Gear Basics
Harness: A kiteboarding harness is necessary for “harnessing”, or holding, the power of the kite, so that your arms don’t have to. To read our extensive discussion on kiteboarding harness for women, read our harness article. There are two types of harnesses currently available to kiteboarders:
1. Waist harness: A waist harness sits above the hips, around the waist and gives a higher center of gravity for the rider. Here are the pros and cons:
PROS:
- Provides extra mobility for technical maneuvers, transitions, walking, and swimming.
- Easy to take on & off
CONS:
- Can sometimes ride up the torso into the chest
- May cause discomfort on lower back
2. Seat Harness: A seat harness sits low on a rider, at about hip level, for a lower center of gravity and pull.
PROS:
- Lower tow point allows easier water starts, controlled power riding
- Supports hips providing more stability
CONS:
- Can get hot, bulky, and uncomfortable (commonly referred to as a “diaper)
- More expensive
- Takes longer to put on & off
- Groin straps can be uncomfortable if set too loose or too tight
Our take on Harnesses: Many women love the seat harness when they are first starting out because it provides so much support and doesn’t ride up into the chest. However, as you progress in your kiteboarding, you may find a seat harness to be a bit restrictive. Companies are now making harnesses so form fitting that many keep at the waist and don’t ride up into the chest. Dakine’s Wahine harness does a spectacular job of this. No matter which harness type you choose, it is likely you will either love it or hate it and convert to the other.
Kite: The most necessary item for getting you on the water. There are various types of kites on the market, but two basic categories: Inflatable and Foil.
Foil: Most trainer kites are foils. They consist of cells running fore and aft, which are open at the front (leading edge) to allow air to inflate the kite. Foil kites are not good on the water because of their inability to re-launch on the water. It is very possible that you will never fly a foil if you are learning to kiteboard.
Inflatable: Inflatable kites are the standard for riding on the water and snow because they float and are re-launchable. There are various types of inflatable kites including standard Leading Edge Inflatable (LEI), Supported Leading Edge (SLE), and Bow Kites. All have a single leading edge with inflatable bladders, providing structure for the kite. The differences between the types are in their range of de-power, ease of relaunching, ease of going upwind, ability to jump, and other factors of riding style.
Board: There are so many boards out there hat you will just have to try them to see if you like them. However, when you are just starting, a big, floaty board will be best for getting you up and riding. A board 150 cm and longer, or even an epoxy surfboard would work. Once you’re comfortable riding, you’ll want to quickly progress to something shorter, offering more performance benefits such as upwindability, stability, or pop (helps you jump!).
Bar: If you buy a kite package, you will get a bar with your kite. If the bar does not come with the kite, the kite is sold as “kite only.”
All bars come with standard features: A safety leash (attaches to harness, the safety leash allows you to completely depower the kite while still being attached to it), de-power or “trim” strap (when pulled in, allows for on-the-fly de-power of the kite), chicken loop (holds the bar into your harness hook), and quick release (releases you completely from your kite in case of an emergency). Line and bar materials can vary, as can the “feel” of the bar, but all bars allow you to fly, turn, de-power, and release from your kite.
Pump: If you buy a kite package, you will also receive a pump. You have to have a pump to pump up your kite. This is often one of the most forgotten items in the car when going to the beach to kite.
