How can you afford to start kiteboarding?

[KingKoopa]

I've always wanted to do kitesurfing but lessons are way too expensive. Minimum 250 dollars for 2 hours. That's just basic lesson. Then if you want to know more that's another 250 dollars. I want to know how is it even possible to start this sport? There's no way I can speed that much money on such a small lesson. I would be willing to pay that ammount of money for a 4 day lesson but just 2 hours is asking for too much.

[plummet]

4 days for $250? is that a reasonable expectation? How would a kitesurf instructor live if he only charged $250 for 4 days work?

Personally I think $250 for 2 hours is steep. So look around for a deal.

Also if you want to save $$ on lessons. Go out and buy a small 1.5m trainer kite maybe ebay yourself up a shitter and spend a few weeks or month or so learning to fly the kite. When you can fly it without crashing it with your eyes closes... your ready for the next step

[edt]

I've always wanted to do kitesurfing but lessons are way too expensive. Minimum 250 dollars for 2 hours. That's just basic lesson. Then if you want to know more that's another 250 dollars. I want to know how is it even possible to start this sport? There's no way I can speed that much money on such a small lesson. I would be willing to pay that ammount of money for a 4 day lesson but just 2 hours is asking for too much.

kiteboarding is expensive no way around it.

skateboarding is a lot cheaper. snowboarding if you find a place with a cheap one day pass. wakeboarding if you only want to try it out and find someone who has a boat. climbing you can get into pretty cheap if you only climb indoors.

so yeah, you probably want to get around $2,000 to get started.

there's more expensive sports for sure. anything involving owning a boat can bankrupt you pretty quick. car racing that gets very pricy.

Running is dirt cheap just buy some shoes.

kiteboarding might not be the sport for you if you can't come up with the startup cost.

and i'm not sure if you know this but the costs keep on coming. once you have your lessons, and all your gear dont expect a kite to last more than 2 years if you ride it every week. Then there's the costs for kiteboarding trips, gasoline money driving to and from the launch fees for all the parks, parking fees, a new wetsuit every two years.

The steepest cost tho is the startup cost. it's a pretty big barrier and why the sport isn't more popular.

[KiteCulture]

Work for a kite company....or offer them a trade in service. You never know. Or talk to a shop and ask how you can maybe work it off, or trade hours....or help them with demos...all sorts of opportunities...and it's fun.

[SupaEZ]

Inheritance is the fastest way

[terier]

You compromise, like with everything in life.

Paid around 400€ for my first lessons in Canaries, withouth even getting in water ( wrong-dangerous wind direction). Had two year break (bunch of other hobbies too), then spend another 400€ for lessons in Corfu.
Yeah, not cheap, but would you put your self in a car withouth basic knowledge? Possibly kiling few bystanders/yourself and wrecking car? Just as easy cutting a throat of too curious watcher with lines or lifting and diving head first on some rocks. Those 250$ will be the best spend money in your kiting career.

Ps. Inheritance +1

[IanNJ]

School loan money/ credit card. It was the best decision i ever made.

[fogmeister]

the ones meant to kiteboard..........find a way!

[LetsFlyaKite]

Save your money man. All you need is 1 basic lesson for safety, maybe 2 if you want to learn how to stand.

And on craigslist you can buy a used set up now for under 1000, almost a fraction of what you would pay brand new. Buy yourself a set up and use it and abuse it and learn from it. Then you can buy a new set up with the knowlege you have of kiteboarding

[clint2070]

Im an iko instructor in san diego. The price youre talking about sounds out of control. My classes are performance based for the first 2 lessons. Theyre $150 each and last between 2-3hrs depending on the student. I recomend at least taking the first 2 lessons equallying $300. The first lesson takes you from trainer kite to being ready to enter the water with a real kite. The second one takes you up to boards starts. After that its $75 per hour because of everyones different learning speeds. After the second lesson most people branch off on their own. You can find a good used kite like a 12m naish ride for as low as $350 and a good used bar for $150. Decent board for $300 but dont ever buy anything without consulting your instructor or here on kiteforum. Despite us all talking smack on here, we're are pretty tightly knit group. Most of us help each other and go out of our way to help begginers. Its not competetive like surfing. Eventually youll need at least 2-3 kites and 2 boards but getting the primary gear suited for your area should come first. Youll never stop kiting once you start and it will change you forever. I only took the first lesson then learned the rest on my own with help from others. I again do recomend at least the first 2 lessons though