Learning to kite takes a while so do not expect to be up and riding your first time, although there are ways to improve your chances. As with any sport, the sooner you begin the faster you will learn. Getting lessons is another way to fast track your learning process as kitesurfing instructors use proved teaching methods for practice and you will improve faster in the long term.
More importantly, practice is the very best way of getting through skill barriers and keeping your kiting fun.
Kiteboarding is much safer when you start learning from the beginning. A good instructor can assist you a lot and he will teach you the basics, essentials and provide all the necessary equipment to help you progress in a safe and fun environment. Your first lessons will provide you with valuable knowledge and will enable you to build confidence in your skill and equipment. If you want to do it on a budget, take a lesson to learn how to fly the kite, then pick up a trainer kite and spend as much time as possible flying it. Remember that kiteboarding is 80% kite skills, and 20% board skills. So, even if you are an experienced wakeboarder, surfer or snowboarder to put those board skills to good use, you need to be an expert kite flyer. A minimum of at least one lesson is mandatory for a start and we recommend taking lessons until you will be able to ride upwind.
For every beginner, it is very important to know the kind of conditions that are safe for learning. You need to know how to read weather forecast to know if the wind will be too strong or too low. If you go to a new spot and you do not feel 100% confident, do not hesitate to ask people around you about potential risks in the area or take a short lesson in order to familiarize with the spot and build confidence.
There are many places to buy kiteboarding equipment. As a beginner, the best way to get a good product is to get good independent advice from your instructor or more experienced kiters. When visiting stores, both physical or online, you will see that most shops have beginner’s packages available which are often cheaper than what you will find buying your gear piece by piece. No matter what you choose, do not simply take what a local shop needs to unload from the last season. Do some research, check online and ask around for the best available prices and offers.
eBay is not really the place for beginners as it is always difficult to find out the true worth of the kite. We strongly recommend staying away from eBay whenever you want to buy a kite unless you are a seasoned kiteboarder and you know exactly what to look for in a kite. Every kite listed on there is “great for beginners” but many times, the kite is old and may not have much in terms of the ability to depower the kite or other safety features. Also, kites on eBay may have hidden holes, hidden defaults or stretched outlines, making the kite hard for a beginner to fly. One great way of getting advice on where to buy your setup is going to take lessons and have your coach recommend or an experienced kite friend the best gear suitable for you.
Frane
