Kiteboarding is definitely not a cheap sport, at least in regards to buying a new gear. In fact, to start riding on the water involves investing some money (it’s not like buying a pair of sneakers if you want to start jogging). On the other hand, even if you are buying a used kiteboarding gear, you want it to work fine, to last the longest possible, and to allow you to improve your kitesurfing skills.
The good news is that the latest kiteboarding equipment has been increasingly built to optimize durability and, by choosing the right kind, you will make your gear serve you at least for some years. In fact, I have noticed that in the past 3-4 years the changes in kite gear have been more cosmetic than substantial.
Of course, the manufacturers will tell you their newest kite or board has improved a lot compared to the last year’s, but even though there are some exceptions, the most noticeable changes are in the appearance of your kitesurfing gear. That does not mean that you will not notice any changes in the performance and behavior of your kiteboarding equipment if you choose to update it, but it also won’t really get outdated after one year of life.
If you make correct purchasing choices, then a three-year lifespan for your kitesurfing equipment is absolutely reasonable. If you use some minimum maintenance, you can lengthen your gear’s life even more (we’ll discuss this topic in another post, but it's enough to say I was still riding a 2009 kite until last season!).
So when is it appropriate to buy your first kitesurfing gear? It’s easy: when you become an independent rider!
Here’s how to know you are an independent:
· You know how to control and pilot a kite
· You are able to body drag upwind in any wind condition
· You know what emergency systems of kites are and how they function
· You are able to perfectly perform a self-rescue procedure
These are the minimum requirements before you can buy your first kiteboarding equipment, but if you have some more experience (such as being able to go consistently on a board and even to upwind), it’s even better, because you will have accumulated some kiting hours, and will have started to understand what kind of performance you prefer from a kite.
