New kiteboarder in NC and SC area

[redman333]

I am new to kiteboarding and the forum. I first was interested in this last year. I am planning on buying new this summer and am looking for info on equipment to buy. I am 5'11" 180lbs. I have grown up snowboarding so I guess that will be my style(don't know if that helps). The wind conditions where I ride wil be around 10-15 mph regularly. I will be riding at wrightsville beach mostly and Carolina beach if I'm allowd too there. If there is anyone here that rides there I'd be happy to hear what sizes you ride with. I will also go to the outer banks a few times a season. I mostly need info on the kite, and bar. I think the harness and board I will just buy local so that I can try them and see what feels comfortable. Also I was looking at the liquid force envy. Is that a good kite?

[drspike]

this is an oft repeated line of quessioning. Take lessons. learn. let equipment follow. Not the opposite. Right now you are clueless. Thats ok. We all were once too. Lessons, don't hurt others, don't hurt yourself, learn kite safety/riding/staying upwind, launch/land safely...........purchase. Saves alot of money and band aids and crutches, sutures, etc. Your spot is not a beginner one for sure. You can end up in Europe with one mistake.

[redman333]

this is an oft repeated line of quessioning. Take lessons. learn. let equipment follow. Not the opposite. Right now you are clueless. Thats ok. We all were once too. Lessons, don't hurt others, don't hurt yourself, learn kite safety/riding/staying upwind, launch/land safely...........purchase. Saves alot of money and band aids and crutches, sutures, etc. Your spot is not a beginner one for sure. You can end up in Europe with one mistake.

I do plan on taking lessons. I am going to take them at real watersports at the outer banks first thing this spring. I know they will give me recommendations but just like when I learned how to snowboard they gave me recommendations and I found out I wasted money on a type of board I wasn't going to use. I have done some learning and have bought reals DVD learning discs and watched all of them so I have a basic understanding but the equipment still is foggy for me. I'd like to be able to go to the lessons and buy my equipment right after at their shop there. So before I go and take the lesson I'd like to have some working knowledge of what I'm looking for.


I apologize for the repeated question. I know how it is to be on a forum and have new members shop up asking the same questions. If you have links to good info here that has already been covered I'd be happy to look at that as well.

[edt]

I found out I wasted money on a type of board I wasn't going to use.

What kind of board did you get? Was it a racing snowboard or what?

I love all the new kites, the liquid force envy, north rebel, slingshot rally, best, flexifoil, ozone, if it's a 2011 or 2012 kite built for all purpose kiteboarding you'll do fine, each kite is a bit different but I like them all. If you buy an older kite especially something before 2006 you need to know what you are doing some are dangerous in terms of their safeties.

At 180 pounds a board between 125cm and 150cm will be fine and a 12m kite will work for your first kite but if you buy it from a local store listen to their suggestions on kite / board size.

[redman333]

I found out I wasted money on a type of board I wasn't going to use.

What kind of board did you get? Was it a racing snowboard or what?

I love all the new kites, the liquid force envy, north rebel, slingshot rally, best, flexifoil, ozone, if it's a 2011 or 2012 kite built for all purpose kiteboarding you'll do fine, each kite is a bit different but I like them all. If you buy an older kite especially something before 2006 you need to know what you are doing some are dangerous in terms of their safeties.

At 180 pounds a board between 125cm and 150cm will be fine and a 12m kite will work for your first kite but if you buy it from a local store listen to their suggestions on kite / board size.

No it wasn't a racing board, I knew that much not to get that but the board was very stiff and didn't have much spring to it. Also it was very narrow and the board that was sold to me was last years model and the company was trying to get it out of inventory knowing that I had a large foot and it wouldn't work well for me. I need a wide board. When I would carve my toes would hit the snow and cause me to wash out, not fun and not confidence inspiring. Things like this are info I'm looking for. What you said about buying an older kite is something I would have never thought about so thank you. I do actually plan on buying new. I don't know enough about them to buy used and what to look for when buying used. Another question I had, is it alright to mix and match equipment or should I stay with one brand for the kite, bar, and harness. I know the board shouldn't really matter all that much.

[edt]

. Another question I had, is it alright to mix and match equipment or should I stay with one brand for the kite, bar, and harness. I know the board shouldn't really matter all that much.

Absolutely you can mix and match bars and kites, though you might have to buy or make some pigtails to convert from knot to lark's head worry about 5th line 4th line, tensioned 5th or slack 5th and other adjustments.

For your first kite, it's just safer to keep bar and kite the same.

For the harness, don't buy it online, you want comfort more than anything for your harness and you can't tell how it fits on your body until you put it on. All harnesses are compatible with all kites and bars.

[redman333]

. Another question I had, is it alright to mix and match equipment or should I stay with one brand for the kite, bar, and harness. I know the board shouldn't really matter all that much.

Absolutely you can mix and match bars and kites, though you might have to buy or make some pigtails to convert from knot to lark's head worry about 5th line 4th line, tensioned 5th or slack 5th and other adjustments.

For your first kite, it's just safer to keep bar and kite the same.

For the harness, don't buy it online, you want comfort more than anything for your harness and you can't tell how it fits on your body until you put it on. All harnesses are compatible with all kites and bars.

Thanks. I'll definitely be buying the same kite and bar setup as one brand then. What you just said there confused me some. I understand generally what your talking about caused the DVDs I've watched have talked about it but if I had to make any adjustments I'd be making them with a very very small understanding of what I'm doing.

I was was planning on buying all the stuff in person actually right at the shop unless there is a huge price difference or they didn't have what I wanted. The board and the harness though I definitely wanted to try it on before buying them. I know board, harness, bar, kite, bag, and a pump. Is there anything else that I want to pick up. In your opinion at least. Thats one question that a sales man loves to hear but one that I'd like to already know the answer to.

[edt]

Is there anything else that I want to pick up

some sunblock, now get out there and start riding

[redman333]

Is there anything else that I want to pick up

some sunblock, now get out there and start riding

Haha good call. I can't wait. Need to wait til a little warmer weather. Should be here very soon though.

[CaptainArgh]

Just go check out your lesson first and don't sweat it. The research you are doing is good so you'll know if there is a particular brand or features that you want to check out.

In the end, if you are comfortable on the kite you learn on during your lesson, consider buying that one as your first kite. It is nice to be very comfortable with the first bar/kite you buy. It's one less thing to worry about when you have so much other stuff to learn. Alternatively, right after your lesson you can also rent a kite from them to try out something different.

I bought the kite I learned on and was glad. I was sold a board that I did not learn on and it was completely the wrong board for me at that time. It was a great board, but not a beginner deal at all. So, make sure your board is a nice big one that is easy to plane and have fun.