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Saturday April 14, 2018
Kitesurfing articles
KSL AND ZIAN KITEBOARDING
At kitesurfing Lanka we want you to have a great kitesurfing experience and so obviously our gear is an important part of that. We have been partnered with Zian kiteboarding for a number of years now, a brand owned in Europe but produced in Sri Lanka, just a few hours down the road in Negombo!
So who are Zian?
Zian started with the idea that kitesurfing should be more accessible and affordable to everyone, and they began working a few years ago to make that dream a reality. They own their own factory so have total control over the production process, and that helps keep the costs down as they don’t have to rent factory time from someone else to produce prototypes etc.
They sell direct to consumers, cutting out the middle man of the distributors and shops, which also keeps the cost down and allows Zian kites to sell for about half what the regular brands are charging! When you’re starting out kitesurfing it can seem like a big investment (it’s worth it though we promise!) so any way you can keep things cheaper is helpful. However that doesn’t mean you’re left with a sub par product, and we definitely put the kites through their paces in the school here at KSL!
Which kite is the right one for me?
There are currently 3 models available, the Aquila for free ride, the Hantu for freestyle/wakestyle and loops, and the Kima for wave riding. We use mainly the Kima and some Aquilas in the school as they’re very friendly kites to learn on, and help you to progress faster through the learning process.
Many of the hallmarks which make a good wave kite are the same characteristics we look for in a beginner kite; good drift, steady handling and fast turning when needed all make the Kima an incredibly easy package, and it’s still a lot of fun to freeride with, offering a good amount of boost and hangtime.
The Aquila is more for hardcore freeriders who aren’t bothered by the wave scene and just want an easy kite to fly with good hang time and low end. It comes up to 14m which is generally big enough unless you’re riding in a super light wind spot.
The Hantu is the unhooked and looping machine, it’s a hybrid c kite, so it offers all that in a still friendly to use package. Most of our staff are riding the Hantu as their kite of choice, as it’s the most aggressive all round, and since we live with one of the best flat water freestyle spots in the world a short boat ride away we enjoy them for the unhooked slack and the massive loops they offer!
We have a range of everything in our rental supply, so however you like to ride we’ve got you covered. We also have a fully stocked shop on site so if you want to grab a great kite for a great price we can sort you out! Check out our lesson and rental prices HERE
Check out this nice video from Zian shot at KSL and Vayu resort last year: