Next time use some paragraphs dudeChickenD!ken wrote: ↑Mon Oct 30, 2017 5:35 amSelf taught here, but I have spent most of my life sailing so that gave me a big leg up compared to the land crabs just getting their feet wet. Depending on what you want to do (freeride, freestyle, wakestyle, wave etc.) you will crash and you will get hurt even if just a few bruises here and there. I have plenty of experience and I still come back with bloody nose and all sorts of scrapes and bumps. But! You will also progress massively through deliberate practice of your weaknesses and the proper gear. So feel out what you’re uncomfortable with, it won’t take long, and just be relentless with improving your weaknesses. That could be riding goofy stance if youre right-leg dominant, for example. I cannot stress the selection of gear enough. In the kite world you get what you pay for, so do your homework before you really start building your quiver. Having gear that ensures you don’t have to worry out on the water is paramount. If you want the best safety and bar systems, a great all-round board, kite with massive wind range, lots of customization options etc., all of this in one package can cost quite a bit. Take it from one who knows, it’s worth the trouble. So if you find you want to cruise in freeride mode most of the time, get that light wind kite asap so you can start working on your technique. LW kites are great for improving your technique, just to give another example of the decisions you will need to make in future. Slingshot is a good brand and the RPM is a tried and tested kite so you’re off on the right path. The RPM may not be the ideal beginner kite but it is a great kite that you will just have to expect a fast learning curve. Since you have snowboarding experience you will adapt quickly to the new board. Kitesurfing is about 3/4 kite control and 1/4 board if you ask me. But once you get to a decent level with your kite flying skills, things like edge control/maintenance will be crucial to your further progression. You have an advantage here with your snowboarding background. Think of kitesurfing like dance or juggling class. You have a number of simple moves that have to be carefully synchronised for the act to work and ultimately, feel effortless. Stick with it especially when it feels like shit. It will be in that moment when you drag yourself out there that it suddenly comes together. The used kite market is full of jaded ex-beginners who had one bad experience that was likely compounded by the conditions in the sea, and they just give up precisely when they should be regrouping and planning their return to action. There are plenty of good resources to go to for the self-taught. Websites like this obviously, but YouTube has dedicated kite surfing tutorials (I’ve heard of podcasts too!) that do a great job. No match for lessons but you can absolutely do it. Lastly, please use the community as your resource. All of us need help and all of us want to help others down on the beach and the one person everyone wants to avoid (because he’s dangerous, and yes it’s always a dude) is the one who’s “I got it! I got it!” telling everyone to get out of his way on the sand or in the surf. More experienced riders will be a great resource for you as well and can ‘unlock’ that next step up in skill. Kitesurfing is everything to me. My workout, meditation, social club, what I hope to do with my young son one day. It can be a new lifestyle for you or it can be your getaway for the afternoon. That’s the beauty of it. You decide. Have fun out there.
Message board grammar is so fucking boring..GTC wrote: ↑Tue Oct 31, 2017 3:56 pmNext time use some paragraphs dudeChickenD!ken wrote: ↑Mon Oct 30, 2017 5:35 amSelf taught here, but I have spent most of my life sailing so that gave me a big leg up compared to the land crabs just getting their feet wet. Depending on what you want to do (freeride, freestyle, wakestyle, wave etc.) you will crash and you will get hurt even if just a few bruises here and there. I have plenty of experience and I still come back with bloody nose and all sorts of scrapes and bumps. But! You will also progress massively through deliberate practice of your weaknesses and the proper gear. So feel out what you’re uncomfortable with, it won’t take long, and just be relentless with improving your weaknesses. That could be riding goofy stance if youre right-leg dominant, for example. I cannot stress the selection of gear enough. In the kite world you get what you pay for, so do your homework before you really start building your quiver. Having gear that ensures you don’t have to worry out on the water is paramount. If you want the best safety and bar systems, a great all-round board, kite with massive wind range, lots of customization options etc., all of this in one package can cost quite a bit. Take it from one who knows, it’s worth the trouble. So if you find you want to cruise in freeride mode most of the time, get that light wind kite asap so you can start working on your technique. LW kites are great for improving your technique, just to give another example of the decisions you will need to make in future. Slingshot is a good brand and the RPM is a tried and tested kite so you’re off on the right path. The RPM may not be the ideal beginner kite but it is a great kite that you will just have to expect a fast learning curve. Since you have snowboarding experience you will adapt quickly to the new board. Kitesurfing is about 3/4 kite control and 1/4 board if you ask me. But once you get to a decent level with your kite flying skills, things like edge control/maintenance will be crucial to your further progression. You have an advantage here with your snowboarding background. Think of kitesurfing like dance or juggling class. You have a number of simple moves that have to be carefully synchronised for the act to work and ultimately, feel effortless. Stick with it especially when it feels like shit. It will be in that moment when you drag yourself out there that it suddenly comes together. The used kite market is full of jaded ex-beginners who had one bad experience that was likely compounded by the conditions in the sea, and they just give up precisely when they should be regrouping and planning their return to action. There are plenty of good resources to go to for the self-taught. Websites like this obviously, but YouTube has dedicated kite surfing tutorials (I’ve heard of podcasts too!) that do a great job. No match for lessons but you can absolutely do it. Lastly, please use the community as your resource. All of us need help and all of us want to help others down on the beach and the one person everyone wants to avoid (because he’s dangerous, and yes it’s always a dude) is the one who’s “I got it! I got it!” telling everyone to get out of his way on the sand or in the surf. More experienced riders will be a great resource for you as well and can ‘unlock’ that next step up in skill. Kitesurfing is everything to me. My workout, meditation, social club, what I hope to do with my young son one day. It can be a new lifestyle for you or it can be your getaway for the afternoon. That’s the beauty of it. You decide. Have fun out there.
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