Maui Kitesurfing School

I’ve been taking kiting lessons for a while now; unfortunately, always in increments of 2 – 3 sessions before leaving the area (I don’t live somewhere with good kiting conditions). I went to Maui with a friend (who kiteboards) and took five days of lessons. Maui Kitesurfing School is fantastic. Each instructor I had was a bit different, and Jared, the owner (I presume) accommodates your needs and personality, making sure to match you with someone who fits well. I was able to go on my first runs and get up on the board! They are kind, encouraging, friendly, and fun. I learned a lot and was able to execute my first real self rescue, and felt comfortable with all elements of basic kiting. Jared and William were particularly great, and made me feel more calm and in control. You learn everything you’ll need to know –it was great fun, not only to learn but to spend time with the instructors! I felt really taken care of, and can’t wait to go back. They catered to my style and fears, and gave me a LOT of time in the water (versus other places where you have to take the same rigging lesson over and over again. Once you have it down, you go out!)
Also, Big Arnold is the best dog ever.

Kiting is the water sport of the future. I can surf, wind surf, snow board, wake board, ski, scuba, kayak, SUP. .. etc, and can say when things come together there’s no more fun to be had than Kite Surfing. And there’s no better place for this than Maui in the summertime.
Jared is a very personable guy who is dedicated to the sport and education. If you are to take kite lessons on Maui you cannot do better than a private lesson with Jared. He is the owner and chief instructor at Maui Kitesurfing School (MKS). The best I can tell, the other instructors shown on the MKS website (
) are from the past, friends of Jared or maybe available only in the winter. Currently you have a choice of Jared, Chris or Bruce at MKS. There is no comparison between Jared and his other instructors — Jared is the guy you want.
Case in point. One of Jared’s instructors, Bruce Johnson, put me in the ER as a result of straight-​up negligence and his known faulty equipment. My goal to learn Kiting and have a family vacation month in August got cancelled because of Bruce’s really bad judgement. Topping that, after the injury he said «I gotta go practice elsewhere» (before boss Jared got back) leaving me to tend to basic First Aid and ER transport. Amazing.
I’m now rehabbing for a month or two and have a potentially permanent disfigurement. My first clue should have been Bruce’s rastafarian vibe, which is cool when at the tiki bar pounding beers later on. .. but not so much when your life is at stake. When choosing a kite instructor look for more of the Baywatch /​Top Gun profile rather than Cheech and Chong groovy man. You’re not looking for a drinking buddy or fellow bikini chaser — your looking for someone you can 100% trust with your life.
If you are going out into the water to learn kiting in Maui keep a couple things in mind:
1. Hawaii doesn’t seem to have any legal Certification Requirements to be a Kite Instructor. Manicurist and Hair Dressers yes — someone who is basically a Lifeguard. .. no. Don’t think for a second there is someone who is quality controlling or monitoring Kite Instructor quality or safety record. That’s your job as a tourist /​student. Go figure.
2. Can your chosen instructor swim 100 yards at race speed then pull you to shore? Is he CPR certified? Is he IKC Certified (see link below)? What level? Jared has trained as a Paraglider and Airplane Pilot which should transfer to good personal safety first habits. Someone who has been a beach rat for a several years and can jump a kite board real flashy like means nothing when things go wrong. Ask the questions and listen carefully to the answers.
3. Kiting is potentially a dangerous sport. When you combine the power of Hawaiian wind, waves with a huge kite attached to strings that can take your finger off and shallow sharp reefs, you need to have someone close by that you can trust with your life.
4. Step back for a moment and really look at the instructor you are trusting your or your kid’s existence to. Would you trust this person to live alone in your house for a week with your credit cards? If not, then why are you trusting them as a lifeguard and a good decision maker?
5. Things happen real fast. I got pulled over the handle bars into the kite strings. The strings wrapped around my head and neck then the kite powered up creating a noose situation. Hearing the strings zipping on my helmet I reacted real fast to clear the strings away but if I hadn’t done so I could be dragged through the water by the neck. That’s why you need an instructor that is sober, real close and able to make good decisions fast.
6. It will take a fit, coordinated, cross-​sport, athletic person 4 – 6 days of intense lessons with Jared to stay Upwind. Why is staying upwind important? Until you can predictably land where you launch from you are at the mercy of the environment (jetty’s, rocks, reefs, trees etc). Kiting is unlike any other sport when it comes to launch and especially landing. You need a clear beach and an experienced buddy to help land safely until you get to be advanced in skills. That’s definitely week two+ stuff.
Hawaii is a raw, powerful place that is great for extreme sports but unforgiving to the naïve or unfit. The saying here is: «if in doubt — don’t go out». I made the mistake of having my doubts about Bruce but didn’t listen to that inner voice. Never again.
That said, there are quality Kite Instructors on Maui that can minimize the risks of learning this great sport. Point of this post is to allow those newbies to learn from my mistakes and to be diligent in their selection process. Ask the questions and listen carefully to the answers. Don’t get hustled.
Bottomline: Jared is a 5 star Instructor but a 1 star talent scout and manager of others
IKO Certification Levels so you can query your potential instructor’s professional training level:

