This paper tests the lead user theory by analyzing user innovations in the extreme sport of kite surfing. The study confirms the basic tenants of lead user theory and identifies new refinements. The research finds that two key components of the lead user construct—“high expected benefits” and “ahead of the trend”—independently contribute to identifying commercially attractive user innovations. The “high expected benefits” component predicts innovation likelihood, while the “ahead of the trend” component predicts both innovation attractiveness and likelihood due to a newly-proposed innovation supply side effect. The study also finds that adding measures of users' local resources can improve the ability of the lead user construct to identify commercially-attractive innovations under some conditions. The findings have practical and theoretical importance, as product modification and development are common user behaviors in many fields. The study provides empirical evidence that lead user characteristics are independent dimensions and that neither can be dropped without loss of information. The results suggest that lead user theory can be applied effectively in practice to identify commercially attractive user innovations. The study also highlights the importance of considering local resources when identifying user innovations. The findings support the use of lead user theory in practice and provide insights for further improvements in the theory.This paper tests the lead user theory by analyzing user innovations in the extreme sport of kite surfing. The study confirms the basic tenants of lead user theory and identifies new refinements. The research finds that two key components of the lead user construct—“high expected benefits” and “ahead of the trend”—independently contribute to identifying commercially attractive user innovations. The “high expected benefits” component predicts innovation likelihood, while the “ahead of the trend” component predicts both innovation attractiveness and likelihood due to a newly-proposed innovation supply side effect. The study also finds that adding measures of users' local resources can improve the ability of the lead user construct to identify commercially-attractive innovations under some conditions. The findings have practical and theoretical importance, as product modification and development are common user behaviors in many fields. The study provides empirical evidence that lead user characteristics are independent dimensions and that neither can be dropped without loss of information. The results suggest that lead user theory can be applied effectively in practice to identify commercially attractive user innovations. The study also highlights the importance of considering local resources when identifying user innovations. The findings support the use of lead user theory in practice and provide insights for further improvements in the theory.