First Kite

[Newbie326]

I've taken two lessons and been practing on a trainer kite.
I'm ready to buy a kite but overwelmed by how many are out there.

Does your first kite really take a beating ? Will it be trashed quick?
Should I buy a cheap used kite ?

I have no problem spending the money on a good kite but do not want to waste it.

I was looking at the CB W/ IDS. Is the IDS system worth the extra money ?
The 2008's are selling at good discounts.

[sourra]

You will be just fine with the 2008s as well. In fact, you will be fine with most 2008-kites. Maybe there is some particular model from a certain brand that's considered to be a lemon but I can't think of anyone at the moment.

[christophnz]

Getting the right size is more important than what kite. Kites these days are much more forgiving and much more suitable for learning. Talk to people at your local spot they will know the conditions and will be able to help you choose suitable size.

[harviento]

The best deal you can get will be for a new 2008 kite still in stock somewhere. Last year's kites only cost a hundred dollars or so more than a used kite. You might as well start with a nice solid kite if you're going to beat it up. But I think people tend to overstate the abuse that a kite gets from a beginner. These kites are pretty tough. I think most of the wear and tear on a kite just comes from setting it up, breaking it down, etc.

The IDS system sounds like a good thing for a beginner, but I saw some early reviews on here that mentioned some issues. Do some searching to see what they say. Any bridled kite from the last couple of years will be pretty easy to learn and progress on, and you probably won't get good enough to really notice the small differences between them until a few years later when you're ready to replace your kites anyway.

I would say the control bar and ejection system are more important. Get something that is clean and simple and has an ejection system that is easy to grab in a moment's notice. Avoid the ones with little red triggers on one side (like Slingshot or F-One), and instead go for any number of them that have some kind of a 360 degree push-away system that you can grab with either hand from either side without looking first: Cabrinha, Naish, Ocean Rodeo, Best, North, Windwing, Caution, etc. etc. They'll all be like that soon.

[addicted~2it]

Those Cabrinha's are great for a beginner, colored lines & tags on all components of rigging, plus comes with a manual for kite & bar. Really helps out with lots of info on kiting.

Wish more companys did this, take some of the mystery out of thier setups.

[Lord Brush]

Hope Newbie doesn't mind me jumping onboard his thread (rather than me start another of many beginners threads).

I've seen a few good deals on 2009 Cabrinha Crossbow and Slingshots, and was wondering which would be the better choice for a novice/ beginner for the Cape Town area (I'll be getting surfing time in at Langebaan for a while before moving onto Table View etc!) Is there much difference between the two kites? I've had lessons on Cabrinha systems and feel happy enough on them, so would like to stick with the system I know.

Also, board size wise is a 128 board too small?

Height= 183cm
Weight= 78-80kg

Thanks

[doc]

like the previous posts say ,most 2008 kit(sle) are pretty beginner friendly .
yes your first kite will take a beating ! i'd try and get a 2007 second hand ,look some up on ebay post the names and models and we'll help u out(few lemons out there!).
need to know both your weights and the wind strength your likely to be sailing in for kite sizes.
i'd say a 128 is to small go for a 140 x(at least) 38 or bigger .remember if u get a big board u can hang onto it for light winds when u progress.
good advice about the safety system ,the most important thing!!!

[icebird]

yes, beginners trash kites more than usual.

But that is not an argument for going for second hand.
A new kite from a quality brand such as North or Slingshot will stand up to a lot of abuse, and it will loose value faster out of old age than any abuse.

If a kite has already been abused, it might fall apart sooner and beginners will not easily be able to detect any flaws.

I'm not arguing against getting a second hand, I just think it should be for other reasons.

[Kamikuza]

I got my first kite for $100 Used Airush 16m ... I put holes in it on the 3rd day out ... I didn't even cry!

[hapa13]

If you're already looking into the CB IDS, then don't forget about the Convert IDS. The 2009 Convert is a pretty sweet kite. It's got a solid wind range, really good depower, rocks upwind and relaunches easier and faster that almost anything else out there. Plus if you buy the School Edition (Convert SE) which comes in Black and Yellow only I think, it's made with a special double ripstop canopy that is super bombproof. All wave kites should be made from this stuff in my opinion. These seem to be some of the most important factors to a beginner. Also, the kite still jumps just fine. Anyway, just my 2 cents. Seems to be a much better fit for a newbie over a Crossbow. Built to handle abuse, but can still dish out some performance when needed. And about as safe as they come (in the properly trained hands of course).