I'm a native Utahn living in Asia for the last few years and coming back for a 2 week visit. I started kiting here in China because wakeboarding behind a jet ski in the Taiwan strait sux! I have never seen anyone doing it in Utah but heard rumors and recall the wind at willard bay and bear lake would be rideable but I never paid attention to the speed and gusts. Is there an average or typical windspeed you can expect towards the end of July at any of these places (are you riding 8 or 14 meter for instance)? I'm not sure which of my boards or kites to bring and I want to only carry one of each over if possible. I'll be in Ogden, Logan, and Idaho.....if any of you only had a chance to bail and hit the water once or twice if the white water set blew in what lake(s) are reliable in these areas that usually don't let you down???
Do you need an IKO cert. card to kite at certain beaches or to rent equipment like Boracay or is it not policed or very controlled out there yet?
The clubs here have guys hired to just walk around launching and landing everyone every day of the week as well as jet ski rescue.....I doubt there is anything like that there? So are you guys just laying out lines, rolling up, and launching wet or is there a meeting point at the lakes where there is someone around who knows how to hold a kite? embarrassingly enough I have only attempted self launch and land maybe twice out of a hundred times and don't want to mess up anyone's good times, I guess I need to start working on that this weekend.
Also is there a gear store anywhere along the Wasatch front? I would like to compare with buying direct from the factories since there are no kiteboarding stores in Southern China and it would be cool to walk into a store and actually see what's out there.
any info would be great!