How does it work?

New to Kiteboarding?

If you’ve seen kitesurfing, snowkiting or landboarding and know that you simply have to give it a try, then you probably have a lot of questions on how to get into the sport.

What is kiteboarding?

The term “kiteboarding” covers kiting activities done on various terrains. Kitesurfing is done in the water, snowkiting is done on the snow with skis or a snowboard, and landboarding is done on the land on a mountain board. If you stand on a board and use a kite to be pulled along by the wind, it's kiteboarding.

With the right equipment, experience, and wind, you can kiteboard anywhere that is a clear area free of physical obstacles.

Can anyone kiteboard?

Absolutely yes. Age, ability or even disability should be no barrier to learning to kitesurf. If you can stand up, and know your left from your right, you can learn to kiteboard. While it helps to be in good shape, it does not require as much upper body strength as you might think; it’s actually more about finesse than brute strength. A harness worn around your waist enables you to “hook in” to the power of the kite, and most of the kite’s pull is absorbed throughout your entire body and not just through your arms. It is thus possible to kite for very long periods of time.

How do I start kiteboarding?

Take lessons with a good instructor. As well as running our own state of the art teaching facility on Long Island, an hour east of New York City, we also have a school network with hundreds of fully qualified instructors who work in conjunction with our retail partners. Click here for our full retail partner and schools listing.

Why do I need instruction?

Would you teach yourself to freefall parachute? A kite that is big enough to put you thirty foot into the air when it all goes right is big enough to put you into hospital when it all goes wrong. In the wrong conditions and in the wrong hands a big kite can be very dangerous; you owe it to yourself and those kiters that you will be riding with to seek out the best instruction possible.

But the equipment is so expensive ... do I really need to take lessons? Is this just a ploy to make me spend more money?

Yes, you really do need to take lessons, and no, it is not just a money-making ploy, and as soon as you are handed a large inflatable 4-line kite, you will suddenly understand why you want someone there showing you what to do. If you want to make the most of your lessons, we recommend that you buy a small 2m or 3m trainer kite, and practice flying that until you can fly it blind without thinking about it. Then you can go to your first lesson ready for a bigger inflatable and get into the water as soon as you learn about safety and proper rigging.

Tell me a little more about Kiteboarding. I already do other board sports. How is kiteboarding different?

If you windsurf, surf, snowboard, skateboard or wakeboard , then you will have many of the board skills required to kiteboard. Eighty-five percent of the sport is about kite control, however, and first you will need to learn safety and kite control before you can attempt to combine kite flying and board riding.  Kiteboarding is somewhat similar to these sports, except you use an inflatable kite to harness the wind for propulsion. Once you are able to steer your kite across the sky, controlling both the power it delivers via the bar, and your direction of travel by proper edging of the board, you will be able to go anywhere and do anything.

Kitesurfers are able to tackle any conditions from butter flat lagoons to charging overhead surf. Having an inflatable Best kite allows you tackle any line up as if you had your own personal watercraft. Every session becomes a tow-in session.

 

Snowkiters can drop out of the lift queue, journey away from the Piste, and explore the endless backcountry that is normally only accessible by helicopter or snow-mobile. With a Best kite in your hands, you have the power to ride wherever you want, uphill and downhill, whenever you want.

 

Landboarders and buggy riders can use a kite to propel themselves across any open field or beach area, popping tricks and taking to the air however they wish. Any open area becomes a 3D terrain park for your enjoyment, and you don't have to pay to ride.

What equipment will I need?

First of all, do not buy anything (except maybe a trainer kite) before you take a few lessons. If you buy gear before you know anything about the sport, you run a serious risk of buying all the wrong gear ... not just the wrong gear for the conditions you’ll be riding in, but you truly could be buying the “wrong” gear. Technology has come a long way over the past year or so, so even buying something from 2006 in perfect condition at a “great price” could be a serious mistake. You’ll see a lot of super-cheap gear being sold on E-Bay or various kite forums or retail shops, but if it sounds like too good a deal, it probably is. We would never recommend that you buy a C-kite for your first kite, but if you’re just getting into the sport, you won’t know what this means, which again, is why you need to take lessons. Your instructor will help steer you into the right equipment for your own particular needs.

