To Rent or Buy?

[ChickenTikka]

I have to fly to another country to kite because of where I live, usually.

While I own three kites, lately I've found renting to be easier and frankly better for me. By renting I always get the latest kite, the perfect size, and I don't take any risk if the kite rips in half. I'm more willing to try new stuff. I don't have to worry as much about packing it up perfectly or getting rid of sand. I'm also not kiting on old shitty stuff either.

I'm currently in the market for a new kite but I've put it off now for the past six months because of this. I figure I'm not alone in this regard. I get three to four weeks of kiting per year and rental for that costs me roughly 300-500 euros. I have my own board and harness so that saves me some rental costs.

For that money, it seems to me that I'm way better off renting. Anybody else doing the same?

How much do you have to kite to make it worth your while to own it?

[ChickenTikka]

It seems to me that there are a lot of guys kiting on old shitty kites just because they own them, haven't ripped them yet, and can't bring themselves to buy a new one.

I also know heaps of addicted kiters who have three to four generations of old equipment sitting around their house which they don't use.

[tautologies]

Cannot rent kites around here. Too much risk I guess. I cannot see how it could be more beneficial for me to rent either way tho...

[Ned Divine]

I also know heaps of addicted kiters who have three to four generations of old equipment sitting around their house which they don't use.

Have we met?
PS The cost of owning two or three up-to-a-reasonable-two-year-old kites, per year, is more than the money you pay to rent. So thumbs up, I fully agree!

[Hard2Handle]

I would say buy new kites and move a location where you can kite more then a few weeks.

[Toby]

300-500 Euro for 4 weeks?

I rather think per week!

For that low price I would always rent too!

[ChickenTikka]

I rent, just the kite, for 130 euros a week in Sri Lanka. I went their three different weeks this season. 390 Euros.

Yeah, I bet this stuff isn't possible in more western places because everything is expensive. Still even 200 euros a week seems better then spending 3000 on two different kites that may not be the right size that I need on a given day.