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 Newbie Q&A 
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Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2009 1:15 pm
Posts: 1
Post Newbie Q&A
I went kite boarding for the first time this past weekend. It was a blast, Im in...

I am a backcountry ski and splitboader, I've got some great open low angle bowls I can’t wait to kite in. I want to buy a kite, but honestly I am not familiar or experienced enough with the equipment. I am expecting to use the kite on frozen lakes and to upski in the winter. During the summer I’d also like to be able to use the kite both on some lakes and at the beach.

Cost is definitely an issue, so I found a kite on backcountry.com. It is a Best Bularoo. Any thoughts? I am also checking out an HQ NEO and Eclipse Thruster. Any opinions on inflatable LE vs foil kites? I assume if I want to use the kite on water then I’m going to need an inflatable leading edge.

Thanks guys!


Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:21 pm
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Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 5:35 pm
Posts: 8
Post Re: Newbie Q&A
That neo would be a good choice, you can use it on land or water, depending on the size, of course. I think they have received great reviews. Foils are great for land and snow, quick and easy to set up and pack away. If you are going into the back country a lot, foils like Ozone Frenzys and Access' are great kites, as well as HQ's Montana and Apex models, which are slightly cheaper, but seem to be just as bulletproof and perform similiarly.

Inflatables are good all around kites, but not quite as bulletproof as foils, they take up more space, you need to carry a pump and if you puncture a bladder you are done until it's repaired or replaced. However, there are lots of used inflatables around if you don't want to buy new. I wouldn't buy anything older than an '06 model, the safety and depower systems on older kites are not as good or safe as more current models. That Bularoo is a good kite, a bit more robust than the Waroo. Depending on your size and the snow conditions you will most likely need a couple of kites. Unless you are a really big guy, a 10 or 12 meter inflatable is a good all around size to start with and will allow you to ride in moderate winds. As I mentioned earlier, you would probably need a second kite for higher winds, say a 6-7 meter. And of course if you want to go out and ride in really lite winds, a larger one would round out your quiver, say a 14-18 meter.

Personally, I use foils on snow I have a 10M Frenzy and a 6M Acess, and love them both. I'd like to have a larger one for lite wind days, say a 13-14M Frenzy, then I'd be pretty well set. I weigh 180 lbs and those sizes work very well for me in winds from 10 to around 30mph. Keep in mind you'll need quite a bit more power if you are riding in deep snow or plan on doing a lot of climbing. Then you can figure on needing at least one size larger than say if you were riding on hardpack in comparable winds.

Hope some of this helps :lol:
Jack


Sat Mar 14, 2009 12:36 pm
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