Gear Costs

[JeffGerke]

I've done a little windsurfing in the past but the cost of gear was pretty prohibitive for me. Is kitesurfing any cheaper? I was thinking of giving kitesurfing a try but there is something about windsurfing that really appeals to me. Just wish it was affordable.

[Josh Shirley]

I think Windsurfing is pretty dang affordable compared to other sports. All my family and friends that cycle these days drop some serious cash on their rides.

Motorcycles - somewhat expensive to very expensive.

I think if you want to go play in a lake, windsurfing is cheap.
A decent brand new set up (1 board, 2 sails, boom, mast, etc.) could put you out $1800 to $2000. Mix in used gear and you can still get a new board with a used rig for $1000.

A good board will last you for years. (if you take care of it.)

When I started I thought this sport was expensive, but I am starting to realize it is not, in comparison to other outdoor sports.

I am consulting a few gun dealers/manufactures right now for work. A typical day out at MM19 costs them $300 to $500. Ar15 / M16(223) rounds cost $.42. Not to mention the guns cost anywhere from $1500 to $25000. It is expensive to go NRA.

Skiing / Snowboarding - should I say more.

Stick to swimming and running and you will only be out a few hundred dollars a year.

FYI I started out with a $200 used rig. It worked for me for a year and a half.

Even at $2000 windsurfing is a good bang for your buck.

[Leo Chan]

I second Josh's reply. I started out with used gears and got many days on the water. It cost me less than $1,000 to start up. As I improved over time, I need to buy new gears and that's a little expensive. But I was able to sell my used gears at almost 60% of the price I paid (excluding sails and booms I destroyed, of course). A set of good skis and boots last you 3 to 4 seasons and they cost more than $1,500. A set of good sail and board could last you more than 5 years and you can sell them for 60% of the original cost if you take good care of them.

[JeffGerke]

Thanks for the replies. What are some good web sites that have decent deals on used or new gear? I've used The House and Winddance classifieds.

Does Utah Lake get decent early morning or evening wind? It is the closes spot to Sandy where I live. One of my concerns about investing in gear is actually getting to use it on a regular basis. I can't really leave work in the middle of the day.

Thanks for the help.

[Erik Holmgren]

www.ikitesurf.com, or iwindsurf.com

[Leo Chan]

Thanks for the replies. What are some good web sites that have decent deals on used or new gear? I've used The House and Winddance classifieds.

Does Utah Lake get decent early morning or evening wind? It is the closes spot to Sandy where I live. One of my concerns about investing in gear is actually getting to use it on a regular basis. I can't really leave work in the middle of the day.

Thanks for the help.

Jeff, check the Where to Ride forum. You will be surprised how often you can ride here. There are a bunch of hard core riders around here. You can go to Grantville with Josh or hit Deer Creek with Jim.

As for decent deals, iwindsurf and ikitesurf are good. But we also have a lot of members here who are willing to part with their old equipments to help out a fellow rider. Too bad you missed the swap meet for this year. For new gears, kiteborading.com has good deals. Bigwinds.com also has good deals for windsurfing stuff. The UWA has a beginner's board for members to use. If you pay your due, ask Josh where and when you can take it out for a try and see if your stoke is back.

Cheers.