Kitesurfing and Windsurfing are both fantastic watersports. These sports require patience and skill to master, perfect for people with good physical abilities. But which one is easier to learn?
Windsurfing is easier to learn than kitesurfing. A beginner windsurfer will need 6 hours of lessons, while a kitesurfer will need 10-12 hours of lessons. Learning the basics of these sports is one thing, but mastering either of these will require significantly more time.
The time it takes to go from being a complete novice to a beginner should not be the only thing you consider when making the choice on which sport to learn. If you are an aspiring kitesurfer or windsurfer, read on as we look deeper at some of the other key elements in choosing the right one for you.
Learning Style
Beginners without any background knowledge in boarding (whether it be snow, wake or skate) or sailing probably need to consider their learning style more than those with some knowledge or experience.
Do you want to see a fast result? Or are you a learner who has much more patience?
If you want to see a fast result, Windsurfing is for you. Windsurfing has a shorter learning curve to go from novice to beginner when compared to Kitesurfing. Windsurfing training boards have come a long way – they’re much bigger (with a larger volume) and hence more stable to stand on. This has drastically reduced the learning time for windsurfing.
After just a few hours of lessons, you will be able to start windsurfing back and forth independently. Now that’s not to say that you’ll be done with lessons. You will still have plenty left to learn.
Learning to kitesurf requires almost double the time investment compared to windsurfing. For complete beginners, it may be days before you start to see the results of your lessons. You will need to learn to:
- Launch and control your kite on land
- Body drag in the water
- Get on your board in the water
- Change direction on your board
You will need much more patience to learn how to kitesurf. The combination of learning to control the kite as well as balancing on and controlling your movement on the kiteboard can seem overwhelming at first. With the right instructor and a bit of determination, anyone can get the hang of it.
Lesson Costs
Learning the right way requires some serious investment. Before learning kitesurfing or windsurfing you are going to need a budget and a plan. For instance, are you going to hire an instructor one-on-one or take group lessons? Maybe you are already committed and want to buy all your equipment before your first lesson. This is definitely not recommended!
Kitesurfing lessons cost from $110 to $200 per day for group tuition and around $60 to $100 per hour for private lessons. That means it will cost you approximately $220-$400 to learn to kitesurf in group lessons or $600-$1200 one-on-one with a private instructor.
In comparison, group classes for Windsurfing will cost you roughly $150 per day while private lessons cost between $50 and $90 per hour. That means you are looking at a total cost of $150 for group lessons or $300 to $540 for private lessons.
The costs to learn kitesurfing or windsurfing vary significantly depending on which country you are located in. Kitesurfing and windsurfing schools in most locations will offer you the choice of group lessons or private lessons. Keep in mind that you should also check the school’s credibility and not just go for the cheapest option.
A good kitesurfing school is registered at the International Kitesurfing Organization (IKO) and has licensed or certified IKO instructors to teach you how to kitesurf. On the other hand, a good Windsurfing school is accredited by the International Sailing Schools Association (ISSA) and National Surf Schools and Instructors Association (NSSIA) and has a licensed and certified ISSA or NSSIA instructor who can guide you in learning windsurfing. Kitesurfing and Windsurfing both offer group classes and private classes.
Equipment Costs
We definitely advise you not to invest in any gear, whether you decide to take up kitesurfing or windsurfing, before completing your beginner lessons. Once you’re done with lessons, you can continue to hire gear from the school you took your lessons at. Eventually, though, you’re going to want to buy your own gear.
You can buy second-hand gear for both kitesurfing and windsurfing, however, unless you know what to look out for, you could end up buying damaged gear. For this reason, we recommend picking up a starter bundle from your local watersports store, the school you got your lessons from, or an online store.
Most retailers will offer starter bundles for kitesurfing and windsurfing beginners. These are an excellent way to get all the necessary gear at a much more affordable price. If you bought all the items individually you would definitely be parting ways with more of your hard-earned cash.
Additionally, you would need to check for compatibility between all the individual pieces of gear you purchased.
The table below provides a good comparison of the costs, based on your weight. Windsurfing gear is more expensive across the board for beginner bundles.
| Weight | Kitesurfing | Windsurfing |
| 65 kg | $1229 | $1773 |
| 75 kg | $1399 | $1779 |
| 85kg | $1499 | $1779 |
| 95kg | $1549 | $1866 |
| 105kg | $1649 | $1989 |
Gear Transportation and Storage
Gear Transportation
Transporting your gears and storing them is one of the most tiring parts of Windsurfing and Kitesurfing. It would be best to consider how you would transport and keep your equipment before pursuing these sports. Remember that you have loads of equipment to bring whenever you go Kitesurfing and Windsurfing.
For Kitesurfing, you can pack gear into a 145cm board bag that can hold all of your equipment. You can also try to use a compression bag to put your kites before putting them inside the board bag. Using a board bag is convenient when you are walking to your kitesurfing area. If you have a car, you can quickly put it inside or tie it on your vehicle’s roof rack. If you do not have a car, you can ride a bus and put it in the compartment or rent a van.