My husband and I had an AMAZING experience taking kiteboarding lessons for the first time with Maui Kitesurfing School (aka
). They have a truck parked out by the beach with all the equipment, which means you don’t have to make any stops beforehand like with other schools and when conditions or preferences change — everything they need is handy. This was critical since we changed equipment, kites, etc. multiple times to get the right fit and power for changing wind conditions. On top of all this, MKS had the best rates and were the most responsive and flexible of all the companies we contacted, which was important since we were working around nanny scheduling as well.
We took our first 3-​hour lesson together with Christos (aka Chris) where we learned the basics of kite setup, flying the kite and body dragging through the water. Chris was very technical with his explanations, and we felt like we were in very good hands.
For the second lesson, we split up with two different instructors: Chris for me, since I got first pick, and John for my husband, since he was new to us. Once again, I felt completely confident in Chris’ instruction and support as he taught me to water start and do some short runs on the board. John was better suited for my husband since he was a bit more free-​spirited and they went out much further than I did, ending up on the next beach over. We were both really happy with our progress that day! As a bonus, Jared took me on a tandem ride at the end of the day and did a few jumps too! This was a great way to get a feel for what it’s really like once you’re up and riding, as well as getting more airtime than I probably ever will on my own!
On the third day, which we rescheduled to a day earlier due to poor wind conditions forecasted for the following day, only Chris was available so my husband took a lesson with HST. That was a huge mistake for him and he ended up working around their rigid timing, stopping at a store beforehand to pick up his gear, being stuck with a kite that was too small as the wind died down, and having to watch his instructor demonstrate more than getting to ride himself. My lesson with Chris was once again AWESOME, and I ended the day doing several long runs out and back into shore. My goals for the trip had been met! Although my husband had a disappointing last lesson, he was luckily able to go out with our friends on the following day, which ended up being even better wind conditions.
All in all, we were extremely impressed with the top-​notch instruction from Chris, John and Jared at MKS. We would definitely book them again for lessons if we are back in Maui and wanting to take things to the next level!

Just had my first kitesurfing lesson with Jared and could not have imagined a better experience. We went tandem first so I could get a feel for it and that was incredible. I was hooked immediately after our first jump. Then I began learning to fly the kite. I thought I would fail horribly, having no real experience with wind sports, but Jared was an excellent instructor and had me controlling the kite in no time. I am so pleased with our first lesson and can’t wait to learn more. I highly recommend Maui Kitesurfing School to anyone interested in learning this incredible sport!

My husband and son took 6 lessons over 10 days; Jared and Chris are really nice guys. My husband struggled with Chris’s teaching style… Chris knows how to kite but left out a couple of key points in his instruction. Jared really knows his stuff – I recommend you take lessons only from Jared – not his helpers. Plus he has a cute little dog, Arnold who hangs at the beach all day watching Jared work!

The team at Maui Kitesurfing School are excellent. Knowledgable, professional, and super fun. Specifically riding tandem helped me get a sense for the speed, body/​board positioning, and kite control I would need to send it.

Ahh! I just had the BEST time doing Tandem Kiteboarding with Jared. WOW! What an incredible experience. The board went at exhilarating speeds, soared through the air, and we even did a 360 «flip». Jared was kind, fun-​loving, professional, and truly an expert: I felt very safe in his care.
I Highly Highly Highly recommend this unique and incredible experience. :D

I just came back home from Maui and I must say that Kitesurfing Tandem was an amazing experience. I’ve tried it for the first time and LOVED IT! I loved the adventure and felt very safe during the ride. The speed was great and we even did few jumps. I took a lesson with Jered right after the tandem kiting and highly recommend Jered and
. I was very impressed with the whole experience.
If you want to learn how to kitesurf, try tandem Kitesurfing first and you feel more confident and safe during your lesson.
Dina

Jared was awesome! I just started kite boarding and I’m not up on a board yet. I went out tandem with Jared and it was so FUN!!! We went all over — and even jumped! — and I learned SO much!!! I will definitely send people here:)

I could not imagine a better kitesurfing instructor than Jared at Maui Kitesurfing School! Not being particularly experienced with watersports — only tubing and waterskiing on lakes as a kid — Jared made me feel safe and confident throughout my lessons, from beach to ocean. Jared is very hands on in every step of the process and has impeccable communication skills, making the difficult steps of kite surfing come with ease and enjoyment. He described to me that he teaches each new student as if they are his younger sister — I completely agree with this statement — Jared is compassionate, friendly, comforting, and a constant stream of positive reinforcement.
I had one lesson with another experienced kiting instructor from another school on Maui, which was an absolute disaster — the guy was hands-​off and a horrible communicator. This further highlighted what a gem of a teacher Jared is!
Every person who asks my boyfriend and I about kiting on the beach (people are so intrigued and excited every time the kites come out!) we refer them to
because of my awesome experience.
I feel almost silly singing such high praises about Jared and Maui Kitesurfing School, but when you meet him, you will understand my enthusiasm :)
If you are a watersports newbie like me, I would definitely recommend at least 3 lessons to feel confident going out alone.
I had my lessons in November, right before Maui’s kiteboarding «off-​season» (Nov-​Feb), which has made it a bit difficult to practice after my initial lessons. If you want consistent wind for consistent practice, I think getting your lessons in the months before November would do you good.

