Snow Kiteboarding Turns Kitesurfing
Into a Year-Round Passion
Snow kiteboarding, some people will say, is the best thing that happened to kitesurfing. Now kiting addicts can feed their passion year-round by heading for the snowy hills, or open spaces with snowboards or skis and a kite! Skip the ski hill crowds and find places all to yourself.
Snow kiteboarding is a versatile sport because it can be done in many locations where there is snow and in lighter wind. Snow kiters can take advantage of lighter winds than kitesurfers because there is much less resistance to the wind without the drag of water. And harder packed snow will have even less drag than deep powder.
You would typically use smaller kites than in the same wind speed in the water.
Snow kiteboarding generally follows the the basics of kitesurfing. You need to ensure that there are very few obstacles around (powerlines, people, trees, things sticking out of the ground) and if on a frozen lake that the ice is at least 6 or more inches thick. With lakes and any open area ensure there is enough of a snow base that you are not hitting the ice or unforseen objects below.
When scoping out a new snow-kiting location you want to look for consistent and steady wind. Winter wind can be very gusty and change direction dangerously. This is especially true in steeper locations. Look for more open spaces and flatter terrain when just getting started out in this sport.
There are two main types of kites used for snow kiteboarding: leading edge inflatables (LEIs) that are commonly used in the water; and, foil kites (sometimes used in water).
There are advantages to both but the best type of kite for land is the foil kite. The main advantage of using an LEI is probably the fact that you already have a few of them from kitesurfing. They are also designed with more depower from sheeting out. The downside to these kites is that they are more difficult to relaunch on land than water. Using an inflatable also means that you need to carry around a pump and use it in VERY cold weather.
A new type of "sheetable foil" kite is coming onto the market that combines the sheetability (depower) of an inflatable with the benefits of using a foil kite. These kites are considerably more expensive but with greater range you will hopefully own less kites for snow kiting.
Some extra tips for your snow-kiting outing:
When snow kiteboarding you might at first think that you have to bundle up. It does make sense to wear the same outer gear as you would when at the local ski hill. You definitely want water proof outer layers meant to keep out snow and winter wind. Consider the fact that you will also work out a lot more kiting than you would when going down ski runs and up chairlifts. Wear lighter underlayers that breathe and can accommodate sweating. Padding is a option too especially for softening the blow from hard packed snow. Wear gloves that are shells because too much insulation will make it difficult to properly and comfortably grip the bar.
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