Kiteboards
How to choose a kiteboard: size by weight and wind, twintip or directional, what rocker and flex change, and what to check on a used board.
Reviewed by Flavio Barros Updated 08/08/2026
The board is where most people get their first purchase wrong — almost always buying too small, influenced by freestyle videos. Small boards are for riders with fine control. Early on, they only get in the way.
If you are still assembling the whole kit, start with the equipment guide, which covers the order to buy in.
Size: the main decision
Size is given as length in centimetres, and the logic is simple: more area planes in less wind and forgives more mistakes.
| Your weight | Light wind (12–16 kt) | Season wind (18–28 kt) |
|---|---|---|
| Under 60 kg | 136–140 cm | 132–136 cm |
| 60–75 kg | 140–145 cm | 136–140 cm |
| 75–90 kg | 143–148 cm | 138–143 cm |
| Over 90 kg | 146–152 cm | 141–146 cm |
For a season in northeast Brazil, a 70 to 80 kg rider covers the whole trip with a 138 to 142 cm. In Jericoacoara, where it blows harder, you can go down a little. In Araruama or on Lagoa da Conceição in Florianópolis, where light days are common, go up.
Width matters nearly as much as length: a wide short board planes similarly to a narrow long one, and turns more easily.
Twintip or directional
Twintip is symmetrical: it rides both ways without switching your feet or turning the board. It is what around 90% of riders use and the only sensible choice for learning.
Directional looks like a surfboard and has a nose and a tail. It is for riding waves, requires switching feet through the turn, and is a separate skill. It comes later — and makes sense in spots with real waves, like the village beach at Jeri or the open beaches of Florianópolis.
There is also the foil board, short and thick, for hydrofoiling — effectively another sport, closer to wing foiling.
Rocker, flex and what they change
Rocker is the curve of the board seen from the side. Flat rocker planes in less wind and is faster; more rocker cuts through chop better and softens landings, at the cost of needing more wind.
For northeast Brazil, where wind is plentiful and water relatively flat, flatter rocker works well and is easier to learn on.
Flex is how much the board bends. A softer board absorbs chop and is more comfortable; a stiffer one transmits more and responds better in tricks. Beginners do better with medium to soft flex.
Pads and straps
These come with most boards and are what holds your foot. Two practical points:
- Try them on if you can. Tight straps cut circulation within twenty minutes; loose ones let your foot come out at the wrong moment.
- The inserts where pads bolt on are the most common failure point on a used board. Stripped inserts mean a workshop repair.
Boots exist, give more control and are used in freestyle. They also transfer every landing straight into your knees, and are not recommended while learning.
Buying used
The board is the part of the kit that ages best — a five-year-old board in good condition rides the same as a new one for someone learning. What to check:
Delamination. Tap across the surface with a finger. A hollow sound or visible bubbles mean the layers have separated. Expensive to fix and it gets worse.
Inserts. Check the pad bolts tighten firmly. Stripped inserts are a workshop job.
Rails. Scratches and chips on the edges are cosmetic up to a point; if the rail is open, water gets into the core.
Base. Base scratches do not meaningfully affect performance at recreational level.
Used price range: €170 to €350 with pads. New, €400 to €900. Full kit figures are in the cost guide.
The most common mistake
Buying the board the rider in the video uses. Freestyle boards are short, stiff and heavily rockered — excellent for someone jumping on a 7 m in 30 knots, and frustrating for someone still learning to hold a line upwind.
Buy big, soft and cheap. You will replace it in two years knowing exactly what you want.
Frequently asked
What size kiteboard should a beginner buy?
138 to 145 cm for an adult between 70 and 85 kg. A bigger board has more area, planes in less wind and forgives bad positioning — exactly what you need while the water start is not yet automatic. Under 65 kg, 135 to 138 cm works well.
Twintip or directional?
Twintip to start, without exception. It is symmetrical and rides both directions without turning around, which removes an entire skill from the learning phase. Directional boards are for riding waves and come later, once you go upwind comfortably.
How much does a kiteboard cost?
A new twintip runs roughly €400 to €900. A good used one, €170 to €350. For the first year used is entirely fine — the board is the part of the kit that limits your progress least.
Is a kiteboard the same as a wakeboard?
No. A kite twintip is lighter, has less rocker and different strap inserts. You can improvise, but the behaviour on the water is quite different and the construction was not designed for cable-park loads.