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Long/mountain boarding with kites-Newbie Hello

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Dibzy123
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Long/mountain boarding with kites-Newbie Hello

Postby Dibzy123 » Sat Mar 27, 2021 6:54 pm

Hi there everyone.
Very much new to the forums here as you may notice as well as being new to the whole kite/wind thing.
I've played around d with mountain/longboards and that over the years and am now wondering about adding kites to it for a bit of extra fun. When the weathers warmer, id like to have a go and proper windsurfing in the sea, living mins away from south shields beach, and seeing plenty of people in the sea last summer (moved here a week before the first lockdown but even then, people were still diving in) and have wanted a go from there.
Anyway, has/does anyone use some sort of board with wheels and a kite together? Can anyone advise or point me in the right direction of what to start with and where to purchase...?

Anyway, hope your all well and your weekend even better!! Thanks for reading and have a great evening

JTKiter
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Re: Long/mountain boarding with kites-Newbie Hello

Postby JTKiter » Sun Mar 28, 2021 1:22 pm

Hello and welcome. Kiting with a mountain board is super fun it's NOT a safe way to learn kiting. When you're learning, you will crash the kite and you will crash yourself--sometimes hard. It's easier on your body and your equipment if you're in the water when that happens.
(I've been kiting with a mountain board for years and rarely crash but I always wear a helmet, knee and elbow pads, gloves and a neck roll.)

Everyone is different. What works for me might not work for you but my advice would be to get a trainer kite and spend lots of time flying it. Lessons are a great way to save time in your learning progression. Lessons can also save you money--buying gear on the "trial and error" method is expensive!

Hope this helps.

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Greenturtle
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Re: Long/mountain boarding with kites-Newbie Hello

Postby Greenturtle » Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:09 pm

Get a trainer kite and get used to it , then use it with your skateboard/mtboard. Pad up.
You will find that a limiting factor is steady wind quality in combination with surface suitable for skate/mtboard. If you have a spot with both those factors youll be getting it on , no prob. You need a spot that is wide open free of any obstruction upwind and downwind , thus keeping the wind nice and steady.

Then when it’s getting boring get yourself a cheap used 7m non-c tube kite and use that - in light wind only- get used to it , then use with mtboard. You can work out how these kites handle and relaunch etc on a grassy area without risk of drowning and since the kite only cost you a days wages you won’t mind if it rips or explodes on impact. Don’t be an idiot by using it in strong wind.
Light. Breeze. Only.

Ok Scratch everything I just said—
— now:
If you want to learn to kite take lessons from a reputable instructor.
Yeah thats better. Do that.

B-Roc
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Re: Long/mountain boarding with kites-Newbie Hello

Postby B-Roc » Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:17 pm

I have been kite land boarding since 2006 and have never moved onto the water. I would completely disagree with anyone who says it isn't safe. Nothing is safe if you are reckless. Yes you can get slammed on land but you can drown on water and more people have been killed kitesurfing than kite land boarding so saying it is not a safe way to learn is simply not accurate if you start out small, learn kite control first and then pair the kite with a board. You don't need lessons for any of this. Will they help... sure. Are they necessary... no. You don't need to learn body dragging, or anything that will essentially be a "self rescue" because that doesn't happen on land. When you are learning on land, you simply kick out of the board and scud out a gust, or kill the kite on its safety. There are plenty of videos on kite control and the wind window and you should take the time to thoroughly understand both.

One you get on your board, leave your bindings lose. When you get in trouble, step off. Foot position, not binding tension keeps your feet in place and you want to be able to kick out at all times when learning, KLB is a balancing act, lean into the wind lean back against the wind. You don't go in a straight line you make elongated S-curves down the beach or field. Small kites in big winds will hurt you faster than big kites in small winds so don't go out overpowered and definitely learn how to launch, fly, land and release the kite to its safety before you jump on the board. KLB is harder than it looks. Going downwind is easy but maintaining a line or getting back up wind is tough so be prepared to carry or kick your board back upwind while learning until you figure the balancing act out.


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