Kitesurfers use a traction kite which, unlike the small stunt kites usually seen in parks, have the ability to pull you and even lift you off the ground or water. The following is an explanation of the different types of traction kites available on the market and the equipment needed to set up a quiver.

Fig 1. A self-inflatable kite

Most of the traction kites you will see on the water are either manually inflatable (inflated with a pump, figure 3), or self inflatable (they inflate while they are in flight: figure 1). The kites are inflated in order to be able to float and easily relaunch. The air pressure also makes the kite rigid for better control and handling. Some kites have battens instead of inflated frames, but they are not recommended for beginners because of the potential problems once the kite falls in the water.

Manually inflatable kite are the most common on the water (they will not take on water when they crash), while the self inflatables are becoming more popular in kite-snowboarding. These come anywhere between two and five lines made of the strongest fibres, and are usually 30 metres (100ft) long.

The Equipment and Accessories
It is important to know the role of piece of equipment required for kitesurfing:

Fig 2. Two-Line and Four-Line Kite Anatomy

Fig 3. A Four-Line Manually Inflatable Kite

Fig 4. A Twintip-Type Kiteboard

The Kite
The kite itself is the most obvious part of the equipment. From the kite come out different lines depending on the setup (figure 2).

Two-line kites have bridle lines (multiple lines that play a key role in steering and powering the kite) together with the flying lines. These are less cumbersome and easier for beginners (it gives the least chance of getting tangled up - trust me it only takes one big tangle to learn!).

Four-line kites come with flying lines and breaking lines (which increase the range by depowering the kite in wind gusts). The four-line kites (figure 3) have a larger range but are more complicated to maneuver. Recently, a 5th line has been becoming popular on some kites to help them relaunch either backwards or by turning around easily.

Board
The board can either be a directional or bidirectional. The directional board (wave board similar to a surfboard with straps, or asymetric twintip style "mutant" board) behaves like a windsurfer - you need to jibe to turn around. The bidirectional, wakeboard or twintips easier to turn around (figure 4). This is the most common of kiteboard out there.

Control Bar
The control bar is similar to the boom on a windsurfer. Two line kites also have a harness line to hook in like in windsurfing. Four-line kites will instead have a chicken loop (sometimes with a harness combination). The harness is hooked into the chicken loop and the kite is depowered as needed, depending on the wind conditions.

Safety release
A safety release is advantageous in order not to loose the kite in case you let go the control bar (or your kite will go very, very far...). It must however not interfere with any of its functions and must have a second quick release in case a sudden problem arises. Imagine being dragged on the beach and not being able to release the kite. Many horrible stories have happened. Better be safe than sorry!

Two line kites can have a simple strap attached to the wrist, and if the kite is let go, the kite quickly looses power and slowly lands being held by only one line. This combination is not compatible with 4 line kites as you will quickly get tangled up. 4-line systems have safety releases on the chicken loop instead.

Kiteboards also come with a strap that can be attached to the heels. If you use one, make sure you wear a helmet, because the kite can sometimes fly right in your head! Experienced kitesurfers get rid of the heel strap, usually after it breaks. Instead, they will drag themselves upwind towards the board using their arms to control direction.

Other accessories
Some other accessories also come in the kit, such as a backpack (that you can carry while you sail in case you drift downwind and need to walk back), a hand pump for manually inflatable kites, and a bladder repair kit.