Snowkiting is a sport that kills you.

Kiting is, first of all, an indescribable delight and an ocean of pleasure. This is speed, jumping and flying - this is the new extreme sport of kiting, whose fans call themselves kiters.

The driving force for movement here is kite - kite. Aerodynamics claims that the kite has neither natural nor man-made analogues. It is done by trusting intuition more than calculations. This amazing design was invented by two Frenchmen - brothers Bruno and Domenic Leganu. Having extensive experience in sailing, they wondered: is it possible to create a wing-sail that can fly against the wind? They soon realized that this sail should be launched into the sky like a kite. The idea seemed fascinating to them, and in 1984 they made and patented their device, which they gave the name kite.

Kiting is a sport for any season of the year, so it is suitable for both fans of summer and winter sports. A kite can handle any weather. Do you want to glide across the surface of the water or over the snow or across the earth's surface - a kite will fulfill your every desire. The means of transportation can be a board, skis, snowboard, skates, rollers - in a word, whatever the weather and your imagination dictates. The source of thrust is the wind, which the kiter can use at his discretion.

There are several types of skating: snowkiting, kitesurfing and kite bugging.

• Kitesurfing is riding a wave using a kite.
• Snowkiting is winter kiting using skis or a snowboard.
• Kitebagging is the ancestor of all types of kiting related to towing a kiter. For this, a special three-wheeled cart called a buggy is used.

But to understand and feel what it is, you need to try it yourself. An unforgettable experience is guaranteed to you. Let's take a look at this as an example.

So, you've decided that kitesurfing is your calling! You already imagine yourself as a lively extreme sports enthusiast rushing through the waves in a gust of wind and passion for the natural elements: water, wind and sun! But just the desire to be a kiteboarder is not enough. First you need to do nothing at all - purchase the necessary equipment for kitesurfing. Several substantive questions immediately arise: “Where? What? For what?” Let's look at all the answers in order.

Where to buy kiting equipment?

The industry for the production of specific kiting equipment is still too young. Therefore, equipment for this extreme sport can be purchased in specialized stores, kiting schools, and through online stores. In any case, before purchasing equipment, you should consult with a professional kite instructor, no matter what the “pig in a poke” is. An experienced pro will give advice - equipment, what brand, size and cost is right for you.

What's included in the kitesurf kit?

Kitesurfing equipment includes many accessories, each of which will be useful for any athlete. However, in a traditional kitesurfing kit the following are considered mandatory:

• Kite.
• A kite whose dimensions range from 0.7 to 21 m2. The size of the surface of the kite determines its power. The flight speed will be greater if the kite itself is small.
• Kiteboard.
• Kiting board. The choice of board depends on the category of flight: freeride, freestyle, lightwind, wakestyle, etc. Some athletes prefer to use surfboards, but for beginners it is better to spare no expense and buy a good kiteboard. Slings.
• The cords are made of very durable material and come in various lengths. The lines are attached to the kite and are designed to launch it. Typically 2, 4 or 5 lines are required depending on the type of kite.
• Control bar. Kite control system, the components of which are lines, a trapeze loop, and a safety system. The accuracy of skating depends on the control bar.

Trapezoid.

The trapezoid functions as a chair. It is divided into two types: waist harness and seat harness. A properly selected trapeze ensures comfortable and safe riding.

Helmet and wetsuit. The final pieces of essential kiting equipment. Using a helmet and wetsuit protects against injuries on the water. Cost of kitesurfing equipment Or a board on a snowy surface under the influence of the wind using a kite. This sport is also called snowkiting, kiteboarding, sno-kiteboarding, but these words are difficult to pronounce in Russian, and therefore we will forget about them :). The kite consists of domes and durable sling about 25 m long, which on one side are attached to the dome, and on the other side - to a special

plank

1. control, which is in the hands of the rider, and to
2. unfolds the canopy and lines on the snow
3. attaches skis or snowboard to legs
4. attaches the lines to its trapeze and to the bar, picks up the bar, tightens the lines in a special way, the kite flies into the air and begins to pull the rider
5. Then there is movement on the snow, the direction and speed of movement are regulated by the kite (hands) and skis/snowboard
6. for experienced athletes it is possible due to the lifting force of the kite.

