Why gusty wind feels evil but good
Some days the wind is like your best friend, steady, supportive, easy to trust. Other days it is that unpredictable mate who shows up late, steals your fries, then buys the next round. Gusty wind feels chaotic, but it is not random. Once you know how it works and what it does to your kite, you can stop blaming the wind gods and start making it work for you.
Gusts in plain language
A gust is not just “more wind.” It is uneven wind, arriving in short bursts that change speed and sometimes direction. Smooth air makes your kite sit calmly in the window, gusty air makes it bounce around like a caffeinated puppy. What causes the madness?
Mechanical turbulence from dunes, buildings, or trees.
Thermal mixing from hot land meeting cooler sea.
Weather features like squalls and fronts bulldozing across the coast.
That’s why one second you are cruising like a pro, the next you are dangling like a beginner who forgot what edging means.
What your kite feels
Your kite only cares about apparent wind, which is true wind plus your board speed. When a gust hits, the kite surges forward, lines tighten, and you suddenly accelerate. Then comes the lull, your lines slack, the kite sinks deeper, maybe even backstalls if you are slow on the bar. Classic gust-lull drama.
The symptoms are familiar:
Overpower spikes that blow out your edge.
Steering that feels fast one second, sluggish the next.
Jumps that send you to the moon but land you like a brick.
The trick is to treat your bar like a shock absorber. Micro adjustments keep the kite balanced, and holding it a touch higher than usual gives you a safety net when the floor drops out.
Spotting gusts before rigging
Gusts are not invisible if you know what to look for. Twitchy trees, patchy water with dark streaks, cauliflower-shaped clouds, or a suspicious dark line offshore are all warnings. You don’t need wizard powers, just decent observation.
If you want backup, tools help. Sites like Windy show gust spreads and make it clear when things look sketchy (start here: https://www.windy.com).
Gear tweaks that help
You cannot buy perfectly smooth wind, but you can set your gear to survive it better. A few smart adjustments:
Downsize one kite when gusts are far above the average.
Add more depower if your bar allows.
Try shorter lines to shrink the window and soften power swings.
Double-check line lengths to avoid backstalling in lulls.
Ride a board with enough surface area to glide through drops.
A stiffer, narrow freestyle board can feel sketchy on gusty days, so think stability over style. And if in doubt, trim your kite a little flatter to park it closer to the edge of the window.
Staying safe when it kicks
Riding gusts is about rhythm, not resistance. Keep the kite moving gently, sheet out early, and soften your knees so your legs absorb the shock. Always leave extra downwind space, because gusts make riders unpredictable. If the near-shore zone feels chaotic, head 100 meters further out where the air cleans up.
And remember: gusty days are not the time for boosting over the beach bar or weaving through crowded riders. Give yourself room, both physically and mentally.
When gusts boost your jumps
Here’s where gusts go from villain to hero. If you time it right, they can supercharge your height. Spot a gust line, load your edge early, and send the kite just before it arrives. That way you ride the gust upward instead of missing it.
Sheet carefully on the way up, then adjust mid-air depending on whether the gust sticks or dies.
What not to do: hammer the bar the moment you feel power, or edge too hard in a lull. Both kill your jump. Think of gusts as ramps, hit them at the right time, and they launch you.
Training your gust reflex
You can’t train the wind, but you can train yourself. A few drills make gusty sessions less stressful.
On land: practice smooth bar travel until you know your depower sweet spot.
Balance training: stronger ankles and hips keep you steady when the board chatters (see Balance training for better kitesurfing).
On water: ride steady while deliberately sheeting in and out to control power.
Practice high-kite figure eights to keep line tension through lulls.
Be prepared for the core destroying in gusty winds .
If you are really committed, run short-line sessions. They force precision and make normal lines feel stable again.
One last gust
Gusts are chaotic, but not random. Spot them early, set your gear for range, and ride with rhythm instead of resistance. Then the wind stops feeling like an evil prank and starts working in your favor.
Think of it this way: gusts are just espresso shots of wind, sip them right, and they send you flying.
xox Berito