I am about 3 months in on my land/water kiting career. I did a little back when Wipika was the only game in town and was very fearless. Now I find myself in fear of being overpowered.

I started to landboard with a 7/12 warro setup and now I am using a 3.5 foil and I have much more fun with the smaller kite knowing that I can "let Go" and not be dragged into a soccer goal.

I have a feeling that I will in the end have much more fun with foils on the smaller fields we use for inland land boarding.

Ok Next question. My friend bought an 8.5 blade and it scares me now as I only have about 5 min on it. What would a good quiver be for a guy 200# for a variety of wind conditions. I will defiantly be riding on the snow on the same small fields. I was thinking of a montana but again I like the idea of being able to let go and be free from the kite.

Do foil De-powers have a good quick safety system to rid ones self from the kite. I have never seen one let alone flown one.



Hope this all makes sense.

Thanks Dan

The "Red hat" style safety releases found on many newer depower foils are a very reliable way to quickly flag (and then recover) the kite.
This is on top of the on-the-fly depower you get with trim settings and bar positioning (and knowledgeable window placement).
Cutting loose the chicken loop is a last resort and shouldn't need to happen in most circumstances.

I gotta admit, raw handle wrangling is fun. Some like bronco busting, others prefer the carriage ride. Each will get you going where you want to be - bumpily or not.

im 225 lbs 6'2" but i actually like being right on the 'edge'

ive got a 5.6 twister
i want a 7.7 twister or a 8.5 blade, and a smaller 3-4m kite... i like the twisters, so ill prolly stick with em down the road... but those 3 kites covers about any wind... i have a 15m phantom, which actually covers alot or range, but the twisters and phantoms prolly arent for the one who want to stay on the ground.... your could get into a set of hQ beamers (like a 2m 4m and 6m) and have a good time, and stay on the ground.. if you want a little lift... look into the twisters from peter lynn... very stable and predictable... and a good jumper if you want!

... the only way to overcome your fear is to get beat down by your kite... nurse your wounds... and go do it again... and enjoy every minute!

HTFU

"HTFU" I really wish I could but after a few years trying to be a pro snowboarder my body says no.

The main problem is that all our sites have a lot of obstacles. That is the main reason for flying unhooked. IF we had a large open site I would not think twice about flying the waroo's.

Dan

personally, i will never outgrow handles as some have because i enjoy the extreme workouts i get and i like the "letting go"option for obvious safety reasons--dont fear being overpowered-instead EMBRACE IT----you are going to get overpowered on some (or many) occasions, so just be prepared when the time comes,deal with it and continue having fun--of course i'm not saying to go out intentionally overpowered in nuking winds--thats just nuts---and finally i dont blame u for not wanting to be hooked in -on a small field.....

Kite killers on the big kite? Get used to just dumping the kite if it puts the windies up you ... safety gear always helps too.
I've gotten through a few moments with kite and landboard simply by hanging the F on cos bailing would have been a far more painful option. I'm amazed with what I've gotten away with!

Experience is the key! The more you get, the easier it gets ... put the hard yards in and push yourself a little bit more each time.