Hi,

so I have had some lessons and keen to progress with this sport, I may have left my run a bit late at 48 years old and 92kg.

i am looking at some second hand gear on line... Kite and board combos as follows

Cabrinha crossbow 2011 11m with a Cabrinha Spectrum 140 board

North evo 2011 12m with North X-ride 140 board

Best Kahoona 2013 13.5m with cabrinha icon 150 board.

i live in the illawarra so plan on using local and maybe sydney.

What would be the best start up kit for me, I understand that I will need to add at least one more kit at some stage to allow for different wind conditions.

Al.

Hi Al and welcome to the forum!

When you look at second hand gear it's not so much the brand/model that matters but more the condition that it's in. Kites that have been used regularly and left flapping in the sun and wind for hours on every day at the beach are often very weak and will perform poorly due to a stretched canopy. As a newbie you wouldn't be able to notice these weaknesses upon inspection or even while flying the kite...until you have a big crash and the kite splits open.

Furthermore, line lengths can change significantly over time and it's very common for newbies to buy second hand bars with heavily detuned lines, again not being able to notice/fix the problem...while in some cases such problems could prevent you from progressing. You also need to inspect the lines and depower ropes for fraying and knots.

You also have to worry about peeling valves, many of the older generation kites have valves that peel easily especially if the kites were kept in a hot car for example.

I once had a student who bought 2x second hand kites that were barely used so essentially in very good condition, but when we pumped them, both kites had ALL valves peeling, which means 11 valves to change PER kite, which costs more than the kite itself.

So yeah, moral of the story is befriend a very experienced local kitesurfer and offer beers in exchange of kite inspections. This simple move could save you a lot of headaches!

It's like buying a second hand cheap car, the one in the best condition is always the best choice. But if you're not a mechanic you'd have a hard time telling which one it is!

Christian

I'm probably in the same boat in terms of age and experience (but a good bit fatter I'd expect). I also puzzled over second hand and read all the horror stories. I ended up going with Switch for kite and bar just to limit my risk on buying second hand but still trying to keep the costs down. Very pleased so far.

Fundamentally I don't have any experience to assess a kite and I don't know anyone who has the experience and also is prepared to go trolling round the state looking at second hand kites with me. So it was a bit of a no-brainer in the end.

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dacjac said..
Hi,

so I have had some lessons and keen to progress with this sport, I may have left my run a bit late at 48 years old and 92kg.

i am looking at some second hand gear on line... Kite and board combos as follows

Cabrinha crossbow 2011 11m with a Cabrinha Spectrum 140 board

North evo 2011 12m with North X-ride 140 board

Best Kahoona 2013 13.5m with cabrinha icon 150 board.

i live in the illawarra so plan on using local and maybe sydney.

What would be the best start up kit for me, I understand that I will need to add at least one more kit at some stage to allow for different wind conditions.

Al.

Hi Al
You are definitely not too old at 48, and 92 pies is just a number that needs to be considered when you choose a kite size for use around Sydney.
We are less than an hours drive up the road and we would have a large range of good condition late model used kites and boards, as well as harnesses.
Everything we sell is guaranteed too so you can have peace of mind and just get on with learning.

You are correct in assuming that a 12'ish sized kite and a 1.40-1.50 board will be your best first kite board combo.

Id have to back up Kitepower on that mate. Even if it was a couppe gundred more(it may not be) its always better going through a shop, even for second hand gear. Then you have someone to ask a few questions or bitch if it all goes wrong. What Christian said is right aswell. I havnt met him before but but he is either A: an awsome dude or B: a super fast typer, cuz he leaves some super detailed well written responses on here.

Hi there...
Buy yourself a new kit or 1-2 seasons used from kiteshop ....
Its best to view used gear in person.

You can have a new kite and bar delivered to your door from switch for around a grand ...

Then you know your gear is in top co dition.... and you can focus on kiting and spend your time on the water instead if repairing older gear.

