So, my 9-year old wants to try snowkiting. I'm not 100% sure he'll like it, so I thought I'd let him try it a bit before putting him on proper lessons.

He can fly my 1.7m Flexifoil Sting on handles without too much trouble, and on a regular ski slope I'm having trouble keeping up with him. :P
I estimate his weight will be about 75 lbs next season, would it be a good idea to put a crossover bar on the Sting and see if that is enough to get moving, or maybe just let him go with the handles for starters?

Can you even use a regular harness or is the spreader bar too wide? Anyone have experience in snowkiting for kids, or any tips to share?

I'd put him on your peak and start teaching him depower in the right winds.

If he loves skiing, and enjoys flying the sting, I bet he will love snowkiting. I have seen it done with fixed bridles on handles, if the sting is not enough, the hornet might be. I have to agree with Sean, a depower would be best for him to learn on, if you get the 4M peak (or other depow in the 3-5 M range) you can use it in nukin' winds, and he can use it when you are on the 6.

What kind of winds do you normally have there?

If you're not sure he's going to want to kite and don't want to spend a lot of money, a cheap de-power option for someone his size might be the HQ Rush V Pro school. They sell for about $375 new here in the US. It's about 3m in terms of size - would be less power than the 4m Peak - for good or for bad. I picked one up recently to use for training local folks and have been impressed with it as a simple, easy-to-use depower trainer kite.

For someone his size, I personally would consider something like highly adjustable rock climbing harness until he fills out and you know he's committed to the sport.

Love seeing folks making kiting a family sport. I've found the key to teaching younger folks is to keep the sessions short, and keep them wanting to come back for more. Good Luck!

Now that kites like Access, Peaks, Virons and Rush school 300 kites exist, if you have access to these types of kites there's no reason to start beginners on fixed bridles. It eliminates the confusion many encounter when shifting from the fixed bridle trainer to depower.

As Ssayer points out a Peak can be a good option if the winds are generally light and steady, I would be apprehensive about putting a small kid on the 4m Peak bearing in mind it would be like putting them on 6m twin skinned depower. Even more so on a 6m Peak. But as with all kiting, it depends on the conditions.

We use the Flysurfer Viron 2.5 for smaller kids. Awesome safety system, super user friendly, easy to relaunch and closed cell so applicable to use in the water The Viron is a " step down " performance wise compared to the Access. As in it is even lower key in the sportiness of its nature. The Access allows more room for growth and performance.

Some of the public school programs we support use 4m Peaks and 4m Access kites. But this is under our supervision until the students and teachers are dialed in on safety procedures and flying.

I will bet good money that the 1.7m Sting won't take to a crossover bar. Especially in lower winds.

When I wasted a bunch of time with crosover bars I found that the tiny bit of extra weight on the brakes effects the kite greatly unless it is well powered.

1.7m Sting will be a good choice if the wind is real strong but will not be a good choice for ideal winds in the low teens. I am with the others who suggest you use your Peaks to teach him.

YES, I am a 29inch waist and need a small spreader bar for a proper fit.

Thanks for all the replies! I've heard bad things about crossover bars as well, so that's probably out of the picture then. If he can wear my seat harness I'll let him try the 6m peak in really light winds, the thing flies long before it can pull anything so should be reasonably safe. (Also, there's a handle on the harness for me to hang on to). Wouldn't let him use it alone though.

I prefer to stay at the lower end of my comfort zone when riding (this winter even the 6m peak was a bit too much sometimes), so maybe getting a smaller kite wouldn't be such a bad idea. I'll definitely take a look on the 2.5m Viron, I'm only about 155 lbs so could be useful for me as well.

@Feyd: What kinds of harness do you use for kids? I've seen kid-sized waist harnesses, but in my experience a seat harness is both easier and more comfortable.