??????

Theres nothing better than perfect uncrowded offshore surf. But its hardly ever perfect and uncrowded.
Kiting (flat water on a twin tip) relies alot less on mother nature. All you need is wind. Surfing needs the right wind, swell, tide, banks and gotta get lucky with the crowds.
I have an awesom kite session almost every time i pump up. An awesome surf is more rare but when you get it its pretty hard to beat.
The good thing they need opposite weather conditions so when its windy kite and not windy surf.

I kite 2-3 times a week and surf once or twice a week. I normally kite strapless with a surfboard.

I think Surfing's better.

Surfing is more of a life long challenge.
It's less reliant on tricks or maneuvers, more on smooth turns, and riding the wave.
Getting barreled is incredible. It's like going into a watery vortex. The bigger or the longer the barrel, the better. Incredibly unique experience.
Every wave is different, and there's so many different styles of waves.
You can generally surf in any conditions, 1ft up to whatever your limit is. You can surf onshore, offshore, crossshore or no wind. Also, there's less chance of getting to the beach, paddling out, and the swell just dying on you (happens a bit with wind).
Watching lines roll through in either glassy or light offshore winds is incredible.
Learning how to stand up and take the drop on a heavy wave is a real challenege, and when you nail it, there's no feeling like it.
All you need is a board and a leash.
Actually, to quote that old maketing crap - only a surfer knows the feeling!

Kitesurfing is good, but:
It's too limited, to me it kind of feels like there are boundaries too it. If you're out on a twin tip all you can do is go back and forth, and maybe do a jump/trick or carving turn here and there. If you're out on a surfboard you can ride the waves, which is awesome, but the kite kind of gets in the way a bit - doesn't have the freedom.
Most of the tricks don't really look that fun to do, they kind of look like you're showing off.
It's probably more dangerous than surfing, the risks of being lofted or a deathloop aren't really matched in what can possibly go wrong in surfing.
You need too much gear - harness, lines, kites boards.
Although you can find good flatwater spots, for the most part of it, an onshore wind makes the ocean ugly.
It's too easy, and the progression happens too quickly.

I will say what's better about kiting is the crowd situation. Also, it's kind of 10-20% of your time to set it up, then the rest of time time you're doing it. Surfing, it's zero set up, but a lot of waiting around/paddling for waves.

Nothing better than doing both however, they go hand in hand!

I can't surf... So I took up kite surfing

I'm hoping once more experienced with strapless kitesurfing in waves will help learn to surf down the track...

Surfed from when i was 12 , kited from when i was 42 , now nearing 60 i am lucky i can still do both and have added in supping as well.

surfing uncrowded off shore breaks are rare these days , would choose this over kiting , and will choose kiting over surfing when the wind is on , as you cant get the clean waves anyway.

Kiting has given me a extension of surfing in waves and places previously impossible to paddle into , even just riding a swell before it breaks on a kite is awesome.

Kiting lets you get away from the crowds on certain breaks , out the back getting in and out quicker , more waves caught.

I know many Kiters that have been introduced to enjoying the stoke of riding waves , even just cruising on the flat is a buzz.

Cant imagine not doing either now ,hope i can for another 20 years

This is way better than both Surfing and Kite Surfing.

-hfaG17Oxh3KYysOym6P78tCphTRBzE

Quicker to set up, safer than you think, hear the Woahs from the public (good for the ego and beach babes), and the kites don't need to be pumped!

glendog said..
Theres nothing better than perfect uncrowded offshore surf. But its hardly ever perfect and uncrowded.
Kiting (flat water on a twin tip) relies alot less on mother nature. All you need is wind. Surfing needs the right wind, swell, tide, banks and gotta get lucky with the crowds.
I have an awesom kite session almost every time i pump up. An awesome surf is more rare but when you get it its pretty hard to beat.
The good thing they need opposite weather conditions so when its windy kite and not windy surf.

I think glendog has nailed it on the head here, case closed, thread finished !

I took up kitesurfing for the mere fact that the bay is 2 minutes away while the closest surf beach is between 1-1.5 hours away depending on east or west coast.

So for 3 hours driving might catch 3 worthwhile waves, but nothing beats a good surf at Bells, Winki, Woolies or Gunna.

Now I spend my kiting days looking for waves the get that "feeling" of surfing, the irony of it all being I often have to drive to the coast!

Kiting makes you fatter ???

timmybuddhadude said...
Kiting makes you fatter ???

I think this is true about SUPing. Have you seen the size of these guys?

To answer the question though- kiting is cost at least $1000 per year on equipment, it takes time to pump up, its dangerous if things go south, kiters only talk crap about gear, its usually worse weather than surfing, the surf is worse when we kite, tangles errr, my good friends know they wont see me during summer, kiting is rubbish the whole of winter.

"I choose kiting"

The other big difference that wins me over (besides less crowds and less physical effort) is the camaraderie and general friendliness of kiters.

You can go to any town up or down the coast, or any other capital city, or just about any destination overseas, and surfers won't even look at you. But they sure as hell will yell and scream at you if you happen to accidentally get in their way.

Whereas you meet another kiters on the beach no matter where and its almost always smiles and friendly banter

I'm told the surfing scene was like that in the 60's and 70's, I sure hope the kiting scene doesn't become like in another 20 - 30 years time. I think I've only ever witnessed a couple of agro douchebags so far.

As mentioned a couple times above, fresh steep and deep would be my first preference.

Never enjoyed surfing due to the endless amounts of paddling, sitting and waiting. Actually has made me frustrated and angry in the past.
Kiting butter flat, good waves and BOOST.

I like that kiting is a relatively unique sport. Everyone can do many sports and activities, however not anyone could take up kiting.

Surfing is better but then it got too crowded, hassled out with snakings, wannabes and kooks...........

So took up kitesurfing and then um....well.... Oh

Rollerblading is the future

waveslave said..

The majority of surfers are just average.

Well that is what average means....
(mostly)

flyingcab said...

waveslave said..

The majority of surfers are just average.

Well that is what average means....
(mostly)

I guess saying 'the majority of surfers are just mode' wouldn't have the same ring to it.

jackforbes said..

flyingcab said...

waveslave said..

The majority of surfers are just average.

Well that is what average means....
(mostly)

I guess saying 'the majority of surfers are just mode' wouldn't have the same ring to it.

I would hypothesise that the mean (average) surfing ability would be higher than the mode as the surfer ability population distribution would be skewed (long tailed) to the right with Slater and the likes in the 99th percentile.

Therefore much more than 50% (say 80%) of the surfing population would be lower than average ability.

That would probably include me.