Surfboard and strapless riding, however, require additional skills compared to twin tip riding, so this option may not be initially accessible for a beginner rider. These can let you ride a few knots earlier. Strapless surfboardĪnother option for light wind is a strapless board – e.g. Also, to foil in super low winds, you’ll typically need a special lightwind kite, as regular kites will likely drop and fail to relaunch. The main cons of the foil option is that it’s a lot more technical than the twintip, so a beginner may have a hard time getting started. Seasoned foilers are even able to do some freestyle in as little as 10-12 knots with a 14-15m foil kite and a big and wide board – e.g. one of these – will allow you to significantly extend the low-end wind range of your existing kite and let you cruise in as low as 8 knots, or even do big airs in 15 knots. Investing in a hydrofoil can be a good alternative to getting a bigger kite, getting a very big board (door-style), or extending your lines by 10 or 15 meters. Experienced foilers are often able to go out in 12-13 knots with a kite as small as 5m and long lines, while twintip riders on 18m kites are struggling. Foil boardīelow 13 knots, a foil board is typically the best option. Some kites are more powerful with better low-end, and will perform better in light wind even with a relatively smaller board. The type of kite also impact affects your choice of kiteboard for light wind and/or for learning. With good technique, however, a 12m kite paired with a large lightwind kiteboard might give better results. An 85 kg rider in 15 knot wind with a 17m kite will typically need to work hard to ride upwind. In light wind, your board’s size and shape and your skill level will matter even more than kite size. Once you get comfortable staying upwind without being overpowered and changing direction, you’ll likely want to switch to a smaller, better performing board. If you only want one board, you’ll probably be better off choosing a price point board at the beginning, something cheap and on a bigger side (though not too huge). The good news is, your beginner board will continue to serve as a great light wind board. As a beginner you can learn with the lightwind board and acquire the other one as you progress. If you want to cover a full range of wind, it’s generally a good idea to have 2 boards, one for light wind, and one for medium-to-high winds. Examples include Cabrinha Spectrum, Duotone Gonzalez, Crazy Fly All around, etc. These boards generally work well for these situations. Price pointĮvery brand has an entry level price point board for beginners and/or light wind. On the flip side, more rocker will generally give you a smoother ride in choppy water. The less rocker a kiteboard has, the early it starts planing above the water, and the easier it is to stay upwind. You also want your light wind board to be on the flat side with as little rocker (lengthwise curvature) as possible. For example, an experienced 65 kg rider with a 14.5m Ocean Rodeo Flite and a 146 x 46 door-style twintip will stay upwind from 9 knots, do kite loop tricks from 12 knots, and boost big airs from 15 knots. While the above table is a useful rule of thumb, your mileage will vary based on your riding level and kite type. In contrast, rider height is not as important for determining kiteboard size. The following table provides a helpful indication of what size board to choose based o rider weight for a beginner rider or for light wind conditions: Weight (Lbs) The heavier you are, the more edge surface area you want immerged in the water for earlier planing and better upwind edging. Rider weight plays a key role in determining how large a board you should choose as a beginner or for light wind. You’ll generally want a board with a big and wide boxy outline. While length is important, width, rocker, and outline are even more essential for a beginner/light wind kiteboard. What makes a good beginner or light wind kiteboard?įor both newer riders and light wind, a bigger kiteboard is generally recommended. #3: Duotone Spike: best for lightwind performance.#2: Nobile Flying Carpet split board: best travel board for light wind. #1: Litewave Wing: ultimate light wind session saver.What makes a good beginner or light wind kiteboard?.
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