Kitesurfing Equipment

 by: Jakob Jelling

You are ready to take on the extreme sport of KiteSurfing, you are ready to pound the surf and soar across the water and above the waves. In order to start you will need to purchase KiteSurfing equipment that will provide both safety and quality. The last thing you need happening is equipment failure as you jet across the ocean at a high rate of speed.

Many accidents can occur, but with the proper training and safety instruction the risk can be reduced significantly. Make no bones about it; KiteSurfing is a radically extreme sport. It may not be as dangerous as parachuting out of an airplane but it has other hidden dangers that aren’t always noticeable.

Before you set out you will want to purchase a setup that is cost-effective and will provide protection. You want to be safe and you want the equipment to work at all times. A Wet suit is a necessity. You never know when you may lose your kite in the water you will need to keep yourself buoyant as you swim, sometimes a long while to recapture your kite and other times into shore when your kite goes out to sea.

You will also need a life jacket or as it is known as a buoyancy jacket that will keep you afloat should you tire while swimming into shore or after your kite. A board leash, perhaps the only thing that keeps your board on your feet, the board leash straps around your ankle and stays attached when you crash or land in the water.

A safety release is strap that attached you to the control bar. Once attached it allows you to add slack to one side of the kite and guiding it down into the water safely. A safety release can be 2 or 4 line and also can be used for inflatable and framed kites. Foil kites must be carefully navigated downwind to bring them down into the water.

There are three types of kits: inflatable kites, single skin framed kites and ram air foil kites. All of these kites can be launched from within the water. Inflatable kites are blown-up with a pump on the sand and are slowly lifted as the surfer approaches the beach line. Special precautions must be held so that innocent passersby do not get hurt. It is much better for any kite to be launched from within the water instead of the sand.

There are several quality kite makers that supply the various shapes, colors and sizes including: Wipika, Naish, Sea Jump, Seasmik, KiteSki, C-Quad, Banshee, Concept Air and fOne. The price of the kite will range from $ 500 to $ 1,500. You can find many places on the web as well as in surf pro shops that will get you started from about $300 and up. Some people have been creative and created their own kites.

The last piece is the board. Most boards are rigid, thus there is very little movement involved. Your feet become harnessed to the board and a leash is recommended so you do not lose the board after a crash or re-entry from the sky. A typical board can range from $ 500 to $ 1,200.

Remember, your safety and well-being are tied to the equipment you use, it is wise to do research on the various brands available and if at all possible try them out before you buy them. This way you can tell if it fits you well and is easy to maneuver.