That being said ...

To get started, you will need a kite, a control bar, a board and a harness. Any additional gear that you require will vary according to which category of kiteboarding you are planning on doing, and where you plan on doing it. You’ll find more details under the Water, Snow and Land sections.

 

Best Kiteboarding makes a range of kiteboarding gear suitable for riders of any level, from absolute novice with no kite flying experience all the way through to the gear used by our international pro-team riders. We recommend that beginners start off with the Guroo, our dedicated lesson kite, and work their way up to the Waroo. Your instructor will give you advice on which kite will be best suited to your ability and the local conditions wherever you intend to ride.

 

In addition to your basic kiting equipment you may also need a selection of safety equipment. This may include a life vest, head protection, knee and elbow protection for snow and landkiting, and an emergency line-cutting knife.

Isn't this expensive?

Kiteboarding with Best Kiteboarding equipment will be less expensive than you imagined; a board, bar and kite package can be had for much less than you might expect. Of course once you have your gear you don't have to pay every time you want to ride, so compared to the cost of a couple of weeks skiing or snowboarding, an entire season of kiteboarding is incredibly good value for the money.

Where do I go from here?

For an introduction to kitesurfing, snowkiting or landboarding click through to the water, snow or land info pages.

If you have any questions you would like answered we have a team of dedicated support staff and product advisors who would be only too happy to discuss your requirements, to help you find a school or instructor locally or even help you search out more information on kiteboarding if you are still unsure of how to proceed. Everyone at Best kiteboards, if you have any questions, just ask. We are sure to have the answers your need.

WATER:

Kitesurfing is 'the” new action sport; it mixes up windsurfing, wakeboarding and surfing with the aerial possibilities of paragliding.

You can kitesurf anywhere you have open water - at the local beach, out on the open ocean, even on inland lakes and reservoirs. All you need is some wind and water and you’re ready to go. If you’ve ever surfed, windsurfed or ridden a wakeboard then you already have some of the skills you need to enjoy kiteboarding. A weekend session with a good instructor and the right kite is all you need to be ready to kitesurf.

Should I use a surfboard or a twintip?

If you’re just learning, most people find it easier to start out on a twin tip board, which enables you to change direction without jibing the board. However, once you’re up and riding, which board you should use is a matter of personal preference, and it depends on the style of riding you want to do. If you see yourself making powered cutbacks and powerful bottom turns on overhead waves, then you already know what board you want. If that doesn't sound like you, then you'll be perfect for a twintip board. There’s a board type to suit every rider and every type of riding.

What other gear do I need?

The absolute minimum gear list is a kite, board, harness and bar, but you shouldn't even think of going out without safety equipment, so check out the available personal floatation devices, hook knives and helmets before you buy anything else. For your first lessons, the Guroo is the perfect kite. The Guroo is ultra stable, easy to relaunch, is forgiving of mistakes, and is used by all of our Best kite schools. If your instructor thinks you’ve progressed beyond the Guroo by the end of your lesson, he’ll let you know. This means you’re ready to move straight to the Waroo; with its better wind range, sharper handling, and improved performance, it's a kite you might never outgrow

Where can I find more information?

If you have any questions you’d like answered, we have a team of dedicated support staff and product advisors who would be only too happy to discuss your requirements, to help you find a school or instructor locally, or even help you search out more information on kiteboarding if you’re still unsure of how to proceed. Everyone at Bestkiteboarding. If you have any questions, just ask; we’re sure to have the answers your need.

