kite its shape. The open cell design can deflate very quickly and cannot
be re-launched from water. A newer closed cell design uses a valve system to slow down
deflation and to enable in water re-launches.

Kiteboarding vs. Windsurfing

There are a lot of similarities and a lot of differences in kiteboarding and windsurfing and
while people devoted to either sport might say that their sport is ‘better’ the reality is that
both sports are great fun and millions of people around the world participate in them.

Which Is Harder To Learn?

It is general accepted that kiteboarding is easier to learn. The main reason is the difficulty
that beginners have in windsurfing staying on the board when trying to move and change
direction. This is probably one of the reasons that so many people that try windsurfing do
not end up taking it up. In both sports one you ‘get it’ it becomes much easier and much
more enjoyable.

Which Is Less Expensive?

The general rule is that kiteboarding equipment is cheaper but the increased popularity of
both sports has significantly reduced so called ‘beginner’ equipment. Lessons can be about
the same price per hour of instruction but generally kiteboarding takes a lot less time to
learn to a level where you are able to confidently operate on your own.

Transportation and Storage

This has been a major reason that kiteboarding has become so popular. It is much easier to
transport equipment as the kiteboards are significantly smaller and the kite, harness and lines
pack down into a very small space. Windsurfing requires the ability to transport large pieces
of equipment that will not fit inside a car and can attract high fees if you are travelling by
plane.

How Fast Will a Kiteboard Go?

When you learn to kiteboard, the sensation of travelling over water at speed is thrilling and
indeed many people spend money on new equipment and traveling to the perfect places to
try and go just that little bit faster. There are a group of avid kiteboarders that have being
raising the world kiteboard speed record over the last decade or so and can regularly exceed
sixty miles per hour on measured speed runs.

The current fastest speed is 56.62 knots or an amazing 65.16 miles per hour. This was done
in the south of France by Alex Caizergues on a 500 meter measured course. While this takes
specialist high performance equipment it is possible to reach significant speeds with normal
equipment that many people have. This because of the ability of sail powered craft to move
faster than the wind. This is because when traveling at an angle to the direction of the wind
the faster we move the faster the apparent wind will push us.

There are many factors that affect our speed including the kite we use, wind speed and
how smooth the water we are kiteboarding on is. As you learn the best way to use your kite
and kiteboard to extract the maximum amount of speed in the conditions available you will
experience that perfect feeling of having everything come together and powering through
the water faster than you had thought possible. If you want to know our actual speed then
a GPS unit or kiteboard speedometer can give your actual speed so that you can have some
data on what actually makes you go faster rather than what feels faster.

Can I Kiteboard Without Lessons?

This question is surprisingly, to me, asked by a lot of people that are interested in getting
into kiteboarding. While I would never want to discourage someone from kiteboarding
there are a number of reasons why you should take the time and spend the money to do at
least the minimum level of training.

Use the Right Equipment

The best way to learn quickly is to have equipment that is right for you and the conditions.
There are great beginner level sets that are not expensive and are designed to make starting
and controlling as simple as possible. Using expensive specialist kites and boards that are
designed for jumping or speed make learning difficult and spending thousands of dollars on
top line equipment can mean making a mistake on buying something you won’t use once
you are more into kiteboarding.

Get Lessons

While there are some great videos and online teaching aids, there is no substitute for having
an expert helping you in the early stages. You will not only learn much faster you will be
much safer. Training on the safety aspects of kiteboarding can save you from damaging
equipment and even injuring yourself. The reason that instructors go over and over the
procedures to, for instance, disconnect the harness quick release or to quickly dump the
kite is because in an emergency they will quickly get you out of a potentially dangerous
situation.

Selecting Equipment

An instructor that is working with you one on one can help you select the right equipment.
This not only goes for a training rig but for wet suits, safety gear and higher level equipment
that will suit you and the conditions you will kiteboard in.

2013 Black Friday Kiteboarding Sale!

We have been working super hard to come up with some amazing black Friday deals. These prices are definitely once a year type of deals, so be sure to take advantage of all our deals this week.

Black Friday Kiteboarding Deals

Select items in the Black Friday section gear will be marked down:

• Up to 65% Off Kites
• Up to 50% Off Kiteboards
• Up to 60% Off Waterwear
• Up to 50% Off Harnesses

There is a limited quantity of each item so don't wait. The mega sale starts Monday and will go until the following Monday 12/2.

 

We also have some used gear on a mega sale too with kites up to 50% off. These kites are slightly used and are a great deal.

 

This stuff wont last long, so check it out now before they are gone.

Basic Kiteboarding Gear

There are five main parts that you will need in your kiteboarding rig. The basic kits that are sold will include these components so that you have everything that you need. You can add additional kites that are suitable for your rig as you gain experience and kiteboard in a greater range of conditions.

Kites

This is the part of your rig that you control. There are a huge variety of kites that suit different conditions. It is important to start off with an easy to control kite that is suitable for your weight and a wide range of wind conditions.

Harness

There are different kiteboard harnesses that come in seat, vest or waist styles. The vest harnesses are usually found in most basic kits as the incorporate a flotation vest and the harness together. The harness attaches you to the kite and takes the weight of your body when the kite is providing lift.

Board

There are many styles of kiteboards that vary both in size and shape. Some are designed to go in a single direction while others can travel equally well in both directions. Learners usually use the easy to control twin tip boards with foot straps.

Lines

Huge forces are generated when you are kiteboarding and the lines are specially designed to be able to take this force. Most modern lines are made from polyethylene because it can take huge loads, is UV stable and resists salt.

Control bar

The control bar attaches to the kite via the lines and allows the rider to control the kite’s speed and direction. They usually come with a flotation aid and a quick release system to disconnect you from the lines.

The Right Kiteboarding Board for You

There are many opinions about the best way to go particularly when learning to kiteboard. The general principal is bigger is better when it comes to learning. This is because a bigger board has many advantages that will help a beginner start to kiteboard quickly. This helps them not only build their skill level faster but also gives them confidence.

The two main ways that a bigger board helps a beginner are extra flotation and less need for perfect positioning. While you may think that a bigger bulkier board would be more cumbersome it makes a huge difference to the learning curve because it is some much easier to both start and to recover when a mistake is made. Constantly being tugged off a smaller board can be very disheartening and the lower force needed to stay afloat and moving means that lighter winds are not a problem.

Light wind usage is another reason to get a larger board because even when you are a veteran you can still use the board for kiteboarding in low winds. A second board that suits higher winds and is more responsive can be purchased when you have more experience. This will let you decide on the right board if you want to kiteboard in waves or do jumps.

Medium sized boards have become more popular but they are generally an attempt at making one size fits all. This also means that it is not best in any situation. If you are only want a single board then careful selection can find one that meets your needs without compromising too much.