Hello All !

I am a 6'4, 260lbs male (healthy-rock climbing, ironman, skier, etc.) with no prior experience in kiteboarding. I would like to focus on water first and then maybe work to snow. There seems to be a lot of options out there and I don't know where to begin. Could anyone tell me what size kite and gear I need to learn? I see there are "training" kites do I need to purchase another one after i have learned how to control the kite, etc. ? Any help would be appreciated!

Edit: Wow I am totally shocked, I honestly never thought I would get as much help as I have....THANK YOU! I'll admit I'm the type that kind of shrugs off lessons and learned BMX, rock climbing, alpine, etc. on my own...but with everyone telling me to get lessons and a very persuasive girl-friend I am realzing that I need to take caution and heed it.

Winter is here in Milwaukee, WI in full force so I have contacted some folks who told me they give lessons on the ice.

What are your targets for having fun with kites? Give us that and an idea of what winds you normally would fly in. Usually the recommended beginner kite is a 3m Hq Beamer or equivalent low aspect ratio 4 line kite on handles.

Edit: Sorry, didn't see your water focus. Lessons will save you time and money for sure. It will also keep you safe.

saving time and money (go break / crash someone else gear) = get local lessons for kitesurfing

if you want to learn on your own, get a two / three line trainer (this teaches you kite basics, left, right, and wind window) ie, the PL Impulse.

assuming your going to bar (LEI, Cross-Over, Twinskin).

what you learn from kitesurfing will translate to snowkiting as well.

+1 for local lessons.
Kiteboard/kitesurfing has its own risks that are associated with it, separate from other kiting activities. I would seriously recommend going with some lessons before you get started.
Best of luck!

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF WIND!!!!!!

....EVER... even with a trainer.

Start with a small kite, and some lessons. Learn the wind window and learn how to Observe wind changes and patterns..

Learn about dirty wind vs. clean wind,

Know that windpower increases Exponentially, and that gusty wind is associated with high wind... WEAR HELMET AT LEAST....


And NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF THE WIND.... take it form me, busted ankle from a 3.5M trainer, that being said It was Entirely MY fault for this injury, and that being said I have NO plans to stop kiting, it is hellofa Fun time.

Welcome

Where are are you located? Absolutely look for a certified instructor. If you have ever water skied, you will appreciate the kind of power it takes to pull a guy your size out of the water, so that kind of gear will command respect and training. Your instructor will have all the gear you need for training and can make recommendations.

Another vote for lessons if you can get them. They speed up your learning + teach you important safety methods . Best place for advice on the right gear for your area as well. Lessons aren't cheap but worth it !

Most of your 1st lesson will be spent learning on a 3m foil kite. If you buy one and learn to fly it you will speed up your lesson dramatically. Basically paying for the kite in reduced lesson time. Having a 3m has all sorts of benefits. Teaching others + as a high wind kite on snow later.

So .... no matter what, get about a 3m foil to learn the ropes on. Learn to fly it " blind " , just by feel and you will be more than ready to go in the spring. Even able to play with it snowkiting this winter!

Welcome!

Lessons bash the hell out of their gear then buy a little trainer and learn to fly the balls off that in your free time. THEN buy some gear - IMHO don't buy any kites or boards older than 2009.

Seriously, kite control is muy importante in this game - you gotta be able to fly and react without thinking cos when you get put under stress in the water, head down and ass up all backwards and whatnot, you do NOT want to have to think about what to do with the kite!

Leeeesssssssoooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnssssssssss.

I had to learn the hard way.

Getting some proper instruction will put you miles ahead of where you'd be if you decided to take this on all on your own. Of course, you could still learn through trial and error, etc. But if you really want to spend less time learning and more time shredding, get some lessons. It's well worth it. This doesn't mean you can hop skip and jump through the learning curve, but they are a huge benefit. A good first kite is an Ozone Flow 4m or PKD Busta Soulfly 3.3 (MAYBE 4.4, as you may be able to handle it at your weight). These are not suitable for water use, but are great to learn on, throw around, and will most likely be useful to you later on if you decide to move to land traction kiting on them as well; so hang onto it!

One more thing; when you decide to move to a full-size kite, many of the members on this forum are very trustworthy and reasonable (see "Good Trader List"). Kiting gear can get VERY pricy, so I would encourage you to buy used your first time and save a couple bucks. A lot of times, shop owners will sell demo kites that were only flown once or twice for a significantly lower price. If you can afford to buy new stuff, go for it! But if money is an issue, buying second hand is perfectly fine.

Best of luck!
Seanny

In regards to the 3m kite suggestions; would a Turbo Bar setup also be recommended so one could get accustomed to using a "depower bar" setup?

Quote:

would a Turbo Bar setup also be recommended so one could get accustomed to using a "depower bar" setup?

I nearly always use the turbo bar on my fixed bridles in the buggy. They feel a little similar to a depower bar when you're moving at speed. (pulling a bit of brake on at speed can give you a bit more power - depending on the kite). However, if going slow or static flying, pulling the bar in will more often stall the kite (because you're only pulling the brakes, not altering the angle of the kite). It did take me a while to get the hang of the turbo bar (I had been using a depower before). Physically, the primary/secondary safety release and reload work the same as a depower bar.

Having said that, I don't think I'd use one as a depower trainer - just fly the depower! Mind you, a couple of my fav sessions have been with a 3m Flow/Turbo bar setup.

If you're comfy with flying the depower and want the same physical control setup for flying fixed bridles, by all means, get a turbo bar.

Some things to consider in regards to trainer kites...

You stated that your first goal is water riding, second possibly snowkiting. Both of these activities will be best achieved using depower kites (imo, some debate on snowkiting on skiis with fixed bridles). That being said, when you are going to buy your kites, consider getting something that you will be comfortable with flying in both locations. Either a closed-cell foil (Peter Lynn/Flysurfer/HQ), or an LEI.

If you are considering the closed cell foil route, then it wouldnt hurt to pick up one of the small foil trainer kites. If you can get one that has a depower mod, or is already setup for depower, that will help you in the long run. If you are considering the LEI route, there are some small trainer LEIs. Ocean Rodeo sells a 2m or 3m trainer kite. Almost crazy when you think about it, but at least you would be training with something that will be flying like the gear you end up getting in the long run....

welcome............lessons from an IKO certified instructor and a big Flysurfer!

greetings , study the weather

KNOW your local. most great conditions for kiting in the ocean can be quite intimidating.

educate yourself on power kites thoroughly, the choices ! OMG that alone will test commitment.

and COMMITMENT ! if you get past the first 20-40hours of good learning conditions the chances of you become a confident "rider " are good.

like skiing ...drop in as though your life depended on it and only the thrill will save your neck! oh the fun that awaits you will be priceless,promise.

get lessons!

Get a small controllable kite delta stunt kite, 2-3 meter foil etc (any controllable kite will do). Fly the crap out of it until you can fly the kite without really watching it. This will teach you about the wind, managing lines, wind window and flying without worry of bodily harm.

Once you can fly a small controllable blind you will be really ready to spend the money on kitesurfing lessons. If you cant yet fly a kite really well there isn't much reason to spend lots of money on kitesurf lessons.

-Scott