SNOW:

Snowkiting takes the best of snowboarding and skiing and blends it with the vertical action and flight time of paragliding.  You can snow kite in the mountains, uphill or downhill, even on flat, snow-packed land or frozen lakes. The terrain is endless, as are the opportunities for serious airtime. The back country potential is huge - you can leave the lift pass at home as you go out and explore the back country terrain unassisted.

 

Snowkiting is easier to learn than any of the other kiteboarding disciplines. Snow is more forgiving of mistakes than solid ground and is a lot easier to stand on than water. If you can snowboard or ski then you can snowkite. Most beginners are up and riding within 30 minutes of putting their first kite in the air. The best part of snowkiting is that you already have most of the equipment necessary except the kite, and Best makes getting the kite easy and affordable!

Should I use skis or a snowboard?

Although many beginners find skis easier for their first lesson, either one is fine depending upon your personal preferences.

What other gear do I need?

All you need is a kite with a control bar and a harness. A Best Waroo makes a perfect winter kite. They’re designed for year round use and our kite control bar is designed to be safe and easy to use even with gloved hands. Most snowkiters prefer the practicality of a seat harness for winter riding. If you are going to use your kite to explore the backcountry then we would strongly recommend that you invest in a pair of snowshoes, and if you’re going off the beaten track in the hills, an avalanche transceiver is essential.

Where can I snow kite?

The short answer is, "Anywhere there is snow and open space." In fact, there are now snow kiters everywhere, and most are outside of the areas typically synonymous with snow sports. If you have snow, you can snow kiteboard.

What kind of terrain is best?

Although there is a lot of snow kiting in the mountains, most prefer flat, wide-open spaces. Frozen lakes and snow covered parks are usually your best bet. All you need is clear space away from roads, telephone lines and anything too hard.

Where can I find more information?

If you have any questions you would like answered we have a team of dedicated support staff and product advisors who would be only too happy to discuss your requirements, to help you find a school or instructor locally or even help you search out more information on kiteboarding if you are still unsure of how to proceed. Everyone at Best kiteboards, so if you have any questions, just ask. We’re sure to have the answers your need.

LAND:

Kite landboarding mixes the freedom and excitement of kitesurfing with the go anywhere, do anything ethos of skateboarding. If you can fly a kite, then you’re ready to try landboarding. All you need is some open space, your kite, a landboard, and the will to learn. Landboarding will provide you with all the thrills of kitesurfing without ever having to get wet. Landboarders can throw the same tricks and boost the same huge air as kitesurfers, and once you’ve learned the tricks on land, you’ll find them easy to nailed on the water as well.

 

Landboarding is kitesurfing without water, or snowkiting without snow - it’s that simple. If you don’t live by the beach, or just prefer to learn your craft on dry land, then landboarding is the sport for you. Take your favorite kite (a Waroo is perfect), strap a landboard to your feet, and you’re all set.  In no time at all, you’ll be up and running making passes in both directions and learning your first tricks. The great thing about landboarding is that you can do it virtually anywhere the ground is flat; any field, any dry patch of land, instantly becomes a three dimensional playground.

Landboard or buggy?

You can use either four wheels or three, it's up to you. If you’re doing a lot riding on soft surfaces then the larger contact patch of a buggy can make life easier, but either are easy to learn on.

What other gear do I need?

In addition to a landboard or a buggy, all you need is a kite with a control bar and a harness. The Waroo makes an ideal first landboarding kite, and is designed to be easy to fly and user friendly.

What kind of terrain is best?

If you could ride a bicycle over it, you can landboard or buggy on it. From football pitch to scrubland, you can kiteboard on literally anything.

Where can I find more information?

If you have any questions you would like answered we have a team of dedicated support staff and product advisors who would be only too happy to discuss your requirements, to help you find a school or instructor locally or even help you search out more information on kiteboarding if you are still unsure of how to proceed. Everyone at Best kiteboards, so if you have any questions, just ask. We’re sure to have the answers your need.