Types of Kiteboarding Kites | A Guide for Riders

Welcome to the world of kiteboarding! Choosing the right kite for your riding style and skill level is crucial for progression and enjoyment on the water. This guide breaks down the main categories of kites available today, each designed with specific features to enhance particular aspects of the sport.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to specialize in a certain discipline, understanding these differences will help you make an informed decision about which kite best suits your needs.

Beginner-Friendly Kites

Designed to be more forgiving and stable in the gusts, these kites usually turn slower and benefit from the easy relaunch. Many beginner-friendly kites are great freeride and all-around kites as well.   

Freeride Kites

Designed for better boosting and riding upwind, these kites fly closer to the edge of the wind window and have a flatter profile. They tend to be slower on the turning speed and not have a consistent power delivery through the wind window - this makes them not ideal for wave-riding or freestyle / unhooked tricks. Most Freeride kites are also beginner-friendly. 

Surf/ Wave Kites

These kites are designed to drift with the rider surfing on a wave. As such, they tend to be lighter weight and fly deeper in the wind window. They turn and loop very quickly to help to power up after catching a wave. Most dedicated surf kites are not great for boosting and riding upwind.  

Lightwind Kites

Designed to fly in the lightest winds, these kites are made lighter per square meter than other kites. That means fewer struts and fewer reinforcements. Most light winds kites are sized 13m (for lighter riders) and up to 19m (for heavier riders). 

Wake/ Freestyle kites

These kites are designed for advanced riders looking to kite loop, un-hook and other park and ride type of tricks. They fly deeper in the wind window and are more C shaped.

Hydrofoil Kites

Since hydrofoils usually don't need as much power as twin tips or surfboards, these kites are designed to be flown with less power - lightweight, small size kites that will stay up in the sky when others don't. These are basically the same as Lightwind kites but usually come in smaller sizes. Also, foil kites are great for hydrofoiling since they are lightweight, drift well, and provide extra lift which helps with air tacks and gibes. 

All-Around Kites

These kites are designed to do it all. They have a good balance of usability and performance and can be used for any discipline; however, they are not the best in any specific discipline.