Things for newbs to think about when buying first kite

pdxmonkeyboy · Last edited by pdxmonkeyboy on Wed Sep 10, 08 1:32 pm; edited 1 time in total

There seems to be quite a bit of questions and controversy floating around about used kites and the safety of older kites, where to buy kites, etc, etc,etc. Several people have also pm’d me out of the blue asking about particular kites so I figured I would throw something together in hopes of helping some of those new to the sport. I am expecting that people have already taken lessons and can stay upwind and are looking for their first kite. There was a time when there was space for people to tea bag and get yarded without risk to other kiters or bystanders. Unfortunately, those days are long gone; beaches are crowded, and access issues keep raising their ugly head so if you haven’t already TAKE LESSONS!!

Which Kite should I buy? This is the most often heard question from beginners and the answer depends on several factors. The most important are how much do you weigh, where do you ride, and what kind of board do you have. The size of your kite and the size of your board have an inverse relationship. So if you only have one kite and you find its too small for the amount of wind, get (or make) a big flat board. The typical person (185lbs) riding in the gorge on a 133 board is probably going to be out on the 9m kite the most.
The fact of the matter is, your not going to be able to tell much difference between the newer kites until you get some serious time on the water so don’t obsess to much about what brand just get a newer bow kite and that will be plenty to get your feet wet. You could try and demo a bunch of kites but again, the conditions of the day ad the subtle differences in kites may not spell out a clear winner for you. I would not tell anyone to buy a kite older than 06 and you can debate it all you want, but you will have a MUCH easier time learning on a bow style kite as opposed to a C kite. Don’t have the cash for a newer kite? Then save up until you do cause you’ll realize at some point that you should have just done that. Major brand, bow kite, 2006 or newer, nuff said.

Where are all these kites for sale? I can not overemphasize the importance of buying your kites from a local shop. The people there are knowledgeable and they can answer all your questions. The other side of the coin is that you should support your local shops because if you ever had a problem you can walk right in and they can take care of you. Lastly, the local shops throw down allot of serious time and money making the sport as cool as it is buy sponsoring all kinds of events, parties, demos, you name it.
If your in Portland, Gorge performance is the only place in town and they have used gear for sale. There are several shops in HR but 2nd wind is the only one that I know of that has a good amount of used gear and Pepi is also very active in the community. Wind dance also has used gear; their located on the other side of the HR bridge, and are under new ownership.
There are other places online to buy used gear and if you can’t figure out where, then your probably not smart enough to make enough money to kite anyways so I won’t bother listing them here.

Dude, I got a screaming deal for you!! If you never heard of a particular kind of kite and you don’t see a bunch of them around, yet you discover that you can get a smoking deal on them, think twice about it. I'm not saying that some of the newer kites don't perform well, I'm just saying do your research. I bought a kite on a whim once “oh yeah, dude, it’s a great kite” Friggin hated it!! For me, time is a precious commodity so when I go out, I want to have the best gear I can afford and not worry about it. You also have to think about resale value when you buy kites. The “big” name kites slingshot, Naish, and Carbinha have been around a long time and have a reputation for quality and consistent performance (I’ll ignore the SS link, LOL). In GENERAL, you will get more money when you sell these kites as opposed to the smaller kite makers. Go ahead take a jab, but it’s the truth.

When is a good time to buy a kite? Well, when you need one; but if you want to be extra savy about it the late summer early fall is the best time. The new kites are coming out and many people buy new kites every year and sell their old stuff. In addition, shops and some schools sell their demo gear. Check the forum or ask around. If your new to the "scene" don't be too surprised that you can't score factory rep gear or the sought after demo gear. Many of us know and ride with these people all the time and talk about buying their gear long before they are ready to offload when the new stuff comes in. If your at the beaches and on the forum, your friendly and stoked, the good info and deals will just come naturally.
I am a big fan of buying kites in the winter as well as the demand is really low and people need money around the holidays. If your going to sell a kite, I’d wait until spring when people get out on the water and start lusting after new gear.

OK, so how do you tell if a kite is a POS or not? So you found a good deal on a well known kite and your going to take a look at it. But umm, what are you looking for? That is a tough one as wear and tear on a kite is a gradual thing. If it looks “beat up” its probably VERY beat up. Pump it up pretty hard and look at the following things:
Are the seems stretched? Can you see little tiny holes where the stitching goes through the nylon? Not a terrific sign. Is the fabric really faded compared to other kites you looked at? Sun eats kites, end of story. Really faded kites almost have like a faded white spider webby thingie look to them. Is the fabric still crinkly or it really floppy and feel kind of like cotton. Look at the bridle lines, are the faded? Are there flat spots? Do the rollers turn freely? Lastly, look at the pigtails. Are the super ratty? They can be replaced but if they look hammered and the seller didn’t replace them, it doesn’t say much about how they take care of their gear. The bottom line, if it doesn’t feel right, then walk away. There are always other kites for sale!

Obviously this isn't an all encompassing discussion on buying gear but I did try to cover some of the topics that people have Pm'd or asked me on the beach about. I hope it helps those who need it.

Cheers,
PDXMB

Nak · Wed Sep 10, 08 8:47 am

Very well thought out Post PMB! Thumb's Up

Hopefully Newbs will find this post and take it to heart.

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

Thanks for putting this together PMB... I have been meaning to do a beginners guide for a long time, I will be sure to incpororate this!

Thanks!

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3753 Posts Los Angeles, CA Videographer

STICKY!

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2026 Posts Windward

good work ,MM

when I used to buy used gear,
I would look for small kites in light wind areas,
and large kites in high wind areas.

more important than anything for newbs is to understand the
danger of launching and landing
and being on shore in general

tinyE · Since 21 Jan 2006 2004 Posts not really an XTreme Poster

nice post bulae... i mean monkeyboy! Laughing

TravisBickleRex · Since 30 Jun 2005 338 Posts Taxi Driver

Overall, a double-devil horn salute for this post.
One criticism...Too general advise about canopy condition; holes and thin/see-through kite canopy can, upon occasion, be beneficial:
http://www.nwkite.com/forums/t-10539.html