Here are some guidelines for choosing the right equipment based on the most common questions we get at Atlantic Surf Co.
Buying your first kite and board can be quite intimidating and confusing since there are so many different options and loads of potential to buy the wrong equipment out there.
Selecting the right gear will make your kiting cheaper and is a crucial since it will accelerate your learning process. A lot of people buy the wrong kite at first. This makes the learning process dangerous and expensive, since they need to sell these kites again to buy the right kite and they will need to spend a lot of money on doctors and physio bills. The nice thing about the latest kites are that beginners and pro’s can use the same kites therefore you don’t need to buy a beginners rig and have to sell it again when you are up and going.
Choosing the right Kite
Buying your first kite is a no brainer. Buy the latest bow kite .Bow kites are a lot easier to use and safer than C-Kites. Bow kites have a 95% – 100% depower and will have a good, reliable safety release system with a kite leash. Bow kites are easier to re-launch out of the water. Bow kites offer a larger wind range compared to C-kites. This makes your kiting safer and cheaper. Safer, because you will be able to handle stronger gusts a lot better, and cheaper since you will need fewer kites to handle the same wind range. 2 Bow kites will cover the same wind range as 3-4 C-kites. C-kites are more for the experienced guys who do serious freestyle tricks with kite loops ext.
Your weight, the prevailing wind strength and where you will be using the kite, as well as the type and size of board will determine what sizes kite you need to buy. Be careful of going to big, since you will get overpowered quickly and will be doing a lot of watching from the beach and not much kiting yourself. This will be frustrating and will make the learning process longer.
The 2 Kite Quiver
I will advise you to try to buy 2 bow kites. One bigger kite for lighter wind and one smaller kite for stronger wind. I know this could be difficult due to economics but this will allow you to get into the water on most occasions which will accelerate your learning process. You will only get away with one kite in places with very steady and consistant wind, but in most places you will need two kites.
What board to buy?
A biggish Bi-directional board will definitely be the best option for the beginner kitesurfers. Most people struggle to fly the kite consistently in the power zone therefore they will go well for a few meters and then sink back into the water. A board (140cm-160cm in length) will have a bit more volume which will make the board more forgiving when flying the kite in and out of the power zone , it will also float you better while your kite is out of the power zone. The biggest advantage of these boards are that you do not have to change your feet at all on these boards. You can change direction without taking your feet out the straps, so it is one less obstacle to worry about. You also need the extra strength on these boards when you start jumping since you will be doing quite a few bad landings. Some directionals can’t take the punch compared to bi-directional boards.
Contact us in the shop or send us a mail for any further info or enquiries.