The illawarra is an awesome location for kiting

you need a stable, smooth power delivery kite with easy relaunch, simple atb depower and an easy re-setting safety,
although doable id keep away from some c orientated kites, some wave kites require plenty of movement for low power delivery, nearly every brand does a good begginer/ early intermediate kite, theres some ripper deals ive witnessed from locals picking up near new kites for small money, also some great deals on ex school and superceeded kites from retailers

Never too old. Like my kids say when I want to teach them kitesurfing, "its an old mans sport dad". Spend a few extra hundy and get a recent year kite, 2011 is 50 years old in kite years.

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Peahi said..
Never too old. Like my kids say when I want to teach them kitesurfing, "its an old mans sport dad". Spend a few extra hundy and get a recent year kite, 2011 is 50 years old in kite years.

That isn't necessarily good advice. If you hunt around and ask the right questions, you will find many kites for sale that people bought 4/5+ years ago that have barely been used. A 2011 kite that has been used say 20 times and is in great condition is a much better buy than a kite that is 2 years old and been used 100+ times and left flapping in the sun and wind every day at the beach. We're not talking about 15 year old kites here. A kite that is 6-7 years old in great condition that is well inspected would suit a newbie just fine if they are on tight budget.

The biggest issue with newbies when they buy second hand kites without any advice or knowledge of how to inspect a kite is that they often end up with the wrong equipment or equipment that is in the wrong condition, regardless of the year of the kite.

When I first learned how to kite 10 years ago I was a Uni student on a very tight budget. I made 2 mistakes buying two separate second hands kites and really wish I'd have that sort of advice then.

Christian

Loads of good advice here, including buying your second hand gear for the first time from a shop. The little you lose in dollars you will gain in advice and piece of mind. I will add my 2 cents worth and say that buying different sized kites, for example a 9m and a 12m kite the same brand and model will also really help. These kites will behave and exhibit very similar characteristics and make learning and progressing far easier. Good Luck.

I'd buy from the shop
The bar and lines will outlast the kite
Buy from the shop
You'll save more in the end

There's a new kite shop opened just recently near you in the Gong, Unhookedwatersports -drop in and see them, friendly guys.

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theDoctor said..

I'd buy from the shop
The bar and lines will outlast the kite
Buy from the shop
You'll save more in the end

Responsible advice from theDoctor.Have I missed something?

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cbulota said..

Peahi said..
Never too old. Like my kids say when I want to teach them kitesurfing, "its an old mans sport dad". Spend a few extra hundy and get a recent year kite, 2011 is 50 years old in kite years.

That isn't necessarily good advice. If you hunt around and ask the right questions, you will find many kites for sale that people bought 4/5+ years ago that have barely been used. A 2011 kite that has been used say 20 times and is in great condition is a much better buy than a kite that is 2 years old and been used 100+ times and left flapping in the sun and wind every day at the beach. We're not talking about 15 year old kites here. A kite that is 6-7 years old in great condition that is well inspected would suit a newbie just fine if they are on tight budget.

The biggest issue with newbies when they buy second hand kites without any advice or knowledge of how to inspect a kite is that they often end up with the wrong equipment or equipment that is in the wrong condition, regardless of the year of the kite.

When I first learned how to kite 10 years ago I was a Uni student on a very tight budget. I made 2 mistakes buying two separate second hands kites and really wish I'd have that sort of advice then.

Christian

poor man, pays twice

I have picked up some excellent cond 2011 kites, but they are still tanks to fly compared to more recent kites which turn faster and have lighter bar pressure. not to mention double vs single line flagout. for a newbie it may not matter as just turning a kite is a great leap forward.

Hi Dacjac,

You are close to the average age of kitesurfer in Australia and average weight. Plenty of good times ahead for you.

Of the list you have there, I'd go North, then Cabrinha and then Best, all will be suitable for you but it would be better to go and see your local shop and strike up a relationship with them. Most shops (but not all) realise they need to try and win you as a long term customer so won't rip you off. You also have the coverage of an Australian Consumer Guarantee from a shop, but not from online. So many stories of people being ripped off with private sellers online.

However, to answer your question, without knowing the quality or condition of any of the gear, I would go with the North Evo and X-Ride. You just can't go wrong with that combo. Buy your harness new and size for comfort and fit (visit a shop). If you know anyone who has been kiting for more than a few years, get them to come along and check out the gear for you to judge it's condition and value if possible.

Good luck and welcome to Kitesurfing!

DM