About Kites for Pulling Snow Boards
Kites have been integrated into several sports in recent years. Snowkiting is similar to kite surfing on the water but is done on snow and is one of the fastest growing winter sports today. It is relatively easy to learn and, as long as the wind blows, allows riders to "surf the snow" for hours.
Other People Are Reading
-
History
-
According to windzup.com, snowkites have been used by mountaineers on arctic expeditions for years. Today snowkiting is used recreationally, in addition to expeditions. With Ozone Snowkites, distances of 20 miles have been covered in less than an hour. In 2001 DaKine developed its first line of kiteboard specific harnesses and accessories. The Fusion harness quickly became DaKine's best selling harness. Snowkiting outfitters and schools of instruction, such as the Colorado Kite Force, have sprung up around the world.
How Snowkites Work
-
Instead of using gravity to gain momentum, kite snowboarding works like sailing. A snowboarder or skier holds onto the kite and when the wind catches it pulls the snowboarder, sometimes to considerable speeds. The snowboarder can control direction by steering the kite and can even perform tricks by jumping up and hanging briefly by the pull of the kite. The area in which this is done is also much different from regular snowboarding. It must be done in a vast open area, such as a snow covered field or lake. Some kites are equipped with harnesses for those that wish to gain higher speeds and perform more advanced tricks.
-
Types
-
The main kinds of kites used for snow are open and closed cell foils or leading edge inflatables (LEIs). Snowkites also come in either a bow-shape style or a C-shape style. According to the Colorado Kite Force, open cell foil kites are ideal for beginners because they are easiest to set up and take down and are also good for back-country skiers because they pack small and don't require a pump. Closed cell foil kites also do not require a pump, but self inflate when a zipper is opened at the end of the kite. The C-shaped LEI kites work well on flat snow and water. The bow-shaped kite is the newest and, though is more technical than the others, it can be one of the safest due to its easy relaunch and 100 percent de-power ability.
Features
-
Leading snow kites such as Ozone's Manta II provide snowboarders with an effective safety system and control bar which allows the rider to grip, release and reload easily. Ozone's FYX comes with trimmers on the bar leader lines so the rider can adjust bar pressure as he wishes. Such kites have safety release mechanisms where, in the event of an emergency, the kite either completely detaches from the rider if riding leashless, or the attachment called a chicken loop will release onto a kite leash causing it to stall and reverse to the ground with 100 percent de-power and zero traction. Many kite systems come with a technical backpack and harness.
Size
-
Snow kites come in an array of sizes from 2- to 3-meter kites to 15-meter kites. The larger the kite the more air it captures and the more speed and power it can generate. Larger kites require more skill and strength from riders. Snowkiters ride in winds ranging from 5 to 50 miles per hour and choose their kite size according to the current conditions.
Geography
-
Snowkiters have found fun on nearly every continent in the world. This sport has especially taken off in regions where there are large, flat, snow-covered areas such as Norway and Sweden. The mountain plateau of Hardangervidda, Norway is one of the top-rated snowkiting places in the world. Norway towns of Geilo and Tyin/Filefjell are hosts to snowkiting world cups. The headquarters of ISKA (International Snowkiting Association) is located in the Swiss Alps in Zürich.
-
