Slingshot Kites ($790-$1,200 for complete package):
Kiteboarding is a rarified world all right, a jumbo combo of the best of the board sports: the power of surfing, the edge control of wakeboarding, the lift of carving a halfpipe, and the drive of alpine skiing. First up, get schooled. Then, after the obligatory lessons and time spent with a trainer kite, you can move up to your own package rig (yes, save yourself the hassle by getting a package) like the Slingshot Diesel Package.
The Diesel is the all-in-one pre-inflatable kite for cruising kiteboarders who've just earned their chops...user-friendly but with enough performance to advance to more techie freestyle riding. Deployment is simplified with an integrated single-valve inflation system that lets you inflate the entire kite in one step, with one valve apportioned to each strut. The kite—in seven sizes—features Slingshot's new Autopilot Flight Control System that delivers forgiveness in the gusts, provides superb stability, and (maybe best of all) gives crash-and-burners simple re-launch ability in the water. For the more hands-on rider, the Autopilot feature can also be disengaged to change the flight characteristics of the kite. The package deal includes all the necessary rigging, such as the Diesel Control Bar, along with lines, chicken loop, a wrist release system, and a pump and patch repair kit. Contact 509-493-3979, www.sskiteboarding.com.
The Kite | 
