I live in the Mid-west and in winter we have snow. So I really want to get into this snowkiting thing. I am very new to this and have been looking around a little. The wind is probably around 10-15mph and the land is flat. We would love to do some small jumps (10 feet) and travel along the snow. I was looking at the Bullet 5.5, but need some input. I weigh 180. What size do you think I should get, I want to get some pull for sure, do you think 7.0 is too much and 5.5 is perfect? Any other cheaper brands or types? Thanks

Where in the Mid-West?

I would start with something around 4m, then you can start getting more kites to deal with more or less wind.

The Bullet provides little lift, so you may want to look for somthing else.

I live in Upper Minnesota, what kite would you suggest instead of a bullet?

I like the Flexifoil Blades. Easy to fly and good lift

I also sent you a U2U message.

since your on snow you might look into de-power kites. Like access from ozone. You get a bit more wind range for each kite.

Blades aren't the best kites for beginners as they are aggressive and lifty so procede with caution if you go that route.

4m fixed bridle is a good size to start but if the snow is heavy and deep you may not be going anywhere too fast.

Depowers are nice for the reasons mentioned by freefly.

If you are looking for a good kite on the cheap there are the PKD Buster IIs, Eolo Radsail Pro IIs and even the HQ Beamer.

http://www.kiteinnovations.com/home.htm has some kites for sale really cheap though I haven't flown them and can't vouch for their snow kite-ability.

If you want to spend a bit more there is the Ozone Samuari or the HQ Crossfire (more lifty then the samuari).

Fixed bridle kites have a more narrow useable range but are cheaper to buy. Depower has a wider range but cost more.

HQ montana's are being sold off pretty cheap right now and they are depowerable - might be a good kite to consider if you can only get 1 right now.

Being realistic, you are going to need more than one kite. Fixed bridle, based on your weight, you may want to consider a 3, 5 and 7m or start with something in the 4-5m range and be underpowered or overpowered given the conditions.

Depower, I would think a good start is 7-10m range but you may want a trainer to accompany that so you get your skills down without getting hurt.

Snow kiting rocks!

I don't really want to spend more then 400, but I might have to go for the Blade IV since I hear of the great reviews it has. Is there any in that range you would suggest primarly for flying in the air and is there a cheap website for the Blade IV. Thanks

The blade might be too much, especially if you have never flown a 4 line kite before. Sure they have great reviews but that doesn't mean it'll be good for you. You don't want to go down black diamond the first time on the mountain so to speak. If you are looking to spend less than 400 then I would recomend getting a used kite. This way you save on money and you don't end up thrashing a $800+ kite.
Again, if you are considering snowkiting to be your prinicipal medium then I would recomend the depower kites again.
keep in mind that your also going to have to get a harness also and if you don't have it yet you'll need skis or a snowboard. So your $400 busget goes fast....
:frog:

You are not going to get a new Blade III or IV in the size you want for under $400 and as mentioned already, they are great kites but demand respect and if you are going to start with a 4 or 4.9m blade... well they demand a ton of respect. You may find used blades or blades on ebay for the price you are looking to spend. But I would shy away from ebay as your source for your first power kite. If you aren't familiar with the gear you want to make sure your first kite is set up correctly and not damaged in any way that could cause you harm. Power kites aren't toys and you can get hurt.

Fixed bridle kites don't require a harness though they do make it easier by allowing you to fly longer. Handles are not as comfortable on a harness as are bars but handles are better for 4 line fixed bridle kite control (they aren't always necessary but they offer better control).

A helmet should be mandatory.

Blades are great kites but they aren't the only thing out there and they aren't always necessary. You need to start somewhere and IMO it would be better for you to start with a kite that is slower to inflate and power up then a blade and not as aggressive in terms of lift so you can launch it safely directly down wind and not get dragged and be able to turn/tack/redirect the kite at the end of your run without getting torn off the ground.

If you can't go depower I still think you'd be better off going for 2 kites (say a 3 and 5m (or a 6 or 7m if you don't mind gaps but want to cover the light wind days)) but you'll need to determine that based on average wind conditions where you will fly.

Larger kites aren't the best for learning as they can be unnerving. You want a kite you can gain confidence in and learn to control and have fun so you aren't so afraid to go out or worse off don't get hurt and can't go out.

If you're on a fixed budget you'd be better off getting the kites which allow you to make the most of varied conditions as opposed to one really nice kite that you can't use as often.

B-roc Mentioned www.kiteinnovations.com, home of Ted Dougherty's Pro Foils and I too think it would be a good bet.

The Pro-Foils are stable and predictable. They will only bow-tie in flaky lighter winds, but that is true of most kites. The 4.5 was one of my first 4-line kites and it was not too much to handle. I've bashed it a few times with nary a tear, as they are built well.

Normally a 3.5 would be a sweet spot to start a kite bag, but with the added drag of snow, I think the 4.5 would be OK for you. They are not Blades but they are still a bit lfty and pull like trucks.

