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There are a huge variety of kitesurfing and kiteboarding kites and gear out there to choose from. Navigating the options can be very confusing when you're new to the sport.
I'll separate this post into each different component of gear the you need to get going. These components are:
Kite
Bar
Harness
Safety Leash
Board
Pump
Kites
There are four main kite options, with two hybrid categories:
Beginner Friendly:
- Delta Kites
- Bow Kites
Not Beginner Friendly:
- C-Shape Kites/Hybrid C-Shape
- Foil Kites
Delta Kites
Delta Kites are the best kites for a beginner or rider who wants to be able to kite in a variety of different conditions which is why they are the main kites we use for lessons and for ourselves.
They combine the benefits of a bow kite with the benefits of the C-Shape Kite and without the downsides.
Delta Kites have a Supported Leading Edge which allows them to be used in a larger wind range due to the ability to change their angle of attack.
They are a medium aspect ratio kite, meaning they are shorter and fatter than a Bow kite which makes them more rigid and so the easiest kites to relaunch.
They will also turn faster than bow kites; allowing them to be used for wave riding where you need to turn the kite quickly to catch or manoeuvre around waves, but still have great stability for doing big air and jumps.
When You'd Use It:
- Learning
- General cruising
- Shredding Waves
- Sick Air
Strengths:
- Easy relaunch
- Turns quickly
- Big wind range (more kiteable days with fewer kites)
- Lots of depower
- Travels upwind well
Weaknesses:
- Not as much upwind capacity as a Bow Kite
- Can't turn as fast as a C-kite
Examples:
North Carve/Reach
Duotone Evo/Neo
Naish Pivot
Bow Kites
Bow kites are a Supported Leading Edge (SLE) kite, meaning they have a network of lines connected over the leading edge of the kite supporting it in holding its shape.
This does a couple of things for the kite's performance:
It allows the kite to tilt forward and backwards more, known as changing the angle of attack. This is what allows a kite to depower, which lets the kite reduce the amount of wind it catches and thereby the amount of power it delivers. This is hugely useful as it means if you get hit by a gust of wind you can just let your bar out and you'll lose a lot of your power. It also means you can use the same kite in a much broader range of wind conditions.
It makes the kite easier to relaunch when you crash it. As the leading edge's shape is supported your kite is less likely to collapse on itself when crashed and so you can get it back up in the air more quickly and easily; so more time kiting, less time floating in the water hating your life!
Bow kites are high aspect ratio kites, meaning they are long and thin. This makes them great at giving you sick big air jumps and decent ability to drive you back upwind, so after you do your massive jumps you can get back upwind to do them again super fast!
When You'd Use It:
- You want to get massive air
- You want to be able to ride upwind pretty easily
Strengths
- Big hang time
- Lots of depower (less kites, more days kiting)
- Great upwind drive
Weaknesses:
- Slow turning
- Easier to relaunch than a C, but not super easy as they are generally long and thin so can still collapse on themselves
- Backstalls and kite shape deforms quite easily when over-sheeted (pulling in the bar too much)
Examples:
North Orbit
Duotone Rebel
Naish Phoenix
Ozone Edge
C-Shape Kites
C-Shaped kites are Leading Edge Inflateable kites. They used to be the most common kites back in the early 2000s when kiting first started gaining momentum. They are less popular now with new Supported Leading Edge Technology leading to kites having larger wind ranges, better de-power and being easier to relaunch after a crash.
In contrast to bow and delta kites C-Shaped kites do not have a bridle (a network of lines which help support the shape of the kite) their steering and power lines are attached directly to the leading edge. This design allows the kite to turn extremely quickly but sacrifices its ability to adjust how much power the kite outputs through sheeting out the bar.
There are variations on C-Shape kites called Hybrid Cs. Hybrid Cs trade out the insanely fast turn initiation and responsiveness for easier relaunch and better depower capabilities by including a supported leading edge. They will still be faster to turn than any other non-C kite and are a bit more user friendly and can operate in a wider range of wind conditions than straight C-Shape kites.
When You'd Use It:
- You want to do unhooked tricks
- You f#cked up and bought one as a beginner because you didn't read this article and want to be confused about why you can't relaunch your kite and why you keep getting launched forward whenever you turn.
Strengths:
- Turns very quickly
- Not much depower (pro when you want to do unhooked tricks)
- Great for loops
Weaknesses:
- Not beginner friendly
- Hard to launch, relaunch, and land
- Very limited depower
- Limited styles of riding possible
- Narrow wind range (means you'll need more kites)
- Poor upwind ability
Examples:
C-Shapes:
North Pulse
Duotone Vegas
Core Impact
Naish Torch
Hybrid C:
North Carve
Duotone Dice
Naish Triad
Foil Kites
Foil kites are different to your regular kitesurfing or kiteboarding kites. They are more similar to the rigs paragliders use.
