The cost of kitesurfing

Kitesurfing is not a cheap sport to start out, but is relatively cheap and very rewarding after you have all your gear

It’s best to buy new and up to date gear, but you can buy secondhand equipment as well, but you will need to make sure that you are buying the right equipment.

Kites are a bit like computers. There are improvements just about every few months and it is therefore important to buy the most recent kite to benefit most from the technological advances.

So, what do you need?

Your complete kite board quiver will consist of a kite, board, harness ,wetsuit and the control bar.

Below we will try to cover the cost of your quiver in more detail.

New Equipment

New Kites:Prices range from R8000-R11000 depending on make and size. This price will include the bar and lines.
New Kiteboards: There are many different makes and sizes and the board will range from about R3000 to R7000.
New Harnesses: A harness will cost you anything from R500 to R1400.
New Wetsuits: There are many different variations of wetsuits but decent wetsuits range from R850 – R3000.

Kitesurf Lessons

It will cost about R500 per lesson and you will probably need two to four lessons, to get you started in kitesurfing. It sounds like a lot of money but take the following into consideration:

1.Lessons will cut your learning curve down considerably.
2.You will learn about equipment and products before buying anything which will reduce the risk of making expensive uninformed mistakes in buying equipment.
3.A school, will probably give you a discount on gear,or include free lessons for you if you buy your equipment from them. You will also get good advice from the instructors when they see you kiting.
4.You will save on the wear-and-tear of your gear by using the instructors gear for lessons.
5.When you use your gear the instructor will help optimize your kite by showing you the right setup for the different conditions.
6.You will have a positive experience, and not get frustrated, or get injured, by trying to teach yourself.

Lessons are highly recommended due to the power of these kites.

Secondhand Equipment

Secondhand Kites: Decent secondhand kites can cost from R2000 – R5000, but beware, there are a lot of potentially bad deals and sharks out there trying to get rid of their old redundant equipment. Buying one of these older kites can not only be an expensive mistake but it can also be dangerous, since the older kites do not have the great de-power capacity and the safety features of the newer kites. The safety on the older kites were non existent or not up to scratch. Using one of these kites is a bit like playing Russian roulette. It’s not whether something will go wrong using them, but when. Get a well informed friend to help you with your purchase or do research on that specific kite.

Secondhand Kiteboards: Buying a secondhand kiteboard is a lot less risky as long as you are buying the right size board you will be fine. Second hand kiteboards range from R1000 – R3500 depending on the make and condition.

Secondhand Harnesses: This is potentially a risky secondhand buy. Make sure you buy the right size and that the harness fits comfortably. Some of them will have you talking with a high pitched voice. It will therefore work out more expensive since you will have to replace this dud. Rather spend a bit more to get the right and best harness the first time. A secondhand harness should cost anything from R200 – R700.

Secondhand Wetsuits: This is a very important part of your equipment since your wetsuit can make the difference between enjoying what you are doing or hating it. If your wetsuit is too small or old it will be uncomfortable and less flexible. Make sure you buy a wetsuit that fits well and that will be suitable for where you are going to use it. A secondhand wetsuit should cost anything from R400 – R1200 depending on the condition and model of wetsuit.

The info above is there just to give you a brief idea about the cost involved to get you into kitesurfing. It will change every few months so don’t use it as a pricelist.

Contact us or pop into one of the Atlantic Surf Co. stores if you need some more info on what you need and the cost of it.