Kite sizing
What size kite should I bring to Langebaan?
Work it out from your weight and your travel dates. Most visitors arrive with kites a size or two too big for the lagoon.
Work out your quiver
Your weight and your travel dates, against what the lagoon typically does on those dates. Two kites is what most people travel with.
A starting point based on what the lagoon typically does on those dates — not a forecast. Within about ten days of your trip, check the actual forecast on Windguru or Windfinder, and if it looks unlike the norm, message us — we are on the water every day and will tell you what to actually pack.
Bringing your own gear? What to pack
Visitors regularly arrive in Langebaan with kites a size or two too big. This is where to start.
| Rider weight | 12–15 kt | 15–20 kt | 20–25 kt | 25–30 kt | 30 kt + |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50–60 kg | 11–12 m | 8–9 m | 6–7 m | 5–6 m | 5 m |
| 60–70 kg | 12–14 m | 9–10 m | 7–8 m | 6–7 m | 5–6 m |
| 70–80 kg | 14–15 m | 11–12 m | 9 m | 7 m | 6 m |
| 80–90 kg | 15–17 m | 12–14 m | 10 m | 8 m | 7 m |
| 90 kg + | 17 m + | 14–15 m | 11–12 m | 9 m | 8 m |
A starting point, not a rule. Board size, riding style and skill all shift it — a big directional or a light-wind board buys you a couple of knots, and freestyle riders tend to size down. If you want the arithmetic behind it, the shorthand most people use is kite size ≈ 2.7 × your weight in kg ÷ wind in knots. Run it against the forecast and round to the nearest size you own.
What that means for Langebaan specifically
Langebaan is a strong-wind spot. In season the afternoon south-easter builds well past what most people plan for, so the kite you fly here is usually smaller than the one you fly at home. If you are only bringing two, bring the two smallest in your quiver rather than the two biggest.
A rider around 75 kg will spend most of a Langebaan season on a 7 m to 9 m. The big light-wind kite you packed for home will likely stay in the bag.
The exception is the first half of December. It runs noticeably lighter than the rest of the season, and riders who pack for “December in Langebaan” often arrive underpowered. If you are here between the 1st and the 15th, bring something bigger than you otherwise would — a 75 kg rider wants a 12 m in the bag. The calculator above accounts for this.
The rest of the checklist
- Board. A standard twintip is right for the lagoon. There is no swell to justify a directional unless you already ride one.
- Wetsuit. Bring one — the water is West Coast Atlantic, not the Indian Ocean, and it is colder than the air temperature suggests.
- Spares. Bring a pump, a spare leash, and a repair kit. Langebaan is a small town and a broken pump on a windy day is a wasted day.
- Wing riders. Same logic — size down. Most people size a wing roughly a metre below the kite they would fly in the same conditions.
Got it wrong? That is what the rental kit is for
If the forecast turns and you are underpowered or overpowered on everything you brought, we rent by the day and by the hour. It is cheaper than losing a session, and a rescue pass comes with every kite or wing rental.
Common questions
What size kite do I need for Langebaan?
For a 75 kg rider in the main season, a 7 m and a 10 m cover almost everything. Langebaan is a strong-wind spot and most visitors arrive with kites a size or two too big. Lighter riders size down, heavier riders size up — the calculator on this page works it out from your weight and your travel dates.
What size kite should I bring in early December?
Bigger than you would expect. The first half of December (roughly the 1st to the 15th) runs noticeably lighter than the rest of the season — typically 14 to 24 knots rather than 20 to 30. A 75 kg rider wants an 8 m and a 12 m in that window. From about 16 December the wind builds to full peak-season strength and the same rider is back on a 7 m and a 10 m.
How is kite size calculated?
The shorthand most people use is kite size in square metres ≈ 2.7 × rider weight in kg ÷ wind speed in knots. Run it against the forecast and round to the nearest size you own. It is a starting point — board size, riding style and skill all shift it. A big directional or a light-wind board buys you a couple of knots, and freestyle riders tend to size down.
How many kites should I travel with?
Two covers the season comfortably. If you are only bringing one, bring the smaller of the pair — being overpowered costs you more sessions in Langebaan than being underpowered, and we rent the rest.
Should I bring my own gear or rent in Langebaan?
If you are coming from overseas, excess baggage on a board bag often costs more than a week of rental, and airline damage to a foil or board is an expensive way to start a holiday. Renting also lets you ride a 9 m one day and a 12 m the next as the wind changes. If you do travel with your own kit, this page is what to pack.
Not sure? Just ask.
Tell us your dates and your weight and we will tell you what to pack. We are on the water every day and the forecast never tells the whole story.