Your typical kitesurfing kite is an LEI (Leading Edge Inflatable) meaning you pump up the kite like an air mattress to give it shape and buoyancy.
Foil kites operate on a ram air system, where they get their shape from air passing through them like a wind sock.
This means they weigh significantly less than their LEI counterparts and so, have less drag and can operate in far less wind.
The caveat is that if you crash a foil kite into the water it will collapse, become waterlogged and be pretty much impossible to relaunch. Though there are now self-sealing ram air kites which will hold their shape for several minutes while in the water they are definitely harder to work with in aquatic environments but epic for land, snow kiting, or high speed kite racing!
When You'd Use It:
Snow Kiting
Hydrofoiling
Kite racing
Trainer kite
Kite Buggying
Strengths:
Go upwind extremely well due to limited drag
Can operate in very low wind due to minimal weight and drag
Great for use as a trainer kite due to being able to fly a smaller kite in less wind
Big hangtime
Weaknesses:
Not beginner friendly
Hard to launch, relaunch and land
Can't self-rescue on them
Slow turning speed
Examples:
Flysurfer Soul
Bars:
There isn't much to say here other than newer is better. Kite bars are the core of your safety system so if you're going to spend money anywhere this is where you will want to spend it. Newer is definitely better as there have been a lot of advancements occurring since 2023.
Since 2024 most main brands have a seatbelt chicken loop reset system which is very easy to use. Since 2018 most main brand bars have switched to a re-ride safety system which is generally considered the safest and most effective emergency release system.
Most bars are compatible with all kites with the addition of universal pigtails (attachments you can put on the end of your lines or your kite to let them work with different brands.) This will have an impact on the performance of your kite but you can look up how to trim your bar and kite to fix the performance impacts.
Harness
Harnesses come in two main types: Waist Harness
Seat Harness
Waist Harness
Waist harnesses are more suitable for more advanced riders as they tend to ride up onto the ribs of beginner riders due to poor technique. They come in hard shells and soft shells. Hard shells are generally more expensive and disperse the force of the kite across your back more evenly. Soft shells are generally cheaper and tend to apply the force to your back in a more narrow band which can lead to discomfort.
Strengths:
Greater Manoeuvrability for tricks, rotations and surfing
Better edging
Can handle more power
Weaknesses:
Can ride up onto ribs if you have poor technique
Harder to reach the bar if you have shorter arms
Can exacerbate back pain
Examples:
Hard Shell:
Mystic Stealth
Soft Shell:
Mystic Warrior
Seat Harness
Seat harnesses are great for beginners or people with back pain.
They have leg loops, similar to a rock climbing harness, which hold the harness on your hips, rather than letting it ride up onto your ribs if you have a habit of leaning forward when flying the kite. As they sit lower on your body you have less torque to even out the power of the kite so you cannot hold as much power as you could with a waist harness but this does mean the force is applied to your hips, rather than your back, which is preferable for some people with more sensitive backs.
Because the harness sits lower people with shorter arms may find it easier to use a bar with a full length throw. A full length throw (the rope or black plastic tube that the bar slides up and down) allows a kite to have a wider wind range and greater level of depower so it is preferable.
Strengths:
Takes pressure off back
Lets you use a longer throw
More comfortable if you're learning
Weaknesses:
Less ability to twist and rotate
Can't control as much power
Worse edging
Examples:
Mystic Marshall
Safety Leash
A super important piece of kit for your safety system. These are pretty inexpensive for how much they can save you. I've had numerous injuries and incidents from dealing with other people's old and deteriorating safety leashes causing their safety systems to fail and accidentally eject their kite or to not eject at all.
You can get leashes in a long and short form. Until you start doing unhooked tricks there is little reason to get a long leash. They are mainly for a very specific niche of kitesurfing.
Board
Boards come in all shapes and sizes. The more beginner you are the bigger and more square you will want your board. A bigger, more square, less flexible board allows you to edge upwind more easily but they don't jump very well and don't handle chop or waves very well.
The more advanced you become in different disciplines the more specialised you will become with your board choice.
Pump
Pumps are all pretty good, you just need to oil or grease them and clear them of sand and make sure you have the correct pump attachment for your kite.
If you are looking at purchasing new or second hand kites and want personalised advice go to Warners Bay Kite and SUP. Mention you came from us to get locals prices. We go to Dave for all the surfing, kite, sup and hydrofoil questions we can't answer!
If you are looking to level up your Kitesurfing, Hydrofoiling or Winging skills or join our social riding community contact us, we'd love to help and have you become part of the crew!
If you're interested massively progressing your kiting and riding in exotic locations check out our next tours here:
Beginner-Expert:
Advanced and beyond only:
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