vp wrote:Touche wrote:I'm as beginner as it gets still on lessons but am looking to get my own gear for next Spring.
My local instructor told me I can look at several options in a Slingshot Rally, North Evo and Core kites in a 12m size.
My local spot is Sandy Hook in NJ we typically get 10-15 mph winds with an occasional 15-20.
Right now i weigh 188 lbs. and will probably be around 190+ lbs. by next summer.
My biggest question is what size kite should I be looking to buy a 12m? Or maybe a 14m?
Also what are some other options for kites I could look at? Because I've been having trouble finding anything used from the given kites.
At Sandy Hook, 190lbs, with a regular twin tip (~140cm), here are your options:
1 kite quiver: 12m - this would be your budget option, you will probably miss about half of possible riding days.
2 kite quiver: 10m, 14m - you'll get about 80-90% of ridable days.
3 kite quiver: 9m,12m, 17m - ~98% of ridable days will be covered.
http://greenhatkiteboarding.com
Check us out. we are local and have a ton of gear in stock from many brands and for any budget (new, clearance, used):
888-KITE-001
i agree with vp 100%. i weigh 215 lbs and i kited at the hook 1-3 times a week almost every week from labor day till mid december (could have been more if not for work) and used a 13m and a 9m with a 140cm board. a 12m will def get you out the most if your looking to buy one kite and one board but if you really want to get out as often as possible then you will def need another smaller kite like an 9m.
some tips for saving money while expanding your windrange would be to buy 2 sizes of the same kite so you only have to have 1 bar, or as someone else mentioned is to buy another large board for lighter wind. i have a surf fish and a 165cm cabrina stylus which get me an extra 2 to 3 kts on my bottom end of my kites.
your best bet is to buy a kite being sold on clearance or a used demo kite from greenhat since it'll be cheaper, good condition, they're local and i see them kite at the hook sometimes
as far as hunting craigslist and e-bay, i got my 2011 13m and 9m on e-bay and while the kites were in good shape, the bar and some of the lines were not which didnt make my first launching of the kite "not fun". its much better to get from a shop that has a reputation to maintain than to gamble with your money/life from strangers who could care less once the exchange is done. if theres one thing ive learned through my journey of buying kiting gear and observing others is that you get exactly what you pay for in performance per dollar.
for what kind of kite your want, look for delta shaped or hybrid kites with good relaunch (you'll be doing alot of it), good upwind ability (every bit helps when starting out), and stability(so the kite stays put so you can focus on your board work, body position and weight distribution).
hope that helps and mabey ill see you out on the hook next spring