Here we introduce you to the actual kite equipment you will need to begin your training. Go out and beg, borrow or steal it as fast as you can! Alternatively click the images to be transported to Amazon where you can see the kit we recommend.
Kite Equipment - The Trainer Kite
The most essential bit of kite equipment to kick start your training. Kitesurfing, landboarding, snowkiting or buggying are 80% about the kite. If you can control the kite you will learn these sports in a matter of hours not days. A trainer kite is the safest and fastest way into power kite flying and spending 10+ hours flying a trainer kite before arriving on course will likely reduce your learning time by 2 - 3 days...saving you a hell of a lot on course fees!! It also means when you get back you have something to teach your partner, kids, grandparents or friends on!
Every hour you spend flying a kite prior to trying to put a board on your feet will double your chances of getting up and riding, avoiding the frustration of continually crashing your kite into the water. Snow kiting and land (power) kiting can be learned in one tenth of the time that water kiting can be learned and a basic trainer will get you started down this road. You'll also find that you don't crash your full size kite half so much, meaning that when you do finally buy a full size power kite it stays in much better condition for longer!
The Trainer Kite we are recommending you learn on is the Flysurfer Viron. We actually use these kites in our kite school and I have to say I've been absoutely blown away by their performance. Flying on 5 lines they are absolutely stable, even in gusty winds. Their wind range is incredible and you'll find yourself able to fly them in almost no wind up to howling gales...safely. They are so ridiculously easy to handle and relaunch you'll be able to fly them all day with no real problems and best of all they handle the same as the LEI kites you'll be flying once you're up and riding.
They are a bit more expensive than most trainer kites but are well worth the cash as due to their ability to re launch from the water you'll be able to keep using this kite right up the water start stage where as most other trainer kites you're going to have to ditch and buy a full on LEI as soon as we get you into the water.
If you are interested in one of these but are put off by the price tag get in tocuh with us, we may have some second hand ones from the school we can send your way.
Ifg you can't get hold of one of these don't worry, the training will cover using all types of kite so whatever you can get hold of will work, you'll just find it a bit easier on one of these!
Kite Equipment - Helmet
An absolutely essential bit of kite equipment, if you are serious about doing the sport...please, please, please
never fly a kite without a helmet. I know you may think it looks goofy but better that
than a stint in hospital with bits broken off your head. Any helmet will do to start
with, we have picked one of Amazon that is cheap but provides all the protection you
need to get going safely. Remember snowboarders used to scoff at helmets until enough
of them got dropped on their head to realise they were actually a pretty sensible thing to
have!
Kite Equipment - The Anemometer or Wind Meter...or thingy!
These are great bits of kite equipment and will last you your entire kitesurfing career. This is
essential so you can be sure what strength the wind is blowing and whether you should
loft your kite or go to the pub.
Kite Equipment - Kite Killers
If you're going to be flying a kite you need one of these, absolutely essential bits of kite equipment. With one of these babies fitted snugly around your wrist you can let go of the bar and watch your kite fall gracefully (and powerlessly) to the ground while leaving it still attached to you. Thus means you can simply walk over and retrieve your fallen kite. Without a kite killer fitted when you drop the bar your kite, bar and everything will simply fly off down the beach away from you and inevitably land in the nearest barb wire fence...even if there's not one for miles around they always seem to find them. You also look like a damn idiot as you have to chase the kite down the beach for 20 mins.
NOTE: If you have bought one of the Flysurfer Virons we recommended earlier they come with their own leash and so you don't need any kite killers.