My 10 year old boy is showing interest in kiting.
Been thinking it may be fun to get a bit of variety back into kiting by buying a twintip again. Now with my eldest boy interested, it would be fun to go with him. (Will get him some lessons too. Nails the trainer kite and body dragging with the 2m foil trainer).

After a decade of exclusively riding surfboards, I am really kinda lost what to look for after checking out the buy sell section. It seems to have changed a lot. . My last board was a 2005 Cabrinha Icon.

What is the advice on what kind of board to get? Dimensions, Stifness, Design aspects, fins? I looked at a few second hand boards and I had no idea. Not into a specific brand (any quality will do). Prefer a recent model I can get used an in good nic.

Info to help
* Kiting for almost 20 years - since the Naish ARX days in 2001. Since 2006 exclusively surfboards.
* Proficient and experienced.
* Weight is a bit higher than I'd like at 88 kilos. Height 6ft
* Ride around Perth, WA. Mostly the the city beach dog beach stretch close to my home. Will drive with my boy to flatter water locations.
* Tricks. Been so long. I could do the kite loops and most moves. Never quite nailed the big handle passes with a shoulder repair. Would like to get back into nice big railies and big jumps and spins... no hard hitting kiteloops to keep the knees healthy.
* Would stick with straps (and not go full bindings)

Any advice on what to look for is much apprecaited.

(And if you have kids, what to get a 10 year old. He is skinny and tall for his age).

Doesn't really matter that much just buy one and start riding it

Who is the board for? You or your son? (or both). If its for your son what is his weight? What kites do you have, sizes?

Plummet said..
I would say around 138-142cm x 40-42cm with intermediate rocker around 40-45cm.
Flexy at the tips and stiff in the middle.

Awesome thx. And noted 2014 onwards

Board for me yes.
Sadly. Very little free time to demo boards. Maybe at windfest? I travel too much for work.


Want to put him in kite school when warmer to see how he goes, before I buy my boy a board. (will keep letting him play supervised for our upcoming Gnaraloo trip then lessons thereafter in November .

GranG said..

Plummet said..
I would say around 138-142cm x 40-42cm with intermediate rocker around 40-45cm.
Flexy at the tips and stiff in the middle.

Awesome thx. And noted 2014 onwards

Board for me yes.
Sadly. Very little free time to demo boards. Maybe at windfest? I travel too much for work.


Want to put him in kite school when warmer to see how he goes, before I buy my boy a board. (will keep letting him play supervised for our upcoming Gnaraloo trip then lessons thereafter in November .

Something like what Plummet said. In the Ozone range the Torque or Code and if you still want to do dowwinders I'd go the Code

Liquid Force Moon Patrol hybrid, awesome fun, best of both worlds and coming back from a surfboard you'll enjoy the loose twin fin surfboard feel to it. Not directional, kite it both ways like a TT but is a dream toeside in waves.

high as a kite said..

Surfer62 said..
Liquid Force Moon Patrol hybrid, awesome fun, best of both worlds and coming back from a surfboard you'll enjoy the loose twin fin surfboard feel to it. Not directional, kite it both ways like a TT but is a dream toeside in waves.

Where was that pic taken Surfer?
Looks photo chopped to me

Got me haak, absolutely photoshopped, I was hanging off a tree at home, Sulawesi highlands in background from Google images

Catch up soon I need some foiling lessons, the Darwin crew turned me to the new dark side

Just a get as per above described board, but remove the little fins. Useless in any form of rudder-type control. If you "feel" you need them, keep the bottom two intact (heel side). Ever since I've taken mine out, I've had a lot more fun on sandbanks and shallowest of water.

^^^ what he said, especially because you probably don't have a kite over 9 or 10m any more