What Type of Snowboard/Gear should I use: snowKITEN?

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1314 Posts Possessed

Sol-flyer · Thu Mar 19, 09 6:18 am

any of those boards will work fine. The main thing about using a conventional snowboard for kiting is to use a low back binding. or no back, just the heel guard is even better. I suspect that soon kite companies will realise its not the board, But the binding. (I have the Twisted Board and love it, But its definetely not for all applications. It perform's better in the Pow)

registered · Since 12 Jul 2005 1319 Posts tsunami Sandbagger

sol have you ever explored the ne bowls of pelican butte??....

also thinking about coming down to shasta for some snowkittin Wink

Sol-flyer · Fri Mar 20, 09 9:53 am

anytime your ready. I think we're going down to shasta next week. (midweek depending on avy danger)

And I've been salivating over the pelican bowl ever since the lift days. But for winds i dont think the NE aspect of the bowl will get many good days. plus i dont own have a sled Cool

Lake of the woods is firing right now! And its 51 degrees Wink

We're on it

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3754 Posts PDX-LA Videographer

Petter is fuckin' insane! Crazy flat 7 on Dimensions!

shymac · Since 20 Jul 2005 919 Posts Home Valley, Wa. Bigfoot

registered · Since 12 Jul 2005 1319 Posts tsunami Sandbagger

http://www.shastaavalanche.org/advisories/advisories/avalanche-advisory/
as early as sunday... we may be headed down .. trying to do my research of the areas but those norcal stoners are hiding the good info...... Rolling Eyes

how bout Mt.Mcgloughlin

yeah the main advantage of a foil is its foldability for backcountry use...

however the foldability really is noticable when your flying along and it folds itself up and falls to the ground......

I realy never seen it happen much personally until I witnessed some Chasta guy in Utah , his kite was a serial folder , we offered him a inflatable because it may improve his fun but no sale.... Twisted Evil

shymac · Since 20 Jul 2005 919 Posts Home Valley, Wa. Bigfoot

3 strut RPM packs down just as good if not even better. Foil's have 2 canopy's to fold down with a string of bridles to snag and catch on ziippers where as the RPM has just one. Origami.

Add that with lines still attached to the kite and all you have to worry about is the pump. DAM PUMP!

Sol-flyer · Thu Mar 26, 09 2:24 pm

yo regi, did you get out to shasta?

We got sidetracked and ended up at 140. looked like North winds so ski bowl would'nt have worked Embarassed

Pistol tomorrow with a touch of whiskey Wink

registered · Since 12 Jul 2005 1319 Posts tsunami Sandbagger

Sol,

No a flip of a coin Shasta or Eureka paragliding lessons ....landed paragliding

shasta soon as long as the coast doesn't go and winter lingers... maybe this coming weekend.... any plans???

Sol-flyer · Mon Mar 30, 09 7:45 am

Paragliding looks fun,...for about 5 seconds. Laughing

I'll have to give it a go

I'll keep looking into the weather, its been pretty warm out lately but shasta's been known to have snow well into may. All we need is a good south wind pressure system.

I'll keep ya posted if it looks promising.

eli_anderson · Since 04 Jun 2007 507 Posts Addicted

my first choice on the snow is an ozone foil, easier, safer, and they have superior glide ratios! + bladder repairs suck, I've never had to repair a foil on the snow.

2nd choice, maybe and inflatable but they are a major pain to self land and launch vs. a Manta or Frenzy

Board, I like my twisted, but I'm looking for something else for more packed conditions.

If you haven't tried a foil, it's worth a demo. Stable and DA proof. + you won't have to put YOUR beer down to land MY kite

windzup · Since 28 Apr 2006 22 Posts

In a minimal effort to keep this post legit and neutral... I wanted to drop a couple pennies that I picked up over the last decade of Kiting water and the last 8 years on snow. Living in Utah I laughed when I read that it is difficult to snowkite...well for us in the mountains its difficult to catch waves... unless its 90 mph on the reservoirs! Where we live Snowkiting is an easy to learn gift...especially with the right equipment.

I teach on snow and have for many years...nothing is as simple and as easy to learn on than a dedicated snowkite, my opinion yes, but from actual snow experience...not just a couple weekends.

Lots of shit works, some really well. That goes for boards and kites. The Twisted is an amazing shape and works great, so do boards with side cut...Reverse camber is better everywhere....reverse sidecut is better in deeper snow, side cut is great if you aren't used to snowkiting on a smooth reverse camber board. Side cut helps edge into a carve smoother in hard pack...and will continue to edge even tho your kite likes to fly in a straight line across the wind.

No kite is safer and easier to self launch and land on snow than an open cell foil with a brake line safety...With a blimp, the only safety is ditching the kite on a front line, which is a self rescue scenario...with a Foil (like the Ozone style) one can pull the release and easily self land and reload to launch instantly...No hassle and all about personal safety and solo use...because once you are 10 feet from your car on snow you are solo in the backcountry.

I use inflatables occasionally on snow, when I have friends nearby that are willing to set their beer down to launch and land me. But I really love my blimp when I crash on the water and need it to float and relaunch.

It is a fact, Foils fold up, that is their design, just as blimps, when flown improperly or in gusty winds will hindenburg....but more often (99% of the time) a foil will catch the wind, reinflate its open cells and continue flying before it touches ground, a blimp will Hindenburg and crash on your head, leaving you alone trying to figure out how to safely relaunch your kite.

I work with Ozone, not biased, just stoked that I have been able to give positive feedback from the mountains that keeps making the Snowkites better and safer every year. I also sell some of the highest performance inflatable kites... (blatant plug for good shit!)

BTW - Ozone is the only brand to ask ahead and pay SS to use their One Pump Patent, we believe in giving props to good ideas and good companies... we hope to receive the same respect.

Windzup,
Brian Schenck