We will be adding to our site new 'How to's' every week and we will start at the very beginning for all the newbie Kitesurfers or wanabe kitesurfers, Ok well here we go!
This time we are going to cover buying your kite.
Getting Started - Kite Buying Guide
Kite Surfing can be a pretty expensive sport to engage in due to the high costs of equipment. It is therefore important to make sure you get a kite that fits your skill level, the kind of performance that you expect from it and of course, your budget.
But just how do you get the ideal kitesurf kite for you? Sure, you can resort to trial and error, but it will prove costly in the long run. Keep in mind that the price of a kite alone starts at around £800 for the basic ones up to around £1000 for the advanced models, so think twice before you shell out that much money. A better alternative would be to read this article and to let us Surface2Air Sports be your guide in getting a kite.
If you are just starting Kitesurfing, then it is advisable to talk to your local kitesurf shop. That way, you don't waste money buying the wrong kite for your level or weight, for example you buy a 16mtr kite and your weight is only 65kgs then your have a problem in the avarage uk winds. If you want to buy a kite for kitesurfing, do not purchase a kite which has a high aspect ratio (AR). The AR is the ratio of the length and width of your kite. The higher the AR, the faster your kite will make turns. Also, it is more powerful than those with lower ARs. As a general rule, try starting out first with one that will give you optimum control and that which will give you enough power to lift you to manageable heights. The more powerful ones can wait as you progress and become a better kitesurfer.
Meanwhile, if you are a more experienced kitesurfer, then it's safe to say that you pretty much know what you want in terms of the type of kite you want, your desired hang time as well as other factors. At this point, pretty much is left to your taste and what makes you feel comfortable. There are several types of kites out there that you can choose from. It is discussed in greater detail in our Kites - Types section. But if you want to fine tune your kite for better performance, you can also check out our Kite Tuning section.
We hope that this article has somehow given you some helpful insights when it comes to buying the right kite for you. Sure, there's no perfect kite out there. But if you get the right one for your particular needs and tweak it to your liking then you already have something that's close to perfect.
Thanks for reading
S2AS Team
Surface2Air Sports have kitesurf shops located at Brighton, Poole and Kent in the UK.