Experienced athletes can perform various tricks on a kite

Equipment for winter kiting

To practice snowkiting you will need:

• kite for snowkiting,
• trapezoid,
• board (snowboard) or skis,
• proper clothing and equipment.

Progress does not stand still, and since kiting on snow has developed, kiting equipment has become increasingly safe and convenient.

How to choose a kite for winter

Professionals advise buying an all-season, universal kite, as it can also be used in the summer for riding on the water.

However, if you are a beginner, to begin with, to master the principles of kite control, you will need aerobatic or a training kite is a small kite that will help you master the necessary control skills. These skills will come in handy when maneuvering a large kite.

There are two types of full-fledged sport kites:

Inflatable kites have a rigid shape, which is set using an inflatable frame, which must be inflated using a pump. An inflatable kite can burst in winter from severe frost or from hitting an obstacle. Such kites cannot be used in frost below -25 degrees. But at the same time, they are safer and have better controllability than parafoils, be it riding on water or land.

Parafoil kites They are designed on the principle of a paraglider, they are lighter than inflatable ones and do not require a pump, they are more wear-resistant, take up less volume to carry, and are easy to assemble. For comparison, 1 backpack for carrying an inflatable kite can fit up to 4 parafoils. You don’t need a partner to launch and land the parafoil; you can complete this task alone. Parafoils are not designed for water; once dropped into water, it cannot be launched into the air again.

Choosing a snowboard or skis

There are several differences between downhill skiing and kite riding. These differences result in corresponding differences in equipment.

• When riding a kite, it is important for the rider to maintain a straight motion, jump and land, so for extreme riders the board is longer, wider and stiffer. For normal calm riding, you can use a regular twin-type snowboard.
• It is preferable to choose all-mountain skis for winter kiting, with a length of 190 cm and a large turning radius. However, if the kiter prefers freestyle, it is better to buy twin tip freeride skis, they will provide improved maneuverability.

Clothes and accessories

You will need special clothing or clothing for snowboarding:

1. moisture-wicking thermal underwear
2. a layer of fleece clothing, in case of severe frosts
3. special jacket and pants. Don't forget, you are riding in the wind, so the top layer should be as windproof as possible!
4. warm windproof gloves with large cuffs
5. a helmet is required, as falls, collisions with obstacles, and collisions with other riders are possible
6. ski goggles
7. Protecting your elbows and knees won't hurt.

A frozen pond or snow-covered field is suitable for winter kiting.

Where can you kite in winter?

Kiting in winter is possible in a variety of places, it can be a frozen pond, a field or a slope. If your choice falls on a frozen lake, you need to make sure that the ice is at least 10 cm thick. This option has its drawbacks: the snow cover may be uneven, there may be piles of ice and other unexpected dangerous obstacles, such as fishing gear.

Field is the most optimal choice, because there is usually a steady wind and sufficient snow cover. Small differences in terrain will make snow skiing more fun. Try to notice possible obstacles in the form of bushes and stones in time. Pay attention to power lines!

If you have already gained skill and become a professional in winter kiting, you can turn your attention to the mountains. But you need to take into account that the wind conditions in the mountains are difficult, the wind constantly changes direction and great skill is required from the kiter.

Kite training

You can start mastering winter kiting in January - February, and then in one winter season you will be able to gain good experience. You can learn on your own, with the help of more experienced friends, or with the help of an instructor.

The big advantage of winter kiting is that you can find conditions for it in almost any region of central Russia. The area here is mostly flat and has long and snowy winters. Unlike, there is no need to look for a suitable body of water or go to warm sea regions far away.

Another big plus for beginners is that learning the basics of kite control is easier on snow than on water, and less wind is required.

To ride a kite in winter you only need wind, a flat surface, a kite and a board (skis). And go ahead, catch the fresh wind and indescribable impressions!

