How you can learn to kitesurf in 15 hours: avoid my mistakes!! 

some short tips, from a year long beginner. if you can't get upwind and keeping speed after the water start, just lean back more (best tip I got). if you don't have flat water near you (i don't), just start using the waves as ramps, you'll get used to making a little air.

I took my first lessons at age 59. Maybe because of lack of flexibility, but compounded by choppy water (and depth), the hardest/slowest part for me was getting my feet in the straps without losing control of the kite.

Great informative video. Thanks. My kiteboarding journey has been much slower than yours . . . for many reasons that I won't get into. Friends of mine have tried to get into kiteboarding and given up. It can be an expensive sport. It is also frustrating at times. You are at the mercy of the wind . . . which can be fickle. But the beauty of the sport keeps me motivated. I love playing in, and with, nature. I am resigned to being the "world's slowest progressing kiteboarder". Yesterday my kite inverted and in the ensuing chaos I lost my board. But I am not giving up. It really is about the journey for me. And I am confident the journey will be worth it. My best advice for getting into kiteboarding: find a good kiteboarder friend with a jetski who can watch over you and get you back home.

Perfect video i can´t remember the count of people they ask me: "how long it takes to learn it" 😂 Most time i tell them: "if you have time & wind in 1 day" but normal like me 1-2 years on splittet sessions with dumb gear & conditions.

I learned when i was 60Yrs old. now i am 67 and with over 100 sessions i have to agree to be consistent and practice.

My tip is learning on a big kite like a 15m or 12m with small bar setting, big kites move slower so you won't mess up as much, once you ready to water start make sure you are well powered makes it much easier and you will be able to stay up wind just park and ride , flat water makes it easy to get board on your feet let the kite pull you onto board , I find jumping in waves makes it easier as it gives you something to time your jumps off

A few months late here but better late than never! I honestly kinda cringed when I saw this title, I thought you were going in the direction of you can do it on your own without lessons. But I'm glad I watched, sweet video bud. Love your thoughts. Great job editing. High 5!

There are two huge things that can either drastically reduce the time it takes to learn or drastically reduce the cost and increase the opportunities to learn that I would like to add: 1. Shallow water! It makes such a difference to the physical aspects of learning to kite when you can stand up at any time which means more endurance, better focus, more enjoyable experience. 2. Flysurfer Peak 4 (and maybe the new Hybrid they have coming out). This kite is simple amazing for learning to kite for a few reasons: 2a. It's super safe. You can be flying this kite safely independently after an hour on land intro course. It generates almost no lift and is pretty much impossible to jump with. It also has a very big top end so if you are overpowered it's still manageable and the kite will let you know it's overpowered by all the flapping. 2b. It flies in light winds amazingly well. With LEI kites you have to know what you are doing to fly them in light winds but the Peak 4 flies like a normal kite in only 8 knots. This makes it so you can learn to kite in safer conditions when then winds are 8-12 knots and it gives you way more opportunity to get out and learn because if it's sunny out near the ocean you'll usually get a 8-12 knot sea breeze. 2c. It's a real 4 line depower kite that you can fly and crash on land without destroying it. 2d. If you pair up with another person for relaunching this kite works very well in shallow water. Often the great shallow water spots will only have light winds so learning in them can be difficult, but not with the Peak 4. On top of that the fact that it completely stops once it hits the water is another big safety plus. 2e. It's super well suited to teaching kids. A 100 lbs kid can fully ride down wind in 10 knots of wind and if they loop the kite 8 knots of wind. I have taught both kids and 175 lbs adults on this kite in 7-12 knots and it really does accelerate the learning process. It's also very affordable and has great re-sale value as they are really fun kites to hydrofoil with.

Simple - really good information - thanks Anthony ;-)

I got myself a 4-line trainer kite after flying larger kites in strong winds. This was still on land while just practicing with the kites. I found it very helpful. After just a couple hours with a 2.5m kite, going back to the bigger kites just made so much more sense, especially the power/de-power aspect of the bar. I enjoyed your video a lot. Your experience matched mine quite closely, with exception of your remarks about a trainer kite.

Sick video Evan!! Love the content!

