[embwbam]

Not sure if you were looking only for indoor hobbies, but I picked up Kiteboarding recently, and it is the most outrageously fun thing I've ever done.

It's like being a kid and jumping off the house with a bedsheet, except it works. Most mistakes are laughed off by splashing in the water. I'm 3 years in and I can jump 7-10m then fly like a bird for 5-10 seconds without consequences.

Even as a beginner, sailing around or just feeling a kite pull you around is such a blast. Keep in mind it's really difficult and pretty much requires 10-20 hours of private lessons.

[microscoper]

I always thought that looked fun but I would worry about being blown away up too high or into some obstacle like rocks

Is that something that happens to people?

Also how dependent is it on weather? Do you have to monitor the wind to know if its worth going out?

[embwbam]

You’ll never be blown too high. Rocks can be dangerous, but only in certain places and only if you make bad decisions: there are many safe locations around the world. It’s probably about as safe as skiing overall?

Quite weather dependent, but there are places around the world that have very reliable wind during certain seasons. My home area in BC is good almost every day in the summer. Brazil is fantastic all fall, etc

[ddorian43]

Jumping takes real skill. I went like 60 times and can barely jump 7m in perfect conditions by trying very hard.

That happens very rarely like recently in Israel where they went out on a storm, and there was a very rare very-big gust. But extremely rare comibation of things that can go wrong.

Yes you need to monitor the wind. I'm kiting today for example.

[JimBlackwood]

Really fun! I used to do it too, and I miss it.

How do you combine it with work? Where I live in NL, there are few days where I’m able to go kiteboarding and I probably won’t know until the day off if it’s possible or not.

Very hard to schedule!

[embwbam]

I work remotely, and my schedule is flexible. I live in Squamish BC all summer which is great for wind. In the winter we are in UT but my friends take lots of kiting destination vacations.

I’m fairly late in my career though (44yo), so I’ve opted for a lower salary, low stress and flexible job.

[jakeydus]

I'll take whatever lower salary is allowing you to snowbird in squamish!

[ddorian43]

Kitesurfing is insane yes! I can jump up to ~6m in 1 year.

Really efficient adrenaline with relatively very low risk.