I did a rough calculation of gear I have bought over the years:

4 harnesses: 2 expired, 2 currently operational
14 kites: 1 lost at sea, 2 stolen, 1 sold, 6 expired, 4 currently operational
12 boards; 1 stolen, 3 sold, 2 expired, 6 currently operational
10 bars and lines: 6 expired, 4 currently operational

Total cost, less sale and insurance proceeds: $26,450

Kited for 14 years so cost per annum = $1,889.

I kite probably 100 sessions per annum. So gear cost is $19 per session. Great value.

Generally I ride gear until it expires, so I was surprised how many kites and boards I have owned.

I rarely pay full retail price these days but I did in the early years. I do support local shops where possible, especially those that provide demo's, but usually buy end of season sales nowadays. I am have bought many different brands over the years.

And your point is. .....?

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ice said..
I did a rough calculation of gear I have bought over the years:

4 harnesses: 2 expired, 2 currently operational
14 kites: 1 lost at sea, 2 stolen, 1 sold, 6 expired, 4 currently operational
12 boards; 1 stolen, 3 sold, 2 expired, 6 currently operational
10 bars and lines: 6 expired, 4 currently operational

Total cost, less sale and insurance proceeds: $26,450

Kited for 14 years so cost per annum = $1,889.

I kite probably 100 sessions per annum. So gear cost is $19 per session. Great value.

Generally I ride gear until it expires, so I was surprised how many kites and boards I have owned.

I rarely pay full retail price these days but I did in the early years. I do support local shops where possible, especially those that provide demo's, but usually buy end of season sales nowadays. I am have bought many different brands over the years.

Now factor in ks on your vehicle and fuel costs etc.
Theres more than you think.


I have a dedicated kite vehicle and kite room.

Ive done 40k kilometres to and from kiting locations in the last 4 yrs in this car which i only use for kiting.

I rarely drive more than 7 kilometres to and from my local.
Most of us have Kite Fever.

You've bought 14 kites in 14 years, that is massively high rolling.
(I still strongly agree that you have done the right thing spending that much though!)

Most people would surely have bought way less kites than that over 14 years.
I would at least halve your calculation for the Average Joe down to $10 a session. (Less than a pint)

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Ride motor bikes...

Buy a boat and wake behind it...

Buy a few jet skis and qualify yourself as a total wanker...

our sport is pretty cheap really.

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ice said..
I did a rough calculation of gear I have bought over the years:

4 harnesses: 2 expired, 2 currently operational
14 kites: 1 lost at sea, 2 stolen, 1 sold, 6 expired, 4 currently operational
12 boards; 1 stolen, 3 sold, 2 expired, 6 currently operational
10 bars and lines: 6 expired, 4 currently operational

Total cost, less sale and insurance proceeds: $26,450

Kited for 14 years so cost per annum = $1,889.

Let's make it 2019 retail.....

$1200 in harnesses
$28000 in kites
$6000 in boards
$5000 in bars
$500 per year in wetsuits $7000

~$45k

$45k/14 years = ~$3k per year

Still cheaper than kids.

You can't put a price on happiness.

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wishy said..
You've bought 14 kites in 14 years, that is massively high rolling.

I think anyone who started around 2005 would have bought at least 12.

i had an initial 3 kite quiver pre bow kites. By 2008 all replaced with initial bow kites. By 2012 quiver upgraded to much improved SLE kites. Those pre 2012 would have all had to be replaced by now.

If you stayed on c kites the whole way through maybe you would have had less churn.

plus I had some lemons, windwing and griffin that were a waste of money

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shi thouse said..
You can't put a price on happiness.

He just did. $19 per session.

Plus you have to factor in the cost of the after session beers.

Bought a house by the beach 19 years ago, do I have to factor that in, plus quite a few kiting holidays etc... maybe I should add the preceding 20 years of sailboarding as well...

regardless, all up 37 years of a beach life style second to none, worth every cent.

I got sand in my jocks constantly!

Between buying and selling kites, I might lose $1000 per year (mostly depreciation), so $10 per session, and have probably turned over $30k in gear over 7-8 years.

Favourite spot is local 3kms away. Used to surf but got sick of driving 2-3 hours and don't have the time.

If you think kiteboarding is expensive try snowboarding. Min $150 just to get on the mountain.

Only real cost is time, but is usually time well spent.

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bigtone667 said..

ice said..
I did a rough calculation of gear I have bought over the years:

4 harnesses: 2 expired, 2 currently operational
14 kites: 1 lost at sea, 2 stolen, 1 sold, 6 expired, 4 currently operational
12 boards; 1 stolen, 3 sold, 2 expired, 6 currently operational
10 bars and lines: 6 expired, 4 currently operational

Total cost, less sale and insurance proceeds: $26,450

Kited for 14 years so cost per annum = $1,889.

Let's make it 2019 retail.....

$1200 in harnesses
$28000 in kites
$6000 in boards
$5000 in bars
$500 per year in wetsuits $7000

~$45k

$45k/14 years = ~$3k per year

Still cheaper than kids.

Kids actually get more expensive if you get divorced but you get to kite more often. Result: cost per kid goes up ..... cost per kite session goes down.