So I have been reading up on kitesurfing and boarding and I am ready to buy a kite. I have been on every type of board in my life and mostly wakeboard 6-7 times a week. I know it different but I am a very quick learner and very conservative with my money. I am debating on going with a trainer(ocean rodeo 2m rise) or buying a used cheap kite online. eBay is mainly where I have been searching. Right now there is a gin Zulu 3 7m kite bar and lines would you recomend this kite for a quick learner. Not planning on heading out in 15-35 winds to start with it going to fly on land for awhile and get the hang of controlling and steering the kite. Also how well will kitesurf g kites hold up for snowboarding in the winter time? I was also looking on kite-line.com they have a slingshot key 7m and a slingshot fuel 5m with bar and lines for under 500. Which kite should I buy? Any help toils be greatly appreciated. I have read most of the stories of taking a lesson and learn small first but I know I will get bored with a trainer I also plan on taking a lesson or two next spring just looking for help with a kite to buy that can be sed in low winds but also be a good transition when I'm ready for the shallows. Thanks for taking the time to read glad I found this site to get info and help

You need to provide your weight, anticipated board size and kiting conditions.

Once you know these variables, it is somewhat easier to pick a kite size.

There are some very good deals in starter kites in the For Sale section on this forum. Be sure to look there as well.

-joedy

I am 5"10 200 pounds medium size lakes with maybe 1-2 trips a week to beach in the summer I live in central Massachusetts so mostly travel to play but I would also do a lot of snow kiting with it and just flying it in open fields going to check the sale section now thank you

A foil makes a lot of sense. Something like a Flysurfer or a Matrixx will give you both water and land kiting options.

Insofar as a LEI, I recommend something around the 12m-13m range. This should open up those 15 knot plus days for you.

If you want to go lower, a light weight LEI or a Flysurfer Speed 3 series will get you going.

You're better off with one kite and two boards instead of the other way around when you are starting. (For water kiting, that is.) Having another water kiteboard will give you some more choices depending on what the wind ends up blowing at.

For snow kiting, a 10-12m foil should fit you well when the wind is about 12 or more knots.

-joedy

There is a 10m Pulse on here at a fantastic low price.

Great all round kite and nobody builds them better than Flysurfer! It will take a beating on land and then take you to the water.

There is a HUGE amount to learn before going to a 10m kite ! I highly suggest you also buy a small trainer foil to learn the ropes. Shotcutting this important step will actually work against you big time. Odds of you or your kite coming out damaged are huge. FAR better to set those memory reflexes on a kite you can fly rather than a protecting yourself from a kite that is flying you !

Going from zero to an LIE on land is a recipe for frustration. You will destroy it . Or it will destroy you !

get a trainer and or a 3m... you will always need them....very well spent $$$.

You need a trainer!!! 80% of kiting is kite control. I have been spanked by a 4.5M kite from an accidental pass through the power zone. Kiteboarding is also different than wakeboarding in that you have to edge your board to prevent getting pulled down wind. A 3-4 meter fixed bridal should be a good starting kite. Post what you find and we will tell you if the kite is a go or a no. Feel free to ask any more questions and welcome to the addiction:tumble:

If you are in Mass, you need to hook up with the NE crew! They ride at Nahant quite a bit! Not sure where that is in relation to your location, but what a great group of guys to ride and learn from!

Welcome and good luck!

I think I might stick to the smaller kite. Prob the hydra 350 question about the hydra though will it have a good amount of pull in high winds that I could possibly get up on a board in the water.? Or I can just buy a small trainer and the 10m flysurfer pulse and practice on the trainer then move to the 10m?

Yes, you can buy both at once.

If you are a quick learner figuring things out on the trainer can happen pretty fast. Still it is important to put in that time and set your reflex reactions on the trainer kite.

You will need a harness to fly the Pulse. Get a feel for being hooked in with your trainer . Do it a bit at a time only hooking in to rest up and walk back upwind at 1st. You actaully progress much faster in this sport taking the right baby steps . Throwing yourself under too much kite too early actaully slows progress.

3m kite on a bar is good but to enjoy the 3m foil to it's maximum and get the most out of it handles are the way to go. With them you get fine individual brake control. On a bar brakes are not in your control during flight.

Lessons are very important ! Best money you will spend. Still having some kite control going in will get you your best bang for buck.

LEI will suit you for land and water once you don't crash the kite a lot. I would suggest spend money on the trainer and lessons over trainer and Pulse?

You could.

