Hello KF users, I am a 6 foot 200 pound person looking to get into kiteboarding on both water and snow( more water than snow definately). I know not alot about the sport, does anyone have any advice on what kites i should look for? should i start with a trainer kite?(im very good at surfing wakeboarding and snowboarding).. i am from new hampshire in the USA so i plan to go in only the New England area really, first lakes i would assume then move to the beaches. Also i would like to not spend all the money i possess. Thank you

Yes a trainer kite is a great idea to start with, watch some videos (trainer kites usually come with a dvd) on how it works and fly it until you fully understand how it all fits together and how a kite behaves.

You can do this with an instructor if you want, a lesson with a trainer kite might cost less than just buying one yourself. It's up to you. Once you take lessons the only thing you'll really use the trainer for is teaching other people. I'm glad I still have mine but its up to you.

Then take lessons with a full size kite until you get in the water, it's up to you when to stop.. once you are no longer dangerous to yourself and others, lessons will just make it easier to learn. I'd recommend lessons until you learn water starts and can ride more than a few feet, because this kind of sucks to learn on your own.

Then worry about gear. Your instructor will be able to point you in the right direction for sizes in your area, and then you can ask for advice for what style you want to get into, as you'll probably know what you're interested in at that point and will understand what reviews say when they describe different kite characteristics.