Whether you are a beginner, returner or already an experienced kite surfer: buying a complete kite surfing set is often a wise decision. On the one hand, because from personal advice your purchased kitesurfing equipment is immediately ready to take to the water. On the other hand, because there are regular complete kitesurf set offers during kitesurf sales promotions. This saves on the wallet. In this guide to buying kitesurfing equipment you can read everything you need to know about it.
Table of contents manual for buying kitesurfing equipment
- Which kitesurf material suits me?
- Tips for kite surfers with a small purse - Buying manual kite surfing equipment
- Buying a kitesurf occasion - be careful
- Cost of kite surfing. You lost this for a kite surf set
- Kitesurfing costs: kitesurfing lesson
Which kitesurf material suits me?
For novice kite surfers and returners it can be a challenge to find the right kitesurfing set or kitesurfing equipment to suit your skill level. That is not surprising, because as a rookie kite surfer or returner you often do not know exactly what you are looking for. The kite surf shops have almost always put together kite surfing sets especially for novice kite surfers and returners. These kite surfing sets are often also competitively priced as an offer. Enough inspiration to find. In addition, a call or visit to a kite surf shop is made in no time. Personal advice often works best.
Another way to find out what you are looking for is to contact your kitesurf trainer. He has given you kitesurfing lessons and can tell you at the end of the kitesurfing lesson which kitesurfing set or kitesurfing equipment suits you. In addition, with their passion for kite surfing, they are often also ready to give you advice.
Tips to find out what you are looking for
- View the kite surfing sets for beginners in the kite surf shops
- Visit a kitesurf shop or call for personal advice
- Ask your kitesurf trainer for advice
Tips for kite surfers with a small purse - Buying manual kite surfing equipment
Does your budget not allow buying a new complete kite surfing set? Go for a kiteset offer. Kitesurf shops sometimes also have perennial complete kitesurf sets or kitesurfing equipment. This is new material but from a previous season. This is often sold at a significant discount. In addition, there are sometimes sharp offers around Singles Day, Black Friday en Cyber Monday.
- Buy a second-hand kitesurf set through your kitesurf shop. Buying a complete kite surfing set but second-hand is not that bad at all. Then you have advice on the one hand so that you know that the kite surfing equipment suits you. On the other hand, our experience is that kite surf shops check all kite surfing equipment that they sell second-hand and sometimes even give a guarantee on it.
Buying a kitesurf occasion - be careful
Buying a complete second-hand kitesurf set is not that bad at all. Not only if you want to get started with your buddy after your kitesurfing lesson. But even if you have been kitesurfing for some time and are looking for a complete second-hand kitesurf set on offer. It is important that you know what to look for when buying second-hand kitesurfing equipment. This is perhaps an understatement, because before you know it you have bought someone else's discard such as kite, kitebar, kiteboard, kitefoil etc. Examples: a kite full of repairs that is skewed, an old kite where the valves come loose, a kitebar with lines that are sure to break, a kitebar with a non-working safety system. In this guide to buying kitesurfing equipment, we help you make the right choice.
In addition, you may be incorrectly informed by the seller who wants to get rid of his kitesurfing equipment. Example: offering a 'beginner kite' while it is not a beginner kite. Or offering old, inadequate and unsafe material. Not every salesperson is like this, but you still have to be careful. After all, it ultimately comes at the expense of your enjoyment and safety if you buy a cat in a poke.
Tips in advance to buy a second-hand kitesurf set
- Does your budget not allow a new kitesurfing set? Kitesurf shops sometimes also have outdated kite surfing sets or kite surfing equipment. This is new material but from last season. This is often sold at a significant discount.
- Also inquire at kite surf shops for second-hand kite surfing sets. Then you have advice on the one hand so that you know that the kitesurfing equipment suits you. On the other hand, our experience is that kite surf shops check all kite surfing equipment that they sell second-hand and sometimes give a guarantee on it.
