What is a good size ski for learning to snowkite?

Is there a big difference between using parabolic skis over the straight (old) kind? The price difference is pretty significant ($5 to $15 vs hundreds of dollars).

I would think for snowkiting, straighter skis might be good for holding an edge and not trying to constantly carve upwind?

Slightly better performance is a non-issue for me since I wont be snowkiting much but would like to get out on those rare days where there is wind and snow on the ground.

Any thoughts on short snowblades with a kite? I have some that I think are 75cm (the really short ones).

snowkiting will be primarily on athletic fields so no 70mph speed runs.

Parabolic skis with a tight, aggressive turning radius are not the best for the reasons you state. I kite ski with straight skis and some shaped skis that are not aggressive. Chris Krug, aka Feyd, the fastest guy on ice, uses skis with a large radius. Search his posts. I believe he states what the radius is that he prefers.

A few guys I know kite ski with telemark skis. For them, it is insurance that allows them to get back to base if the winds dies. They often carry telescoping poles. I tried them and don't really like the compromise in stability.

I purchased snow blades (really short skis) last year but didn't use them (except downhill.) I think you can build a case that a beginner who is trying to work on transitions and small jumps, that short skis are more forgiving. I will plan on using them to learn powered jibes. Right now I scrub most of my speed before I turn.

Many snow blades come with bindings that don't release. I guess you can support this with the fact that they are short and shouldn't produce the torque in a wipe out to do any damage to knees, etc. I bought the kind with regular ski bindings, just because.

Interesting a similar thread just hit my local kiteboard forum. They recommended more of a powder ski. I think much of your choice will vary considerably based on the type of snow you will be on. Depth make-up, etc..

Lamrith is right. Pow is a whole different situation. Guys in the Tetons do use powder skis. I am hoping to get out there this winter and will need to rent skis.

I ski on hard pack mostly, that's what we get on lakes here. Sometimes up to 6" - 10" of pow but that usually blows off. Not sure what you get in Cincinnati, Elnica.

No need to put up big money , you will have plenty of fun on short cheap skis. At the end of the season catch a mall store with a bunch of overstock , I bought brand new parabolics for $35. Also if its not too late any big ski swap/sale that takes in used skis will have lots of old straight skis FREE , some with new or newish bindings. You can very easily have a pair of skis for any condition or type of flying you want to do. I've got 13 pairs of skis for 4 flyers , a mix of long straight , short straight and some parabolic beaters, just to let you know what is possible.

Thanks for the tips guys!

Around here, having a small quiver of skis is the norm, where everyday the surface conditions change. I carry DH boards for ice and speed, fat powder boards and a moderate fat board with releasable backcountry bindings for the touring days. I've never been caught without the right ski. The right temperature wax is another story though....

Sounds like you have it figured out. For small parks etc. those short skis should get the job done. I would suggest giving them a try?

I have a set of short twin tips that I use 99% of the time. I have a set of long sharp straight edge skis for icey conditions + if I am going for speed.

I notice that often the parabolics ( or I ) edge funny when powered up. Sort of grab and try to turn too much ?

Something I find frustrating is that they won't service old bindings ! I am on my 3rd set for my Olin's and not one has been worn out , simply old. Even trying , I am lucky to get a 1/2 dozen snowkite days in each year. Work gets in the way !

If I could only get 6 snowkite days a season I would have to kill myself.

But all I do is ride snow. If I had a place to buggy and board in the warm months maybe I could live with 6 days?

Ummmmmm, No. No I could not.

I didn't think they cared much about binding indemnification north of the boarder Blade. Here in the land of the lawsuit for sure but not so much up there.

Shops can service non-indemnified binding systems. Some just won't because they want to sell you a new binding and some won't because they're so afraid of a suit they just don't want to mess with it. Then there are some that don't realize that you can service a "non-servicable" binding.

It all comes down to the paperwork. If you have a binding that is out of indemnification, there has to be a rider attached to the test ticket stating that the binding is no longer indemnified but you choosed to use it anyway. Other than that they can adjust and test the binding just the same.

Bindings are amazing. Especially Salomons. I've seen 30yr old Salomons test better than some other bindings new out of the box.

So is there a p[hysical device they use to verify the settings or is it more of a set the DIN and then make sure the release is smooth and not "binding"?

I have always has the same issue, I have a Set of Geze I bough in 89. they are fantastic bindings, have maybe 30 ski days on them TOPS, but I pulled them off and have them stored as nobody will service them. Aside from making sure they do not bind, and the DIN is appropriate for the skier, what is there to do?

Ohh this video was shared on the other forum I saw ski's for kiting discussed.. Figured I would pass it along

Quote:

Originally posted by Feyd If I could only get 6 snowkite days a season I would have to kill myself. But all I do is ride snow. If I had a place to buggy and board in the warm months maybe I could live with 6 days?

What was worst was the 1st few years . Assuming that I would get out 3 times that amount.

