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Right safety equipment for kitesurfing

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Toby
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Right safety equipment for kitesurfing

Postby Toby » Mon Feb 08, 2021 3:40 pm

Helmets are not just for school insurance; they're an essential thing to have. A couple of reasons come to my mind :
If you lose control of your kite in the strong wind while flying or relaunching, you can get pulled and fall, potentially hurting yourself. The head is the most critical organ and should be protected.
If you get dragged out of control upward or down the beach, a helmet may save your life if you hit a rock, a wall, a tree, a car, or crash onto the ground.
Even for instructors, the helmet is an essential piece of equipment. There are several reasons why instructors should use them. The instructor is one of the persons closer to the students piloting the kite and can hit you as they do not control the kite yet. When you teach in the shore break, there is a high chance the board gets caught in the wave, and you get hit by it. It can help you keep your body temperature as most of the heat is lost by the extremities in cold places. Another good reason to use one is so you can have a go pro and record the session for your student or yourself after lessons. So I recommend its usage for any person that is kitesurfing.

An impact vest is another thing you want to use when you go to the water. A lifejacket may be an even better alternative if you get dragged out at sea or knocked unconscious by your board, and yes, this can happen to you. In any water sport, a flotation aid is essential. If you are kitesurfing, it is also crucial.
If you are not sure what to get as a flotation vest or a helmet, check our description below, as I'll post a link to videos on how to choose the right one for you. Or subscribe to the channel, so you don't miss any tips.

If you're unsure what to get for a safety vest or helmet, my recommended safety gear page can give you a good starting point.

If you are learning by yourself, do not use a board leash and especially do not use one without using a helmet. Before getting the board, makes sure you know how to body drag in all directions perfectly. Check some of my video tips about each one of them. Learning to go body dragging upwind is essential to get back to your board, and you will use this technique all the time. Once you master this technique, you will be able to get to your board all the time. Using a leash can get the board thrown into your direction at high speed, and if it hits you, it will cause tremendous damage.

Another thing i recommend is to get a line cutter, a small tool with a blade that can save your life if your lines get tangled up in your harness, your board, some rocks, or yourself. Most Harnesses have a small line cutter pocket to store the line cutter, and usually, the line cutter will come with the harness. Check when you purchase your harness if it has one or if it is sold separately. Make sure to get familiar with taking it out and use it as you will only need it in extreme situations, but then there will be no time for you to learn.

If you decide to learn by yourself, consider getting this equipment for your practice, but you should still use it even after you know. Since at the start you don't know if you are even going to like to kitesurf it might be better to take lessons first as there you will get all this gear included in the lesson.

6 tips to find the best kiteschool - https://kookproof.com/experiences/kit...​

00:00​ Safety Equipment you should have
0:25​ Who am I?
0:54​ Helmets
2:08​ Impact vest
2:43​ Board leash
3:18​ Safety knife - Line cutter
4:08​ Recommendations and next episodes



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