While I am waiting to complete my kite surfing lessons (it might take a few months overall), I'd like to do more with my Tensor 3.1 kite than just launching on the beach. Namely, I am considering trying land-boarding.

Some of my questions for the experts here:

1. Can I get started with my 3m kite or do I really have to have a bigger one?
2. What is the minimum list of equipment I would need to have initially?

Thanks for any help!

helmet board kite

Harness is optional at this point.

You would 15 knot + winds to landboard give or take depending on the smoothness of surface you are riding

You can definitely get started with your 3m kite. Helmet at minimum for protection. The rolling resistance of your surface is going to have a big impact on how easy it will be to landboard with your 3m kite. The softer the surface (deep grass or soft sand), the more challenging it's going to be with that size kite. It sounds like you have access to a beach (jealous) and if that includes hard-pack sand, then you should be fine. Either way, the more hours of flying time you have under your belt before tackling land boarding, the better the results will be. Keep static flying that Tensor and building muscle memory so when you do get out on the board, you can focus more on board management and less on kite management.

Well said pongnut!

While learning to fly static work on these things.

Flying the kite without even looking at it. Mostly that means keeping the kite at the edge of the window without looking at it at 1st. I used to do that sitting on a log when I was resting up. Keeping the kite off to one side as I looked around at other stuff.

Practice " down turns " turning the kite from high down toward the ground and the across the whole wind window.

If you have strong enough winds, start from a sitting position and dive the kite into the power zone. Use that power stroke to get up on your feet. Next do the same thing but once you are up run sort of cross wind and fly the kite in a sine wave ~ ~ working at keeping tension on the front lines. Basically imitating a board start from water.

After you have worked on all that with both bar and handles and can really " fly blind " you sort of have 2 choices. Get on a board like you want to do or get a harness and start flying hooked in. Both are good choices but not so much together at 1st.

It is definitely easier to learn ATB with a larger kite well powered. The tricky thing with learning to ride with the 3m is you will need strong winds and you won't have a lot of sail to lean back on. It can be done and is a good way to fill time between lessons.

Since you will be sure to be going the depower route you are going to HAVE to get a harness at some point. Flying with a harness changes how you take the power from the kite and takes a little getting used to. Feeling comfortable hooked in will help greatly with the lessons.

Does the Prism come with a static loop or some method to hook in?

Being hooked in is something you work in to. I never push it hooked in with handles. At 1st you want to just use your harness to rest up and walk back up wind. Doing so GREATLY increases your fly time per session. Eventually you want to be comfortable hooked in and keeping the kite nice and quiet overhead or just off to one side without having to look at it.

Knowing what I know I would be buying a harness and working at it but I can fully understand your desire to get moving.

Bottom line, even you buy a board before a harness don't bother trying to ride the board until you can " fly blind " and then don't bother trying in low winds. Or accept you can only go down wind.

Butt pads ( mine are Hillbilly a$$ pads ) are a type of padding you may not think of. After Helmet, gloves, elbow and knee pads butt pads are great. Mine have saved me from some real pain and bruises a few times! :moon:

The guys have given you superb advice and I won't try to add much other than to say you will need a serious dose of P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E. A plus will be to find a place to ride where mothers won't be running away with their kids after all the cursing you'll be doing. I don't remember if you are already an accomplished skateboarder or not. Having that part in the bag will certainly help things. I tried to go mobile for the first time with a mountain board and a 4m Hornet off of handles without a harness on a soccer field and got really frustrated. I'm not a strong skateboarder and trying to balance and fly all at once proved to be a greatly frustrating challenge. What really helped was getting a buggy and sitting my (older) seat meat down and concentrating on flying. Not saying it can't be done, just that I wasn't able to do it. :o

One thing that will require extra patience is that your 3.1m Tensor will move very quickly in winds sufficient to make you mobile (I know, I used to have one). This will make things happen very quickly as you transition from the kite being at Zenith and diving down through the wind window. All that padding will come in handy! May I suggest a bubble wrap body wrap? :D

Honestly, and all joking aside, you can do this, it will just take a lot of patience, a tolerance for taking some spills and the will to succeed. The deeper the grass the softer the fall but the harder the riding. The harder the surface the easier it is to roll the board but the more painful the falls. Just try and find a balance. Good luck!!!!

U need to come hang w/ me or Kelly and try this out and then decide if its for you..we are close...or is it Kelly and I???..u2u coming

Thanks, everyone - very useful and detailed advice!!!