For Windsurfing equipment, you can also put your gear in a board bag and quiver bag for convenience. If you have a car and are traveling with families, you can transport your equipment by securing your board on the roof racks and putting the quiver bag inside. If you do not have a car, you can ride a bus, put it in the compartment, or rent a van to transport your gears comfortably.
If you are traveling by plane, airlines allow you to bring your equipment that weighs 50 lbs or 22.6 kg. Kitesurfing equipment has an advantage because it weighs less than 20 kg for one board, two kites, harnesses, wetsuits, and other gears. In contrast, Windsurfing equipment with one board, three sails, masts, harnesses, boots, wetsuits, and other gears will weigh around 25 to 30 kg. Kitesurfing equipment is lighter in weight compared to Windsurfing equipment which makes it easier to carry around.
Gear Storage
Another problem that kite surfers and windsurfers are facing is where they should store their equipment.
Equipment for Kitesurfing is much easier to store because you can fold or roll your kites and put them in a compression bag. If you live in an apartment or a house with limited space, you can quickly put your kites in a plastic container or compression bag and store them in the living room, lounge, or under your beds. For the board, you can make your rack by mounting a rack on your wall.
Equipment for Windsurfing needs broader and more spacious storage because it is bulkier than Kitesurfing equipment. If you live in an apartment or a house with limited space, you can put your gears in the storage locker of your apartment building or mount a rack on your wall for your boards. For the sails, it is better to hang them or properly fold them and put them in a plastic container, then place them under your bed with the other gears.
Risk of Injury
Risks always accompany sports; Kitesurfing and Windsurfing are no different. During your lessons, your instructor will teach you how to avoid and/or minimize those risks. We can dig into the results of a recent study to learn more about the frequency of injuries in kitesurfing and windsurfing.
A 2016 study published in the World Journal of Orthopedics analyzed kitesurfing and windsurfing injuries in the Netherlands from 2011-2013. 25 windsurfers and 32 kitesurfers presented to Spaarne Gasthuis, Spaarnepoort during the period of analysis.
The overall results showed that while the incidence of injury was higher for kitesurfing, the severity of injuries was not statistically different. They observed that windsurfing had a rate of injury of 5.2 every 1,00 hours, while kitesurfing has an injury rate of 7.0 per 1,000 hours. Windsurfers were almost exclusively injured on the water while 42% of the kitesurfing injuries occurred on the beach.
In both groups, most injuries were caused by attempting advanced tricks or by unexpected wind gusts. However, and maybe more interestingly, over 50% of the kitesurfers identified themselves as beginners or intermediate skill level, while only 4% of the windsurfers were.
Although this study was quite limited in its size, there is some evidence to suggest that windsurfers are less likely to be injured in the beginner/intermediate phase of learning compared with kitesurfers.
A more in-depth study focusing on kitesurfing was published by the same author, Dr. van Bergen, in 2020. Monthly data was collected from 194 kitesurfers for a full season of kitesurfing. An overall rate of 10.5 injuries per 1000 h of kitesurfing was found during the research.
Statistics of injuries:
- 25.4% cuts and abrasions
- 19.8% bruises
- 17.5% joint sprains
- 10.2% muscle sprains
- 27.1% other injuries
Just like in the previous study, most of the injuries were reported to have occurred while attempting tricks or jumps. The majority of the injuries suffered were considered mild with 83.1% of participants able to return to kitesurfing within 1 week. Contrary to the previous study, this more in-depth research found that 91% of the injuries occurred on the water.
The study also compared the rate of injury in kitesurfing versus other sports and found that it does not stand out as an extreme sport or dangerous. The results are shown below:
Culture and Community
One of the most important considerations when taking up a new hobby should be the community built around that hobby. Learning kitesurfing and windsurfing are no different. Each has its own passionate community but there are some differences.
Kitesurfing attracts men and women of varying levels of ability and physical conditioning. The kitesurfing crowd tends to be less serious about their commitment to the sport. Additionally, kitesurfers tend to be a more open and accepting community with a large diversity of participants.
Windsurfing on the other hand tends to have a more male-dominated demographic with a more serious approach to their windsurfing family. The culture is kind of similar to that of surfing. You can expect to find some close-knit clicks amongst this lot.
People with a passion for kitesurfing and windsurfing have created different communities where people can meet and hang out. Some of these are local, while others are online. When you take your lessons from a school, it’s a good idea to ask if there’s a local club or community that you could join. It’s a great way to develop friendships with people who share your new hobby!
Below are some examples of online kitesurfing and windsurfing communities:
Final Thoughts
When you are looking to choose kitesurfing or windsurfing, be sure to consider the learning curve, the learning style you’re comfortable with, the cost of gear, how you transport and store that gear, as well as the type of community you’d like to get involved with.
At the end of the day though, be a bit adventurous and just get out there and see what fits you. Both kitesurfing and windsurfing have their respective charms. Just get out on the water and give one of them a go!
