| #1 You must be strong
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| | lesson, you'll feel much more comfortable
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| First of all, let me tell you that I am
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| | handling the real thing and your lesson
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| 5'4", female, I weigh 100 pounds, and I
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| | will go much smoother. You can learn
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| have only been to a gym once in my life.
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| | mandatory kite flying skills the hard way
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| Even though my arm muscle is virtually
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| | (with a powerful kite), or you can learn
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| non-existent, I can still manage to
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| | it the easy way (with a trainer kite);
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| kiteboard hours straight because of the
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| | it's your choice.
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| harness worn with kiteboarding.
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| | #7 Kiteboarding is expensive
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| #2 I'm too fat / too tall / too small /
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| | If you go out and buy the complete
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| too old / too young
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| | kiteboard set up (kite, bar & lines,
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| Many kiteboard stores require you to
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| | harness, board), you're looking at around
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| weigh at least 80 pounds in order to take
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| | $1,500 - $2,000. Ok, that number may seem
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| a lesson. I've seen just about every size
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| | big, but let's think about this. If you
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| and shape out there kiteboarding even
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| | want to wakeboard, you need a boat plus
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| guys in the 300 pound range.
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| | plan on spending a good chunk of money on
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| Height doesn't matter, but if you are a
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| | gas each time you go out. In the winter
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| petite rider, consider buying a seat
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| | time, you spend money on lift tickets
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| harness rather than a waist harness. This
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| | every good powder day. Why not just strap
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| will move the bar closer to your body and
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| | your snowboard/skis on your feet and go
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| put the power/depower strap within better
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| | snowkiting (use the same kite and
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| reach.
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| | harness, just add your skis/board). When
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| I've seen plenty of guys in their 60s &
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| | you think of it that way, the $1,500 for
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| 70s kiteboarding. If you have back
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| | year-round fun doesn't look so bad.
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| problems, buy a seat harness rather than
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| | #8 Kiteboarding can only be done in the
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| a waist harness, and buy a kite that has
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| | ocean
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| a lot of depower (bow, SLE, or hybrid
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| | Wrong. Kiteboarding can be done in any
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| kite).
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| | large body of water. Heck, I've
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| #3 Kiteboarding is very dangerous
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| | kiteboarded in a large mud pond that was
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| As long as you take the necessary
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| | only about a foot deep (not recommended).
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| pre-cautions, kiteboarding is relatively
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| | A sandy shoreline along with clean,
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| safe. I say relatively, because
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| | steady wind is ideal. Open areas like the
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| everything in life has risk, even driving
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| | Great Lakes or oceans typically get
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| your car to the grocery store. However,
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| | smoother wind than inland spots like
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| if you don't know what you're doing,
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| | lakes and reservoirs. Kiteboarding can
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| things can go bad, very bad. Take a
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| | also be done in the winter time
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| lesson! When in doubt, don't go out.
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| | (snowkiting) on open fields or frozen
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| Never ride by yourself. Don't kite in
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| | lakes with a snowboard or skis. And then
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| storms or other times when the wind isn't
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| | there is kite ground boarding (KGB) where
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| steady and reliable. And again, take a
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| | you use a landboard with a kite, the
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| lesson (the more the better)!
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| | possibilities go on and on…
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| #4 I don't need a lesson
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| | #9 I have a wakeboard, all I need is a
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| Just because you're a pro wakeboarder
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| | kite
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| snowboarder, etc., doesn't mean you're a
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| | The bindings on a wakeboard are boot-like
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| good kiteboarder. You need to learn how
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| | and are hard to get into, compared to the
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| to fly the kite as well as learn how to
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| | easy-entry, sandal-like binding of a
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| setup the kite, relaunch, perform a self
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| | kiteboard. Basically, when you're in the
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| rescue, etc.
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| | water with the kite, you're going to want
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| This is not wakeboarding, skiing, or
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| | it as easy as possible to put that board
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| surfing. It is more comparable to scuba
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| | on your feet while you're flying the
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| diving, except if you screw up, not only
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| | kite.
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| are you putting yourself at risk, but
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| | Try to imagine wakeboarding in a choppy
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| also everyone on that beach. It is
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| | ocean, doesn't sound too good does it? A
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| absolutely critical that you know what
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| | kiteboard on the other hand, lets you cut
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| you are doing. A minimum of at least one
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| | right through chop and gives you a nice
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| lesson is mandatory. No exceptions.
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| | ride, thus opening up the possibility to
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| #5 I'll take a lesson and be riding by
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| | ride basically anything.
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| the end of the day
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| | #10 I found a great deal on a kite off
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| Each year the gear is getting better and
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| | eBay!
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| better. Three years ago, it would take
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| | Have you ever noticed how every kite
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| weeks to be able to learn what people now
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| | listed on there is "great for beginners."
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| learn in a matter of days. Even so, do
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| | Don't believe everything you're told.
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| not expect to be up and riding the first
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| | Just about every eBay kite that I've seen
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| time (or second time for that matter). It
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| | people bring to the beach makes me
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| does happen every now and then so to
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| | cringe. Many times, the kite is old (old
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| improve your chances spend as much time
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| | in kiteboarding can mean anything over
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| as you can with a trainer kite and work
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| | 2-3 years old) and unsafe. Remember,
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| on your board skills.
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| | kiteboarding is still a new sport, and
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| #6 Trainer kite? I don't need a trainer
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| | the equipment today is three hundred
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| kite!
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| | times better than it was 4 years ago.
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| Buying a trainer kite is one of the
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| | Overall, you get what you pay for! Talk
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| smartest moves you can make (along with
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| | to someone at a kiteboard store for what
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| taking lessons and buying the proper
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| | kiteboarding setup would be the best for
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| gear). You can learn so much with a
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| | you and buy it through them. The right
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| trainer kite that by the time you take a
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| | gear makes all the difference!
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