Hi All-
We just launched a unique kiteboarding company called Demo A Kite. We enable customers to rent kites online and provide free return shipping to any location in US. Our goal is to increases the accessibility of kiteboarding in locations that don't have a shop and enable kiters to demo the latest models for an affordable weekly rate to help them decide what to purchase.

If you are interested in trying a 2016 kite for a week or are travelling on a vacation and don't want to pack your kites, DemoAKite.com can send new kites to you.

cool . how about chronos 2 15m and FS sonic 12m. what would that cost for say for a month.

Hi PHREERIDER-

Thanks for the feedback! Are you talking about the Ozone Chrono V2? We are looking into adding the Flysurfer Sonic 12m.

Thanks,
David

I like the concept. so whts the website address.

I checked it out www.demoakite.com- I really like the idea but appears they really are just starting since selection and sizes are somewhat limited at the moment. I think I will be using them though in the future to try out some flysurfers:D

Seems like a nice option for experienced kiters but what prevents people that don't know what they are doing from renting them and messing up access and safety issues.

I am sure there is some sort of deposit to insure the gear, but I am curious about the experience part. What is stopping someone who would normally buy a 2004 Ebay special from renting one of your demos and hospitalizing themselves or someone else?

just looked at the website. they rent kites or kite and bar and no harnesses and says it's geared towards intermediate / advanced kiters. I assume they would be able to sniff out someone that doesn't belong through questions by the renter prior to renting out the equipment. Not to mention the renter is responsible for damage to the kite so that should scare off inexperienced people as well hopefully.

Quote: Originally posted by ssayre

Seems like a nice option for experienced kiters but what prevents people that don't know what they are doing from renting them and messing up access and safety issues.

perhaps reading the liability statement printed on the kite will help the novice grasp the scope of the kiting experience.

yes a newbie, in a great spot could easily destroy access and PR with the local area effected. that is irresponsible on so many levels. perhaps we'll get an answer from David.

Quote: Originally posted by David_Kites

Hi PHREERIDER- Thanks for the feedback! Are you talking about the Ozone Chrono V2? We are looking into adding the Flysurfer Sonic 12m. Thanks, David

thanks for responding David, YES ozone chronos V2.

interesting service David, how do you keep an absolutely newbie from renting a kite, attempting to use it, ignore the printed liabilty on the kite and ruining kite access(and general kite community PR) with injury to themselves, others ,property etc...
you are remote so it won't have effect on you and the newbie would have no real concern, probably not local to the spot.

how does one control this in a remote relationship?

if newbies show up at "sensitive areas" with rented gear, obviously they(newbies) would be responsible for short term issues damages, fines, injuries but if access is lost? now local people that MIGHT rent junk have no place to ride.

just curious , because i DO NOT WANT kite /sail virgins showing up at my spot with rented gear with no clue or courtesy and jacking my spot because they whacked some 2 year old child or an intanglement drowning, on the beach "attempting " the kite. what happened to guidance , lessons , professional help at areas suitable for learning. theres alot more to it than just having the gear, i'm sure you know this, right? maybe IKO #, or PASA#? or reliable referral element?

admittedly the PURCHASE of same is already there in online arena. but $$$$ keeps total jokers from showing for weekend fun and permanently ruining local riders access/relations because now its a 1/10th of the cost.

curious and concerned. really tempting fate way beyond old fleabay junk delivered to vacation destination don't you think.

Phree, great points. The liability is going to raise your insurance beyond the stars.
I know that when I was passing around kites a few years back the insurance agent was ready to buy a vacation island with what they wanted to charge me. Not to mention the ones that needed an extra week to wait for some wind or the ones who lost the kite....
We won't talk about the one who sent the kite back after a barbed wire fence attack him and the kite, or the one who said the kite arrived with out lines and handles, or the guy who......

Maybe kite boarders are a better class of people, maybe not....

At HWK we don't demo to anyone who isn't PASA or IKO level 2 or can show equivalent ability level. I don't know anyone who doesn't follow a similar prerequisite off the top of my head.
I suppose that by not offering harnesses or bars you at least know you are sending the kites to someone who (at least) has their own equipment. That said, we all know not all bars are the same. Not all safeties, trim systems or depow throw etc. At best some kites may not perform as well as they could with the clients bar. At worst they could be unsafe.

For consumers, part of the benefit in coming to us to demo is we get to meet the client and go over the kite with them. We make sure we aren't giving someone a kite that isn't appropriate to their needs or skill level and we are usually on hand to help them out during their demo experience in the event they are doing something that may hinder the kite's ability or are having difficulty figuring out how to get the best performance out of the kite. People regularly have difficulty with a given kite their first time on it and unless you can afford to demo the kite for a month you may not resolve the issue and again, not utilize the full potential of the kite. Because some minor flying skill detail is left uncorrected, the impression of the kite could be unjustly ruined.

