BayAreaKiteboarding.com

Hi Everybody,

I am planning to buy my first set of kites. I want to buy 2 canopies of either Cabrinha Switchblade or Vector. Which 2 sizes do you recommend for the bay area? (I'm 155lbs).

Thanks for your advice!

you will probably want to start with lessons, which come with gear. when you are comfortable and capable of riding on your own, you will have no problem determining which gear will work best for you. starting off with used gear is always a safe bet, too. buying the wrong stuff new can be a costly mistake (physically and financially).


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Thanks for your reply admin, this certainly is good advice.
I have taken lessons and have an idea about what sizes are right for me. However, I did not kite for an entire season in the bay area and I'd be curious as to what's recommended by more experienced people so I can take that input into consideration as well.

Where do you expect you'll be riding? The Bay Area has all kinds of different spots - in the Bay I use a completely different set of kite sizes than I do in the Delta or at the Coast, yet they're all within an hours drive of each other.

Where do you live? Where do you want to/anticipate you'll be kiting?

Kirk out

Hi Everyone,

Another newbie here. Along this same line, I plan to continued to take lessons and kite at Crown Beach in Alameda for quite a while, even though it'll be quite a commute for me. I had a couple of lessons in Maui last month, and a couple at Boardsports during the past couple of weekends, and can now body drag both upwind and down with and without the board. Just started to get onto the board when the wind died down then time ran out, and I did not get to go either upwind or downwind yet. I'm thinking about getting a regular sized kite (not the small practice-size one) to continued to practice with. Which kite(s) and which size(s) would you all recommend? I'm 5'3", 125 lbs.

Also, how late into the fall or winter months do you all kite at Alameda? And how is the wind and current conditions there during these months?

Thanks in advance for any advice and input that you all can provide.

As always I recommend for beginners to plan on starting on light wind setup, slow reacting kite, forgiving on your snappy bar pulls. Liquid force envy is a good beginner but other brands as well. Especially when talking Alameda, it means 10-15 kts.

Look for a light wind kite, aka 3 strut wider more than longer aspect (low aspect ratio). Such kites are easy(er) to relaunch in light winds. I'd shoot for a 10m for your weight. Also plan for a light wind board, that is, smaller fins, flatter bottom (not concave). Probably you will be ok with something up to 140cm as light wind board.

As you become much better at it, you will *also* (note, in addition to your LW gear) get your regular wind days kite, probably an 8m 5 strut and a faster board in the 125cm or so.

Talk to Rebecca @ Boardsports, ask specifically for a light wind beginner setup.

Thank you very much for the helpful tips and great advice biba. I appreciate it.

My quiver is 9,12, and 15 which worked for me on all Bay area kite spots.
My dry weight is 150 lbs. I mainly used the 9 meter for 20 to low 30 ish, the 12 from 15 to 25 mph wind and recently just purchased the 15 meter specifically for Alameda .

If you 're torn between cab vector & switchblade, I would get the switchblade because you can grow into it better than the vector. I don't recommend getting 12 meter switchblade though because it is kinda slow and has heavy bar pressure (for me anyway, i traded a 12 m switchblade for an ozone catalyst and it suited my riding style better)

Good luck with your purchase

my quiver:
9 m switchblade 2012
12 m Ozone catalyst 2013
15 m switch element v3 2014

Thanks sanjose_kiter for the additional input. I'll be sure to take these into consideration when making my purchases.

Switchblade is a fine kite, it's my main kite on regular days... but definitely not a beginner kite and won't stay up in light winds. Plus relaunch in light wind will be challenging. Again, I love my 2014 SB (see my avatar hehee)