- Consider buying your second-hand kitesurfing set in the winter months. Then these are often cheaper than in the high season.
Don't buy too old second-hand kitesurfing set
The technological development of kite surfing is still in full swing. Every year the material becomes user-friendly, lighter, stronger and safer. As a result, you will probably enjoy kitesurfing with the latest material of the type that suits you better. In addition, the saying 'Old age comes with defects' also applies to kitesurfing equipment. Examples: a valve of which the glue comes off when you pump this kite, a kitebar of which the grip rubber comes off, a strip of a kitesurf bag that no longer works due to salt deposits.
Tips - This is how you learn more about second-hand kitesurfing equipment
Search for the kitesurfing equipment that you want to buy second-hand via a search engine or on the site of the relevant kitesurfing brand. This way you can see whether this is suitable for you and whether it is not enormously outdated. For example, look up kitefinder.com.
Search online for user manuals on the site of the kitesurf brand. These can often still be consulted and you can read more about the specific properties of the relevant kitesurfing equipment.
Search online for reviews or user experience. These can tell you what the details are and what the experience of other kite surfers is. You can also ask a question on a kitesurf facebook group.
Buying a second-hand kite: what should I pay attention to?
You first look at the general condition of a kite. You can quickly see how the kite has been used. For example, the previous owner often stored it wet, stored it in a damp shed and / or let it flap in the wind for a long time. Then this is a completely different kite than that of an owner who has always stored his kite indoors, has always allowed it to dry and possibly rinsed with fresh water after a crash. You can see this on the kite. Also how it was dealt with. For example, a 3-month-old kite is completely worn out and a 3-year-old kite is still like new. Read more in this guide to buying kitesurfing equipment.
Overview of inspection points for buying a used kitesurf set
| New kite | ⇔ | Old kite |
|---|---|---|
| Cloth still crackles | ⇔ | Canvas is limp |
| Cloth still shines due to coating | ⇔ | Fabric is dull and with bare spots in the coating |
| Cloth is undamaged | ⇔ | Major repairs and patches have been made |
| Stitching still attached | ⇔ | Loose stitching and open seams |
| Lines on kite not frayed | ⇔ | Line on kite frayed or worn |
| Pulleys on the kite run smoothly | ⇔ | Pulleys are attached to the kite |
Tips - This is how you inspect a second-hand kite
- Inspect the kite thoroughly for the aforementioned points. You will not often encounter a second-hand kite without wear. You simply have wear and tear and will not stop with you.
- Features of an old kite as described above can be the precursor to larger defects that endanger your enjoyment and safety. Think about it carefully and if in doubt, consult with an expert.
- Pump up the kite and let it inflated for a while (15 min.) So that you are sure that this kite is not leaking.
- If you have the opportunity to test the kite, this is always recommended. Even if you can leave the kite on for a while to see that it is properly in the air. Also to make sure that the kite does not pull to one side. This could mean uneven lines but also indicate a problem with the kite. And just to experience whether this is the kite you are looking for.
Buying used kitebar: what should I pay attention to?
If you want to buy a second-hand kite surfing set, a good kite bar is just as important as a good kite. When we talk about a kitebar, this is the bar complete with lines and a well-functioning safety system. The latter is actually the most important and cannot / should not be cut back.
Tips - This is how you inspect a second-hand kitebar
- Buy a kitebar preferably suitable for your kite and from the same year as your kite. Then you know for sure that the kitebar is suitable for the kite.
- Walk out all the lines. Run these through your hands so that you are sure that they are not damaged and that there are no knots in them. Knots weaken kitesurf lines by up to 50% and have to be removed.
- Inspect the ends of the lines where you should tie them to the kite. If these are worn or cracked, they must be replaced.
- Inspect the depower line that runs through your bar. If it is made of rope and is worn out, it must be replaced.
- Inspect and test the safety system several times. Testing on the shore is of course different from under pressure and with tension on the lines on the water. It must work flawlessly on the bank. If necessary, look for information about the safety system online so that you can be sure that there have been no problems with it.
