Landboarding? Kite Landboard?

RichardE · Since 26 Jan 2015 5 Posts Kook

I see people call it all types of things but all I know is I am interested. I started hitting the river this last summer, I can ride up wind and do ok on the water in most conditions. Recently I have been craving wind and left portland heading towards seaside. I ended up Buying a trainer kite and showing a friend how to fly it. But all that did was make me miss riding even more. I have a 6,9,12 meter airush along with a 3m trainer. I can defiantly afford a board. I would love to hear any tips or advice someone can share. And peoples favorite locations to go ride? Thanks in advance for any help!!

mxwllms · Since 26 Jul 2006 110 Posts Boring, Or Stoked

I enjoy some kite landboarding from time to time... when im down in oregon i like to go to sunset beach on a low tide because you have tons of hard sand that you wont sink too far into. My only pointers for you are to rig small until you are used to riding a mountain board because they pick up speed really quickly and overpowered faceplants on sand hurt! Its also well worth the extra money to buy a nice board, like a kiteboarding Mbs, the cheap ones have poorly adjustable trucks and the footstraps break easily when the board gets stuck in the sand and you take a hard pull from your kite. Have fun!

RichardE · Since 26 Jan 2015 5 Posts Kook

Wind Slither · Since 04 Mar 2005 2588 Posts The 503 METAL

Hey Richard,

Sunset is the access point about 7 miles North of Seaside. Any of that stretch is good for land boarding on the lower tides. Good advise to invest in a higher end board...they just turn and control so much better. Cleanline Surf in Seaside has a bunch of models to choose from. Many days that are sub-sailable for water kiting are perfect on a 3 or 4 meter foil.

Thumb's Up

undertow · Since 15 Feb 2008 371 Posts BeaversBurg Obsessed

It would be cool if Cleanline could rent out some boards, probably save a lot of skunked sessions at the coast.

RichardE · Since 26 Jan 2015 5 Posts Kook

Thanks wind slither I was in cleanlines yesturday checking them out! And I do own a 3meter foil Smile

Undertow they rent them out for $20 and if u come back and decide to buy one that day they refund the 20 towards the purchase of buying a board

propylene22 · Since 04 Jan 2015 2 Posts New Member

Trampa makes probably the best kite specific boards. That being said it depends what you want and where you ride. I ride mostly in grass and sometimes off road, so I got a MBS with the ultra burly channel trucks. That being said it weighs a ton. Its made of wood and fiber. Trampa's decks are carbon and nice and light. If you plan on getting air get aluminum wheels. You'll smash the plastic ones.

CrazyHerb · Since 04 Oct 2008 79 Posts Ilwaco, WA

3M foil will get you started....but you'll want more really soon. Depower is really the way to go when riding a board...you'll be on your Airush's soon after you can hold an edge. I use my gear for both water and land interchangeably. However, I like seat harness for land, and waist for water...

One of the biggest things I can recommend if your learning landboarding...PADS...and a Helmet. I use the XL (Blue MBS Pro) knee and elbow pads and Bern Watts multi-sport helmet.

Any of the longer MBS boards will work, but I'm sold on 9 inch tires and the FlexBoardz Haize. The larger tires are heavier, but it gives you about 20% more ride-able beach and the are less prone to "digging in". But if you're into jumping...go with lighter board/smaller tires.

I ride Sunset beach as much as I can...it's just across the river from me. So, keep an eye out for me next time your there...or PM me if heading this way, we'll meet up.

Couple links to me riding Flexboardz and Sunset...
http://vimeo.com/98305417
http://youtu.be/EW0-smd5lr8?list=UUKuLNN5rvZ9aTGe0yoPPxoQ
http://youtu.be/hNcF5pXR4Ng

I ride primarily Switch (inflatable) Kites...so just look for the logo....and usually day-glow yellow T-shirts...

ROCK ON!!
Steve

Old Newbie · Since 15 Jul 2018 4 Posts Kook

Great information! Thank you!

I have a 6m SlingShot Z (rarely ever used since I tend to kite at Suavie; I doubt my 17m Turbine is a good choice for this Laughing

), as well as 2.5m trainer and MBS board coming this week specifically to dive into land boarding. (god, I hope that wasn't a jinx'ing pun)

I'm assuming a west wind (onshore) is ideal for this? I checked NOAA for historical wind data and it doesn't appear that there're a lot of onshore days fall-to-spring.

Thoughts/experience?

Thanks in advance for the insight!

Wind Slither · Since 04 Mar 2005 2588 Posts The 503 METAL

Hey Old Newbie,

Straight onshore is great but other directions are fine if the tide is low enough. Seaside tends to have more hard sand real estate than farther up north.

I've land boarded with every sized kite depending on the day. As you get better it's fun to be loaded so you can unweight on the transitions. You also want a lot of power to boost and land softly.

Good luck!
-WS

Old Newbie · Since 15 Jul 2018 4 Posts Kook

Thanks for such a quick response, brother! I'm looking forward to trying it!

Wind Slither · Since 04 Mar 2005 2588 Posts The 503 METAL

Oh and...

Old Newbie · Since 15 Jul 2018 4 Posts Kook

Holy crud! Was that recent? That'd be a good way to learn to use the wing...

sfbomber · Since 27 Jun 2012 113 Posts Stoked

I like to ride unhooked with short lines (<20M). For e.x. 4M foil kite, 5M c-kite, or 7M delta kite. You don't need much kite to get moving on a landboard, similar to a hydrofoil (i.e. two kite sizes smaller than somebody riding a twintwip). If your bar has a chickenloop, you can hold on to the chicken loop with one hand, and the bar with the other to spill some power (like Brian Wilson). But better to hone your kite flying skills to position the kite in the window for less power, and vice versa learn to finesse the kite in the power zone to generate power.
I recommend wearing a helmet. At my local beach, it only works at low tide.
You should try experimenting with shortening the lines on your trainer kite, as they often come too long. If you can't loop the kite comfortably, then the lines are too short.
Have fun.

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2088 Posts PNW Bigfoot

Landboarding never took with me. The wet smooth sand on low tides might as well of been hardened concrete.

That said, it looks like fun on those west wind days and at low tide.

I do think and like the wind wigs better for landboarding. I've seen a couple of peeps out and about while I was kiting in the waves. They were having hours of fun and owning the beach--this was at Manzo with a NNW wind. The wind wig seems to me to be a lot safer for landboarding as getting lofted probably is much harder to do.

macgruber · Since 06 Dec 2011 490 Posts SE PDX volcano Obsessed

Windance has a board and 4m kite for 280 in their miscellaneous used section

Jbloom · Since 30 Apr 2018 61 Posts

Check This Out !!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mftvsCOvvHk