I myself ride a Salomon Equipe 8000 2S, size 200 cm - it’s impossible to determine the model and production season more precisely. Mounts - Salomon S914 PE2. Boots - Salomon Course 02/03, this is already the fourth pair. The boot lasts for a season, they break at the toe area. Let's hope these last longer. We'll talk about boots and bindings for winter kiting later, but for now let's look at skis.

Part 1. Skis
When moving under a kite, turning and changing course are, of course, important, but not so important as to look with envy at brand new carves. First of all, you need to stay on the bearing that is selected, and not turn. Tacks can be extended for several kilometers or until you can no longer rely on your downwind leg.

The variety of coverage, horizontal surface and complex micro-relief place specific demands on kite skis, especially in racing types, which are the quintessence of the entire winter kitesailing technique. The ideal ski for kite riders has not yet been invented. Probably because the requirements are unknown.

If we develop a broad theory and summarize the results, the requirements might look like this:

• excellent vibration damping
• minimum required maneuverability
• grip of edges on smooth, glass-like ice of reservoirs
• average size - 200 cm, waist width - at least 70 mm
• extra strong sliding surface for rough ice
• stability over a wide speed range on all surfaces
• a rigid heel and a large anteroposterior balance zone are required
• unsinkability in loose and viscous coatings with water inclusions
• the minimum permissible cut and its symmetrical location along the longitudinal axis of the ski. The width of the heel is equal to the width of the toe or slightly exceeds it. On ordinary skis, the center of the imaginary circle is shifted back to the side; this helps skiers turn on the slope, but we don’t need turns on the plain.

A few words about combining kite and ski functionality in one pair of skis. This question worries many beginners. No matter how much I watched the pilots coming to IMANDRAproject, I always noticed the same thing.

Non-ski pilots (windsurfers, paragliders, yachtsmen and other "windy" people) can take to the slope on their downhill kite skis and iron it from dawn to dusk, faking or executing turns, depending on their skill level. It seems that they don’t care at all where, what and how to ride, as long as there is an inclined surface and a lift. Many are even satisfied with the sensations. Therefore, if you spend more days a year kiteboarding than on the mountain, focus on skis that are more suitable for kiting; on the mountain you can ride the same ones or take an inexpensive pair, especially for the mountain. Gravity, unlike wind, acts constantly.

If you have some skiing experience, you can probably use your kite skis to relax on any slope, but you may need to reconsider your technique a little. It's easy because it's a classic. In the middle of the last century they rode something like you never dreamed of! And nothing, they turned around, became champions and legends...

Please note that on the mountain there are stones much more often than on ice, and with damaged glides and edges, kite skis are no longer the same. On a zero pair, in two seasons of using a kite, I got only one scratch, and that was when I was too lazy to walk down the snowdrifts from the embankment to the lake. I occasionally straighten the edges with a small block onto mirror-like ice, in other cases the lines will be more intact. If you have already purchased a pair of short-range ones, read the article and try to understand why you should leave them exclusively for skiing.

Which skis should you not choose?
Any short-radius, shortened models are least suitable for gliding under a kite. Only a child will not be able to bend such skis to a given radius when tilting; in any other case, you will be constantly taken off course along the arc specified by the geometry; you will meander like a stream in a swamp.

Freestyle in winter kiting is a special matter, and skis for it have their own specifics, but more on that later. In any case, skis with a cut radius of less than 20 meters are only suitable for light pilots, if nothing else. It is better to get a special pair of skis for kite skiing.

What to give preference to?
In general, it is believed that the longer and more rigid the skis, the more suitable they are for winter kiting. It is not without reason that for PML (sailing monoski - equipment for winter windsurfing and a class in sailing) they mainly choose jumping or descending skis.

With the same length of skis from a possible assortment, the cutout radius is then assessed. You should not focus only on the depth of the cutout. With longer lengths and equal depth cuts, “higher” skis will have a larger radius.