Generally, most instructors will have you progress from 2-line (or possibly 3-line) trainer kites until you have control (and more importantly) understanding of the wind window and how it affects the pilot.

Riding a kiteboard with a Hydra is technically possible. (See Chris Shultz's HQ Hydra video on YouTube.) An expert rider did manage to get up on board with a Hydra, but here's the catch: he could on go directly downwind and only by spinning the kite in the power zone. Hence, he had no control and no depower aside from just letting the bar go. The problem is that with the Hydra's third line, once you spin and wrap the flying lines a dozen times or so, the brake line gets caught up in the line wraps and won't work. This is a recipe for disaster because if you let the kite bar go, you will still be strapped to the kite killer wrist harness. Imagine being dragged through the water by your wrist by an uncontrolled and powered kite; it's not fun and will likely get you killed or hurt.

What the Hydra excels at is shallow water-based training and body dragging. You will be amazed at what a small 3.5 meter kite can do with a 20 knot wind. In shallow water, you can usually find a spot that doesn't have beach goers. Water training usually (but not always) means that there is less danger of damaging the kite in the crashes. The Hydra is great for teaching reverse foil launches and this skill is directly applicable to the larger foil kites.

Never, never, NEVER take a Hydra out in off-shore winds! You will be dragged out to sea. Body dragging is fun and you quickly loose track of time and distance. I have flown my Hydra in parallel-to-the-beach winds and body dragged for miles. Keep in mind though, that it's a LONG walk back home. Body dragging is also tiring; it's like doing non-stop pullups.

-joedy

I'm going to go against the accepted wisdom here - other than to agree you should get a lesson or 2 from an instructor or an experienced kiter.

Forget having one kite that does everything its not a good idea. its like buying a hybrid bicycle so you can ride trails and on the road - really you just bought something that is unsuitable for both...

If you want to learn to kitesurf then get an LEI - something modern (2009 or newer) and get in the water. I would start with a 12m at your weight. Once you start learning board starts, even that will feel underpowered until its blowing a good 17-18mph but you learn more underpowered.

If you have never flown a kite before then deal with that by getting a lesson. one that starts with a foil and builds to an inflatable. This will save you masses of time and save you buying a trainer.

Do not fly your LEI on land until you can keep in in the air during a crash (don't worry you will quickly get lots of practice) to get used to the kite fly it in waist deep water if you loose control you won't hurt yourself and if things go badly wrong pop the safety and start over. once you can control and relaunch the kite easily start body dragging then get another lesson and introduce the board.

Practicing with a big LEI in the water is far safer than with a 3.5 - 4m foil on land. you can get rag-dolled all over but you won't get hurt. Choose you wind conditions carefully though 12-16mph to begin with and cross on or onshore wind.

If you want to be extra safe get a set of short lines. a 12m LEI on 10m lines is basically a big toy unless its very strong wind. (short lines stop the kite gaining speed/power) then you can learn how the kite works with total confidence.

If you are going to kite on your own then closed cell foils (Neo's, Arcs, flysurfers) are not really safe. They will only stay inflated for minutes and you cannot pack them down in deep water. OK this is a very rare worst case consideration but better safe than sorry!!!

Buying a hq Beamer tsr 3.6 going to learn how to fly that around till next year when I'll take a lesson at the beach also have learned this will be a decent kite when the snow comes on my board. Then prob a couple lessons next year and hold off on buying my own kiteboarding set up till after the wedding next year. I know there's a guy up bye seabrook newhampshire that does lessons called powerline sports. Or maybe I'll see if anyone in the newengland area would like to meet up and make some extra cash... Thanks for all the help

Sounds like a solid plan !

I got my 1st snowkite runs on a very similar kite. Get it and get used to it before the snow flies ! You will need to take it out in pretty strong wind to get going on snow.

Lives2fly is mostly right about getting the right kite for the job. I think this applies more once you are pushing your limits. Once you have the skills there is no reason not to use an LEI for snow other than some minor agro pumping. I would suggest that much more than 50% of snowkiters like their LEI from water. Something to be said for knowing your kite intimately. Sure , you will want a less aggresive kite on land but sizing down is also an option ???

I DO think that Flysurfer make a top quality cross over kite. That if you are going to be flying on land and learning that a Flysurfer will stand up long after an LEI would be destroyed. That getting to be " as one " with a Flysurfer before hitting the water allows you to think more about the board and less about an unfamiliar kite.

Best route by far is the one you are taking. Get used to flying / riding on snow then beat up the instructors gear during lessons. By then you will have a much better idea of what you want for the second kite.