Cost of kite surfing. You lost this for a kite surf set
Insight into the costs is the final part of the manual buying kitesurfing equipment for kite surfers. We have explained how to find out which kitesurf set is suitable for you. Then we got you thinking about kitesurf occasions. We then explained what you should pay attention to when purchasing if you decide to buy a second-hand kite surf set. Finally, we answer the question: What does kite surfing cost?
You can already have a basic set of kitesurfing equipment in the sale for under € 2.000. Just like with any sport, you can make it as crazy as you want and then you will only lose € 3.000 or more. It can of course be cheaper second hand. Then make sure you don't buy a cat in a poke and read the tips about buying a second hand kitesurf set of loose kitesurfing equipment.
| Cost of kite surfing new * | Cost of kitesurfing second-hand ** | |
|---|---|---|
| Kitesurfing lesson | € 250 to € 450 | € 250 to € 450 |
| Kitesurf set sale Kite, Kiteboard, Bar / Lines, Pump | € 1.400 to € 1.900 | € 800 to € 1.400 |
| Wetsuit (5/4mm) | € 175 to € 250 | € 75 to € 150 |
| Trapeze | € 150 to € 200 | € 50 to € 100 |
| Total | € 1.975 to € 2.800,- | € 1.175 to € 2.100,- |
| Also needed | ||
| Pump | € 45, - | € 25, - |
| Neoprene shoes | € 40, - | € 20, - |
| Kite bar / trapeze leash | € 30, - | € 15, - |
| Total | € 115,- | € 60,- |
Kitesurfing costs: kitesurfing lesson
The number of hours on kitesurf lesson that you need can vary between 4 and more than 15 hours. Sometimes it goes faster because you already have experience with other water or board sports. Or does it take longer because you need time to familiarize yourself with material and really feel safe and comfortable. We assume that achieving this level will cost you between 250 and 450 euros.
For budding kitesurfers who really want to learn, 9 hours of kitesurfing lessons spread over 3 days are common. Sometimes people take an extra private lesson after which they are familiar enough to start kitesurfing. -Karim Chioua, Kitesurfing School Best
Cost of new kitesurf set
Kitesurf shops have almost always put together kitesurfing sets especially for novice kitesurfers and returners. These kitesurfing sets are often also competitively priced as an offer. This way you can easily reduce the costs for kitesurfing. So you can find enough inspiration to answer the question: “What does kitesurfing equipment cost?” In addition, a call or visit to a kitesurf shop is made in no time. Personal advice often works best. You can buy a new kite set from 1.400 Euro. This is really the minimum price and the material is then almost certainly obsolete (type from last season). A common price for a new kitesurfing set is about 1.900 Euro.
Second-hand kitesurf set
Are you going kite surfing for even lower costs? You can purchase a complete second-hand kite surfing set that is not older than 5 years for an amount between 800 Euro and 1.400 Euro. You then have a kite, kiteboard and bar with lines.
Trapeze, wetsuit, pump and leash
In addition to the kite surfing set, you have another kite surfing harness needed and a wetsuit. This will cost you about 300 Euros: 175 Euros for the wetsuit and 150 Euros for a trapeze. Possibly, if it is not at the bar, you also need a leash to attach the safety system to your bar and harness. The same applies to the pump for inflating the kite if it cannot be taken over from the kite. This together will cost you another 60 Euro. In short, for around 1.150 Euros you are completely complete. You then start with one kite. Read more about it here start with one or more kites. In addition, it is also possible to use a impact vest and a helmet. These costs are not included in the overview.
Membership associations
Last but not least, we recommend that you become a member of the Dutch Kitesurf Association (NKV) and become an ambassador of the Royal Dutch Rescue Company (KNRM). See why via the links. You will also find some kite spots must become a member of a kitesurfing association to be allowed to kitesurf there.
More explanation of kite surfing in the manual kite surfing →
