Selecting the Proper Kite and Size for Snow Kiting

Kites

Durability - Cabrinha's Nano Ripstop canopy, the new bench mark in durability, stability & responsiveness Beginners or occasional fliers, this can be a big plus!

Packability - they pack up small, into a their own backpack! This means you can take a kite with you wherever you go.

Four line Kites can be easily relaunched from most crashes without a helper.

Ease of Set-Up - Pump your kite up, set-up and launch.  Simplicity at its best!

snow or water - Use the same kite on the land or water! 

Choosing the Proper Kite Size

The most popular size for most winds and and terrain is the 7.0 square meter size.

7.0 sq. meters - is ideal for the medium winds of 14-20mph.

4 sq. meters - will work in higher winds, over 18mph

9.0-10.0 sq. meters - will be the preferred size for lighter 10-15mph winds.

Static vs. De-Powering Foils - Know the Difference

Recent advancements in technology have brought us foil kites that are capable of de-powering(often called "sheeting") Foils with de-powering systems are far superior to "static" quad line kites for many reasons.

De-powering foils have a control bar that has a hole drilled in the middle to allow the center lines to pass through the control bar and into your harness. This allows the control bar to "float" on the center lines and takes all the pull off your arms and grip and into the harness. Pushing the bar away from you decreases power.

Pulling the bar towards you increases power. Not all quad lines are capable of de-powering it is an integrated design of the control bar and the kite.

Much greater wind range the kite will comfortable fly in as you decide how much power you want by adjusting the de-power strap.

Safer - you can de-power the kite with a simple flick of the wrist to avoid being overpowered.

The smoothest power delivery - Moving the bar is like having shocks to absorb the variable wind speeds/gusts. There is NO advantage to having a static quad line kite over a de-powering quad line kite other than the static kites are far more affordable in price. Our de-powering kites include the Cabrinha Kites's and the F-One kites's!

Where Will You Be Sailing?

The snow kite size you use will depends on the surface. Snow Kiting on hard packed snow or ice takes a lot less power than deeper powder conditions. The best snow kiting is generally on a frozen lake as you have unobstructed wind flow and you know there is nothing under the snow like branches or rocks.

Consider Your Skill Level
The next consideration is your skill level. Also consider your athletic ability. The larger the kite the more power it generates and more demanding it is for you physically. If you are just getting started, the best choice is the smallest kite that will produce enough power to move. It is essential not to be overpowered, not just because it's obviously safer but, less power is easier to manage. No one kite will cover the entire wind range, so start with a smaller kite and then get a larger kite later.

Consider Your Weight
You should also consider your size. The bigger you are, the more sail you will need to pull you around. If you are over 190 lbs, you should be looking at 9.0 sq. meter kites to start with. Under that you can go with a 7 sq. to start with.

Getting Started 
The Hydra 350 Trainer Kite will get you started. 3.5 sq. meters of power and it's a static quad line kite with a control bar, Complete with the bar, lines, and kite backpack, it's only $369.99!