There are tons of different water sports to be enjoyed on the water. Among those are windsurfing and kiteboarding. Yet there may come a time when you want to choose one over the other. As a windsurfer, you can enjoy hours of just coasting along the waves and adding a bit of thrill to your regular surfing past time.
Kiteboarding offers a different challenge. Because the sail isn’t attached to the board, itself, you’re able to perform stunts. While you may be able to perform a few stunts while windsurfing, you won’t be able to do the kind of tricks that you can when kiteboarding.
This is simply because kiteboarding launches you into the air. When you let your kite loose, you’re able to soar up into the sky and perform various tricks akin to snowboarding or skateboarding. There’s also the thrill of just being launched up in the air even if you’re not doing it to perform tricks.
While windsurfing keeps you firmly planted on the ground, for the most part, kiteboarding takes you up into the sky.
Another reason you might choose kiteboarding over windsurfing is because of the ease of transport. Windsurfing requires you to carry heavy equipment. If you intend to travel over a long distance or even on a plane, then carrying your boards, sail, and other equipment can become cumbersome. Unless you happen to live next to a large lake or an ocean, you may not want to deal with the problems of transporting your windsurfing equipment.
Kiteboarding has far lighter equipment. You just need your board, kite, and harness. You can easily hold your board with one hand while you toss your kite over your shoulder. Your harness you can either carry or hook over your other shoulder. Carrying it onto plates is less cumbersome as well. Those who like to travel to distant oceans and lakes will likely find that kiteboarding is just a little bit easier in terms of transport.
Another reason you might want to choose kiteboarding over windsurfing is because of the challenge. Windsurfing can be a great way to relax, but for some people, it just isn’t challenging enough. They may even find it boring.
To learn kiteboarding, you first have to devote your time to learning how to utilize the kite. This is best done on land. Once you understand how to operate the kite, you can then practice standing on the board and understanding how to drag your body properly. After that comes training on how to launch properly and land properly.
Kiteboarding continues to offer unique challenges that can make the sport interesting for years. You can always learn new tricks to perform if you’re feeling brave enough.
Kiteboarding is also more social. If you want to enjoy the water alone, then windsurfing is your best bet. If you want to hit the beach with a couple of buddies, then kiteboarding is a great social activity. This is because you require aid in launching and landing your kite. You should never do it on your own.
Pros Of Kiteboarding
Here are a few pros of kiteboarding:
- Mentally challenging
- Offers an adrenaline burst
- Easy to transport
- Great for socializing
- Can increase fitness
- May compete at the Olympics
Because kiteboarding was recently added as an Olympic sport, if you find yourself getting pretty great at kiteboarding, then you may have what it takes to be an Olympian. Kiteboarding offers a lot of positives that can keep your mind sharp, allow you to keep fit, and it can be a great way to get together with friends.
Cons of Windsurfing
Here are a few cons of windsurfing:
- Cumbersome transport
- May become boring
- Can’t surf in shallow areas
- Requires several parts that can break
- Typically requires strong wind
Should I Keep Or Sell My Old Windsurfing Board?
If you’re thinking of switching to kiteboarding instead of windsurfing, then you may wonder what to do with your board. If you choose to keep it, then you may find a use for it later. Because kiteboards skim the surface of the water, a windsurfing board isn’t always the best option to use for that purpose. However, you may find that your windsurfing board works well as a regular surfing board. Reusing your windsurf board is always a great option.
However, if you want to buy a kitesurfing board or other equipment, then it may be a good idea to sell your windsurfing board. At the very least, you may be able to earn some money that can make affording kiteboarding equipment that much easier.
The choice ultimately depends on if you ever plan on windsurfing again. You don’t have to just windsurf or just kiteboard. You can do both. Having your board ready at hand if you suddenly decide to try a few tricks on your windsurfing board is always great.
Yet if you know for certain that you’re never going to windsurf again, then sell your board and bring in extra cash.
Or, at the very least, you can likely donate it to an organization.
Trends For Windsurfing And Kiteboarding
The trends for both windsurfing and kiteboarding revolve around safety, better materials for their equipment, and expanding the use of the boards. Both windsurfing and kiteboarding can be dangerous. Unless you properly train and understand what to do under certain situations, you may find yourself with a few broken bones and dislocated shoulders.
Many manufacturers are trying to make both sports safer. This includes creating lifejackets that can be easily worn by surfers and boarders. Kiteboards may also soon feature harnesses that come with a seatbelt-like safety connection that makes it easy to disconnect and connect to their harness.
Expanding the use of the board is also a key trend. More and more manufacturers are creating their boards for multiple purposes. You may soon find kiteboards that are also great for windsurfing and vice versa. They hope to hit both sports markets.
