Equipment

Please note, the necessary equipment will be provided for your lessons, should you not have your own

Kites

Kitesurfing would not be possible if it wasn’t for the equipment that allows kitesurfers to ride with the wind. The most obvious piece of kitesurfing equipment is what usually catches our eye first: the kite. Kites vary in sizes and shapes depending respectively on the strength of the wind, your weight, your level and the discipline you’re practicing. Any time you see a kite on the water, you can notice a number on the canopy of the kite that indicates its size in square meters. Most kites are between 5 and 18 m2. 

Check our the graphic below to find out more about the anatomy of a kite.

Each part of the kite system has its function. Getting familiar with the purpose of each component is helpful to a positive kiteboarding experience.

1. The Kite Canopy: the main fabric panels that hold the different structural elements of the kite;

2. The Leading Edge (LEI): the primary bladder or the front tube that holds the air. When the kite crashes on the water, the LEI allows us to relaunch it because it floats the kite;

3. The Bridles: a colored line system located on the port and starboard sides of the LEI that keeps the kite balance in the air;

4. The Struts: the rigid air chambers that provide the shape and structure to the kite. Most kites come with between three and seven struts depending on the weight of the rider, and the use given to it (wave, race, speed, free ride);

5. The Trailing Edge: the opposite side of the LEI located at the back of the kite;

6. The Wing Tips: the right and left tips of the kite. They have an impact on the way riders turn, depending on whether they're fuller, squarer, pointier, or narrower;

7. The One Pump System: a single inflation point that pumps the whole kite with air, including the LEI and the struts;

8. The Inflate/Deflate Valves: inflation and deflation point that allow you to fill/empty independent bladders with/from air;

9. The Self-Rescue Handles: useful handles located near the wing tips that will help you get back to shore in an emergency;

Source: Surfer Today