What Kite Should I Buy? Best Kitesurfing Equipment for Beginners
Hello!
In this blog post, I’ll discuss one of the most frequent questions I get from students after they finish their kitesurfing course. It’s a decision that can affect both their future progress and the amount of fun they’ll have with kiteboarding: “What kite should I buy?” Or more broadly: “What’s the best kitesurfing gear for beginners?”
First Things First: Don’t Rush to Buy
If you’re a beginner, you should avoid buying kite equipment right away. Kitesurfing is an extreme sport, and without proper training and experience, using your own gear can lead to lost equipment—or worse, serious injuries. In this article, we refer to beginners as riders who have just completed an IKO course and are now riding independently for the first time.
So the real question becomes: What’s the best kitesurfing equipment for beginner independent riders? And the answer, like most things in life, is: It depends.
Key Factors to Consider
The kitesurfing industry is massive and ever-evolving, with dozens of brands, kite types, and boards introduced over the last 20 years with each year bringing something new. Before you buy any gear, consider the following factors:
- What do I want to progress / ride? Discipline / Style of Riding
- Where will I be kiting most often? Wind Conditions & Terrain
- Brand / Wear Level / Price
1. Riding Style
Before buying any gear, ask yourself: What kind of riding do I want to progress in? If you read our [Kitesurfing Thailand 2025 Guide], you’ll remember the main kitesurfing styles:
A) Freeride
B) Big Air
C) Freestyle
D) Wave
E) Foil
Each of these styles uses different types of kites and boards, so your gear should match your goals.
Freeride – The all-around style: is the most popular and versatile kiteboarding style, especially for beginners. It’s about cruising comfortably across the water, experimenting with basic jumps, and simply enjoying the ride. Freeride kites are designed to be stable, easy to relaunch, and forgiving, making them perfect for riders who want to try a bit of everything before choosing a more specialized discipline. These kites typically work well in a wide range of wind conditions and are compatible with standard twintip boards.
Popular freeride kites:
- Eleveight RS
- Core Pace
- Flysurfer Soul
Freestyle (Wakestyle) – For the wakepark lovers: Freestyle kiteboarding involves technical tricks like unhooked handle-passes, spins, and powered loops. It’s similar to wakeboarding, and many freestyle riders also spend time in cable parks. Freestyle kites are C-shaped, with a direct bar feel and consistent power delivery, allowing for explosive pop and controlled slack for tricks. They’re usually paired with dedicated freestyle boards and boots (wake-style bindings). Kites like the Duotone Vegas or Airush Razor are go-to choices in this category.
- Kite: C-shaped kites (e.g., Duotone Vegas, Airush Razor)
- Board: Twintip with boots
Big Air – For The Adrenaline Seekers: Big Air riding is all about jumping as high and as far as possible. Riders focus on getting massive boosts off the water, often adding stylish rotations or loops during flight. Big Air kites are usually 5-strut designs that provide maximum lift, hang time, and stability in stronger winds. They’re built to handle gusty conditions and give riders confidence when going big. Examples include the Core XR or Eleveight XS, often paired with a stiff twintip board and foot straps.
- Gear: 5-strut kites (e.g., Core XR, Eleveight XS, Flysurfer Sonic)
- Board: Twintip with straps
Strapless / Wave – Surfing with kite: Wave riding blends kitesurfing with the feel of surfing. It’s about using the kite to position yourself on a wave and then riding it with minimal pull from the kite, letting the wave do most of the work. Wave-specific kites are agile, drift well downwind, and have excellent relaunch capabilities. They’re ideal for wave conditions and are used with strapless surfboards. Popular choices include the Core Nexus and Duotone Neo.
- Gear: Agile kites with good drift (e.g., Core Nexus, Duotone Neo)
- Board: Surfboard
Foil – The Light Wind Magician: Foiling is the most efficient form of kiteboarding in light winds. It uses a hydrofoil board that lifts the rider above the water, reducing drag and allowing smooth, silent gliding even in very low wind. Foil kites are typically lightweight, highly stable, and provide constant pull. Single-strut inflatables like the Core XLite or hybrid foil kites from Flysurfer are designed specifically for this discipline. Foiling requires finesse but offers an unmatched feeling of levitation and speed.
- Gear: Low-pull foil-friendly kites (e.g., Flysurfer Hybrid, Core XLite)
- Board: Foilboard
2. Wind Conditions & Terrain
The most important question to ask yourself is: Where will I be kiting most often?
As you probably remember from your theory lessons, kite size depends on your weight and the wind conditions. The terrain also matters: will you be kiting on water, snow, or land? In general, to cover all wind conditions, one rider might eventually need three kites:
- Small (strong wind)
- Medium (medium wind)
- Large (light wind)
But since gear is expensive and you probably won’t use all three equally, many beginners start with just one or two kites that cover the conditions they’ll face most often. Example: Let’s say you weigh 60kg and just bought a 15m² kite to use in the Netherlands, where wind tends to be strong and gusty. That’s a poor match—you’ll struggle to use that kite safely and effectively.
On the other hand, if you live in Thailand, where wind is generally light, and you’re considering a 7m² kite, that may also be a mistake. You’ll rarely have enough wind to use it, and it’ll end up gathering dust.
Your “go-to” size is the most important. Do your research about the wind conditions at your primary spot and choose a kite size that suits your weight and the typical wind range. Many brands offer online kite size calculators to help with this. Once you’ve figured out your go-to kite size, you can plan for a second kite—usually the same model but 3m² larger or smaller, depending on the wind tendencies at your spot.
Examples:
- Windy location: 7m² + 10m²
- Low-wind location: 10m² + 13m²
- Full quiver: 7m² + 10m² + 13m²
Terrain
Kiteboarding isn’t just for water—it also includes landkiting and snowkiting. While most equipment works across terrains, some kites perform better than others depending on the surface. For example, if you plan to kite on land or snow, you should consider foil kites, which:
- Are less likely to get damaged on hard surfaces
- Offer better hang time and stability
- Are less explosive so safer to relaunch outside the water
And yes, foil kites can also be used on water however might not the best chioce for deep water spots because it lacks self-rescue for such conditions. These kites also require a small introduction before flying as all basic manevours need to be differently executed. You can always sign up for a single kite lesson to learn it before making your final decision to check if you fully like it.
3. Brand / Wear Level / Price
People often obsess over brands, but for beginners, safety and ease of use are more important than logos. Of course, premium fresh brand new kites like CORE or Flysurfer are more durable (and more expensive), which is great—but remember, you’re still learning. Let’s be honest: your first kite won’t last forever. Kites wear out much faster than bikes or surfboards. They’re basically large balloons coated in thin plastic, constantly exposed to: Sunlight, Saltwater and Crashes (because you’re learning!) So, it’s actually smart to buy second-hand gear in the beginning however don’t buy kites that are too old – it’ll affect your safety and will give you more struggle to use.
- Average kite lifespan: 2–4 years (varies by brand & use)
- Premium brands like CORE: 4-7 years
Look for kites that are:
- 1–2 years old (or up to 4 years for high-end gear)
- In good condition (no major repairs or fabric damage)
- Sold by trustworthy sellers or schools
Final Thoughts
Choosing your first kitesurfing gear is exciting but can also be overwhelming.
Focus on your main spot, your goals, and your budget, and don’t rush the process. It’s often best to ask an instructor or local school for advice before buying anything.
And remember—more important than the kite is the time spent on the water.