when kiteskiing should you be useing shaped skis or straight skis. and what is the ideal lenth.

Seems everyone is using shaped skies and many even use a bit of a rocker at the rear tip (adds performance for skiing or landing tricks backwards). I guess the length depends on your skill level and style preference. Longer skis add traction for speed and distance. Shorter skies add agility for tricks.

Im hearing (not sure personally) That you want a general freeride/allmountain skis with not too much shape. Some shape is good, but too much shape makes them constantly track upwind. Anyone feel free to correct me, but this is how I understand it.

Scoop

Tracking a bit upwind is good as the kites are trying to pull you downwind. One offsets the other. I set my skates up the same way to resist the downwind pull of the kites. Nothing too radical, however.

I agree. Just posting what I was told. I hear that the moderately shaped skis do just what your talking about, and the very shaped skis want to track upwind too much. Again, maybe there is someone on here that can clear this up for sure. The person I talked to about shaped skis was Rachael that does the kitestorm fest every year. http://www.stormboarding.com

Scoop

I use 210cm K2's with very little shape for speed/distance and 120cm Atomic double ended shaped skis for just messing around, which is most of the time.

It's hard to compare the Atomics to the K2's because the Atomics are basically trick skis, although the Atomics do carve turns MUCH better than the K2's. The Atomics are in the pic below. I use them the most.

Oh...forgot to mention that tracking upwind isn't a problem on either one.

I just swapped a kite for some Volkl AC3 Unlimited shaped skis (175cm). Much, much easier to maintain an upwind course when fully powered up. I can even hold down more kite on these skis, which means more speed....

All depends what you want to do:

All skis turn when put on edge. Some "shape skis" they are all shape skis now, will turn too sharply . But if you are looking for speed you want to be able to lock in the edge. If the turning radius is real short you won't be able stay on edge because you keep rounding up. Longer turning skis such as GS and DH boards work the best for speed.

For general kite skiing, freeride, freestyle any all mountain ski, twin tip, etc usual length works fine.

As far a skiblades and shorties below 150cm they are fine for hardpack and ice but suck in soft snow and certainly won't ski uphill very well in soft snow.


///safety in numbers\\\