Kiteboarding or Kitesurfing - Liquid Blue Cabarete

Kiteboarding or Kitesurfing: what is the difference?

The terms kiteboarding and kitesurfing are considered the same thing by many, even though they have many similarities, kitesurfing and kiteboarding refer to two different water activities. The difference is mainly given by the equipment you need and what you can do in the water with it.

In theory kiteboarding and kitesurfing is the same sport. In reality, Kiteboarding uses a twin tip board to ride on open water and waves, while kitesurfing uses a directional board to ride waves. The main difference is given by the board.

KITEBOARDING OR KITESURFING
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

Good to know

As you probably think, the difference between kiteboarding and kitesurfing sounds minimal, but it has a lot to do with the kind of action you get to do in each specific activity (depending on the board you decide to use).

Kiteboarding

Kiteboarding is a sport that implies a kite and a board to get around in the water. Kiteboarding looks like wakeboarding without a boat. Usually, kiteboarding refers to a water activity that is practiced on flat water.

The Board

Both Kiteboarding and Kitesurfing use a kite, but the different types of boards you get to use are meant for different types of action on the water.
Kiteboarding uses a twin-tip board, that can be ridden in either direction. It usually has foot straps but it can also be done strapless for freestyle mode.

Performance & action

More expert Kiteboarders will compete or show off crazy moves as they get on Freestyle mode.

Freestyle: done with twin-tip boards for a better focus on the rider’s ability to perform tricks, such as jumps, twists & others.

Kitesurfing

Kitesurfing is essentially surfing with the use of a kite. This discipline needs waves instead of flat open water, the reason why it takes place closer to shore.

The Board

A kitesurfing board is like a surfboard, a directional board that doesn’t have straps, although many kitesurfing boards come with a place for straps. Kitesurfing boards are designed to be smaller, shorter, heavier and stiffer compared to a standard surfboard in order to allow a better performance when jumping. This allows the boards to stand up better to the jumps and tricks of kitesurfing.

Kitesurfing & Surfing

Because they make use of the same style of board, kitesurfing and surfing are similar disciplines. However, kitesurfing tends to be seen as an easier sport to enter. The use of the kite makes it easier to bail and control the ride than surfing with just a board.

Therefore, surfers may have an easier time learning to kitesurf than a kitesurfer learning to surf.

Performance & Action

Kitesurfers go crazy about:

Freestyle: showing off jumps and other extreme tricks in the water.
Surfing: kitesurfing allows you to ride waves. The directional board can cut waves and allows riders to do turns just like surfing.

Which one should you get started with?

Shortly, the two activities have to do with the same extreme sport and are connected – this is why people don’t usually differentiate them.
At Liquid Blue Cabarete, we suggest our customers to get started with kiteboarding, because it provides the basics of this discipline, up to an intermediate level. After reaching a mid-level, it is a good time to move forward and get involved in kitesurfing.

Why Do People Start with Kiteboarding?

It is much easier to learn the kite basics on a twin-tip board since it is easier to control, it allows a beginner to focus more on controlling the kite until he or she can automatically control both.

WATCH THIS VIDEO ABOUT KITE BOARDS DIFFERENCES!

CONTACT INFO

Liquid Blue Cabarete provides wing foiling lessons and equipment rental services, making sure that you get the most out of this extreme water sport! You can chat with us via WhatsApp at +1(849)201-8694 or email us at [email protected].

YouTube
Instagram
Facebook
Website

#KITE #kitesurfing #cabarete #dominicanrepublic #kiteboarding #fonekites #liquidbluecabarete #lbcabarete