Consistency is a good thing… so I am happy to give another well deserved 5 star to Maui Kitesurfing School. Jared is a fantastic teacher. Great communication, followup and professional in every aspect of Kite Surfing. Get prepared to have a great time, be in safe and knowledgeable hands while tying yourself to a fun machine at one of the best places in the world. Aloha! What’s not to like? Thanks Jared!

I’m very happy to recommend Jared and MKS. I took my first lessons with him on the legendary Kanaha kiteboarding beach. New Naish gear and very safe and clear teaching from very experienced instructor. My kids were not with me, but I would trust his patience and safe instruction with teenagers, too. As important, a hurricane had killed the reliable Maui winds and he postponed our lessons until the winds picked up. We will be back for more!

First things first: I had never been kite surfing before and was slightly nervous about trying to learn. I have lived near the ocean my entire life and am comfortable in the water, but the idea of being strapped to a kite kind of freaked me out. Long story short, this was by far the most memorable part of my vacation on Maui! I was directed to
by a friend and was able to sign up for a lesson really quickly. My instructor, Jared, was not only a really fun guy, but was an excellent teacher and extremely knowledgable about the sport. He was able to get me up and surfing by the end of the first day, which I was totally not expecting! I can not imagine a better way to learn as a first timer. I came into this slightly apprehensive about the whole idea, and left my last lesson completely amped on a new passion! Worth every penny. Thank you Jared for teaching me the ropes and being such a great teacher! I plan on purchasing some equipment of my own from their website and kiting out in California. I highly recommend this kite school to anyone who wants to learn how to kiteboard for the first time or even hone your current skills. Mahalo!

I was very apprehensive about learning to kiteboard at first. Being a surfer, I am not used to worrying about all the gear. Jared is such a good instructor, he not only made everything easy to understand, he also made it into a super fun adventure! His techniques and advice allowed me to advance quicker than I hoped for. I have the confidence and motivation now to keep up with the sport, thanks to Jared! Highly recommend
if your interested in any aspect of kiteboarding. You’ll get every penny’s worth out of this experience!!! Thank you Jared!

Learning to kiteboard with Jared was just fantastic! I went from total newbie to kiteboarder in 3 days and came back for another 2 days because I was hooked on this exhilarating sport. Jared’s knowledge of the sport is superb. He was attentive and encouraging and really made me at ease in some tough conditions in the waves and wind. Things that I really appreciated were his emphasis on safety and care and preparation of the equipment. He makes sure you are able to safely set up and handle the equipment, as well as self rescue, which is critical knowledge after you are out there kiting on your own. He also takes good care of his students, making sure they stay hydrated and adapting his instruction to your learning style. You can’t ask for a better instructor or better conditions for learning to kiteboard. It was the highlight of my trip to Maui.

Our experience with the Maui Kitesurfing school, and instructor Jared Carlson, was amazing. My wife and I were on our honeymoon and decided that we wanted to learn how to Kiteboard, so we decided to go with the Maui Kitesurfing School. Jared spent 9 hrs with us over two days and is absolutely a superb trainer. He was very patient, attentive, encouraging and fun to be around. We are hooked and will definitely continue Kiteboarding. I would recommend anyone who is interested in Kiteboarding in Maui to learn through
and specifically ask for Jared. We could not have asked for a better learning experience and more fun. Thanks Jared!

Hey everybody go check out jared for kitesurfing really good guy with experience come get your lessons asap! Mahalos!

For starters Maui has some of the most consistent wind on the planet, so just being in Maui is a huge plus if you want to learn how to kiteboard.
Jared has been kitesurfing longer than mostly every other kiteboarder that I have ever met. He was able to show me the basics of flying the trainer kite fairly quickly. He then showed me how to safely set up the full size kite, how to launch, land and create power with the kite. After not too much time at all he was showing me how to use the kite out in the water to drag myself through the water.
He got my hooked on the sport fairly quickly and his shop was able to sell me some gear and have it shipped to me back in California for me to continue learning in the less consistent winds of Southern California.
Jared was kind enough to keep an ongoing e-​mail dialogue with me to give me some additional pointers as I started being able to actually get up on the board and ride.
Definitely a great shop and a great kiteboarding school, if you even think that you might have fun trying out this amazing sport, I say you should go for it!

Wow, My wife and I had so much fun Kite boarding with Jared. I didn’t think it was going to be as easy as it was. Jared did a good job at being attentive with my wife and I at learning how to properly control the kite. The wind had picked up so it couldn’t have been any better. We both enjoyed the lesson so much that we booked another lesson the following day. I would definitely recommend anyone wanting to learn how to kite board to sign up for a lesson. Thanks again for making our trip that much more desirable!

I recently took a trip to Maui and decided to do something out of the ordinary. This was my first time kite boarding and Jared got me up kiting in no time! I couldn’t have been happier with the entire experience. I’ll definitely be back next time I come to maui for a lesson on going up wind!!!