FAQ's

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Is NOW the right time for you to start kiting?  If you've answered YES, we're sure you have many questions.  Explore's team of instructors is available to introduce you to kiteboarding using the safest technology available for Saskatchewan's gusty wind conditions.  

Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter is the perfect time to start kiting.  The only downtime we have is when it's not blowing +8 Knots (15km)....which is rare here in Saskatchewan.  

Kiteboarding is 80% flying kites vs 20% board/ski skills, therefore ALL kiteboarding brands recommend lessons when learning.  Lessons will save you hours of learning frustration in a fun, safe atmosphere developing the skills you will require to tame these beasts.  During the course syllabus, you will have the opportunity to demo new and used inventory available for resale.  

What is kiteboarding?

The terms “kiting, kiteboarding, kitesurfing, kitesking”  refers to activities performed flying a kite over various terrains.  Kitesurfing can be seen on the water, snow and land.  If you stand on a board/skis and use a kite to be pulled by the wind, it's kiteboarding.

Location – Where do I Kite?

As long as you have permission, with the right equipment, experience, and wind, you can kiteboard almost in any wide open area free of physical obstacles.  Living in Saskatchewan we’ve have the two main ingredients for kiteboariding: Wind and Wide open space.   You can always check the your local forum to see where kiters are riding for the day.  

Can anyone kiteboard?

Absolutely yes. Recommended age is between 10 – 65, but all abilities or even disability could to learn to Kiteboard.  If you can stand, know your left from your right, you can learn to kite. While it helps to be in good shape and requires physical mobility it’s not as much upper body strength as some think.  A harness worn around your waist enables you to “hook in” to the power of the kite, and most of the kite’s pull is absorbed throughout your entire body and not just through your arms. This is why kiters can kite for long periods of time without breaks.

How do I start kiteboarding?

Take lessons with a good instructor…..any instructor.  Explore Kiteboaridng offers a team of excellent instructors who have kited countries and conditions around the world.  Proper lessons will save you hours of learning frustration and the possibility of injuring yourself or worse someone else.  Click here for a list of Explore Instructors.

Why do I need instruction?

You wouldn’t teach yourself to skydive, parasail or hang-glide without proper instruction?  Kiteboarding is as extreme as these sports.

Without the proper knowledge of Kiteboarding, Kites can be very dangerous in the wrong conditions; you owe it to yourself and the kiting community to take proper instruction.   Explore Kiteboarding will save hours of learning frustration, introduce you into the sport safely without injuring yourself or worse others that could result in our launch locations being shutdown.    

When taking a lesson from Explore Kiteboarding you will be exposed to some of Saskatchewan’s best kept secret launch locations, where the kiting commuity has permission to ride. 

When taking a lessons from Explore you will use top of the line equipment for your flying satisfaction allowing you to get up and ride faster than before.

But the equipment is so expensive ... do I really need to take lessons? Is this just a ploy to make me spend more money?

Yes, you really do need to take lessons, and no, it is not just a money-making scheme.  As soon as you fly a large 4-line kite, you will understand why you want someone there showing you what to do.  Explore Lessons can turn the worst learning experence into the best time of your life allowing you maximum time to fly.

If you want to make the most of your lessons, we recommend that you buy a small 2m or 3m trainer kite, and practice flying that until you can fly it blind without thinking about it. Then you can go to your first lesson ready for a bigger inflatable and get into the water, skis or snowboard as soon as you learn about safety and proper rigging.

Tell me a little more about Kiteboarding. I already do other board sports. How is kiteboarding different?

If you windsurf, surf, snowboard, skateboard or wakeboard, or even sail then you will have many of the board skills or knowledge Kiteboarding requires. 80% percent of the sport is kite control and 20% is board skills.  You need to learn safety and kite control before you can attempt to combine kite flying and board riding.  Kiteboarding is somewhat similar to these sports, except you use an inflatable kite to harness the wind for propulsion. Once you are able to steer your kite across the sky, controlling both the power it delivers via the bar, and your direction of travel by proper edging of the board, you will be able to go anywhere and do anything.

Kitesurfers are able to tackle any conditions from butter flat lagoons to charging overhead surf. Having an inflatable Kite allows you tackle any line up as if you had your own personal watercraft. Every session becomes a tow-in session.

Snowkiters can explore the endless backcountry that is normally only accessible by helicopter or snow-mobile. With a kite in your hands, you have the power to ride wherever you want, uphill or downhill. 

Landboarders and buggy riders can use a kite to propel themselves across any open field or beach area, popping tricks and taking to the air however they wish. Any open area becomes a 3D terrain park for your enjoyment, and you don't have to pay to ride!

What equipment will I need?

First, do not buy anything (except maybe a trainer kite) before you take a few lessons. If you buy gear before you know anything about the sport, you run a serious risk of buying all the wrong gear ... not just the wrong gear for the conditions you’ll be riding in, but you truly could be buying the “wrong” gear. Technology has come a long way over the past few years, so even buying something from 2007 in perfect condition at a “great price” could be a serious mistake. You’ll see a lot of super-cheap gear being sold on E-Bay or various kite forums or retail shops, but if it sounds like too good a deal, it probably is. We would never recommend that you buy a C-kite for your first kite, but if you’re just getting into the sport, you won’t know what this means, which again, is why you need to take lessons. Your instructor will help steer you into the right equipment for your own particular needs and riding style.

That being said ...