They come with a bag and handles, so you will need a line set, too. Often Ted has Demos for sale at really great prices- be sure to check there first.

Good Luck

Very good points guys. Let us know what you choose CRJ700.

BTW, does your screen name refer to the Bombardier CRJ700 jet?

I'm in the same boat as CRJ700. I'm in the market for a snowkite! I've heard good things about both the Ozone Frenzy, and the Blade -- so I am primarily looking at these two. Are there any drastic differences between the two? Both seem to be slightly above the amoung of money I am willing to spend, so i might just shoot for one of those 5m or 7m Bullets on eBay. I dunno...what do you guys think. It's pretty flat where i plan on riding, would it be possible to still get some air with a bullet or is it like ALL pull? I'm thinking that I might just be better off just going for a guranteed good kite that everybody raves about (blade/ozone)?

Yea i might just go for the bullet because of price and it seems easier to ride on snow then the blade.

I find for my buggy my 4.5 bullet is my most used kite. If you had to have one kite for learning on snow a 5.5 bullet would be a good choice to start dollar wise. My #1 kite for snow will be de-powerable, 10m flysurfer but I will use the bullets.

If you have no previous experience though it will be too much and a 4.5 may be better. A local bought a 5.5 got spanked BAD and turned away from the sport. Do yourself a favoure and start small! Time is on your side !!

The differences between a blade and a Frenzy are huge. Most obvious difference is that the Frenzy is a depowerable foil where the blade is a fixed line foil. The fixed line foils will have more power per size than the Depowerable kites but the depowerable kites will have huge amounts of range where the fixed line foils will not. One Frenzy kite will have the same usable wind range as 2 or 3 Blades. The Frenzy (when powered up properly) will also have much more lift and hangtime.

Depowerable kites are perfect for snow because the winds can be a bit more unpredictable in most areas. When the wind increases/decreases you can adjust the kite for more or less power on the fly while still having a sheetable system to dump or increase the power when wanted. They are by far the safest kites to use on the snow but still have the ability to get you sky high when you want to.

The depowerable system on the frenzy is not just a cool bar setup that controls the kite, the entire bridle is incorporated into the movements of the bar so that you actually change the "profile shape" of the kite wing while sheeting in and out rather than just changing the angle of attack.

Sheeting in on the bar actually pulls in the trailing edge (D-risers) as well as pulling in the C & B risers proportionatly. You actualy "cup" the wing to produce incredible amounts of power/lift or "flatten" out the wing which will dump nearly all power. Along with this you also have a "power adjuster strap" which will set the angle of attack which works with the depower system to give you huge amounts of range. Because of this unique setup, depowerable kites are usually set up to use a bar only and cannot safely be converted over to a handle style control system.

The Frenzy's do cost quite a bit more than fixed bridle kites but when you add up all that comes with them - complete control systems, 800# linesets, depower systems, quick release safety systems (2 of them), kite leash, and the other extra's the cost is a lot easier to justify. Then add in that one Frenzy will cover the range of 2 or 3 fixed bridle kites and the Frenzy starts to become quite a bargain.

As always, try before you buy. Contact your local shop and see if they have a demo you can play with. If they dont have a demo, ask them about other riders in your area where you can go and see the kites and possibly try them out. The depowerable kites are quite different to get use to than the fixed bridle kites and the control is a bit different as well. It may take you a couple flights to start to click with them but once you try them out you will be able to make a more intelligent decision on wether they are right for you or not.

There is a reason that the Ozone Frenzy is the number one rated snow kite and has been the kite used for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place consecutive finishes in nearly every snowkite competition around the world!

Kent - great post. And you are right on about the wind range.

The only thing I noticed when I had a depowerable (9.5 Montana) is that I felt "unconnected" for a lack of a better term.

With fixed bridles, I feel like I have a direct contact with the kite (one with the kite). And I can fly unhooked when I want to.

Maybe I just needed more time with the Montana...

DaVinch
I know that "Unconnected" feeling. Every depower I have tried has been like that to some extent. I think it is a combination of not having the control of 4 liners and having to fly hooked in all the time. That said, the most connected to a depower I felt was on a frenzy. The Montana is a great kite and for an open cell foil would be my 2nd choice. The older models are a great bargain right now nad for not much more than your $400 limit you can get a 7 or 9 meter.

Seany

I just took out the 12m Frenzy out today. What a great kite. The winds started out really lite (5mph) and built up from there. By the time the day ended we were at steady clean 15mph winds that were picking us up nicely.

The frenzy was great and is deceptivly easy to fly. She is capable of generating a LOT of power VERY fast. A few face plants in the sand and pants full of sand from face down drags has given me a new respect for this kite. I can't wait to go out again to fly this kite.

I own the blade, bullet and the frenzy and although the bullet is a great kite to learn on, and the blade is an incredible kite I am in awe of the frenzy right now and have to say that I would highly recomend it.....

:frog: