Hi guys. I usually kiteski or snowboard, I don't own a buggy, but the last winter was awful for snow and this one is shaping up to be the same. I've got to do something because my kites are getting bored and static flying just makes me want to get on something that moves.

Our fields right now are covered with odd patches of snow, either rock hard or slushy, but are mostly bare. Also there are big patches of lumpy rough ice. All of my frozen sloughs are ruined too, with drifts that melted into big hard dangerous lumps, and they are not going away until spring.

I'm thinking of getting a wheeled buggy so I can actually get out and kite in the fields, but I'm wondering if there are any issues with these conditions, like losing traction and getting dragged downwind, or plowing into a soft slushy mess and getting pulled out of the buggy etc.

Any recommendations of an appropriate buggy would be appreciated too, thanks

I would like to apologize for the lack of snow in Saskatchewan, I think it must be my fault, as we have had crappy snow conditions ever since I bought my power kites, so the two must be related.

That being said I have no idea about how well a buggy would work, although the same thought has crossed my mind more than once. I did however find a used dirtsurfer to try out in the summer, but I can not tell you how well it works on our bumpy fields as I have yet to find enough guts (or desperation) to try it out with the kites. I keep telling myself that at some point we are going to have enough snow to get some practice in with something softer to land on than dirt and rocks. I will definitely be trying it out next summer though as only getting one ride in per winter just is not cutting the mustard. If you do find something that works though feel free to share the information!

P.S. I had to type this out 3 times on my iPad. Apparently apostrophe is a bad word, or at least a bad punctuation mark. The really annoying thing is I forgot to copy it the second time before I hit post... fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

apostrophe ...top 10 album hands down
you def need a bug...loosing traction and hitting a soft spot and getting launched is part of the progression
im partial to a flexi type set up w/midis if your under 6ft...deep seat helps you stay in..and belly pan for the bumps
not a big investment and if you have 100 nice yards your all set
this will scratch that itch

Canuck installed screws to a set of wheels in Calgary. I think he only uses this set up on lakes?

From my little experience a belly pan is great advice. I would avoid PL XR buggy. Uncomfortable and prone to cracked welds.

Yeah, thanks a lot Brant for ruining the snow with your kite purchase... the worst is that it seems it's usually a big dump of snow, -20 plus windchill, and then it gets above zero and all melts before I can ride!? I don't dare try something like a dirtsurfer since I'm not as bouncy as I once was. There's lots of nicely picked and rolled lentil fields around my place so I don't have to worry about rocks that much... except the big ones!

abkayak and bladerunner, thanks for the tips. I'm 5'7" so I don't need a huge ride. The belly pan really sounds like a good idea, now to try to find a buggy somewhere that shipping won't end up costing as much as the buggy. Couple for sale on PKF here right now but I'm not going to dare to ship something large like that across the border, and you said to stay away from the XR anyways.

For a guy that's new to buggies what are "midis"? Looking around the internet they sound like the medium sized tire between bigfoots and "barrows", which are the smallest tire? Are they specific to the buggy or can they be swapped around at will?

I kind of miss living in Calgary since there was actually a bit of a kite scene there, here a guy usually has to ride by himself. Though I do have a lot more terrain available to me, if I could just get out on it!

A midi tire is size 16X6.50-8
IMHO, ribbed is preferred like
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Martin-Wheel-K401H-Rib-Tread-16X...
You can find 4-ply too, but my riding does not need it.
I run them on my flexi with long, wide axle (if you don't have one, get one).
They are nice for everything but softest dry sand.

BTW, I ran my flexi with a PL-XR seat which was an affordable improvement but my
new buggy bag seat is a dimension beyond.

The belly pan/skid plate should be my next add-on. Been lucky with driftwood and rocks so far.
Eric made a lexan pan for his, who else has ideas plus or minus??
Pictures are worth a thousand words.

I made mine out of 0.1" (measured) 24"x32" clear poly carb sheet from Lowe's hardware. Made a paper-cardboard template first. Transferred it to the poly carb and bent where necessary in a finger brake at my work. It also keeps the bottom of the seat drier.