by: Jakob Jelling
Getting involved in the extreme sport of KiteSurfing might be more costly than you think, when in all actuality it’s relatively inexpensive to get started. Depending on what type of Kite, board and lines you purchase the bottom line will always be to buy the safest products possible at the lowest price.
Two popular manufacturers are Wipika and Kiteski.
The Kiteski system uses a rigid framed-kite, which is launched by hand, and the surfer uses a control bar that lets out slack to inflate the kite higher as the surfer gets further away from the shore. Once the kite deflates and hits the water, the control bar has a reel attached to bring the kite in for quick re-launch with minimal downtime.
The Wipika system uses an inflatable kite that floats out on the water first and is launched without reeling it in, even though they both have a control bar and reel-in function.
The kites are made up of several parts:
You will also need:
There are 3 different types of beginner KiteSurfing kites that you can choose from:
All of these kites can be re-launched from the water. There are many other manufactures of KiteSurfing equipment on the market to choose from. Including: Wipika, Naish, Sea Jump, Seasmik, KiteSki, C-Quad, Banshee, Concept Air and fOne.
Usually a setup can run in cost from $1500 to about $3,000 depending on the accessories. The board can range from $499 to $1,200 and the kite from $499 to $1,500. You can also purchase either or both of them used at a substantially lower amount.
People have been known to convert old surfboards into KiteSurfing boards. There are numerous websites and literature on how to save money and get involved in this sport without spending a lot on equipment.
Other costs factored into KiteSurfing are lessons, which normally start out at about $60 - $90 per hour. Most classes can range from 2 – 4 hours depending on what depth or level you are trying to accomplish.
The final expense to be tallied is travel. Most of the locations where there is enough open space and free beach are not located in highly populated areas around the world.