Buying gear for the first time

[sneemboy]

Hey Guys,

I am a beginner and will be buying my first gear soon. I have no real loyalties to the stuff I have taken lessons on. I have read reviews etc, but would like some more input on what to get. Kite wise I am leaning toward Cabrina, Naish, or North. Board wise Im not really sure. Harness waist mystic. Any thoughts?

Regards
Denis

[mv]

My suggestion would be to try before you buy as much as possible. If there are any kiteshops in your area see if they have any demo gear. Also look to the locals and see what they have to say. If you have a local dealer that sells a particular brand it might be best to go with that brand as you can get local service from the dealer if there is an issue.

There are so many different kites and boards on the market it is difficult to say what kite/board combo is the best for you. I have only been kiting for 3 years and have already changed quivers 3 times. This is due to my change in riding styles. When I first started I wanted to ride old-school, then freestyle, and now I just want to free ride and surf waves. This had lead me to my current kit which has kites that are good for riding waves and boards that work well in waves.

When you are starting out it is very difficult to say what your style will be next year or the year after that. I would go for al all-around kite that does everything well unless you are sure you want to go one way or the other, i.e. only freestyle or only waves.

You local conditions will also play a big part in what type of gear you need, which is why I suggested you get up with the locals and find out what they ride. If you area has a lot of flat water and no waves then you might not want a wave specific kite and a surf board and vise versa.

Finally I would recommend buying used gear, but only if you can see it in advance. Back to the local kite shop suggestion, many shops sell last years models or demo gear at reduced prices. You can save a lot of money and will not be out too much if you decide to change kites in 6 months. Right now most kite companies are getting ready to release 09 models so 08 gear is getting cheaper and 07 gear is really cheap. I would not go any later than 07.

Good luck.

mv
http://www.kitesurfinfo.com

[kite_n_rnd]

I second everything mv said above. I would also like to add the following:

- take lessons fist (know your launch, self recsue, danders of your local spot, etc....)
- wear safety gear (helmet, flotation vest). The vest will actually help keep you
afloat while you're learning to get up on the board.
- first time, buy a bigger board and smaller kite.
As you get better, you'll end up
buying a bigger kite for the same conditions and start riding a maller board also.
However, you will still need the big board for really light wind days and the small
kite will help with stronger conditions.

This is where used gear really helps. You can beat them up without losing a lot
of money, and if you keep them in decent shape, you can resell them next year.

Good luck!

[Toby]

do also pay attention to the safety system. check them out and see what you would trust in the most.

With the harness make sure to test some before, put them on in a shop and hang with your whole body weight into it...then you will see if the harness works for you or not...then can be big differences.