Snow Kiting Commonly Asked Questions

What is Snowkiting?
It’s simple really, combine your existing skiing or snowboarding skills with a power kite and there you have it – snowkiting! Add the magic ingredient Wind and you’re off! At KiteAddicts we ensure that your entry into this sport is a safe and enjoyable one.

How do I start?
Pick up the phone and give us a call for a chat, we’ll be able to answer all you questions, explain the course options and get you booked in.

Most people can learn the basics of Snowkiting within their first day, with many learning to go upwind as well as downwind directions. After a few days of practicing your kite-flying skills, you’ll be ready to ride up hill using the kite to pull you and then the fun really begins!

Is it easy to learn?
Yes, Snowkiting is the easiest form of Powerkiting to master. Most students can grasp all of the skills easily, since the snow offers little resistance you’re able to ride small easily controlled kites.

Do I have to be able to ski or snowboard?
You need to be comfortable skiing or snowboarding to a beginner/intermediate level. The better you are at either of these the quicker you’ll pick it up and the more you’ll be able to push it.

What’d best, Ski’s or snowboard?
Choose whichever equipment you are most comfortable on. Skis offer the advantage of being able to walk around, letting you walk back to launch your kite. Snowboards can offer simplicity for someone who has never been on the snow before, or is crossing over from kitesurfing.

For Snowboards, the best type of bindings to use for snowkiting are the quick entry ones, such as Flow.

For Skis, twin-tips work best, but start with what your already have because anything will work.

What Equipment will I need?
KiteAddicts will provide you with all the snowkiting equipment you’ll need. This will include the following:

• Foil kites: Ranging in size from 1m to 11.5m, we also have inflatable kites in the school for students who would prefer to learn on those.
• Harness: Used for hooking into the kites power and resting your arms
• Helmet: Most important piece of equipment, primarily to protect your head but also fitted with a 2 way radio for communication between student and instructor.

You’ll just need to bring normal snowboarding/skiing equipment with you. If you don’t have these then we can arrange rentals for you.

The learning curve is very steap with snowkiting, KiteAddicts will take you through the IKO Snowkiting syllabus where the focus is on you learning snowkiting in a fun and safe environment. This syllabus is broken down into 3 levels, starting with basic kite flying and taking all the way up to uphill riding and jumping techniques.

Where do I go?
Any open terrain that’s snow covered and has consistent winds. There are many factors to consider when selecting a snowkiting location and we’ll cover this as part of your IKO training.

Choose a safe spot and away you go!!!

How long can I ride for?
For as long as the wind blows! Riders have been out non-stop for hours, coming in only to rest and refuel. The beauty of Snowkiting is being in control, going where you want to head, and exploring the world from a new point of view.

Is snow kiting easier than kite surfing?..... YES!
It’s a lot easy to stand up on snow than water which makes the whole process much easier compared to water. This means it’s easy to get to grips the kite and the techniques required to ride. It also means you can stop anywhere without sinking!!!

It also takes a lot less wind to drive a board across snow than it does across water. With the snow kite the whole learning experience is lot less daunting as you need much less power and wind to get you moving.

Finally, holding an edge in snow is much easier than in water therefore making up wind progress much easier to master.

Why are open cell foils better than inflatables and closed cell foils for snow kiting?
In simple terms - Safety and simplicity.

Open cell kites do not require pre-inflation. Straight away that's 15 minutes more fun a day than the inflatable owner is getting. Also problems such as frozen valves aren’t an issue for foils! Simply take your foil out of the bag and your away riding in minutes.

An open cell kite can be stalled in to a lifeless piece of cloth just by pulling the brakes. This is an enormous safety feature when you are in trouble as you can kill all the power in the kite. Inflatables and closed cell foils always maintain their rigid shape and surface area, even on the ground. In strong winds this can be very dangerous as these kites can still produce unwanted power and traction.

Finally, at the end of your day you can pack a parafoil in to a tiny pack and be on your way home in minutes.

Do I want handles or a bar?
Manufacturers such as Ozone and Flexifoil produce foil kites that can be flown and depowered on a bar. The bar makes it easy to control the kite and the depower brings you a wide usable wind range and security.

Otherwise non depowerable foils can be flown on a bar or on handles. The only disadvantage is that you do not have the ability to de-power the kite.