Very helpful. Thank you!!

Sweet video! As I learn I'm using Anki spaced repetition flash cards to revise whatever I've learned from Kiteboarding videos on RU-vid like safety stuff. I would recommend it to help the learning to stick, especially for guys like me who have months between days out on the water due to other commitments.

Great video 👍 A lot of people were waiting for this one. Keep it up 🏄🤙

Good analysis, i started making progression after getting my new kites. Not willing to spend much money on Kites in the beginning slowed my progress. Oftentimes i was on the spot ready to go only to find out my struts were leaking or i wasn’t able to get the pumped up hard enough because the old valves just ages to close whilst loosing air.

Super helpful and organized! Thanks for collecting and sharing your journey

I think trainer kites are great, had a peter lynn impulse i played on the beach with long before i ever kitesurfed and going over to a big kite felt very intuitive.

Dude your videos and tips are top notch. I’m going to get into kitesurfing hopefully next summer since I’ve spent an arm and a leg on camping and backpacking gear. I already started doing a couple of jumps for sky diving. My goal is to conquer land, air, and sea!

Thank you. Really helpful.

Nice video. It's definitely an investment in time and money for the lessons but it's a great feeling to be finally independent after 20 lessons and two summers.

Thanks for the nice video, really helpful - the only thing I'd add is the choice of board can be important, especially in light wind. Using a 160cm (something like the Slingshot Glide) made a big difference for me, it's more forgiving when learning to water start and take first rides

Evan, that was a fantastically made and super motivating video! I really like your data-focused systematic approach. I'm currently taking lessons and there's one thing where I disagree: 2:50 - consistent wind spot. We've been having real bad wind - gusty and aggressive on one day and barely enough to launch on others. But I felt like this is actually the best way to learn to control the kite - I have an instructor right there who can help me overcome these difficult conditions with hands-on tips. If I learn to control the kite in difficult conditions, I'll be able to control it in good conditions any time. But if I learn it in good conditions - what will I do in bad conditions when there's no instructor around? Just some thoughts I have after a couple talks I had yesterday on the beach with others.

Great tips man! I have only 15hours and going upwind in one direction but the other. still learning though

Cool video!

Great video, got some insight about this sport, I´m thinking of take some lessons 2024 as a total newbie. I´m 61, do you have some special advice for oldies? Cheers!

16, just had my first kitesurf lesson a week ago. I can't wait to get into my next one, however my kiteschool doesn't give lessons on set points. They rather look at what the wind provides and call you up 2 days beforehand if they see the wind is good. I hope I can at least get one more lesson before next school year.

Nice video. I have a couple of questions: Do you have a list of spots in the NY area? What kite are you using for the foiling? Do you use your XR on the surfboard without straps as well?

these are all very good advises! apart from the one where you assume I have friends or moore ppl ride where i live :P honbestly thou, it is over 500km to my nearest "local" surf spot. any tips for us training compleetly solo? I´ve just started and havent even been in the water yet, apart from some body draging.

I'm 130lb, wind speed is around 12-15mph. What size kite do I look for in a beginner?

hi! what would be a nice beginner kite in your opinion? I am thinking on a 12m all-around and once I had that dominated maybe a 9m. Thanks!

A day in waves 🌊

Hiiii Do you give kitesurfing coaching for racing !! I want to learn from you

Anyone na idea if Tarifa is a good place both for beginners and intermediate and advanced kiters? Heading there soon for my first classes, bar a few i took more than a decado ago in Antigua Barbuda, when budget didnt let me to get further than a intial attempt to waterstart unfortunately.

Why did you go with Core instead of like Airush?

how many boards lost ?

Skip to 3:20

NEVER LEARN BY YOUR SELF IF YOU DONT WANT TO DIE...tats my tip

Supervised training sessions must be made mandatory. Kitesurfing is a bit unfair in the sense that beginners are most at risk of (causing) serious harm

Your video fails to say you need to learn to fly a kite first 🤔 15hrs i

Not sure why but I'm finding it really difficult to understand your timeline charts. Really good video otherwise though, very helpful!

100$ for a pick-up. stingy