So I would like to learn how to Kiteboard. I have been told i need to start with a trainer kite to learn how to control the kite first and then move onward toward a real kite. Although i would like to do that, I don't have the cash flow to purchase both so I was thinking about buying a 2.0m kite to learn how to fly and hopefully use on the water. Seeing as how I am inexperienced, can anyone share with me steps I should take to learn and purchase my equipment. Thanks for your help; any help is good help at this point!

-Tyler

The trouble with the water is that you should have a water specific kite and at that, the power you need to get going on the water is far greater than a 2m would provide and on those days when the 2m MIGHT work - you'd probably be safer staying home watching tv with the rest of us.

There is a bonus here too though, the bigger the kites get, the slower they fly. You'll understand when you try it out but a 2m will whip from one side of you to the other in the blink of an eye whereas a bigger one will take a bit longer and be easier to get the fine control you'll need. Don't start big though, whatever you do. These things - even the small ones - can really do damage and when they do it happens FAST! I got launched by my 3m and put everything away until my helmet, pads and body armor arrived.

Sadly it's not a cheap sport. Happily the used market is great and you'll need the time under the kite before you even think of hitting the water anyway.

Have a read through the How To Guide http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=1985 - it's great and will answer a lot of questions for you. Angus at Coastal Windsports has a great tutorial on kiting as well which I used a TON when I started out - check those out as well.

Welcome to the forum!
Sorry but there is no cheap shortcut to safely learning how to kiteboard. You really need to get professional instruction for taking out your water kite or there is a good chance you will get hurt. As Macboy says, your 2m trainer and your kiteboard-ready water kite are different animals and there is no one kite that can serve both tasks well.

You can get a trainer on a bar and learn to fly it by yourself, but for the water kite, you need help. If you have ever water-skied then you know what power it takes to pluck you out of the water and get you planing. That's what a kite does.

Figure about $400-600 for lessons with a pro. your pro will also answer all your questions and help you wisely shop for used gear or at least point you in the right direction and tell you what not to get.

Sorry but it's the law of the jungle. Be safe and have fun.

Thanks for the quick replies! I have contracted some help to get me started starting next week. So as far as buying a kite; should iI learn how to fly with his kites so I could go straight into buyig a water kite for myself? Also wher is a good place for quality used equiptment, I don't want to spend a few hundred dollars on a piece if junk. Thanks!

This is one hobby where cheap usually doesnt equal good. There are some exceptions for land based kites but not really once you start hitting the water. What is a realistic amount of money that you are trying to stay around for your whole set up? Have you included lessons in that price range?

For the entire setup I was looking for something under 1,000. I was hoping to find somebody who bought the equiptment with the best intentions of using it, but never really did. I did find somebody to give me some lessons for 25/hr and he includes the equiptment to learn with. I was hoping with a strong background in watersports that the only learning curve would be learning to fly and control the kite. Am I wrong in this thought? Thanks Again!

-Tyler

:bouncy: whats up tkisling

www.kiteboarding.com is a shop out of corpus christi TX and they are all very knowledgeble kiters they have some good deals on equipment you almost missed out on thier first of the year garage sale but they have a beginer package that is good quality and new equipment for right under 1000 comes with a liquid force session, liquid force proof 151 or 161 complete and a board short harness

they also sell a sensi trainer for like 150 i think so you could get out right in your price range with both the trainer and the kiteboarding set up

shipping is free
:singing:

your gonna love kite boarding kiting in general is an adiction and you feel driven to sample every aspect

:bouncing:

Quote:

Originally posted by Looking_Up ......they have a beginer package that is good quality and new equipment for right under 1000 comes with a liquid force session, liquid force proof 151 or 161 complete and a board short harness :bouncing:

It looks like that package comes with a 16m kite. Steer clear of that unless you weigh well over 200lb. Get your lessons before you go out and spend your money on gear. If you have such a limited budget you can't afford to buy the wrong gear. $1k should be just enough to get you a used kite and board and a harness.

I'd recommend buying a trainer too. It will speed up your learning and you can always sell it if you really need the cash to fund another kite.

sorry its been a while since i checked the site at one time you could pick your size kite

or i may have just disregarded the size i forget that everyone isn't as hefty as me maybee if they were contacted they would throw in a smaller kite

Alright, well one week until lessons....the excitement is building within...haha, speaking about the harness which is preferred the shorts or the original style? Yeah I'm weighing in around 165 so I'm thinking for the first actual kite to be around 9m. I live around long beach, anyone know typically how windy it is there; also based on the wind there would 9m be good? Thanks