Professional advice when purchasing your new kite!

At Shaka online you can order your new kite easily and quickly! We only have the best brands of high-quality kites. Our kite brands are Duotone , Airush , Eleveight , Cabrinha , North Sails Do you want to buy a new kite? Then Shaka online is the right place for you! We have kites for novice kite surfers to experienced freeride, freestyle and wave kite surfers. Of course you are also very welcome in our kitesurf shop in Scheveningen . We will be happy to help you personally with choosing your new kite.

Two important questions before purchasing your new kite are:

• What is my level / experience in kitesurfing?
• What is my body weight?
• Which type of kite do you want?
• What size kite do you want?

Which type of kite should I ride?

There are a number of different types of kites for different types of kite surfers. The following types of kites are available at Shaka kitesurfing:

• Freeride kite
• Freestyle kite
• Big Air kite
• Wave kite
• Foil kite

Most kites are versatile and widely applicable. However, they are designed and developed for a specific type of kitesurfer.

Freeride kite

The freeride kite is a real all-round kite. The freeride kite has a large wind range, is stable in the air, sails easily upwind. Are you a novice kite surfer? Then we advise you to buy a freeride kite. This does not mean that this type of kite is not for advanced kitesurfers. The freeride kites are for every level! Do you want to buy a freeride kite? Our best-selling freeride kite is the EVO from Duotone .

• Large wind range
• Lots of depower
• Easy relaunch
• Good upwind
• Average bar pressure
• Versatile in use
• Perfect for beginners and advanced freeriders

Freestyle kite

Would you like a kite with a lot of explosiveness and power to improve your freestyle tricks? Then you should buy a freestyle kite with its characteristic C-shape. These kites are direct and respond super quickly. That's what you need for your kiteloops and unhooked tricks! Do you want to buy a freestyle kite? Our best-selling freestyle kite is the DICE from Duotone .

• Very fast and reactive
• Explosive
• 'Slack' in the lines during jumps for unhooked tricks
• Little bar pressure

Big Air kite

Ride hard & go big! For many people this is what they want, to jump as high as possible! Do you want this too? Then you are looking for a kite that generates a lot of power and has a long hangtime. The big air kite is what you are looking for! Do you want to buy a big air kite? Our best-selling big air kite is the REBEL from Duotone .

• Lots of hang time
• Lots of power
• Large wind range
• Good upwind
• Lots of bar pressure

Wave kite

Are you a wave kitesurfer or do you want to start with this? Special kites have also been developed for kitesurfing in the waves. These wave kites have the property that they fly stably with you or 'drift' when you are busy with your top and bottom turns in the wave. Do you want to buy a wave kite? Our best-selling wave kites are the NEO from Duotone and the WAVE from Airush .

• Super fast and reactive
• Good drift properties when surfing the wave
• Quick relaunch
• Light bar pressure

Foil / light wind kite

The newest kite on the market is the foil kite. This was developed for light wind conditions and works best when there is not much wind. The foil kite uses the lightest materials to be able to kite with less than 10 knots! Do you want to buy a foil kite? Our best-selling foil and light wind kites .

• Light building construction (often single strut)
• Light bar pressure

Do you want to buy a kite? But do you have another question? Please feel free to contact us or visit our kitesurf shop in Scheveningen!

What size kite should I ride?

Another important question you should ask yourself is: what size kite should I ride? A kite size is shown in square meters (m2). There are kites from 4m2 to 20m2. With little wind you sail with a large kite and with a lot of wind you sail with a small kite. To determine the right kite size, it is also a good idea to ask yourself the following question: at what wind speed do you want to go kitesurfing? Most kitesurfers sail between 15 and 25 knots. This is a moderate to quite strong wind. If you know at what wind speed you want to kitesurf, you can also determine your kite size. Each kite has a so-called 'wind range'. A number of other factors that play a role in your kite size are your experience, body weight and board choice (twin-tip, wave, hydrofoil).

Wind range of my kite

Each kite has its own wind range, this is a certain range of wind with which you can kitesurf. This wind range therefore indicates at what wind speed you can kitesurf with the kite. The minimum wind range of the kite is also referred to as the 'low end' of the kite. If you get into this range you are 'under-powered'. The maximum wind speed at which you can kitesurf is called the 'high-end' of the kite. If you get into this range you are 'over-powered'.

For example, you can kitesurf from 15 knots to 33 knots with our Duotone Evo 9m2. This freeride kite has a large wind range and is good for novice and advanced kite surfers.

Many kite surfers also buy a second size kite. This significantly increases your wind range and allows you to kitesurf more often! Do you have a 9m2 kite? Then it is useful to buy a kite 2 to 3 sizes larger. With a 9m2 and a 12m2 you have a very good combination for moderate wind to quite strong wind. Do you want to go kitesurfing with strong wind at some point? Then you can also buy a 7m2 kite there.

Convert wind speed: from Beaufort to knots

Wind speed in the Netherlands is often stated in Beaufort, knots and km/hour. Below you will find a conversion table of these wind speeds and from when you can start kitesurfing.

*this is based on a person weighing +/- 80 kilograms with a lot of kitesurfing experience on a twintip kiteboard.

What shape kites are there?

There are different types of kites, each designed for specific conditions, riding styles and skill levels. The main categories of kites include:

Inflatable Leading Edge (ILE) kites:

Also known as "Inflatable Kites" or "LEI (Leading Edge Inflatable) Kites."
The most popular type of kitesurfing kite consists of an inflatable leading edge and inflatable struts. Provides a sturdy structure when inflated and provides good stability.
Available in various designs, including three, five and delta shapes.

Foil Kites:

Also known as 'Foils' or 'Soft Kites'. Structurally different from ILE kites as they do not have an inflatable leading edge and struts. Use air channels to maintain their shape, they generally have less resistance and can be more efficient in low winds. Foil kites are also often used for snowkiting and land kiting.

Hybrid kites:

Combine the features of both inflatable leading edge kites and foil kites.
Can have an inflatable Leading edge with foil-like features in the trailing edge, these kites aim to provide a mix of stability, efficiency and performance.

Bow Kites:

Also known as "Flat LEI" or "SLE (Supported Leading Edge) Kites." Characterized by a concave trailing edge and a flatter profile compared to traditional C-kites they offer a wide depower range, making them suitable for a wide range of riders, including beginners. Bow Kites played an important role in the evolution of more user-friendly kites.

C-Kites:

Providing a classic C-shaped design with a deep arc, they often have direct steering and precise control, favored by advanced riders and are often used in freestyle and wakestyle disciplines.
The kite can have four or five lines, with a fifth line providing a simpler safety and relaunch system.

Delta Kites:

Equipped with a delta-shaped design with a backwards curved Leading edge, they combine the properties of C-kites and Bow kites. They offer good depower and relaunch capabilities, making them suitable for a wide range of riders and styles.

Light Wind Kites:

Specially designed for use in light winds they have larger surface areas and efficient designs to generate lift in light winds.

Wave Kites:

Designed for kitesurfing in waves, they typically have a more crucial turning style and better drift, allowing the kite to stay airborne while the rider rides a wave.

It is important to note that within each category there may be variations and innovations introduced by different kite manufacturers. The choice of a specific kite depends on factors such as the rider's skill level, desired riding style, local wind conditions and personal preferences. Riders often choose kites based on a combination of these factors to optimize their kitesurfing experience.

In addition to a new kite, do you also need a kite bar or a kiteboard? Be sure to take a look atour kitesurfing bars and our kiteboards !