Basic kite surfing equipment

What does a basic kite surfing equipment consist of? What do you need when you start kitesurfing?

What do I need as a novice kite surfer?

When you start kitesurfing, all the material can be quite impressive at first glance. But what you essentially need in gear to start kitesurfing is very easy.

What does a basic kite surfing equipment consist of?

When you have finished the last kitesurfing lesson and go out on the water independently (with a buddy), you naturally want your own set. But what do you need as a starter? Basic kite surfing equipment for a novice kite surfer consists of:

• Kite
• Board
• Wetsuit (necessary in the Netherlands)
• Harness

As a secondary option, you can purchase a buoyancy aid and a helmet to be on the safe side, if you are going to kite at sea, this is recommended. A PLB Personal Location Beakon) is not an unnecessary luxury either incase the tide drags yoo out 1.5 kilometer from the shore line.

Is that all? Yes that’s all, unless you have a money tree growing in the garden or you have a rich uncle. Then you can of course immediately go crazy in a kitesurf shop of your choice, but for everyone else this is the basis with which you can easily work.

New or second-hand?

Depending on your financial situation, you can buy everything new or start with a second-hand set. There are very good second-hand sets for sale via marketplace or Facebook groups. The kite will crash in the beginning. Personally I wouldn’t mind this with a second-hand than with a crackling new kite. And to be honest, as a starting kiter you will not notice the difference between an older, used kite and a new one. What is important is that you have a kite that is forgiving and easy to restart, because that is of benefit to you as a beginner kite surfer.

A second-hand board is also easy to find via the Internet. Don’t buy a board that is too big. This may seem easy, but in practice it is not so useful at all.