"Buying guide"

Hey all, about to buy my first inflatable kite.
Just wandering if anybody knows a good link for a buying guide, looked in the mags but cant find anything. Dont want to just get the first kite the sales person trys flogging me..

Or if anybodys got any pointers in what to look for or what makes a "good kite". I know its probably very subjective. Or what to avoid.

I'm about 80-85 kg's. Gonna be doin lessons so want something thats good to learn with. So a good allrounder i suppose. I live in scarborough so gonna be on deep choppy water (i think, lol)....

Not askin for what kite to get, but what kind of things to be lookin at/checkin. (though if anybodys got good recomendations for kites thats cool to)

Thanks......

I would do. But the place i'm gonna do my lessons give free lessons if you buy the stuff from them first. So obviously works out a lot cheaper to buy the stuff and do the free lessons.

Wot e sayd

DEF worth asking the question.

D

Before you go out and spend big money on a kiting kit get a trainer kite first. Learn to fly it for a few weeks so that when you take a lesson or two you'll progress quickly. Definitely do your lessons on the school kites, not on your own gear. You'll crash them into the beach numerous times and you don't want to trash your own gear do you. You should be learning on a modern bow or hybrid kite, definitely not a C kite.

After that you'll have a better understanding of what is most appropriate for you.
Your local shop should be able to advise you on your best option. Don't think they are there to rip you off since you'll probably make many friends through the local shop if it's run by decent people which most are.

Thanks people, they sell "slingshots" and said they had a "kahoona"..

QUOTE: bow or hybrid kite, definitely not a C kite....

Thats really kinda what i was asking, dont know the difference yet. Thats what i'm trying to find out. What kind of kites are good for what..

I have got a trainer kite, been practicing as much as possable. Just want more knowlaedge about the different kind of kites..

Once again, your instructor should help you with this. I would also recommend buying your first set up second hand, as what you need for your first season or two won't suit you as you get better. You also seem to be keen on saving money. You will probably punish your gear harder while you are learning. Once you have a handle of what kind of riding style you prefer...

Freeride (kind of all round - jumps, catching waves when the come up, using the chop)
Freestyle/Wakestyle - Flatter water, dangly tricks, draws a lot from wakeboarding
Waveriding (tow in surfing with a kite)

...you can buy a kite that suits your personal style.

But this instructor that promises free lessons for buying the gear first sounds strange to the point I would think about using someone else. If you are worried about saving a couple of hundred dollars on lessons, you probably are ill prepared for the expenses that kiteboarding can generate...

Not really that much about saving the money, just seemed a good deal is all. Because i dont know how many lessons people generally have. Didnt know if i was gonna end up spendin a thousand bucks on lessons then havin to buy my gear afterwards. So seemed like a great deal.
But thanks for the input, like some of you said, it would be good if i can try out a few kites during my lessons to see what i prefere the "feel" of first.

Oh n thanks for clearing up the difference between freestyle and freeride. been wandering about that..

Also whats the difference in kite shapes? i see a bit advertised about 'c' shape kites. I'm assuming there more of a, well,, "c" shape (ie more kinda bent) as apposed to being a bit more "flat???? not so good for learing on i hear, but curious about what the diefferent types are.

Phil: Freeride is like snowboarding freeride, where freestyle is more like snowboarding park. Thats the best parallel I can draw for you. There are even freestyle guys who set up rails and kickers for kitesurfing...

Difference in kite shapes: Easier to explain when you are actually looking at the kites. Don't get hung up on all the technicalities right now, you are overanalysing the problem, just go get the lessons.

3 lessons is generally the minimum and I was lucky that I effectively had private lessons. (Group rates, but no one else to instruct) I had 3 lessons and the guy instructing me said to me the best thing to do was go out, get my own gear and put the time in. But, he said I picked it up quickly. I have a sailing and snowboarding background, which helped. But the most important thing you can invest in this activity is your time, not what you buy or how many lessons you have.

I don't know who this deal is through and I don't want you to say. (It could turn this thread ugly) But buying gear "and then getting lessons free" sounds unusual. It almost suggests the guy will sell you the gear, then take you down the beach to learn on your own gear, which is effectively costing this guy nothing to do, except some of his time. I sincerely hope it isn't the case. Most guys who do the full line in equipment and lessons etc offer you the discount on the gear IF you have lessons with them first. You might not get all the lesson money back, but you would get a good deal overall.

Anyway, good luck to you. I hope you get into it and get as much out of it as I do!

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