leebrianh - 22-8-2006 at 07:57 AM
I have been doing Kite Landboarding and would love to try Snowkiting this winter.
According to my research, right snowboard size for normal use would be your chin height. I am thinking board should be a little longer for snowkiting
since snow is softer and it needs to be more stable in straight line.
So, how taller should it be? Would nose height be ok or should it be taller, maybe eye level?
Before I shop around, I thought I would ask some experts here. Thanks all. -Brian
code - 22-8-2006 at 04:34 PM
Sup Brian..
I'm not quite sure what works best for snowkiting, but would think that the same thing that applies to skiing/snowboarding downhill would apply here.
From what I've heard, it's not necessarily the length of the board or skis, but the umph you have with the kite.
Take kitesurfing for instance. People use boards the size of wakeboards (which aren't really that big), but the power of the kite causes them to rise
above the water and keep enough power to plain across the water.
Since we live on the east coast where most of the snow we get is wet and not dry powder like you'll find out west, you won't need as much umph to rise
out of the snow. Since wet snow packs relatively easily you should be able to get going with relative ease in a few inches of snow. On the contrary
though, this past winter we got hit with 2' of wet snow..so a kite that would pull you on 2" probably wouldn't pull you out of 2' (bigger kite needed
to lift you out of the wet snow allowing you to plain across the top).
With that said. If you've never snowboarded before...I would highly recommend starting with a smaller board (shoulder length would be ideal. Similar
to the kites..if you were to start large, you may not of had as much fun and more frustration. The snowboards and skis are pretty similar to the
kites...larger isn't always the key to more fun.). First time I ever snowboarded they gave me a huge board and the day at the slope completely sucked.
Second time I went, I had bought my own board, much smaller then the one the slope gave me and had a blast. Have two boards now and love it!
Larger boards and larger skis allow for more speed, but for a newbie less control. Smaller boards, lower speeds and more control. Once you figure
out the smaller board you'll probably step up the size of board depending on what style of riding you prefer. A lot of the people that do half pipes
and such on the slopes use smaller boards. People that are more into the downhill speed factor, and such will use slightly larger boards. Ideally, if
you can find a board that you feel you have good control over and get decent speed on you'll have a blast. But for now worry about control.
Also, with the sabre and montana at the sizes you have you should be fine for all conditions without the board size being much of a factor.
I'm not an expert of snowboarding or kiting, but have been snowboarding for quite some time now and am learning more about the kiting stuff everyday.
Hope this helps some though.
~Joe
leebrianh - 23-8-2006 at 06:57 AM
Good analysis! Thanks for the input.
I am shopping around on eBay thinking snowboards are cheap in summer time but it ain't.
Can't wait to get my own snowboard! This will be my first snowkiting winter. So excited already!
Any size will do
william_rx7 - 26-8-2006 at 08:57 PM
Man, I'm ready for some snow too! Last year I got out on Thanksgiving day here in Toronto for some snow kiting (snow, only a little grass)
Snowboard size doesn't really matter, it depends on the type of riding you like, and surface conditions. For the past 2 years, I've been switching
between a 158, and a 135, both are fun, in very different ways.
Get the cheapest board you can find, and a bunch of P-TEX candles, if you are pushing the season (early or late), you will easily trash your base. I
buy a $100 'blanS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K- board and the end of the season every year.
If you don't have bindings yet, consider a step-in model. It really helps when self launching. I use the old Shimano / K2 Clicker type, other guys
use the FLOW style with good results. Cranking down strap-style binding is a pain.
I love snowboarding (downhill), but I spent the 2nd half of a day snow kiting on skiis late last season. I hate to say it, but I had way, way more
fun, went 2x faster, and jumped way higher on skis (200 cm Slalom skis). I think the snowboard is better in powder conditions, and skiis for
hard-pack.
code - 27-8-2006 at 06:30 PM
Brian..William does have a point...maybe think about getting a pair of used skis and boots. Most of the snow we get around here in the states on the
east coast is wet snow. Downhilling on skiis and boards aren't very different. But I think you'll have better balance, more edge and like william
said..you may have more fun as well since the learning curve isn't as great.
I have two snowboards that I tried last year. It wasn't exactly easy to learn on either the small one or the larger (both of which have the
buckles..not clicker / step-in bindings). I figured it out to some extent, but am still learning working the kite in the window to propell me and do
jumps...being strapped in and only having one edge to work with add to the difficulty in the wet snow.
From my past experiences skiing is sometimes an easier sport to learn then boarding..not to mention in wet snow you need as much edge as you can
get..snowboarding you only get one edge. Skiing you've got two..one on both feet. Personally, I'm considering selling one of my boards or trading one
in and buying a pair of the snowskates/ snowblades (which are really small skis, but they're nice cause you can ride'm backwards and forwards due to
their shape). They're dirt cheap too! Have seen them online from $80-$250. Of course you need to buy a pair of boots too, which cost a bit ...but you
could always go the used route with those as well.
It's a thought..and of course William came up with it so give him the credit.
~Joe
leebrianh - 28-8-2006 at 06:28 AM
Ski instead of snowboard? Tough choice. Ever since I started snowboarding, I lost interest in ski but according to you guys posts, it makes more
sense.
Step-in-binding sounds really good, which I never thought about. I remember seeing one on ebay and went back but the acution ended already.
Maybe I should buy both of them :-) Well, I still got time and will shop around. Can't wait to have first snow! Thanks for all your input. - Brian
PS. I was told that Skyline is the best place in US for snow kiting. Anybody head there this winter?
DON321 - 28-8-2006 at 01:31 PM
I use a longer snowboard, it feels better when the kite gives you that inital yank to get going you dont feel like your going to get yanked over the
front of the board, ive heared at least chin height, but I think its whatever feels most stable to you...
i have never tried the small skies like code is talking about (i think there called barefoots) but this year i was going to check it out.
code - 28-8-2006 at 03:38 PM
Don...I saw the barefoots before. I believe those are boots with skis built into the bottom of them though.?. I could be wrong. The skiskates /
skiblades are actually small skiis with bindings and you need ski boots for them. It looked like the better route since the ski actually detaches from
the boot if you don't want to be sliding all over..haha.
Here's a linky....
http://store.christysports.com/catalog/ski_shop/ski/snowblad...
You can click on the picture to actually blow up the image.
code - 28-8-2006 at 03:40 PM
Check this out....This could be you this coming winter..
I wish I could do some of this stuff...who knows, work hard enough the skies the limit (literally..haha), right?
http://kitesnowboarder.com/images/stories/2010TeaserLg.mov
leebrianh - 29-8-2006 at 08:49 AM
Good video! Where is that place?
Awesome Video
william_rx7 - 16-11-2006 at 03:50 PM
That video is really good. Love the helmet cam on the guy with the really long jump.
I'm guessing based on the snow (lots of pow), mountain shape (round like the Rockies, not jagged like the Alps), and wild-life (elk?) it's in North
America somewhere.
Could be Chasta boosting with the Ozone, and the red coat...
shortlineflyer - 27-12-2011 at 05:44 PM
does anyone use a board that is under chin height
does that affect a riders ability to do freestyle