Kiteforum.com

coupdevill wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 10, 2018 7:07 pm

So how much should you pay for a new:

Kite-
Board-
Control Bar-
Harness-

Kite- Never ever more than 1000$ no matter what size or brand
Board- This is a tough one TT-100-200$ Surf 300$-600$ Foil complete 1000-2000$ real price should be under a grand once the R&D wears off on wing development.
Control Bar-300$ max
Harness-100-199$ they last forever so could go more.

I can appreciate the quality of good gear. The problem I have with it. Kiting has the most highly depreciative gear you will ever buy (current year and retail)! The sewing is impeccable and the layout if you look at these things is amazing but at the end of the day its a tent with a condom stuffed inside. It wears out quick from sun and the elements. Bars and lines die as fast as the kite no matter how nice and meticulous you are with your gear.

I guess if i were to complain it would be solely on the kites and bars which if you do your homework you can keep the costs down. The rest of it should be probably higher cause its usually a 1 time purchase or once every 5-10 year purchase.

On the flipside of this is what other sport is actually cheaper then kiting? dirt biking, mountain biking, wakeboarding, golf, skiing? the per session use is actually a fraction of the cost of any other sport. its just tough for a newbie contemplating the sport laying down the cash and following through with the sport to get to a level that can enjoy the awesome gear that is out there. I can remember 13 years ago when learning that nothing would stop me from learning how to kite if you have that kind of attitude with it kiting will pay off immensely sadly its too much for most to put the time in. Thus the higher prices

I can see how the pricing was initially set high because of all the R&D involved in designing an efficient wing, but let's be honest, all the big companies are just minimally tweaking designs nowadays. I can easily afford to buy new gear, but I don't. Frankly, I'm insulted by the prices they charge. I get that they need to make back what was invested in design, but it's not even that the prices stay at an astronomically high rate - they are getting higher every year. I guess the good thing is it keeps the crowds down. 90% of the time, I'm the only guy out at my local spots!!

cornholio wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 10, 2018 5:47 am

Pansh choong ke chong chong ching ching

nikolaygadzhev77 wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 09, 2018 8:26 pm

Every year that time we have new kites coming with better turning speed,better low and ,new bomb prof material new stiching new who now's what and then crazy priceses for bar today slingshot is out and the bar is 490 quit how crazy is that.I'm sure their will be some new twigs for a bars who did change much seens 2008

R&D does not get applied to every aspect of kite boarding evenly... In four years we went from Speed 4 to Chrono 1, Chrono 2, R1v1, R1v2, R1v3, back to R1v2, Elf, F-One, Speed 5, Sonic 1, Sonic 2, Sonic Race, Sonic VMG, Hyperlink, and Soul. The bridle system and construction of a high aspect foil kite is amazing. On the foil side the race circuit went from Tarroa Sword and Spotz to MikesLab, Levitaz, and Banga/Enata/Something else. F-One bridle systems are a nightmare. Peter Lynn rates a mention but I have only seen very few in the wild.

Overall market share for kite boarding is static so we see the likes of Liquid Force, Slingshot, and North try their hand at foil kites.

foilonfoil wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 10, 2018 10:13 pm

R&D does not get applied to every aspect of kite boarding evenly... In four years we went from Speed 4 to Chrono 1, Chrono 2, R1v1, R1v2, R1v3, back to R1v2, Elf, F-One, Speed 5, Sonic 1, Sonic 2, Sonic Race, Sonic VMG, Hyperlink, and Soul
...

Speed4 Lotus seemed to match stencils of Speed3, the Speed5 and Souls are two next iterations of freeride wing series.
With Sonics, I got a feeling that Ozone set the pace of change/releases for Flysurfer too, I hope it paid off if racers can upgrade quivers at that pace.

Liquid Force Elite was a disaster and Slingshot has probably learned lesson that rebranded race gear is not popular as much as it cost to market it. I’d guess both were losses including the last October Ghost Whispers.

grigorib wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 10, 2018 10:45 pm

foilonfoil wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 10, 2018 10:13 pm

R&D does not get applied to every aspect of kite boarding evenly... In four years we went from Speed 4 to Chrono 1, Chrono 2, R1v1, R1v2, R1v3, back to R1v2, Elf, F-One, Speed 5, Sonic 1, Sonic 2, Sonic Race, Sonic VMG, Hyperlink, and Soul
...

Speed4 Lotus seemed to match stencils of Speed3, the Speed5 and Souls are two next iterations of freeride wing series.
With Sonics, I got a feeling that Ozone set the pace of change/releases for Flysurfer too, I hope it paid off if racers can upgrade quivers at that pace.

Liquid Force Elite was a disaster and Slingshot has probably learned lesson that rebranded race gear is not popular as much as it cost to market it. I’d guess both were losses including the last October Ghost Whispers.

Agreed

Craz Z wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:30 pm

Board- This is a tough one TT-100-200$

That seems a bit cheap

Kamikuza wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:59 am

Craz Z wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:30 pm

Board- This is a tough one TT-100-200$

That seems a bit cheap

Real had a bunch of board on sale for about $100 over years. $300 for a door last April. They weee selling straps for $50.

Cheap but legit for a simplistic board.

grigorib wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 11, 2018 2:41 am

Kamikuza wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:59 am

Craz Z wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:30 pm

Board- This is a tough one TT-100-200$

That seems a bit cheap

Real had a bunch of board on sale for about $100 over years. $300 for a door last April. They weee selling straps for $50.

Cheap but legit for a simplistic board.

Wouldn't that be selling at a loss though? I thought we were talking about reasonably prices for gear...

Kamikuza wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 11, 2018 2:46 am

grigorib wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 11, 2018 2:41 am

Kamikuza wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:59 am

That seems a bit cheap

Real had a bunch of board on sale for about $100 over years. $300 for a door last April. They weee selling straps for $50.

Cheap but legit for a simplistic board.

Wouldn't that be selling at a loss though? I thought we were talking about reasonably prices for gear...

Not below variable cost, I’d say.
Let’s say $200 complete is a great price for a board which lasts 5 years anyways