I'm curious how they police who is riding the kite? What if the renter passes it off to a friend? Where does the liability fall? Like BK said, liability insurance is a major chunk of cash (Especially if you operate on ice. :rolleyes and I can only imagine that the liability sending kites to unknowns to demo is pretty substantial.

i'm not talking about kiteboarders, the megalomaniacs who are blind to passive/active safety in public that want TO BE kiteboarders.... because we need more megalomaniac kiteboarders!

ignorance makes a great consumer , even more ravenous renters! our area has already had several bad accidents with broken necks from jet ski rentals from the same lot. you entrust the public with their own safety(and safety of others!) and thats what you are gonna get.

We were looking into a rental type of program as well, a try-before-you-buy system. After talking to our attorneys and the insurance companies, we realized that this would never be possible. Liability insurance or not, civil lawsuits due to serious injuries or loss of life makes this sort of thing so out of control that it is just not possible. The access issues is another serious problem. Its a shame that litigation makes some of these things not possible.

Hmmmnnn.....so should you take this idea behind the barn and shoot it...?

Quote: Originally posted by PHREERIDER

i'm not talking about kiteboarders, the megalomaniacs who are blind to passive/active safety in public that want TO BE kiteboarders....

Phree, that's a pretty deep observation about the difference in someone that wants to learn to kiteboard and one that wants to "be a kiteboarder".

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob

Quote: Originally posted by PHREERIDER   i'm not talking about kiteboarders, the megalomaniacs who are blind to passive/active safety in public that want TO BE kiteboarders.... Phree, that's a pretty deep observation about the difference in someone that wants to learn to kiteboard and one that wants to "be a kiteboarder".

a local wants to "be a kiteboarder" without proper learning. He has been out once with me and doesn't desire to learn kiting further without being on the water.

Quote: Originally posted by awindofchange

We were looking into a rental type of program as well, a try-before-you-buy system. After talking to our attorneys and the insurance companies, we realized that this would never be possible. Liability insurance or not, civil lawsuits due to serious injuries or loss of life makes this sort of thing so out of control that it is just not possible. The access issues is another serious problem. Its a shame that litigation makes some of these things not possible.

It would be interesting to know how Kitty Hawk Kites insures their kite rentals. Their Concierge rental package is onsite and for a flat fee you are allowed to try out as many kites and boards (one at a time) throughout the day. However, they also have an Off-Site rental package where you check out one kite and/or board, but you are allowed to take it to another location.

ATB,
Sam

You are WELCOME in Canada!.....especially in Ontario....I guess.

Hey All-
Sorry for the delayed response. I was out of town for the weekend but just returned. Thank you for all the great feedback. Renting to beginners was one of the major concerns when we started this business. We thought about using IKO and PASA certifications but realized that there are so many great kiteboarders out there who don't have a certification (due to lack of a certification shop nearby or lack of time). Currently, we leverage several different methods to screen out beginners. First, we only rent kites and bars i.e. an incomplete package. A kiteboarder would have to own a harness and board. As it's not cheap to purchase these two items, this screens out a majority of beginners. Second, we require renters to sign a liability waiver, assert they are at a certain skill level, and make sure they understand they are responsible for the repair costs of damaging a kite (not cheap). Lastly and most importantly, we talk with each customer immediately after they checkout. It's similar to an approval process. We want to see where they kiteboard, what level they are at (ensuring they can stay upwind, transition, ride toe-side, etc.), where they learned, and how long they've been kiting. We get a full sense of the renter's abilities before releasing the kite to them. Hope this helps.

Also, I wanted to share where the inspiration for this business came from as some of you might have experienced the same frustrations...
-We were recently looking to purchase a kite, an expensive proposition. There are so many different brands and kites out there each with their own pluses and minuses. Not living near a kite shop, there was no way to try different kites.
-While travelling on vacation, we like to bring a quiver of 3 kites and a board with us. Instead of having to check 2 bags, we wanted a way to just check our board bag and have 2 kites sent ahead of us to the vacation house we rented.
-When going to kite shops, it's expensive to demo new kites. They charge around ~$100-150/day. As wind can be unpredictable, we wanted a way to test a kite for a week at an affordable price. Additionally, kite shops tend to carry only certain brands. They might have Cabrinha but no Core. Or they have Naish but no F-One. We wanted a way to demo all the different brands out there.