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Hello from Dallas, TX

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good2go
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Hello from Dallas, TX

Postby good2go » Thu Jan 04, 2018 5:18 pm

I've just started lurking around here and looking to pickup kiteboarding in 2018. I've been skiing since I can remember, wakeboarding during the summer, and other sports on a regular basis. I'm a little land locked being in main land Texas, but Houston is a short 4 hour drive and Corpus Christi a few more past that. Looking forward to an exciting year.

In the meantime, I've been researching launching and kite control techniques, probably amassed a dozen or so hours of video tutorials. Still plan on taking a lesson or two as there are aspects of the sport that I still have a hesitation on, even though I'm an avid skier/wakeboarder.

Also, I'm still gathering information on which 'starter' kite I should purchase. I would much rather grow into the kite than use it on a few occasions and have already out grown it. From what I understand is that I'll need more than one kite depending on water and wind conditions, so plenty of research is still required prior to making a purchase. I'll continue reading the stickies and browsing the used for sale section.

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Toby
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Re: Hello from Dallas, TX

Postby Toby » Thu Jan 04, 2018 5:36 pm

Welcome!!!

Texas has good winds at the coast!

Wakeboarding will help you a lot with board feeling.

You should get a cheap trainer kite 1-3 sqm and learn how the kite flies.

Buy the "Kiteboard Hero" app for small money...this shows you how to fly a kite, very realistic flying characteristics! Recommended!

And then do a course. And be sure all this together will get you going faster!

Keep us informed about your progress!!!

Looking forward to it!

Enjoy!

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Re: Hello from Dallas, TX

Postby FLandOBX » Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:21 pm

Hey, good2go. Welcome.

Toby's advice is good, and I can't add much to it. But, given your board experience, it's worth emphasizing that learning kiteboarding is more about kite control at first. Your skiing and wakeboarding experience is great, but it won't help you initially. First and foremost, you'll need to learn to control a kite, and that's a learning process separate from board skills.

As Toby said, buy a trainer kite (3m 2-line kite is fine) for a few hundred bucks (check used market), and practice flying it in a large field. Then, don't buy anything else until you take your lessons. Your lessons will confirm whether or not you want to pursue the sport and, if you do, lessons will provide a resource (your instructor) to learn about types of kites, harnesses, and board options. Then you can buy your kit with more knowledge.

Good luck and enjoy the journey! :thumb:

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Re: Hello from Dallas, TX

Postby rynhardt » Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:44 pm

good2go wrote:
Thu Jan 04, 2018 5:18 pm
I would much rather grow into the kite than use it on a few occasions and have already out grown it.
Get yourself a nice and stable mid-aspect 3 strut freeride kite, max 2-3 years old. You are unlikely to outgrow it anytime soon.

I'm landlocked as well with the closest spot some 2 hours away. Wish I had started with a friendlier kite to maximise my time on the water. I could probably have been up and riding in a few months instead of a year.

good2go
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Re: Hello from Dallas, TX

Postby good2go » Thu Jan 04, 2018 11:11 pm

rynhardt wrote:
Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:44 pm
good2go wrote:
Thu Jan 04, 2018 5:18 pm
I would much rather grow into the kite than use it on a few occasions and have already out grown it.
Get yourself a nice and stable mid-aspect 3 strut freeride kite, max 2-3 years old. You are unlikely to outgrow it anytime soon.

I'm landlocked as well with the closest spot some 2 hours away. Wish I had started with a friendlier kite to maximise my time on the water. I could probably have been up and riding in a few months instead of a year.
Thanks for the welcome.

Lessons are already planned for the month of January. Wetsuit will be required for water lessons. Plan on making it out to south Houston sometime in March/April to get in some warmer waters (I hate cold water).

I have already started looking around craigslist and ebay for used equipment. Being at just under 200lbs and with winds averaging around 12knots, I'm leaning toward kites that are 12m or 15m. Heard great things about Nash, to name just one.

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Re: Hello from Dallas, TX

Postby jakemoore » Fri Jan 05, 2018 12:17 am

If lessons are just a few weeks away just wait until your lesson before buying a big kite.

Flying the heck out of a trainer kite before the lesson will help improve the value of the lesson by an order of magnitude.

A 2 line trainer like 3m Sensei is also something that will be easier to share fun with friends and family.

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Toby
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Re: Hello from Dallas, TX

Postby Toby » Fri Jan 05, 2018 12:45 am

Agreed with waiting to buy your gear after your first lessons! You will know more precisely what you need!

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DWX
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Re: Hello from Dallas, TX

Postby DWX » Fri Jan 05, 2018 12:26 pm

good2go wrote:
Thu Jan 04, 2018 11:11 pm
rynhardt wrote:
Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:44 pm
good2go wrote:
Thu Jan 04, 2018 5:18 pm
I would much rather grow into the kite than use it on a few occasions and have already out grown it.
Get yourself a nice and stable mid-aspect 3 strut freeride kite, max 2-3 years old. You are unlikely to outgrow it anytime soon.

I'm landlocked as well with the closest spot some 2 hours away. Wish I had started with a friendlier kite to maximise my time on the water. I could probably have been up and riding in a few months instead of a year.
Thanks for the welcome.

Lessons are already planned for the month of January. Wetsuit will be required for water lessons. Plan on making it out to south Houston sometime in March/April to get in some warmer waters (I hate cold water).

I have already started looking around craigslist and ebay for used equipment. Being at just under 200lbs and with winds averaging around 12knots, I'm leaning toward kites that are 12m or 15m. Heard great things about Nash, to name just one.
I totally understand the excitement of buying your first gear! I remember I slept with my first board, I was so in love with it! Even though I could use my husband’s top shelf boards, it wasn’t until I got my own that I started feeling the stoke and making progress. I always took lessons with my own gear btw and it was OK. I don’t trust school material, terrified me.

But you are so green it really might be prudent to wait a bit till you understand what to buy.

With your weight & your conditions you will need a 19m very soon if you want to progress. A 12m in 12 Knots & 200 pounds, you’ll be sitting ducks in the water all day! A 12m will be useless to for a year, maybe 2!

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Re: Hello from Dallas, TX

Postby seaplus » Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:34 pm

Hey good2go,

I'm in N. Texas as well and our wind season here has been quite limited the last few years. Driving down to Corpus is your best bet
for lessons and relatively consistent winds (as well as shallow, flat water to learn in).

Wait until you're through with lessons before buying gear and use the knowledge of your instructor and others when choosing gear.

In your 1st year, you will crash that kite a few times and prolly have it flop around a time or two in the grass/brush,; so getting
something 2nd hand (affordable yet good quality) would be an economical idea.

I also believe that a Wave kite is easiest to learn to fly. They fly very stable, handle gusts, and rarely Hindenberg. Then a year
down the road you'll know what type of kiting you'll be doing ie...freeride, freestyle, airstyle, foiling, etc... and then buy a
crispy new quiver of kites for the style of riding you'll be doing.


Tim

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jeromeL
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Re: Hello from Dallas, TX

Postby jeromeL » Fri Jan 05, 2018 9:35 pm

A kiting buddy is moving to Dallas from New York, he told me that locals kite on some lake over there, wind is very gusty but pretty consistent.

Good luck.


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