Getting Started- Beginner Kiteboarding FAQs

Getting Started: Beginner FAQs and Articles

 

Getting started kiteboarding

 

So you're thinking about learning to kiteboard, or have just started getting into it and you're wondering where to begin. Well, obviously you're doing some research, and that's a great start. The more you know about your new passion, the faster you'll progress once you take those first steps out on the beach. We're rooting for you- welcome!

 

What is Kiteboarding?

Kiteboarding, or kitesurfing, is one of the most exhilarating of all water sports. Kiteboarding combines many athletic disciplines from kite flying, wakeboarding, surfing and even parachute jumping. Imagine being able to pull off all your favorite wakeboard moves all with one large kite and no boat. Ride for hours at a time with only the sound of the wind at your ears and no stopping to get on a lift or get on a boat. Read more...

What Are the First Steps in Kiteboarding?

Getting into a new sport like kiteboarding can seem overwhelming at first. Here's your roadmap to becoming a kiteboarder- safely! Read more...

How Do I Learn to Kiteboard?

Learning to kiteboard consists of three initial steps:
1. Learn to fly a two line / four line kite. No matter how strong your board skills are, they are useless until you learn how to fly a kite. Trainer kites are small two line / four line kites which allow you to practice the basic flying skills necessary to kiteboard, without investing in or damaging a full size kiteboarding kite. Read more...

Why Should I Take a Kiteboarding Lesson?

You've probably heard that it's a good idea to take a kiteboarding lesson. But is it really worth the cost? Here are the benefits you will get from your lesson investment. Read more...

Do I Need to Get a Trainer Kite?

Kiteboarding not only has a steep learning curve, but can quickly become very dangerous to not only you, but an entire beach, if you aren't properly trained. Furthermore, you can easily ruin your gear, and investment, by skimping on the learning process. Read more...

What Gear Do I Need to Go Kiteboarding?

When looking for gear, make sure to buy a complete kite which will include the lines, bar, safety systems, pump and carrying bag. A knowledgeable kiteboarding shop will help you get the right sized kite for your weight and riding conditions. Read more...

What Other Kiteboarding Gear Do I Need?

You have finally made that investment into kitesurfing, getting yourself a new kite, a slick-looking kiteboard, and a comfortable harness. You have everything you need to hit the water... But wait. Read more...

Is There a Checklist of Things I Need to Bring to the Beach?

Here is my "am I ready for the beach?" list. Although some of these items are optional, if you plan more than an hour or 2 on the water, most are necessary. You may want to print this out and use it your first 5-10 sessions, otherwise you will forget something. Read more...

What Do I Need to Know Before Buying New Gear?

You've taken your lesson and are ready to commit to the sport of kiteboarding. It's time to buy your own gear. Before you do, there are some things you'll want to avoid doing to keep from making an expensive mistake. Read more...

Is It Better to Learn On Used Kiteboarding Gear?

Buying used gear is how I got into the sport of kiteboarding. And while that can be a perfectly viable option, this is what I learned from my dealings with the second-hand kiteboarding market. Read more...

How Can I Protect Myself When Buying Used Kiteboarding Gear?

When buying a used kiteboarding kite, there are a couple important steps to take to better protect yourself as a buyer. While they aren't foolproof, the below tips will certainly create a methodical approach that will help make the transaction more secure. Read more...

How Do I Choose the Right Kite for Me?

This article will focus on a new rider looking for the proper kiteboarding kite for their first couple of years of riding. After you are an established rider, you will understand what style you are looking for and be able to pick a kite designed for your riding style whether that is waves, wake, free ride or freestyle. Read more...

How Big a Kiteboarding Kite Do I Need?

The most common and probably one of the best questions we get is, "how big a kite should I ride?" This is a great way to get educated, but also a very confusing issue. So here we go to help you wrap your head around which kitesurfing kite to buy. Read more...

Is a Waist or Seat Harness Better for Kiteboarding?

Seat harnesses are generally quite popular with people just learning to kitesurf. They tend to fit around the hips, with leg straps similar to those found on a climbing harness. Read more...

How Important Is a By-Pass Leash?

When new to the sport of kiteboarding, there are certainly a lot of different things to learn and consider! However, one thing that can very easily be overlooked by first-time kite surfers is the importance of a by-pass leash, often called a safety leash. Read more...

Should I Use a Board Leash?

One of the inescapable hardships of kiteboarding comes in the form of losing your kiteboard. It happens to everyone, from the new kitesurfer to the advanced rider. Read more...

Where Can I Kiteboard?

Don't try to launch or land at a crowded beach; you need at least 100 yards of open area to launch a kite safely. Also, before you even set up your kite, think about what is going to happen if you get blown downwind. Read more...

What Does a Good Kiteboarding Spot Look Like?

The answer to this question will vary based on what kind of riding you enjoy as well as your skill level. For instance, most riders enjoy flatwater riding, but wakestyle and kitesurfers often enjoy waves to use for jumps and surfing. Read more...

