yo!
I know it is lame to post such a qestion, but what do have to know before i decide to buy some equipement?
I mean I have just move to Miami and I aways wanted to try kitesurfing (the only sport I am really intrested in. It seems like there is only very soft wind in here. I also weight about 170 pounds. The question is: what kind of board, how big the kite i need and lines+harnes type....
Thank You in advance. I hope I will see you soon riding the waves
Oh my God it really sounds lame doesn't it?

Roach..I'd suggest taking lessons before purchasing any gear. Unless of course you want a small trainer kite / land kite to get a feel of what it is like to fly these types of kites. Kite control is one thing needing to be learned, then board control..meshing the two tends to be where a lot of people get a bit lost and in that confusion they tend to forget about their safety and the safety of others..not intentionally, but doing those two things together is a bit harder then chewing gum and walking.

Kitesurfing can be either moderate to really expensive, plus not every "beginner" kite and board are suitable for every person out there just beginning. A lot has to do with your weight, the winds, and also your experiences and how fast you learn from them. A decent PASA certified instructor will be able to guide you in the direction you need to go as far as gear is concerned and what should be greater concern..your safety and the safety of others. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of great deals out there if you buy used, but you can't purchase used lessons on ebay or some forum.

Kite: $250- up
Board: $250-up
Harness: $90 - up
Your safety and the safety of others: PRICELESS

Take Lessons..it'll save you a lot of frustration and possibly your life or someone elses.
~Joe

Pick up a trainer kite ( foil ) in about the 3m range. Fly it until you can do so blind. Then take a lesson. By then you will have a much better Idea of what you want to buy. I suggest that you get a taste of BOTH bow and C kites with your lesson this will help you decide if the cheaper second hand C kites will be right for you.

Thanx guys,
Joe, trust me, I know a lot about safety of others and myself while enjoying "the great outdoors".... (inexperienced skier slammed into my girlfriend last year, ouch). I understand that I cannot buy all the staff and fly like an pro right away, but i wonder if i can buy a "regular" kite (not the training one) and train on it without a board of course. Its more a matter of budget than anything else.
Also, from your posts it seems like there is no rule of the thumb in terms what size of the kite and what kind of board/harness is best. Maybe there are some web sites about it so I do not ask dumb questions anymore...
And one more thing. It appears to me that i see kites around Miami very infrequently. Do you know if it is a matter of soft wind? How big the kite has to be to ride with a soft breeze?
OK, i think that is it... I'm going to do some research to find a good trainer than!
THANX

Roach...you're not asking any stupid questions.

If you want to get something...then go for a good trainer foil. I believe you can even buy a trainer lei (think airush and best have some that are 2m lei kites). Something else you could do is the next time you're out at the beach and see someone kiting, stop and talk to them...no question is a stupid one and just about every kiter out there is willing to stop and talk to someone interested in the sport.

You can get different opinions about what you should start off on from online..but the only people that are really going to be able to suggest that to you is someone in your local area that knows the wind conditions and can judge by your size, etc. what you should get. Which is why I also suggested lessons.

To answer your question...light winds call for larger kites and higher winds call for smaller kites. Same goes with foils on land. Most people in the sport, you'll notice have multiple kites for multiple types of wind conditions allowing them to go out more often then say someone with a single kite. Can you take a large kite out in high winds or a small kite out in low winds? Yes..but is it recommended? No. Small kite in low winds you'll have trouble getting the kite in the air causing a multitude of problems..large kite in high winds could be lethal from the start.

You should be able to find someone in the area where you can get lessons for about $100 per session. The course I took consisted of 3 courses. I don't know what your budget is, but it may still be feasible to take lessons and buy used gear. Just a thought if you're not wanting to get a trainer.
~Joe

emailed you some info.

If you add up the cost of a kite - then compare that to the cost of say....5 lessons...then throw in the possibility of a destroyed kite and the cost of an ambulance ride, Emergency Room, X-rays, medication, and being off work for several months while you heal...if you survive that is....

The cost of a few simple lessons really is the best bargain on the market.

Another advantage to lessons is that you get to thrash someone elses gear while you learn. The biggest advantage is that you get to learn next to a trained professional who will know the area and conditions and be able to select the correct gear for you to progress as fast as you possibly can.

The end goal is to get up on the water and ride! If you can do that within a week or two you have acompolished your goal and are loving life. If it takes you an entire year plus one or two kites to finally do it then .... well ... only you will know what your value of time and fun are but you get the picture.

If you want to minimize your cost and save time, get a small trainer kite. The more you know about flying the kite the less time you will have to spend on your lessons learning those things! If an instructor realizes that you already have awesome kite skills, he will be more inclined to put you in the water faster to start body dragging and even start board work. If you haven't got a clue on the kite your first few lessons will be learning to fly.

Trainer kites are not little sissy kites, in the right winds they have a ton of power and are really a blast to fly! You can get dragged around plenty good with a small 2 or 3 meter trainer. In our area the most common buggy kite is a 3.0 meter size. It has plenty of power to hit well over 40 mph on a buggy. You can find used trainer kites on E-bay and other kite related sites for nearly nothing and the experience you will get from them are worth hundereds of dollars in lesson time.

With lessons you also get the chance to try some different style kites...information that is priceless when it comes time for you to purchase your own gear. Having flown different models first gives you the ability to KNOW what you want (and dont want) in your own gear. Nothing sucks worse than purchasing a kite for 800.00+ and finding out it just doesnt work with your style of riding and you hate it. Every kite handles differently even though they all look exactly the same. Some turn faster, some fly faster, some have more power in high winds, some more power in low winds....your weight and board size will also effect the performance of the kite. One kite may be totally awesome for a person weighing 150 lbs but when used by a 210 lb person it flies like a brick! Lessons will allow you to find a kite that YOU love and works with your flying style.

The exact same goes for boards and harnesses!!

Remember, one ride in an ambulance will pay for weeks of lessons with your very own personal trainer!!!

Just a thought anyways....BTW, I flew power kites for 5 years with buggies and ground boards before moving to the water...and at that time I took lessons and didn't regret it at all. I actually got up and rode on my first day. Without the instructor I know I would not have been able to.