What Kite Sizes to Bring to Brazil

If you're planning a kitesurfing trip to Brazil, one of the most important gear questions is simple:
What kite sizes should you bring?

The short answer is that you'll probably need smaller kites than you use at many other destinations.

Along the Ceará coast, where spots such as Preá and Jericoacoara are located, the main kitesurfing season brings strong and remarkably consistent trade winds. In Preá, typical high-season conditions are often around 20–30 knots, with stronger periods reaching 30+ knots.

But there isn't one perfect Brazil kite size.

Your ideal quiver depends on your weight, the month you're travelling, the spots you plan to ride, your board and your riding style.

Here's how to choose.

For an average-weight rider visiting Ceará during the main windy season, 7 m and 9 m are probably the most useful kite sizes to have in your bag.

In Preá specifically, current destination guides commonly recommend sizes around 7–9 m, while smaller riders may spend more time on 5–8 m kites and heavier riders may need larger sizes.

That doesn't mean everyone should arrive with a 7 and a 9.

A 55 kg rider and a 95 kg rider can be standing on the same beach in exactly the same wind and need very different kites.

So instead of asking: “What kite size works in Brazil?”

the better question is: “What kite quiver works in Brazil for my weight and travel dates?”

Preá is one of the windiest major kitesurfing spots on the Ceará coast.

During the main season, wind commonly reaches around 20–30 knots, and September and October can produce frequent days above 30 knots. The wind also tends to build during the day, often becoming strongest in the afternoon.

That daily pattern matters when choosing your equipment. You might start a session on a 9 m and later find that a 7 m is much more comfortable.

This is why bringing only one kite to Brazil can be limiting even though the wind is extremely reliable.

There is no universal kite-size chart because kite design, board size, riding level and wind strength all affect the result.
But for a twin-tip rider travelling during the windy season, this is a useful starting point:

Important: treat this as a starting point rather than a definitive size chart.

For example, a 70 kg rider in Preá may use 7, 9 and sometimes 12 m depending on the month and time of day. Your own kite's wind range should always take priority over a generic table.

Not sure which kite sizes are right for your weight and conditions? Try the Kite Hub Gear Selector to get a personalized recommendation based on your weight, riding level, wind conditions and board.

For many riders, a two-kite quiver is enough for a Brazil trip.

If you're around 65–80 kg, something around: 7 m + 9 m is a very practical high-season combination for Preá.

If you're heavier, you may shift that range upward: 9 m + 11/12 m

And if you're particularly light: 5/6 m + 7/8 m may make much more sense.

The goal isn't to cover every possible wind speed.

It's to cover the conditions you're most likely to encounter without carrying four kites across the Atlantic.

If baggage isn't a problem, three kites give you considerably more flexibility.

For an average-weight rider, a quiver such as: 7 m + 9 m + 12 m covers a broad range of conditions.

The 7 m handles stronger days, the 9 m becomes the workhorse, and the 12 m gives you an option when the wind is lighter — particularly early or late in the season.

However, your ideal spacing depends on the actual wind ranges of your kites. A modern 8 m and 10 m may cover you better than an arbitrary 7/9/12 combination.

Don't choose sizes based only on the numbers printed on the canopy.

Yes — considerably.

• July and August

The windy season is getting established. Conditions are already very good, but there can be more variation than during the peak months. For many riders, having a slightly larger kite available is useful.

• September and October

These are among the strongest months in Preá. Wind frequently reaches 30 knots or more, making smaller kites particularly important. If you're a light rider, this is when a 5 or 6 m can become genuinely useful rather than just emergency luggage.

• November

The wind remains highly reliable, and 7–9 m sizes are particularly common around Preá for an average-weight rider.

• December

December can still be excellent, but the average wind begins to soften compared with the strongest part of the season. A larger kite becomes more useful again, particularly for heavier riders.

This is important if you're coming specifically for a December Brazil kite trip: don't pack exactly the same quiver you would choose for September.

Another reason not to build your entire quiver around one wind number is that Brazil isn't one kite spot. Even along the Ceará coastline, wind strength changes as you travel.

Preá is particularly famous for strong wind and can be noticeably windier than some spots farther south.

So if you're planning to stay only in Preá, your quiver can lean toward smaller sizes. If you're travelling along the coast and riding several locations, having a larger kite gives you more flexibility.

This becomes particularly relevant on a multi-spot trip or a long downwinder.

For a Brazilian downwinder, choosing the right kite isn't just about performance. It's also about range.

During a long route, the wind may change as you move along the coast or as the afternoon progresses. Unlike a normal beach session, you can't simply walk back to your kite bag and change sizes whenever you want.

That makes being correctly powered at the start especially important.

Don't intentionally launch overpowered because you expect the wind to decrease later. For longer routes, route knowledge, support and an appropriate safety plan matter just as much as choosing the right kite.

Absolutely.

A larger twin tip can allow you to ride comfortably with a smaller kite in lighter conditions, while a small board may require more power.

The difference becomes even more noticeable if you're riding a directional board or foil.

That's why kite-size recommendations based only on rider weight are always approximate. Your setup works as a system: rider weight + kite + board + wind + water conditions + riding style.

It depends on when you're travelling and how much you weigh.

If you're a lighter rider visiting Preá in September or October, a 12 m may spend most of the trip inside the bag. For a heavier rider, or someone travelling closer to the beginning or end of the main season, it can be much more useful.

A larger kite can also help if you're travelling between different spots rather than riding exclusively in Preá.

So the answer isn't: “You don't need a 12 m in Brazil.”

It's: “Don't bring a 12 m automatically just because it's part of your normal quiver.”

Brazil is exactly the kind of destination where your normal home setup may not be the most useful travel setup.

For lighter riders travelling during the strongest part of the season — especially September and October — yes, potentially.

Preá can reach 30+ knots, and published spot guidance puts common high-season kite sizes as low as 5–7 m in stronger conditions.

For a 90 kg rider, however, a 5 m is far less likely to be useful.

Again, weight matters.

If you're flying with limited baggage, you don't necessarily need to bring every kite you own.

For most riders, we would prioritise: two well-spaced kites + your normal twin tip over bringing three or four overlapping kite sizes.

Brazil's wind consistency is one of the reasons this works.

But bringing only one kite introduces a much bigger risk of missing sessions — particularly because the wind can strengthen significantly during the day.

Your kites aren't the only equipment worth thinking about. For a Brazil kite trip, check your gear before flying, especially:

• kite lines and pigtails;
• chicken loop and quick release;
• valves and bladders;
• pump;
• fins;
• straps and pads;
• screws and small spare parts.

Brazil gives you the possibility of riding day after day. That's exactly when a tiny equipment problem you ignored at home can become very annoying.

A small repair kit takes almost no luggage space and can save a session.

For most riders visiting Ceará during the windy season, smaller kites should be the priority.

If you're around 65–80 kg and heading to Preá during the core season, 7 m and 9 m are an excellent starting point. Lighter riders should shift the quiver downward. Heavier riders should shift it upward.

And your travel dates matter almost as much as your weight. September in Preá and late December in Preá are not exactly the same equipment problem.

The best approach is to choose your quiver based on: your weight + your dates + your destination + your board + your riding level.

Not simply on what you normally use at home.

Want a more specific recommendation? Use our free Kite Size & Gear Selector to find the right kite sizes and setup for your weight, level and riding conditions.

If you're joining our Kite Hub Brazil Trip, we'll be riding in the Preá and Jericoacoara region during December.

At this time of the season, it's particularly useful to have a quiver that covers both the regular strong Ceará wind and the occasional lighter session.

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