When I first took lessons and started to get hooked on this amazing sport, I obviously had to start thinking about buying my own equipment and trying to get the best beginner kiteboarding kite.

My first set up was recommended to me by my instructor.

The Harness:
He sold me a used harness from the school which he said would work well for me. Only way later I learned that the harness he sold me was men’s size large and I should be using a women’s size small. Having the wrong harness ended up causing difficulties when trying to ride upwind as it kept rising into my chest which then resulted in me having a ‘poo stance’ while riding and trying to hold down my edge.

The Kite:
The kite he found for me on craigslist was old, used and the lines were uneven. I only figured that out when I tried to launch it for the first time and get dragged all along the beach because the kite wasn’t flying properly.
I ditched that kite straight away and went to another kiteshop to ask for better advice on finding the best beginner kiteboarding kite for myself.

The Board:
The board he found for me on craigslist as well and it was a nice freeride board which actually took me a long way and helped me through my progression from beginner to intermediate.

The best beginner kiteboarding kite:
The second kite I bought was way better and actually ended up being the best beginner kiteboarding kite for myself. It was a delta shaped kite that was easy to water relaunch, went upwind well and felt very intuitive.
After a while a got a harness that fit me properly and all of a sudden kiteboarding made way more sense. With the new harness my stance automatically changed, and I was able to lean back into the harness and go upwind without burning out my thighs.

The new combination of the best beginner kiteboarding kite (the delta shaped kite), a harness that fit me properly and a board that was made for beginners (a freeride board) took me from beginner to intermediate in just one season. By the end of the season I was consistently jumping 3 meters high and doing backrolls using little ways as kickers.

What I learned:
Don’t spend money by trying to buy cheap, second hand gear that doesn’t work and you end up ditching anyways to buy proper gear.
Invest money to buy equipment that will function properly and help you throughout your progression!