Abkayak - yeah, Kelly reached out to me earlier and even stopped by. We are trying to find time that we can meet-up with him. It's just that annoying little thing called "work" that restricts me a little.

U2U'd you back.

Kites. Lots of kites. (One of Steves Lynx' would be a good start.)
And a helmet. And a board.
I think someone already mentioned patience and padding.

And a vacation in Wildwood in October!

Tell him all 'bout it guys...

Hiaguy makes an EXCELLENT point. Both of my Lynx kites would be great additions to your arsenal! :D

All joking aside, DP kites are much more controllable than fixed bridle in many ways. Since you are heading towards the water, DP will be part of your life sooner than later. There has been a fair amount of U2U back and forth about my kites but as of tonight they are still available.

Don't buy any more FB kites if you plan on boarding (water, snow, land). It's unsafe and awkward to board using FB's. Save up, buy an 8-12m used depower that's no more than 5 years old. Check ikitesurf.com, win dance.com, Craigslist, best kiteboarding and here for a sweet deal. Let us know if you need help. The wrong kind of depower can really be dangerous for a beginner (old model C kites, for instance).

Have fun and let us know how it's going!

Oh yeah, and definitely get a helmet. I'd suggest knee pads too. Elbows have saved my ass more than once, too.

Guys, thanks! I would be more than happy to get your Peter Lynn, Windstruck, just not at this time. My focus right now is learning to control the kite (my 3m) and starting to get on a land board. Getting all the safety gear this week.

Proletariat, thanks for your advice as well. I will most likely end up with a larger (13m) kite for kite surfing before I get anything smaller. I am around 205 lbs, after all. :D

Go forward knowing that you will NEED at least a 2 kite quiver for water ! ( a 3 kite quiver would be better ) You will want a smaller sized kite for snow and likely ATB. I get a feeling you are hoping a 13m will do it all but ???? Not so much on land.

Do you know what the average winds will be at the place you will ride on water? You may want to consider more like a 9 / 13m combination of kites or similar. The 9 will work as a high wind kite on water ( unless you get real strong winds ) and be a go to kite on snow / ATB. Your Tensor will come into play as your high wind kite on land. If you find your winds typically too low for a 13 or 14 then you can consider a bigger high performance kite as your 3rd down the road.

This sport can get expensive!

Oh, yes. I got the "expensive" part.

My most likely course of action is to get water kite for the largest possible wind range, as my instructor will advise me on local wind pattern and my skill level.

Independently, I want to learn land boarding, and switch from 3m to depower kite. And it sounds like 7-9 meter type will be my next.

Just got an MBS core 90 board. Will see...

Awesome, Wolphy! My first kite was a 13m Best Waroo. I spent about $300 on it and I never took it out in winds over 15mph and I was very happy with my purchase. For now, though, try to hop on that MBS (you got a helmet, right?), point that board straight downwind and loop the hell outta that 3m in the middle of the window in light winds. You'll have a great time and get to understand the various forces at play. <insert all safety caveats here>.

The first time I actually rode a landboard was with a 1.7m 2-line kite in like 20+ mph winds. Pointed the board straight down wind and looped it and went about 50 yards. It was silly, but fun as hell. I was fully hooked after that, so bought a cheap used harness (which I still use sometimes) and that Waroo on Craigslist.

I think 13 is a great choice and will get you lots of days. Just make sure you know where the ceiling is and pack up if the wind is at the top end. My rule of thumb is, if I say to myself "I wonder if I should pack it up..." The answer is yes. Haven't been hurt since

Oh yeah, and on land, in or garbage inland switchy, lumpy winds, I almost never use my 8m. My go to size is 10 or 11m for most days. 14 for really light crap. I'm 175 lbs, and our winds are typically between 5-20 mph with gusts up to 30 sometimes (30 is a LOT to handle on my 10m on land.). My point is, 3m between kites is pretty good quiver strategy. 4m between kites gets a little sketchy at the edges of the gap (assuming same kite). When you're on water, 2 boards and 2 kites will yield you a TON of flexibility for conditions. So maybe a 9 and a 13 with a giant light wind (directional?) board and a regular sized twin tip (like a 136 or something).

Can you tell I love quiver planning? It's what I do when I can't ride, I guess. And since I'm pretty happy with mine, currently, I'm planning yours