Cut and turn radii are not the same thing. The cut radius refers to the geometry of the ski shape and is a segment of an imaginary circle. If, under ideal conditions, you put the ski on the edge and bend it, you can make an equally perfect 360-degree turn along the radius specified in the characteristics. On a horizontal, hard surface, such as ice, this is, purely theoretically, quite possible. The turning radius depends on many factors: the stiffness of the ski, the degree of its deflection, the elasticity and hardness of the coating. All other things being equal, on loose surfaces, stiffer skis will have a smaller turning radius, which means you can stay on the desired course longer. You can, of course, put your skis on without tilting too much, but slipping is a loss of speed and a waste of the kite's traction.

If the length, radius and stiffness are the same, compare characteristics of skis such as adaptability to inadequate, varied surfaces, stability during handling and vibration damping. If all these parameters match, then you have exactly the same pair of skis! Take the ones that are cheaper and newer.

It should be accepted as a fact that you will have to slide not on prepared slopes, but on the most unpredictable surface. It can be completely different even on one fairly small lake, and in 3-4 hours so much precipitation can fall that the situation will change radically. And you simply won’t have the opportunity to choose another path. There is no track to return to and drive the remaining 5, 7, 20 or 50 kilometers!

Consider the forces acting on the pilot and their dynamics. If gravity is constant, then the wind can accelerate you under a kite on a horizontal surface to a speed of over 70 km/h in a few tens of seconds, even on not the most ideal surface, and the loads, when the canopy area is much larger than required, are comparable to the heaviest phase turn, but they can last thousands of times longer.

Most racers prefer skis for downhill or super-giant slalom with a length of 205 cm or more, usually second-hand classics, because today such skis are practically not on sale, and if they are, they are quite expensive. The cutting radius of such skis, even modern skis, can be more than 40 meters and their stability on the course is enviable. All these qualities are important in such disciplines as course race, marathon, and speed trials. You can ride them for your own pleasure, but think about how you will get to the shore if the wind stops, skating even with poles is very difficult on such skis. Due to its length, it is not practical for transportation; not every car will fit 218 cm skis. You have to pay for excellent driving performance with a decrease in convenience.

Freestyle skis are almost identical to those used by alpine skiers. The requirements for geometry and rigidity are similar, especially since some freestyle competitions are held in the mountains. A distinctive feature of these skis is their curved heel. That is, you can ride or land backwards in the direction of travel. There is another designation for this twin-tip shape. It remains to add that freestyle skis are much softer than regular skis and can have a more durable sliding coating to reduce the risk of damage to it in such a type of freestyle as, for example, jibbing. In general, if you are passionate about this type of kiting, feel free to take regular freestyle skis.

Expert kite riders who compete in a small number of competitions and just recreational kite enthusiasts, as a rule, rarely use skis longer than 205 cm. The usual size ranges from 175 cm to 205 cm, depending on the weight, height and training of the pilot. Shorter skis were discussed above, and even if they are just short classics with a large turn radius, such skis are extremely unstable at above average speeds. Any dense sastrugi or sill can cause a fall; you will not have enough longitudinal stability to break through it. This is the second reason why short free skis should be avoided. It consists of the small anteroposterior balance zone.

Every time you drive into another wet snowdrift at full speed or catch a good gust of wind, the entire ski-ski system experiences force vectors to capsize along the way. In the case of a snowdrift, this can be expressed as a good blow from below in front, and with a gust you can get a list into the wind and not maintain your balance. On top of that, the shorter the length and waist of the ski, the greater the pressure per square centimeter of contact area with the surface - you can do the math yourself. Fortunately, the market currently offers a sufficient number of models in the all-mountain expert category with the width characteristic of the mid fat class. It is the one that is most suitable for free skiing and is often synonymous with the entire freeride group, but emphasizes their adaptability to different snow conditions.

Such skis float well in virgin snow, but are somewhat worse than special ones, due to the fact that they are narrower, and work on loose snow is, for the most part, ensured by the design, not the width. But they are still wider than regular skis. The ability to effectively glide over surfaces with low ground reaction forces does not affect the quality of passing on hard-surface areas. It is this balance of seemingly different qualities that is the main advantage. It would be more pleasant to ski through snowdrifts on specialized powder models, but as soon as the snow leaves the ice, or you hit another icy patch, you immediately discover that virgin skis hold very poorly on such a road.

