Are you planning an adventure trip mixed with sport? Would you like to travel light? Or are you curious about water-sports and planning to test kite-surfing? Here follows some useful information to take into consideration before you rent a kite:
Hello,
Proriders & Riders to be Pro’,
We are kitesurfers in love with this sport. We are always ready to help when we see someone in danger. This is the reason, we feel necessary to share with you some advice before you jump into the wild.
Those who have no previous experience with this extreme sport, please take a lesson of kite-boarding. A trained kite-instructor will accompany you and let you discover kiting most safely for you. To rent a kite you need to be a kiter already. If the next question is the first one you ask yourself – you should stop reading this article and pay more attention only to its answer.
For all kitesurfer-readers please skip the next question and let’s help you rent some gear…
The safest way to become a kitesurfer is to take kite-lessons (preferably with a certified kite-instructor). Where are you located? Do you have a kite-spot nearby?
Our kite-school is open all year long. We are based on the Balkans, yet we travel the world. For discovering the wind we can show you how to kite-landboarding or take you in the mountains for snow-kiting. We also spend time in tropical Sri Lanka in winter. As well as we open a kite-camp on Turkish island Gokceada (near Greece) every summer every year!
The idea of telling all this is that if you have a goal, there is always a way to achieve it. We can be there to help. Here is more information about our kite-courses.
To be able to rent a kite, you should be an independent rider or more advanced: Level 3 or Level 4 based on the International Kite-boarding Organization (IKO) standards. Check this if you hesitate.
Note! If you have an IKO subscription made by your kite-instructor, it would be the easiest way to prove your skills. Otherwise, be prepared to take one-hour-lesson or so to show your skills before you get to rent some gear. Luckily, the compensation for that small investment would be your certification and inscription in the IKO database for future needs.
In practice, it means that you are passed the water-start, which you succeed every time. You are capable of kiting up-wind and self-rescuing. You should also be aware of the sailing rules on the water, the rights of way. We do not want you to endanger neither yourself, neither other kitesurfers, windsurfers, swimmers or any other presence on the water while your session.
Please be honest about your physical condition and be a good swimmer too. Be responsible!
The best approach to the choice of equipment is to find the same brand you are already using at your home kite-spot. This way you will not need to adapt to a different technology, even if they are all alike. As an example, the Prorider kite-school is using only F-ONE kites and boards. Yet, not all kite-schools rent their equipment.
The second more important rule about renting equipment is to check how reliable the gear is. Basically, you should ask and check if it is new and if it is in a good technical condition. New does not suggest fancy. New is a guarantee for the highest technological advancement of the equipment on the market as
- the safety release system,
- better resistance to the sun and shock,
- less usage is a promise for longer life.
The colors and shapes could also be nicer, but this is just a bonus to the whole kite-experience.
Unfortunately, the price is not going to be higher or lower compared to the brand or technical condition. The price is defined by the market. So, what you should always do is to consult with the locals. You are reading here about how to find or how to rent kite-equipment. Go a step further, if sincerely planning on going, ask your provider for advice and information about the equipment you should use:
- What is your level in kite-boarding?
- What brand have you used?
- What size of kite and boards could you have access to? Etc.
You are planning in advance so you could kite on your trip. If your trip is a kite adventure so you are going to a kite spot and you need to find you some kites, surely it is easy to say. Like you plan your vacation by buying tickets, booking hotels, finding transportation. Your kite provider should be able to plan his availability of kite equipment for a certain period as well. Let him know you are coming and what you expect.
The high season does not imply summertime. The kiting season on our side of the world is lasting all year long. We live on the Balkans and we kite all year long. We change only the spot location and the board we slide on: kite-board becomes mountain-board becomes snow-board… The options are limited only by your imagination (and your work schedule).
If you know when exactly you are traveling, please subscribe in advance to the rental service.
Find us on the internet!
- Most local kite-schools also rent equipment, check with them.
- Also, most brand dealers could be renting – selling the equipment they offer, check with them too.
As we mentioned in the beginning, our kite-school is located in Romania, yet winter-time you can also find us in Sri Lanka, spring-time maybe Egypt, summer-time in Turkey. If you arrive in the Balkans area, we may provide for you here. If you travel to some further exotic destination, we may be able to help you out there by recommending you a reliable contact with a local kite rental service.
Let’s recap!
Where? When? How long would you like to rent? Dates are fixed and the choice of equipment is set. Let us give a last piece of advice:
Please do not negotiate the price!
Most kiters do not buy equipment because the gear is expensive. So, the renting price is a balanced formula between the assumption the person is going to use it the best way he can and the risk of damage. There is no insurance, only a cost to buy and a cost to repair. If repairing is not possible the price to replace with new is to be covered by the one who destroyed it. Plus it is an expensive sport. All gear is precious.
Be careful and be respectful!
In our kite-school, we care most about the person to be safe while riding and to enjoy the time on the water. This is why we also care about the equipment. To make sure you have the best time and to be confident the next time we use the gear, the next person will be safe too. We would like them to have a good experience as you just did. You get the idea, right?
Once you rent a kite, you will sign a paper – a disclaimer to remind you of your responsibilities and a proof that you read the contract!
Everything should be official and transparent like honest people do.