Hey guys, I'm keen to get into kiting and just wanted some advice on the best way to go about it. I've been wakeboarding for years so not too worried about the board control. And I've been using a 3m trainer kite on land for a few months so have a basic understanding of a kite works. I aim to get a few lessons, but from what I've heard the cost is $300 per lesson! Roughly how many lessons do you need before you can go solo? Also when buying kite gear, is it best to aim for new gear as it has the latest safety features or is 2013 gear not that much different, from a technology perspective, to say 2011 gear? Thanks in advance.
if you have competent, experienced mates, then they can teach you. otherwise get lessons.
don't listen to the hype- there is no need to buy new gear, plenty of kiters upgrade every year and you can score quality second hand kites & boards at a fraction of new prices (this applies when you know what you're doing as much as when you're learning). you will most likely trash your first kite anyway when learning.
Don't forget to buy boardshorts for winter so you can wear them over your wetsuit.
Heaps of info here
kitesurfing-handbook.peterskiteboarding.com/how-to-learn-kitesurfing
Most kites from about 2008 onwards are pretty safe just find something you like and google and read up on them before buying
In the old kites (Pre 2007) the reviews used to rate "re-launchability". That category is non-existent now! The new designs have made relaunch worries a thing of the past!
How often does your mate use his Rhino? Like is he an old school legend, or does he just have it kicking around in his garage? I'd be a little cautious if he hasn't really flown the thing much.
A good way to get your moneys worth out of an instructor is to keep at the trainer kite, and do as much kite stuff safely before your lesson as you can, then book an hour or two for some one on one lessons (then the instructor can tailor a lesson to you). Rates should be at about $80 and hour for an instructor to yourself. You will probably pick it up quickly because you sound like a bit of a keen bean! Have fun :)
if your looking for 2012 gear - right now is the best time to buy all the team rides/ people who always need the latest equip would have just received there new 2013 gear and will be selling, also the wind hasn't started yet so no ones buying and people have to reduce prices but as soon as the wind kicks in people will be jacking up the pries again as there's more demand for gear. Also you can pick up some great deals from shops who are trying to get rid of old stock, check out seabreeze buy and sell, gumtree, and if your on facebook try and find a group called the buy and sell swop shop you will find heaps of great deals.
Surfzup,
whilst a couple of SB'rs have suggested getting lessons from competent, experienced kiters, IMO the best thing you could do would be to get lessons from an established & reputable school or instructor near where you live.
Whilst competent, experienced mates could probably teach you what to do, the best $$ you can spend will be getting lessons & discussing with school/instructor about your experience & kite needs - we all love our mates, especially kiting mates, but their kiting ability and/or experience doesn't always make them the best instructors.
Lessons with a professional instructor - the best way to go when starting out....
Heh surfzup, much of what I'm about to say has been mentioned on these forums before but in the interest of you not becomming miss guided, when it comes to your health and safety, IMHO, you should not be to concerned with spending $'s on professional lessons. There are good reasons as to why they cost what they cost (which you may appreciate on enquiry with a Surf School). If you have the sence to do so, you may find you will pick it up quickly and require less lessons on reflection of your existing abilities you mentioned but this should be guided by a Qualified Instructor as to your skill level. As a suggestion you should do your homework first and ask as many sources as possible to find out the best way to start up and buy gear etc. A good starting place for this is going to speak with not 1, but a couple of diffrent Kite Shops and get there take on things. Go to a couple of local spots where there are Kiters and speak to them (once they have stopped Kiting of cause) and last but not least ring or talk to some Qualified Kite Schools to get them to explain to you the reasons you should have lessons first before doing anything. I would imagine this could save you a lot of grief and $'s in the long term by achieving the best outcomes and getting the right equipment suited to you. I am prepared to get red thumbed for probably saying all the above and bellow but there is a the easy and pleasurable road to going about things or the difficult, frustrating and dangerous way to becoming a fellow Kiter. Good winds, surfzup and I hope you can find the value in what I am saying 
Yeah I'm a qualified windsurfing & snowboard instructor and so appreciate the value of having an instructor teach as opposed to a mate. There are lots of bad habits you can pick up. So the aim is to get a couple of lessons that will get me to the point that I won't kill myself or anyone else.
Surfzup,
it's the "mates & bad habits" thing that is always my # 1 concern - seen it too many times @ my local - and # 1 reason why I won't teach mates - I know I've got bad habits....
I am an instructor in a few things on the water; power boats, yachts and dinghys. I consider my self a good instructor. I plan what I am going to teach and get good results.
I once tried to teach a mate to kite surf without making a proper lesson plan or really thinking about it. I passed the kite over to the mate not even depowering the kite and I did not tell this mate about the mirco loop on my old north kite. it was not even that windy, but suddenly my mate got lofted and had hooked into the micro loop then got dragged down the beach.
Inshort mates may be really good at kitesurfing and be able to teach but unless they really think about it and plan a "lesson" you could just get dragged down the beach.
advice on kites for beginners on this site!