Selecting Specific Models
I will list what you can ride in the 04/05 season. Basically, I will touch only on free expert and amateur skating, which is often called freeride. Athletes themselves know what to buy, where to buy and what to ride, but with freestyle everything is already clear. The mentioned testers are alpine skiers, and they tested skis in the mountains, because, in my opinion, no one has ever done testing under a kite.

Any statement is a personal subjective conclusion about the suitability of skis for winter kiting. I, of course, would not mind personally experiencing everything listed below, but for now I have to rely on a wealth of skiing and kite skiing experience plus information from official sources about the characteristics and intended purpose. The mentioned reviews were reinterpreted on a kite theme, but even before reading them I probably knew who would take first place in this hit parade :)

Salomon: X-Scream Series

Ski testers talk about poor “steering”, they say, you can only ride them straight, and you also need to accelerate them properly =) We, kiters, can only rejoice at this fact. They also praise the behavior in the conditions of a loose sausage at high speed and a decent area of ​​anteroposterior balance.
The maximum size is 195 cm with a cut-out radius of 22 meters. Geometry 106/68/96. A narrow enough waist to feel confident on mirror-like ice, and a wide toe so as not to drown in snowdrifts.
Rigid, with good vibration damping... Definitely. First place! Want! Let me drive for a day! If for some reason you are not satisfied with Salomon, read on.

Völkl: Gotama

Judging by the geometry of the cutout with a radius of 30 meters, the Gotama is all you need in the snowy expanses to cut many kilometers of tacks.

Testers note high stability in any snow condition, however, on glassy ice the width can prevent aggressive roll. Let me note that the surface of a frozen lake is far from being a mountainside, and something will depend on the space between the snow and the kite, that is, on you. Worth a try. If only because there are similar complaints from testers about “poor turning” ;-) If there is practically no bare ice in your water areas, this is one of the best models. The more snow, the better, different and mixed. In snowy conditions it will be even cooler than the Salomon X-Scream Series. A solid second place, with a claim to leadership. If you still don't like Salomon and don't have much snow or money, read on.

Elan: Mantis 777 (M777 03/04)

Decent size, reasonable cutout radius (192 cm/26 m), attractive price. Unfortunately, we could not find any reviews for this model. But it deserves mention not only because it has a good price/suitability ratio. The skis have received several awards from various specialized publications.

Among the unconfirmed shortcomings, we can only note the presence of pre-installed mounts with unclear characteristics and a minimum of information on the manufacturer’s website. For those who are willing to spend money on a single pair for mountain and kite riding on a limited budget, these will most likely be the best choice.

Rossignol: Bandit, SG, DH

It is difficult to say which skis from the Bandit series are the most optimal in terms of skiing. B3 are more focused on not too hard and thin snow cover on ice. But they have the largest size and cutout radius among the modifications (195 cm/25 m).

Testers note a feeling of instability at high speeds on rough, broken roads. Almost everyone praises the tractability of corner entry. Nah... That's the last thing kiters need. B1 is also okay, but narrower than B2, and, obviously, a little tougher.

The following trend is observed: the radius of B1 is slightly larger than that of B2, i.e. B1 is narrower and straighter. I didn’t hold it in my hands, I didn’t put it on my feet, but according to the numbers it turns out exactly like that. According to reviews, it seems that such skis are not intended for ice and fast movement on viscous sausage, for example, in the form of a crust soaked through with water (this is when there is water on the ice and the snow has still melted). Hmm, why did they add the Free Absorber interface then? It is not entirely clear what to say: yes or no.

But if you like this brand and can’t look at others, “bandits” are the best thing for free kite riding. The more snow you have in water areas and mountain spots, the more “bandits” you need to choose. The quality of "Rossi", as always, is at its best.

Well, avid racers will be in for a pleasant surprise in the form of sports workshop skis available for retail sale for super-giant slalom and downhill. Just a mega ski for intensely performing experts! Although we are talking primarily about free skiing, I can’t resist mentioning it. For anyone who knows how difficult it is to get new skis of this length and geometry, this is just a gift from Rossi. True, for a very immodest sum. Although the above-mentioned skis are not much cheaper, they are not much cheaper.

