Kite foiling is dying sooo fast

[kct]

It's not that hard to learn how to foil. If you have a friend with a 10HP inflatable dinghy you're all set. I learned how to prone surf foil along with the boat.

Kitefoil I'm still struggling with because of the waterstart -- it's far more powerful than the boat or the waves. Once up I have some balance but I mess up the waterstart nearly every time.

Winging might actually be easier to learn is my guess

[Peter_Frank]

how many "really new" wing riders exists?

Saw the sport at the beach, got interest...so you have to master in the wing manouver, you have to master to ride in your knees, to stand up...and then to foil?!
I think, you/us are previous kiters, then foiles, now wing riders.

My point is that the wing is not for new riders...imagine to learn kiting with a foil? absurd.

Non surfers and even people with no wind experience, start wingfoiling - some starting on a SUP for initial learning.

Pretty amazing, I havent seen that since the start of the 80s with windsurf.
Wing is incredibly intuitive and natural - thats why it is possible.

Mr and Mrs Jones and their children - they are ALSO going wingfoiling now, although typically learning on a SUP first.

And then we have the Kai Lenny types going absolutely bananas doing loops and tricks never seen before.

Kitefoil is fun, wingfoil is fun

Peter

[bragnouff]

I am seeing a big move from traditional windsurfers direct to wing foil without having any experience on a kite, or foil of any kind. This path is for sure more challenging than coming from some sort of foiling, but lots of folks are doing it in my area, anyway. Some are getting started behind a boat with a surf foil, which is time well spent if you can swing it.

At my local, I see quite a few windsurfers getting into windfoiling instead. Mostly the crew that was into slalom windsurfing now uses foils in light conditions, and keep going straight and fast. The ones who were more into wave sailing are those more likely to get into wingfoiling, although, amongst them, there are still a few who proficiently freestyle windfoil, with their wave sails and large surf style foils, and definitely hold their own compared to wingers.

Not many (if any) windsurfers would get into kitefoiling. It's very likely that all windsurfers who had an interest in kiting did that leap a long time ago, and the remaining ones are hardcore windsurfers, no strings attached!
To windfoil you need to be a good windsurfer, and to kitefoil, you need to be a good kiter first. Wingfoiling is the easiest and safest path to get into foiling without any background in watersports, that's where most of the growth will come from.

[Boston kiter]

It's not that hard to learn how to foil. If you have a friend with a 10HP inflatable dinghy you're all set. I learned how to prone surf foil along with the boat.

Kitefoil I'm still struggling with because of the waterstart -- it's far more powerful than the boat or the waves. Once up I have some balance but I mess up the waterstart nearly every time.

Winging might actually be easier to learn is my guess

You are probably trying to get up on the foil and GO to soon, so you have no stability.(of course I am just guessing this is the problem). Think about just getting up on the board, not the foil.
When water starting keep your front foot in the front strap/position, your back foot should be close to your front foot for now. Dive and move the kite till it generates enough power for you to stand up on your board with your feet in position described above. Now that you are up and the board is flat quickly start to move the kite so you generate forward speed and can maintain your balance. Once moving it is now time to slide your rear back into a foiling position. Speed is the key to stability once up.

[McLovin]

OP misses the point - nothing is dying. People just are having fun in lots of ways these days. Just today at RUFUS arrived to see a bunch of old school windsurfers tearing it up who were later joined by myself and a couple other kiters, a kitefoiler or two and then a handful of wingers - even one dude out in the middle of the river on a foil with just a paddle catching swells like "paddle to the sea" only thing missing today was the gaggle of kayaker's paddling thru on a downwinder. There is NO RIGHT WAY to PLAY only what gets YOU STOKED.

Heck, one pro kiter today was mega-looping on his kite for the 1st session and later went out and showed everyone up on his wing cause he is having FUN and there's like lots of ways to play these days.

Lots of smiles on the beach, couldn't say that anybody had a bad day - be safe - get yourself out and back to shore - share the STOKE - such a blessing to be able to live this dream...

Mc

[andylc]

Couldn’t agree more.

[Lamilu]

Just seen a video of North new wing traser advertized…
When will companies show winging done by REAL people…
Not only the skinny kid or girl in Maui wind and waves…
To make everything seem small and light.
In my time…windsurf for me started at 20 knots…got good at 25…just wasnt fun in the waves with big equipment. Boat boards and huge sails low wind slalom not fun for me.
I imagine winging is doable in windsurfing conditions…but similar to windsurfing…must be fun in 20+ knots for a big guy.
Kitefoiling/Kitesurfing on the other hand…
Yesterday I had fun in a W695 (770cm2), 125 cm board, and a Cronus 11 in 10/12 knots.
Nothing beats kitesurfing/kitefoiling…where the “big” piece of your equipment is 22 to 25 meters away from you…not at your feet…not in your hands…

[downunder]

OP misses the point - nothing is dying. People just are having fun in lots of ways these days. Just today at RUFUS arrived to see a bunch of old school windsurfers tearing it up who were later joined by myself and a couple other kiters, a kitefoiler or two and then a handful of wingers - even one dude out in the middle of the river on a foil with just a paddle catching swells like "paddle to the sea" only thing missing today was the gaggle of kayaker's paddling thru on a downwinder. There is NO RIGHT WAY to PLAY only what gets YOU STOKED.

Heck, one pro kiter today was mega-looping on his kite for the 1st session and later went out and showed everyone up on his wing cause he is having FUN and there's like lots of ways to play these days.

Lots of smiles on the beach, couldn't say that anybody had a bad day - be safe - get yourself out and back to shore - share the STOKE - such a blessing to be able to live this dream...

Mc

Not true, sorry. Ar least for us here.

The WA in AUST used to have 1700 registered kiters (for comps and insurance), years ago and now there are a dozen of people showing on my local. Before, there was no place to rig.

We peaked years ago, just before foiling. It is middle age blokes sport now. None of young guys. None.

I think covid also made a huge impact.

Sure, people are on Netflix now more than ever.

The "shrinkflation" - people are getting smaller and smaller kite for more money. They see that. They run from it into a better "value".

And put that into EU prices, the same kite is Euros 1500 and in AU it is AU$1500. Because EU VAT is 19% and AU is 10.

I have no idea who can afford a brand new kite in the EU. Plus other gear, plus travel to exotic places.

[flaps1111]

In Spain the number of kiters is growing steadily, a few hydrofoilers that used to compete have switched to the wing for the sake of novelty or sponsorship from local shops, also because of the summer bans.

Here nobody pays the retail price, there are always discounts of 20%-25% on new material negotiated with the shops.

Of course, if it is a high demand equipment, you have to pay what they ask for.

[Toby]

Everything is more expensive now, so of course it drives people away. Plus Covid.

In Brazil even more people kite now them before Covid.
Guess it makes a difference if conditions are perfect and a good spot always close by.

If I would be in Germany I would kite way less. Cold, gusty, and a long drive which costs a lot these days.