Why Kitesurf material is so expensive?
So this morning I woke up, and I decided it is time to buy a foil board for my wings. I want to learn this sport during this kite safari season. I got a 5m wing, and I want to get a foil board for beginner, 150l or something around that: let’s check online for a good deal, maybe used? maybe new but not 2023? I tried to search online for an inflatable board to learn to wingfoil, and only the board is around 1000€ – I don’t even have a foil and a wing to go along with them, so we are easily talking about 2000€ investment on a beginner board (cause yeah, I can’t wingfoil yet).
I was planning (and I still am) to start playing around with wings and foils during our 2023 Kite Cruise Season (you can find all our scheduled dates in our Kite Cruise Weeks Calendar , but I know I will cry when I will get my hands on a complete set, and that will not be a cry of joy.
At the end of the day, a beginner foil board is an inflatable SUP: I got one last year for 200€ with a paddle, and it was in pristine condition – why an inflatable foil board without a mast is 1000€? What am I missing? And changing subject (but not really), I’ve seen online an Ocean Rodeo kite 9m brand new in a webshop at over 2500Euro! Is it a joke? I can’t imagine anyone going in such website and say: «Wow, what a great deal, I will buy this kite before anyone snatch it from my hands, better hurry!».
I am honestly a bit tired of this, and I’ve the feeling I’m not the only one. And yeah, I’ve no idea why kite gear is so expensive.
I see it every day: most of the kiters need a kite to go to A to B: they don’t need an extremely performant kite for mega loops. It’s like I want to buy a new car, I enter the car dealer, and all I can choose is: Ferrari, Mercedes and Lamborghini. Maybe all I need is a Seat Panda…
Said this, I won’t give up, and by the end of today I will have a foil board!
I love kitesurfing, travelling, and making short walks with my dog. I organize kite cruises in Egypt since 2014, you may find me in some windy beach pretty much all year round when I’m not on the boat, may it be Egypt, Cape Verde, Mauritius or Greece. I drink red wine and play (badly) the guitar. You can contact me at +201009410388 (whatsapp or calls) or just email me at info@sickdogsurf.com
Hope to see you on board one of these days!