Hi guys!

My wife and i had our first lesson today in st kilda. It is safe to say that we both have caught the bug. We have booked in another 2 lessons.

looking for some advice on gear:

- i am 6'1 and weigh 100kg
- wife is 6'1 and weighs 75kg

looking for advice on what gear to buy and the best place to get it from. We want inflatable kites. I'd imagine we couldn't share the same size as there is quite a large difference in weight.

not after the latest and greatest just quality no frills gear.

we have two kids together and a mortgage so not really interested into getting into an argument about supporting local business. Just after where to get the best deals be it locally or overseas.

I am an avid mountian biker and i can save at least 30% by purchasing overseas rather than locally. Also there is quite a large second hand market. Is the same true for kiting gear? What should i look out for. Our inflatable kite seemed to loose air today and begin to fold so i imagine that would be one thing to look for.

Anyway we are both starry eyed complete novices with little to no knowledge on the topic so any advice would be much appreciated.

cheers

Hi thedrizzle

Since you only had 1 lesson, my advice is to avoid rushing into buying gear. Spend more money/time on lessons until you and your wife are genuinely independent, confident and can ride the board comfortably in both directions. Depending on your progression pace, this may require more time/money than you initially thought. The step between getting out of lessons and practicing on your own without supervision can be a big one, mostly depending on the quality and amount of tuition you got.

Too many newbies rush into being gear without actually being competent or independent. This creates dangerous situations for you and other people around you.

There will always be good deals on gear and money to be saved.

Christian

These days there is very little difference in build quality/longevity between most brands. Almost half of all kite brands in the World are produced under the same roof in the very same factory in China, using the same materials.

A few (usually more expensive) brands use their own factory and will typically use more advanced materials which can lead to better build quality and more longevity.

As a beginner you won't notice the difference between brands, as long as you choose the correct size and correct shape (model) of kite. You preferably want something that is Delta-Shape, that has good low-end (especially for yourself with 100kg) and top end performance, easy relaunching and good upwind performance. Most, if not all modern Delta-shape kites tick all those boxes.

It's a bit like if I went on a mountain biking forum and asked what's the best option/deal for a mountain bike for a beginner...there are SOOO many options that would be suitable. People will recommend what they already use or had a good experience with, so all opinions are somewhat biased whether they come from a shop, an instructor, a team rider or an average kiter who has no brand affiliation whatsoever. Use Google to find out what people say about certain kites, there are tons of reviews out there for just about any kite.

As for use on the snow, any water kites can be used on the snow. The only (major) difference between water and snow is that you will need about half the power to kite on the snow vs water. This means if you need a 12m kite @100kg to enjoy 15-25 knots on the water, this same kite will be useful for about 7 knots to 15 knots on the snow. Any more than 15 knots on the snow you would really prefer to have a much smaller kite like an 8m for example.

Christian

I can get a pretty good deal on some second hand 2010 cabrinha switchblade kites w/ bars in 12m for me (100kg) and 9m for the wife (75kg). Apparantly they have had an easy life with minimal use when they were being used and no use in the last 5 years. Worth looking at as first kites?

thedrizzle said..
I can get a pretty good deal on some second hand 2010 cabrinha switchblade kites w/ bars in 12m for me (100kg) and 9m for the wife (75kg). Apparantly they have had an easy life with minimal use when they were being used and no use in the last 5 years. Worth looking at as first kites?

U wouldn't want to be paying any more than a couple hundred for each of those....but still not worth it!

i just want to point out to u that ur getting quality advice from Christian, so please take heed of what he is saying.
his attention to detail and safety is second to none....

This is exactly why i put this thread up here. So much valuable information to take away from members on forums. I really appreciate the input, just got a bit carried away thinking we could get kites super cheap. Current safety systems are a must. The linked video was quite concise. Cheers

If it helps - I was in a similar situation last year. Got the buzz from some lessons and wanted to buy something as soon as I could (lets go!!). I looked at the second hand stuff on line but I knew very well that I'd have no idea what I was looking at and that there was a fair chance I'd buy something that was already stuffed - so I bought new. I ended up going with Switch gear and then bought a (very big) board from a local guy. Switch advised me on sizes for the local conditions and my weight (I'm about the same size as you are). Consensus seems to be that its decent enough gear and given my level I'd say that its fit for purpose. I was happy that I'd kept my investment down and in retrospect (given how little I've had chance to use it) it was a good decision.

The downside is that I haven't made friends at the local shop who might help me out post lessons. I've given my lack of progress (basically kite time) quite a bit of thought and IMO the big challenge is (for myself at least) that once you have had lessons you're still a liability to yourself but you need to practice without having a disaster, and for this you ideally need some assistance/supervision - but you can't spend $200 for an instructor everytime you want to fly your kite. Chances are your existing instructor/school will be happy to help you launch and have you around (keep half an eye on you) when teaching, but then you have to schedule / be available on those times (and of course wind is required). So my finding is that getting a mate(s) to help launch/land and keep an eye on you is as important as getting gear - this is hard to resolve - but a local shop may be better placed to offer link ups for post lessons support with other friendly locals. So buying in a busy shop with a good community and support may be better value in terms of making progress as you'll be able to get out kiting more post lessons (with a buddy).

My other finding is that its generally windy on Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday when I'm at work and less so on the weekend. Which doesn't help. Also 20% of the time when it is blowing, and I can get out, its too strong for my big kite in the hands of a kook.

Its been a remarkably frustrating journey but we're slowly getting there.

I appreciate that this isn't exactly an answer but hopefully it gives you some perspective from a bit further down the line.

Cheers

UTB

Keaw Yed. said..
Find out which shops in your area have the better reputation. Speak to a couple of them re advice, kite size etc.
See if they have any last season or demo kites for sale that are suitable for you.
This way if you buy a demo kite you will also get the support of the shop.
I would say that buying a demo kite from a shop is the way to go if you cannot afford a new kite.

Good advice. The kites will hold some resale value and the shop will be available to assist with any gear issues.

thedrizzle said..
I can get a pretty good deal on some second hand 2010 cabrinha switchblade kites w/ bars in 12m for me (100kg) and 9m for the wife (75kg). Apparantly they have had an easy life with minimal use when they were being used and no use in the last 5 years. Worth looking at as first kites?

2010 kites - worth nothing now and you wont be able to sell them in a couple of years time.

Buy superseded or demo stock from your local kite shop. You'll be able to sell your gear down the track. Plus the gear will work and have at least a couple of years with little or no issues. You'll have after-sales support if you need some rope sliced, a spare part, or a quick valve replacement.

NorthernKitesAUS said..

it was more dangerous in the 2000s but ppl also took less risks back then imho. Or better said, they kite at more extreme winds or at more locations.

- i am 6'1 and weigh 100kg
- wife is 6'1 and weighs 75kg

That is actually perfect to share kites because you can have a 3 kite quiver which you share between both of you rather than 2 kites each.
Depending on how much you wind you get you could get a 14/11/8 or so.

NorthernKitesAUS said..

Fly on da wall said..

NorthernKitesAUS said..

What kites were you using?> 2009 kites were lame as.... ??

?? Of course they were lame compared to today's kit. What's your point?

Nah, 2009 kites were lame compared to 2000 model kites..
My point... Where have you been?
2009 kites are safe as! Just ask your local shop.. LOL!