What is the Wind Window?

The wind window is the area of the sky where the kite is able to fly. If you think of half of a dome existing downwind of the flier, this will give you the basic idea. The distance to the dome's wall (back of the window) from the flier is determined by the length of the kite lines. Read more...

What Are the Differences Between Trainer Kites?

Trainer kites come in either 2 or 3/4 line styles. Typically the smaller kites come with just 2 lines and the more powerful kites (over 3m) come with 3 or 4 lines. In terms of flying, a 2-line kite flies just as well as a 3 or 4-line. Read more...

How Do I Choose a Trainer Kite?

Some trainer kites have additional features that make the flying experience a little easier; however, these additional features don't necessarily make the kite the right choice for you. Read more...

What are the Different Parts of a Trainer Kite?

Your first 6-10 hours of kiteboarding lessons depend highly on your kite flying skills. Virtually all MACkite students who have flown a trainer prior to a lesson progress twice as far and twice as fast. Here is a breakdown of kiteboarding trainer kite terminology and size charts. Read more...

How Do I Use My Trainer Kite to Learn to Kiteboard?

Spending at least 4-10 hours on a trainer kite prior to a lesson will allow you to advance at a much faster pace than coming in with no kite flying experience. Learning to kiteboard is 80% kite flying, and every hour you spend flying prior to trying to put a kiteboard on your feet will double your chances of getting up and NOT crashing your kite in the water. Read more...

Can I Use a Harness Loop with my Trainer Kite?

You can add a harness loop to your trainer kite, but it is important to remember that there is no quick release on the harness loop. You can only get free by pulling the kite down and out of the fixed loop on your kiteboarding trainer kite. Read more...

Can I Pull a Kayak with my Trainer Kite?

I would suggest you go with a trainer 3 meters or larger. I am a really big fan of the Rush Pro 350 for the money. But it sounds like you may want to play with it in the water and that is where a Hydra will shine since you can water re-launch the kite. Read more...

I'm a Skateboarder- How do I Learn to Kiteboard?

Grab a 3 meter kiteboarding trainer kite and practice your kite skills. Once you can fly pretty well (takes about 4-8 hours) then you can grab your long board, skateboard, or your snowboard and do some riding. Read more...

How To Improve Your Board Skills

If you have some experience riding sideways on a wakeboard, snowboard, skateboard, surfboard, windsurfer, or mountain board, then you likely have some board skills. But what if you have no board skill and still want to learn to kiteboard quickly? Read more...

What Exercises Can I Do to Kiteboard Better?

Like any sport, the more practice you put into kiteboarding, the better your riding will be. One factor that is so often overlooked though when bettering your kiting ability is preparing off of the water. Read more...

5 Tips to Making Kiteboarding Easier

1. Get a wide/ flat board. This will increase the planing ability and allow you to stay on top of the water with less power from the kite. It will also allow you to make better progress upwind. A bonus to going big to start is that you can keep this board for lightwind days after progressing to a high performance style of board. Read more...

5 Tips to Making Kiteboarding Safer

So I've been kiting for 7 or 8 years now and have luckily avoided injuring another person. I mean luckily because I've done some stupid things! So here are some tips to avoid injuring others within your kiteboarding vicinity. Read more...

How Can I Break It to My Significant Other That I Want to Kiteboard?

So, you've decided to get into kiteboarding or kitesurfing... Do you happen to have a girlfriend, wife or significant other? If so, you need to sit them down right away and "have the talk". Read more...

How Can I Become a Part of the Kiteboarding Crowd?

As a newbie, it can be a little intimidating the first few times, or more, when you show up at your new, local beach to go kiteboarding. When you look around, it appears that everyone else has it all together, and you probably feel like you're sticking out like a sore thumb. Read more...

I'm, uh, Big-Boned... Can I Kiteboard?

Hi, I'm Jake and I like to eat and kiteboard. Oh, and yeah- I weigh 260 lbs. To give you a little background, in 2006 I blew out my foot while kiteboarding. Actually, I was trying to do a hooked in back-roll kite-loop that went horribly wrong... Read more...

How Does Sheeting a Kitesurfing Kite Work?

Put simply, sheeting is changing the angle of your kitesurfing kite relative to the wind. When you move the control bar closer and farther away from yourself, you are sheeting the kite. Read more...

What Does a Trim Strap Do?

The trim strap is always accessible from the bar, more popular configurations delivered in the form of fabric straps, stopper balls, or strap/cleat systems. Identifying the trim strap is something that should be done during your pre-flight check when on a new kite. Read more...

I Sail- Will This Help Me Learn to Kiteboard?

While all wind sports have some similarities, sailing and kiteboarding concepts are closely linked. Both kiteboarding and sailing involve placing the sail at an angle to catch wind, then using fins or the edge of the craft to sheer that power into movement. Read more...