On the opposite, overpowered riding is easy, but quickly gets dangerous and scary if your kite is too big for the wind conditions. Remember that doubling the wind speed quadruples the power in your kite! This means that in 30 knots your kite will pull 4 times stronger compared to 15 knots! That also means that in 10 knots, your kite will generate 4 times less pull than in 20 knots!

Even with a big kite and a big board, it can be hard to enjoy kitesurfing in less than 15 knots, especially if you are a heavier rider.

As a beginner, both underpowered and overpowered situations are not recommended. As you gain experience, you will be able to safely extend the limits of your skills and comfort zone, hence the range of wind you can handle with a single kite size will gradually expand. A same-weight rider may have the skill to hold down a very powerful kite. To add to the confusion, some discipline-specific riders will purposely choose a bigger or smaller kite size.

As an example, wave riders will choose the smallest kite they can ride. Similarly, some discipline-specific kites will deliver different power.

A kite designed for freestyle will be less powerful than one for big air jumps. Ultimately, the type of board you use Twin tip, surfboard, hydrofoil, etc. All this to say that you should not always rely on comparing yourself to other riders to pick the kite size you will use. To put it simply, the more kites you have, the more often you will be able to go out. A quiver will open up your wind range. Despite your motivation, your budget may however disagree.

When I started kitesurfing, I bought 4 kites within my first year. The wind conditions at my local spot in inland-Canada required such a quiver to satisfy my thirst for kiting.

A 2-kite quiver will maximize the potential for the average summer conditions within a reasonable budget. Passed this point, it all depends on your motivation for catching either the lighter winds sub 18 knots or the occasional blasting conditions more than 25 knots , keeping in mind that you may have to develop extra skills before you can ride in these wind speeds.

If you consider buying multiple kite sizes, it is reasonable to keep 2 meters on average between each size, in order to avoid having equipment that has an overlapping wind range. For example, your 2-kite quiver could be a 7m and a 9m, or an 8m and a 10m. When going into smaller sizes, keep them 1m apart 5m, 6m , and roughly 3m in the big sizes 9m, 12m, or 14m and 17m. In the big sizes, most brands skip some sizes for this reason.

Need help deciding which kite size to buy? Once you get riding on the water, for someone who is new, it can take more work learning to subtly sine the kite to generate more apparent wind. You have to think two steps ahead when steering your kite to be effective. Launching a kite also takes more skill and practice in lighter winds. If you start with your light wind kite, you'll be spending more time working on this. In stronger winds, you'll eventually need a high wind kite.

If you start on something smaller in stronger winds, things happen a lot faster. Wind tends to be gusty and less consistent. The faster kites are really fun and responsive. You'll often hear that people's favorite size is their 9 or 10 meter.

Those of you using this size as your weight-appropriate mid-range kite are lucky because they are the most fun to use. That said, the smaller the kite and the stronger the wind, the more skill it takes to keep the kite under control.

Ask in our l ive chat. Tell the crew Rygo sent you! In kiteboarding, we have the 30 hour rule. That is the amount of time it takes to learn how to become an independent kiteboarder.

For light winds or strong winds, I would add on another 15 hours of learning time for someone to become efficient.

That said, for some, this still might be the best option. There are some circumstances where you might consider starting with your light or high wind kite.

This is where your location comes into play. I've included a kiteboarding size chart that you can reference. The left column is light wind kite recommendations. The center column is mid-range kites and the right is high wind kite recommendations.

This should give you an idea on the average wind speeds you can ride in and how to choose the right size kite for the conditions. Chose your kite size by the conditions you will be riding in. Build your quiver based on maximizing your water time. If you live somewhere that almost exclusively has light winds, you might need to start with a light wind kite. This is usually something three sizes larger than your mid-range and is designed for light winds.

A good example would be someone who might weigh pounds and their location only gets wind speeds up to 15 miles per hour on a regular basis.

Starting on a 17m kite is going to be the best choice as that's what will get them the most water time. Unroll the kite flat and examine the canopy. Also inspect the canopy for tears, rip, and pinholes. Check the leading edge , struts , and rubber connectors between the struts and the leading edge. Be sure to pump the kite and keep it inflated for minutes to check the bladder and struts are holding pressure and the valves function properly.

In such cases, you can typically get a good discount on the kite. For a beginner kiteboarder, a middle road between buying your first kite new and buying a second-hand kite is to look for closeout gear from a past season in a kite shop or online.

Make sure the kite is sold complete with its control bar, or else that you can find an affordable bar that will work out of the box with the kite. Even on a first-hand kite, the fabric can weaken over time due to excessive heat, cold or humidity. You can find a good selection of used and demo kites in good condition and at affordable prices here on Green Hat.

Also check out their sales and seasonal clearance section here. Of course, you should also check your local kite shop for occasional deals. I tend to stay away from kite schools for buying a used kite because school kites often get more than their fair share of crashing and sitting in the wind and sun. Smart tip : some kitesurfers specifically look for second-hand kites sold by either a female rider or an older rider.

Women tend to ride less frequently and aggressively, and older riders tend to also be more mellow riders no megaloops and take better care of their gear than the average rider. Though there are obviously tons of options, in my opinion and many others the Cabrinha Switchblade is one of the best choices for a first kite. Check out the Cabrinha Switchblade on Green Hat.

See also my recommended kites page for more detail on which kite to buy. Board size is as important as kite size , if not more, for a beginner. As explained in depth in my post on choosing the best board for heavy riders , a larger board can make up for a smaller kite because of extra buoyancy and earlier planing. A cm board cm wide is usually a good beginner size for an average build rider around 75kg in light to moderate winds knots.

In addition to being large, your beginner kiteboard should have a flat rocker, which helps get the board moving sooner and ride upwind more easily in flat water. See this post to learn more about the best light wind and beginner boards. Unlike with kites, as a beginner you can go for a new-ish kiteboard, as boards are much more durable and can last you for years with proper care.

Likewise, get your harness new so it will mold to your shape over time and last for a few years as well. You must be logged in to post a comment. You mentioned your weight but what is the wind like where you live? Did you take lessons? Do you already have a kiteboard or not? This also influences your choice of kite. Hi Jesse. I am also a beginning kite boarder. I weigh lbs. I live on the central coast of california where the average wind speed is mph, a bit more on the beaches.

Would you recommend I start with a 12 meter kite? And board size? I am a complete beginner.