To get started, you will need a kite, a control bar, a board and a harness. Any additional gear that you require will vary according to which category of kiteboarding you are planning on doing, and where you plan on doing it. You’ll find more details under the Water, Snow and Land sections.

Explore Kiteboarding carries a range of Kiteboarding gear suitable for riders of any level.  From novice with no kite flying experience all the way through to the gear used by international pro-team riders. Your instructor will give you advice on which kite will be best suited to your ability and the local conditions wherever you intend to ride.

In addition to your basic kiting equipment you may also need a selection of safety equipment. This may include a life vest, head protection, knee and elbow protection for snow and landkiting, and an emergency line-cutting knife.

Isn't this expensive?

Kiteboarding with Explore Sports will be less expensive than you imagined; a board, bar and kite package can be had for much less than you might expect. Of course once you have your gear you don't have to pay every time you want to ride, so compared to the cost of a couple of weeks skiing or snowboarding, an entire season of kiteboarding is incredibly good value for the money.

Where do I go from here?

For an introduction to kitesurfing, snowkiting or landboarding call or e-mail us at Explore: 586.KITE (5483) or sales@explorekiteboarding.com

If you have any questions you would need answered, we have a team of support staff and product advisors who would be happy to discuss your requirements who can guide you in the right direction.  

Kitesurfing is 'the” new action sport; it mixes up windsurfing, wakeboarding and surfing with the aerial possibilities of paragliding.

You can kitesurf anywhere you have open water - at the local beach, out on the open ocean, even on inland lakes and reservoirs. All you need is wind & water and you’re ready to go. If you’ve ever surfed, windsurfed or ridden a wakeboard then you already have some of the skills you need to enjoy kiteboarding. A weekend session with a good instructor and the right kite is all you need to be ready to kitesurf. Explore offers weekend camps in the summer with access to remote beaches and PWC rescue.

Should I use a surfboard or a twintip?

If you’re just learning, most people find it easier to start out on a twin tip board, which enables you to change direction without jibing the board. However, once you’re up and riding, which board you should use is a matter of personal preference, and it depends on the style of riding you want to do. If you see yourself making powered cutbacks and powerful bottom turns on overhead waves, then you already know what board you want. If that doesn't sound like you, then you'll be perfect for a twintip board. There’s a board type to suit every rider and every type of riding.

What other gear do I need?

The absolute minimum gear list is a kite, board, harness and bar, but you shouldn't even think of going out without safety equipment, so check out the available personal floatation devices, hook knives and helmets before you buy anything else. If your instructor thinks you’ve progressed beyond the intro kites by the end of your lesson, he or she will let you know.

Snowkiting takes the best of snowboarding and skiing and blends it with the vertical action and flight time of paragliding. You can snow kite in the mountains, uphill or downhill, even on flat, snow-packed land or frozen lakes. The terrain is endless, as are the opportunities for serious airtime. The back country potential is huge - you can leave the lift pass at home as you go out and explore the back country terrain unassisted.

Snowkiting is easier to learn than any of the other kiteboarding disciplines. Snow is more forgiving of mistakes than solid ground and is a lot easier to stand on than water. If you can snowboard or ski then you can snowkite. Most beginners are up and riding within a couple of hours of putting their first kite in the air. The best part of snowkiting is that you already have most of the equipment necessary except the kite, and Explore makes accessing the kites easy and affordable!

Should I use skis or a snowboard?

Although many beginners find skis easier for their first lesson, either one is fine depending upon your personal preferences. Stay with what you know…if you board, snowboard if you ski, then ski.

Where can I snow kite?

The short answer is, "Anywhere there is snow and open space." In fact, there are now snow kiters everywhere, and most are outside of the areas typically synonymous with snow sports. If you have snow, wind and open space, you can snowkite. Safest bet is to check with the local riders to find out what fields they have permission to ride in. Believe it or not, some fields kiters have been asked to leave by the property owner with the fear of an insurance claim if something happened on their land.

What kind of terrain is best?

Although there is a lot of snowkiting in the mountains, most prefer flat, wide-open spaces. Frozen lakes and snow covered parks are usually your best bet. All you need is clear space away from roads, telephone lines and anything too hard….Watch out for the Canola fields! You will have knee deep POW, but if you land your kite you might we walking for a while.

Kite landboarding mixes the freedom and excitement of kitesurfing with the go anywhere, do anything ethos of skateboarding. If you can fly a kite, then you’re ready to try landboarding. All you need is some open space, your kite, a landboard, and the will to learn. Landboarding will provide you with all the thrills of kitesurfing without ever having to get wet. Landboarders can throw the same tricks and boost the same huge air as kitesurfers, and once you’ve learned the tricks on land, you’ll find them easy to nailed on the water as well.

Landboarding is kitesurfing without water, or snowkiting without snow - it’s that simple. If you don’t live by the beach, or just prefer to learn your craft on dry land, then landboarding is the sport for you. Take your favorite kite, strap a landboard to your feet, and you’re set. In no time at all, you’ll be up and running making passes in both directions and learning your first tricks. The great thing about landboarding is that you can do it virtually anywhere the ground is flat; any field, any dry patch of land, instantly becomes a three dimensional playground.

Landboard or buggy?

You can use either four wheels or three, it's up to you. If you’re doing a lot riding on soft surfaces then the larger contact patch of a buggy can make life easier, but either are easy to learn on.

What kind of terrain is best?

If you could ride a bicycle over it, you can landboard or buggy on it. From football pitch to scrubland, you can kiteboard on literally anything.

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