Green Lake is late freezing as usual. Season usually ends in March . Add in the ( lack of ) wind factor and this has become my reality.

Is there any wonder why I dropped the handle Snowbird and took up Coyotes ? Dispointing but I'm trying to make lemonade !

Isn't Greenlake about 2.5 hrs from you Blade? Hell of a nice drive tho.

Lammy, that is correct there are calibration machines that test the release function of ski bindings. One style in electronic, the othe is essntially nothing more than a torque wrench. The release value is measured in Newton meters. The settings for the binding are based on hieght, weight, age, skier abiltiy and bootsole length in milimeters. In Europe they just measure the circumfirence of you tibia. The release values and charts are based on studies that the Nazis did on the force it took to break human tibias. I did not make that up.

In regards to Geze, there could be a couple reasons they are not indemnified and nobody would touch them. First, Geze had a series of bindings that had an issue with the plastic that allowed the heel piece to snap at the hinge. When a suspected binding would come in they would perform what is termed "accelerated life cycle test". In a nutshell you crank the DIN and release it and see if it breaks.

There were also a series of Geze that were recalled. I forget the exact model but the heel looked like the toe just backwards. Usually you can get a recall taken care of but not if the company has gone under. Which brings us tooooo....

The other thing that happend around that time period. Geze went under and was picked up by Rossignol. Rossi dumped the heel design but kept the toe and ran that design up until fairly recently.

Here is a article that does a good job of explaining a binding self test......

http://www.bobski.com/safety/french_binding_system_self_test...

It will work for all brands of bindings and is a good way to double check to make sure you are going to properly release from your bindings should you wipe out.....

This is a guide..... so take it as such.....

Never understood how "age" came into the equation of DIN settings? Is it assuming were less agressive the older we get? Maybe you ski guru's can shed some light on that one.

Probably has to do with brittle bones of us old-timers :-p

Case in point one of my local Kiteboarders was out on Wed kite surfing. Poped off a small swell (maybe 2ft of air) and broke tib&fib on landing. Then managed to self rescue himself to shore and wave down a beachgoer to get his friends up beach to get him..:Ange09:

I've heard of people injuring themselves doing that self test. Usually when the binding doesn't release when you kick it. So I gurees in a way it works?

Binding testing is a very subjective thing. Bindings can be affected but contaminants on the boot sole for example. But when tested in the shop they don't test with mud on the boot they test it clean. Most people walk from the parking lot etc, and jump into thier skis.

Also, they are only required to test one boot. What if the other shell is warped? The other boot may fail the tests.

I almost never test my new bindings. I ride Salomon mostly and Marker second and they are the most reliable and consistent out there. The ONE TIME I did test my binding it released exactly as it should, I went straight to the hill and in four runs blew my ACL completely on the bunny slope. You just never can tell. The age part of the equation is due to brittle bones. And now if the skier is 10 and under you deduct one skier type level as well. Just like the 50+ rule.

Self rescue with a FIb/Tib has got to suck. DId they completely snap them or was it a spiral fracture? Eiather way I'll pass thanks.

Looks like spiral. Poor guy is having to have two plates put in and they told him no weight bearing until Feb. More info he did this on a strapless board too, pretty odd.

elnica -

If you have the snowblades, you might as well use them. I started snowkiting on 95 cm Line blades with cheap Atomic boots, never having downhill skied. They stink when there is windblown hardpack pack over powder and you submarine - it is hard to keep the tips up, and you trip when they go under the crust. Also unstable at speed. But in Cinnci on a small ball field with only a few inches snowcover, they should be perfect to play around on.

krumly

Snowblades are perfect for learning to snowkite on athletic fields (except in crusty conditions as krumly says above). They carve a turn fast and are easier to step turn when you need to.

Use "rock"skis that you don't care about destroying. Our soccer fields have metal pins to help groundskeepers find the correct line layout but they are buried under the snow. They are just high enough to give you core shots in the ski base. If there is minimal snow, the gravel/cinder surface of baseball diamond infields is also hard on the ski base.

People around here think that snow cover means they don't have to scoop their doggy poop. That's OK at -30 but watch out when it warms up and everything starts to thaw ...

Warm poop! seems a possibility since both parks I go to have dog parks in them. Reminds me... I've been lucky that no dog has yet thought my kite is their toy, or decided to chase me yet... dog leash rules aren't followed very well.

Hey Canuck, do you kitesurf with those bodyglove wakeskis? I'm not a "board" guy and have thought about giving those a try since water kiting is still hard for me. I would think that when you crash recovery would be harder though since now you have two runaway boards to bodydrag to. Then putting them on without crashing the kite might be pretty hard as well?

Still waiting for the snow, it's been raining lately...

fat and straight... all the way. I have some fatties that have a sharper edge for when I need to cut in. Stay away from super parabolics if you can. That's about it

Like Scarecrow said. If you really get hooked you'll need more than one ski. Fatties for deep snow and narrow for ice.