Beginner’s Buyers Guide

How much does it cost?

When you start out, it’s hard to understand what equipment you are going to need.
There is also a lot of second hand gear available which can be of suspect and varying condition. So let’s pretend that we have won the lottery and will be buying everything brand new! Basically the worst case scenario

Beginner Package:

Board and foot straps $600

Kite with bar and lines and a pump. $1500

Harness $200

Wetsuit: $200 – $250

WAKSA membership with Public Liability Insurance: $135

TOTAL: $2,685

When you start out, you may be spending a lot of time in the water, so you may want to wear a PFD (portable flotation device) and even a helmet. It’s a personal decision.

As you begin riding more, you may want to get a second kite to extend your wind range. It will allow you to get out more in a wider range of conditions, but if you pick right. It is possible to kite for almost an entire season on one kite and one board.

But… If you choose to buy second hand and you can easily get setup for under $1,800 with everything! Or if you become friends with a Kitesurfer, you may benefit from some hand-me-downs.

There are many kitesurfing shops and schools in Western Australia that can advise on beginner equipment, or you can look for second hand gear on Seabreeze and Gumtree.
It is advised to get some help from someone experienced if you decide to go second hand.

When you are starting out, you don’t need the newest and the best gear available. New gear that is unused but a couple of seasons old will work just as well. As your skills improve, you may form more of an opinion on what kind of kitesurfing you want to do and may want to try freestyle kiting or wave riding.