Kite boarding..

Hi,

Have been a keen mountainboarder for a number of years now and wanted to start using a kite (seen people doin it on black'eath common and it looks fun ) But have no real idea of which type I need. I went to a kite shop in bluewater over the weekend and the teenager in there didn't really have a clue so thought i would turn to the org for help. Did some kite surfing in australia so have a bit of experience.

So, if theres any kite boarders out there would be grateful for some advice, make, size...etc not looking to spend loads so will prob go 2nd hand...

main issue are

Do you want to use it on water? It might not be water "re-launch able", but inflatables aren't as tough when they hit the deck.
Do you want lift or speed? Boarders usually want lift for jumps.
Size - up to you really. 3m or 5m is usually a good idea for land boards because they have less rolling resistance than a wakeboard.

Handles or bar doesn't matter too much because you can convert it either way.

I've got a 3m blade 3. It produces stupid lift, but not much torque. Because of that lift it can be a bit difficult getting on the board as it has a lot of drag downwind. Because land boards have a lot lateral grip, you tend to get pulled off! Once going, it's fine, but tricky to start. Scudding and jumping though is ace.

Maybe we should meet up? You can give mine a try and see what you think.

John

I've done a bit of powerkiting and it's great fun, but be warned that it can be hard to find somewhere local to play around, esp if you've got a buggy/board as well. This has been our main problem, and is also my excuse for being a bit crap at it

Basically you'll need a few kites to cover different weather conditions. We've got a 2m kite which was useful to learn about flying and good for the buggy (and trust me that has more than enough pull on a very windy day!), plus a 4.9m Blade which gives lift for jumps, boarding etc. Did have some others but we don't go so much now so sold them

this is quite a good source of info: http://community.flexifoil.com/

also make sure that you check out Middle Wallop kite & buggy festival - there's a great atmosphere and people are always friendly and ready to help

Pretty sure i wont be using it in water, and as for lift vs speed a good alrounder would be good...Yeah meeting up sounds good, do you know blackheath thor? The guy in the shop said the one I needed was £300ish dya know what i should be payin for a 2nd hand one?

I know blackheath. Trouble is finding the time! Pm me your number?

Originally Posted by poisonidea

Hi,

Have been a keen mountainboarder for a number of years now and wanted to start using a kite (seen people doin it on black'eath common and it looks fun ) But have no real idea of which type I need. I went to a kite shop in bluewater over the weekend and the teenager in there didn't really have a clue so thought i would turn to the org for help. Did some kite surfing in australia so have a bit of experience.

So, if theres any kite boarders out there would be grateful for some advice, make, size...etc not looking to spend loads so will prob go 2nd hand...

hey dude
i got some gear im trying to get rid of.

stop kite surfing a while ago.

have a twin tip and a 11.5meter kite ready to go.