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Kite Boarding Gear

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Board Parts

Kiteboarding is a fun, fast-paced sport that is gaining popularity. When you being your journey into the world of kiteboarding the range of kiteboarding gear available to you may seem daunting. It is important to make the right choices with your kiteboarding gear not just for your enjoyment out on the water but for your safety as well.

There are factors to consider that will directly influence the type of kiteboarding gear you will buy. The first is style. What style of rider do you want to be? You may want to be a cruiser, carving the waves and enjoying a soulful ride. If this is the case then you will need a bigger board with a bigger kite. If you want to have a more aggressive style out there on the water and focus on tricks and spins, then you will want a smaller board and a faster, smaller kite.

Another factor to consider is the weather conditions in your area, in particular the wind speed. The wind speed will directly influence the type of kite you buy. In light winds of 10-15mph, you will need a larger kite. In medium winds of 15-20mph, you will need a medium sized kite and in high winds of 20-25mph, you will require a small kite to generate less power. The right sized kite will also depend on the riders weight and their board size.

The average weight of a kiteboarder is 175-180lbs. If you are this weight then a large kite for you will be 15-17 square meters, a medium kite will be 12-14 and a small kite will be 7-9 square meters.

The kite is an essential part of your kiteboarding gear and it is important to pick the right one. It is also important to know that no one kite will work through the entire wind range of kiteboarding. When you begin, it is advisable to start with a medium kite. The medium kite has the most wind range so you can take a medium kite out on the water in lighter winds and learn the basics in a safe and controlled environment.

Your first board with your kiteboarding gear should be a larger board. A larger board will stay afloat when you make mistakes learning your kite placement. To begin with your kite will loose power and when it does, a larger board will not immediately sink into the water.

The next part of your kiteboarding gear is the harness. The harness is your link between you and the control bar. Beginners prefer the seat harness. The seat harness gives ample back support and has leg straps. Leg straps are great for a beginner because they stop the harness from riding up the body until you perfect your body positioning. When you perfect that, you can wear a waist harness that has no straps and frees the rider up to do more aggressive tricks and turns.

These are just the basic elements of kiteboarding gear and each part can become far more involved. Talk to an expert local to your area before you buy your kiteboarding gear. They will know the wind speed, how the water rides and will be able to give you solid advice on what board is right for you and how they learned the exciting sport of kiteboarding.