Iam looking to purchase some snowkiting gear in Queenstown NZ in august on a 3 week holiday. I am looking for a 2 in 1 snowboard that I can snowboard on and snow kite on.
From what I can see on the internet there is not a lot of competition for snowkiting gear in queenstown. Can anyone steer me in the right direction or know of any snow kiting stores actually in Queenstown that do demos on kites and boards as this is how I like to purchase gear.
I have been kitesurfing and kiteboarding for 4 years and can snowboard to an intermediate level.I have my own kites (LEI)kites of which I have full quiver from 7 knots to 45 knots on water.I realise my 13m and 17m wont be used on the snow.
I want to have a look at some foil kites too to see if thats what I want for my snow kiting trips each year.
I have exhausted google and found limited options on the snowboard/snowkiteboard market in Queenstown.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Snow kiting is a very small market and as far I know you won't find any retailers in Queenstown. Your best bet is to get in touch with Tim at http://www.kitesports.co.nz/contact_and_location/ located in Christchurch. (4-5 Hour drive from Queenstown)
www.kitesports.co.nz/gear_lessons/kites/land_kites/
I would recommend the Frenzy or the Summit in sizes like 10 to 12m for the light wind days (below 15 knots). In my opinion nothing beats the performance of a foil in light wind days on the snow.
These guys also run lessons which I recommend to get you familiar with the area and the safety of the sport. When you get a lesson you'll also be able to demo new Ozone foil kites. They also sell snow kite boards.
You'll get many strong wind days where you would like to use a small inflatable kite as they depower much better than foils. If you want to use foils on the snow in stronger winds you'll need a wide range of sizes, i.e. 4m, 6m, 8m. You'll easily cover the same winds (15 to 30 knots) with a single 6 or 7m inflatable.
I personally use a 11m Ozone frenzy in anything below 15 knots and a 7m inflatable for anything above 15 knots. Best quiver I found so far and easy to travel with.
Good luck
Cheers for that mate .I have had a look at that website already .I think doing one lesson is what I will do there is probably many safety things I am un-aware of .I have a 7m cabrinha nomad and a 10m north vegas and I am wondering weather I should try my 13m Ozone edge for light wind.It flighs in just about nothing. I see there is a lot of ozone edges on snow kiting videos.
Iam a big fan of ozone gear . Is it worth geting a specific snow kite board just for snow kiting or going for the 2 in 1 snowboarding /snowkiting board?.
There is nothing in QT for kite sales/rentals....but a lot of the guys that paraglide also kite so try and contact some of those guys......I dunno how you'd contact them....but google is so easy.
foils are terrible. flying sleeping bag that collapses in gusts. no depower. i recommend lei for snowkiting . take a small one. avoid the rocks if u kite at snowfarm.
i snowkite in canada, i lived there for 3 years and just about to go back and in october it will be another snowkite season ;) ! i have a 11m cabrinha convert i can get going in 20 kmph on a snowboard and the 11 maxs out at about 50 kmph , i ride my regular snowboard which i use for resort riding its just a 155 forum scallywag, its a very popy board which is sweet!., with union bindings there fairly soft, only thing if your looking at buying snowboard bindings i would look at bindings with very durable toe straps because i noticed mine wearing because of riding on toe edge so much. i rekon u could defantly used your 13 for the less windier days.
Add photos after ya trip!
Select to expand quotebreakzmaker said..
foils are terrible. flying sleeping bag that collapses in gusts. no depower. i recommend lei for snowkiting . take a small one. avoid the rocks if u kite at snowfarm.
I've been out many days in the last few years where any size inflatables simply wouldn't relaunch or stay up in the air and I was cruising by fast with my foil. Once you learn how to handle a high performance foil in the snow they will outperform any inflatables in anything below 12 knots. But if you don't want to bother with light winds then most modern LEI kites are very good in the snow.
My 13 and 17 m edge will fly at 5-6 knots and the 17m will start pulling me up wind at 7-8 knots on a airush sector 52 .Fully lit at 14 knots! boosting massive !
What would be the least amount a foil could fly in maybe 3-4 knots?