There are pre-installed plates for Rossignol bindings only. In addition, this is the only real option for racing on mirror ice. No freeride pair can handle staying on course on ice like they do. Just don’t forget to sharpen the edges.

Size (cm) / radius (m):
for SG: 201/35, 207/37;
for DH: 206/42, 211/46, 215/45, 216/46.

Summary
Even though kiters don't think about buying new skis every day, it's becoming increasingly difficult to find award-winning classics for super-G slalom and downhill skis every year. Progress does not stand still, and time and exploitation do their work. It’s time to include “rail skis” in the Red Book as a rare, endangered and non-reproducing species. I know people who every season take a used classic from 210 cm and kill it over the course of the season: the slipper wears off noticeably from skating on rough ice, even non-set edges fly off with the “meat”, cracks appear, etc. Someday there won't be any skis like this left. However, there will be no disaster.

I hope this article will help you navigate when buying new kite skis.

Perhaps leading manufacturers will finally pay attention to this type of sport and active recreation and will begin to produce specialized models.

There is already progress in this direction. For example, Salomon released the Pro Model SC SpaceFrame boots, in the description of which kiting is mentioned as an area of ​​application due to the high strength of the material. It is not clear why the older model, the Pro Model SpaceFrame with gray translucent plastic and reddish-yellow colors, was not given such an honor. After all, in addition to a cooler design, it also has a shock-absorbing insert in the sole. And it is not in the Russian Salomon catalog 04/05

P.S. If you have some not-too-damaged sports skis lying around for downhill or super-giant slalom, don’t rush to throw them in the landfill. In general, any classic skis over 200 cm are a rarity for kiters these days; there is a real hunt for them, and their owners are envied. Post an ad for sale in the appropriate sections of kite-related websites, I think they will find a good owner.

A kite is a large, controlled kite that can, if necessary, drag a person on a board, roller skates, water skis and other means of transportation. With the help of a kite you can reach high speeds, make high and long jumps, or simply feel the wind and freedom.

Basically, kites can be divided into aerobatic, summer and winter.

Photo taken from www.kiteworld.ru

Aerobatic kites are small in size (1-3 square meters). Designed not for movement, but for learning to fly a kite. It is simply fun for children and adults to play with an aerobatic kite. Although, with the right wind, a child and even a not very heavy adult can ride on it.

Summer kites have an inflatable leading edge to prevent drowning if they fall on the water, and are used mainly for moving on water - on a surfboard, board or skis. The trick with this kite is that it requires a partner to “land” it. This kite cannot be used in winter, because... the rubber inflatable bladder hardens and cracks at low temperatures.

A winter kite looks like a small paraglider. The winter kite is smaller in area than the summer kite and does not have an inflatable edge. You can’t swim on the water with such a “mattress”. But you can easily plant it alone. Winter kites are mainly used for snowboarding and skiing.

The kite can be controlled using a bar to which the lines are attached, or using handles (there is no bar). On the handles you can develop greater speed. But in summer they use kites exclusively on the bar. And in general, only marathon runners who need to accelerate to 90 km/h ride on handlebars. In general, the kite on the bar is the choice of most people!


Photo taken from www.kiteboom.ru

Naturally, if you hold the kite with your hands, you won’t last long. Therefore, it is rigidly attached to the rider using a trapeze - a special wide belt with a hook on the stomach. Basically, trapezoids are waist and sessile. Waistbands look like a wide belt. Sedentary people wear pants on their legs. The main difference is that the hook to which the kite is attached is located higher in the waist trapezoid than in the seated one, and in this case the force is applied exactly to the center of gravity. But when using a seated trapezoid, the load on the lower spine is reduced, which must be taken into account in case of injuries and weak back muscles. Most athletes and amateurs choose the belt option as it is more stylish: after all, most people ride in loose shorts and pants, and it’s ugly when something pulls them down. Although the waist trapezoid requires a more careful adjustment in size, because it can jump off over your head.
There are also more exotic versions of trapezoids, combined with shorts or a life jacket.