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Re: Gear Suggestions

Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 10:36 pm
by Loscocco
Please pass the popcorn this way...

Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 10:42 pm
by Rob
BBQ at my house

Re: Gear Suggestions

Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 11:00 pm
by sanjose_kiter
Harness: get a seat harness or boardshort, both are easier on your back than waist harness

Board: get the biggest TT you can get, something like 145 - 155 length with 45 width. Or get a floaty and wide directional like LF fish or Naish fish

Kite: 1 size kite ain't gonna make it in Alameda. You will need at least a 2 kites quiver. For your weight, I would recommend 12 & 15 quiver for Alameda. On the other hand, if you kite at 3rd, a 12 meter will do. btw, imo Cabrihna kites are some of the most beginner friendly kites around and easiest to learn on though admittedly they are more expensive than other brands. Whatever brand of kite you get, make sure you can self land the kite when you drifted downwind from other kiters and no one around to land your kite. Cabrihna IDS fits this bill quite nicely.

Good luck in your search for equipment and please stay away from the annoying Alameda beach goers.

Re: Gear Suggestions

Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 11:27 pm
by stompdit
These guys are just trolls. Here's what you need to do

follow around sanjose_kiter for a bit and pick up his gear as he leaves it, you should have a full quiver and everything you need in 2 weeks, sunscreen included!

Re: Gear Suggestions

Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 11:35 pm
by WindMuch
Awww, rats! I just went to look up this guy's email address and accidentally hit the delete key on his account... oops. ::)

Sorry all - it's my job to (try to) keep this from happening. I check the IP address of EVERY user who requests a log-in to make sure they're not from super-far reaching places (i.e. Pakistan, Bangladesh) - you'd be surprised how many activation requests we get from those places every week.

If there are other users who you think are spamming/trolling the forum, please PM me. I don't read every thread...

To the original poster: I recommend looking at the group here as an ally, not an adversary - there are lots of cool folks here who will not only help you get your gear dialed, but will also help you in the water.

Re: Gear Suggestions

Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 8:18 am
by apextech
Its actually an easy question:

1) take some lessons
2) buy what you learn on, preferably used

If you are in Santa Cruz spend some time at Waddell asking question, maybe not kiting, but observing, I always found the Caution guys helpful when starting out.

Re: Gear Suggestions

Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 11:27 pm
by mcarson
if you already have "friends that kiteboard" then why not ask them....just sayin!!

Re: Gear Suggestions

Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 7:07 am
by OliverG
He re-registered and I just activated him.

Note to the OP: You can get all the help you need here and make friends, it's up to you.

If people try to be helpful and post more info than you think you need and even if it's at a level you think you are beyond, it's ok. More info is better and even if it's not applicable to you, it may be to someone else.

Have fun and welcome.

Re: Gear Suggestions

Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 9:16 am
by kandrey89
BayAreaKite: thanks.

sanjose_kiter: thanks for suggestions.
I do have a concern regarding the bigger sized TT though, because I body board and with me being tall, I had to get a longer board but it's a little too floaty for my weight, so I just want to make sure the same thing doesn't happen for me here.
About kites, yeah... I really can't afford 2. I was told that I'd need 12m for Alameda closer to the end of the season, I'm not very heavy and I wasn't planning on using a huge TT, do you have another word about it? As some called it, I'll be getting a money kite, one that fits the most amount of ride-able time.
I also thought that if I were to get another kite it'd be 8m, and a 12m 8m would be the quiver for Alameda, you say no because there's little wind for 8m at Alameda?

I have 2 friends that kitesurf, we are busy and don't have a lot of time to talk about it. What's wrong with getting more than 2 opinions...

WindMuch: "I recommend looking at the group here as an ally" - I was, until right about the time I was being called a troll and turned into pop-corn. Personally, that's not something people should do in Beginner sections on any forums.


Is there a recommendation on what seat harness I should be looking out for, or features?

Re: Gear Suggestions

Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 9:34 am
by WindMuch
kandrey89 wrote: WindMuch: "I recommend looking at the group here as an ally" - I was, until right about the time I was being called a troll and turned into pop-corn. Personally, that's not something people should do in Beginner sections on any forums.
We like your tone better already! Welcome (back) to the forum.

Any question is welcome here. Sorry for the false start. Let's try again!

I'm a big fan of 'fly or try before you buy' with any kiting equipment. I've seen boards that look great on the shop floor, in pictures or the specs look 'just right', but on the water they don't work right for your personal style or taste. Same with kites - everyone likes a different feel. Some want a kite with huge depower, others a kite that loops well, others want a kite that pulls like a bulldog through the turns.

Again, I know it's tempting when you're new to want to just get some gear and get out on the water, but I think the more kites you can fly and boards you can ride before you buy, the less used equipment you'll have sitting around in the garage in a season or two. This is one place where taking lessons really helps (I know you said you didn't want to hear that) but you'll be introduced to more gear than any other way (especially if your friends don't like or wanna talk about kiting - which I must say is a bit strange, don't you think?)

That's my 2 cents...

Kirk out