Skating with a Kite

[pavedwave]

If you want to board with him, good luck. He pretty much rides solo...

That describes the vast majority of the people I skate "with" from time to time. The distance crowd tends to be independents and loners, whereas the slalom crew's all about the group session-- it's all good IMHO.

Cool vids-- I've been wondering how smooth a guy can get at tacking on land. So I'm guessing with a 3m kite, my skyhooks should work okay... I'm not really after the 20-foot drops, just want to carve out some huge Z's on this big runway.

I have a Kitewing and a couple small foil trainer kites and the trainer foils are much better for skateboards. The Kitewing is the sh!t with a Dirtsurfer up and down the beach!!!
Kiteboarding on the water is more fun than everything else I do......just..simply better.

That's exactly the impression I needed to hear. I couldn't get serious about the kitewing at that price but figured if one rolled around at $500 I'd be tempted. The late-summer strategy was trainer kite + SUP board, which has been put on hiatus with the winter temps rollin in.

[Cann0n]

That describes the vast majority of the people I skate "with" from time to time. The distance crowd tends to be independents and loners, whereas the slalom crew's all about the group session-- it's all good IMHO.

Cool vids-- I've been wondering how smooth a guy can get at tacking on land. So I'm guessing with a 3m kite, my skyhooks should work okay... I'm not really after the 20-foot drops, just want to carve out some huge Z's on this big runway.


That's exactly the impression I needed to hear. I couldn't get serious about the kitewing at that price but figured if one rolled around at $500 I'd be tempted. The late-summer strategy was trainer kite + SUP board, which has been put on hiatus with the winter temps rollin in.

Yeah, I'm dying to get into it. It's are pretty cool. He actually is one of the dudes that invented a type of hub to attach pneumatic tires to skateboards. There is a board company that is producing it still... at least that's what I'm told.

He uses carbon fiber trucks. The axles flex so they don't bend or break. It's friggin' insane. He doesn't use skyhooks. It's more like tow-in surfboard setup or a wake board. They are straps with quick releases.

I actually believe he was one of the pioneers of kiteboarding. My Uncle has an old surfboard he got from the dude, which he used for kite surfing, then butchered for the straps. That's only a speculation because I haven't known him like my Uncle does. I only hear stories about the guy.

I've meet him, but he is really reclusive. That's why there isn't much film of him skating. He'd rather just skate than bring friends that will talk and stand around. He is odd like that I guess. BUT, he is cool as hell. First time we met, he gave me 6 feet of cannon fuse and a radar gun. How awesome is that??? That was the coolest gifts ever!

But yeah, he is big into it.

[oldnbroken]

I've been wondering how smooth a guy can get at tacking on land. So I'm guessing with a 3m kite, my skyhooks should work okay... I'm not really after the 20-foot drops, just want to carve out some huge Z's on this big runway.


That's exactly the impression I needed to hear. I couldn't get serious about the kitewing at that price but figured if one rolled around at $500 I'd be tempted. The late-summer strategy was trainer kite + SUP board, which has been put on hiatus with the winter temps rollin in.

James,
If you are going off pavement use a mountainboad with footstraps. If you are going on tarmac, a good stable dropthrough or dropdeck (Demonseed etc) works great without any foot binders. No footbinders on pavement.
A 3 meter foil is just about perfect. I use a 3.3 meter and a 5.5 meter and that covers the whole wind range.
I also have a Skatewing, which is kind of like a windsurf sail but it is double ended so you can use it like a Kitewing but it is smaller and easier to use on paved surfaces than the Kitewing.
The Kitewing (SKIMBAT) is large and can be very powerful and dangerous on paved surfaces. I love the Kitewing for hauling ass up and down the beach with the Dirtsurfer. The smaller Skatewing device is good in a parking lot. The foil kites work well everywhere but are not good in a parking lot with a lot of light poles, hand held sail is better in that case. If you use a kite and you are good you can avoid the poles but I've seen a couple bloody outcomes with foils and skateboards in the wrong hands or in the wrong parking lot!!
If you can pick up a Kitewing for $500 used, buy it. It is really something special. Does not feel like windsurfing, does not feel like kiteboarding, has it's own special ride and it is amazing. So fast, so powerful, so efficient and so smooth. Dirtsurfer is the board of choice with the Kitewing. I've tried all kinds of boards with the Kitewing and the Dirtsurfer is the best. A Kitewing and snowboard or skiis is obviously really, really cool.
Cheapest way to get going is a 3 meter foil and your go fast longboard. Trainer foil and SUP board would be great. We have used the foils with our kayaks before and it is fun.

Kiteboarding on water is still the king.....just pure sex!!!
I can kiteboard for four hours at a stretch and carve, cruise, jump my ass off and do it all with my old body and broken neck. I don't even miss snowboarding any more, which I thought would never happen.
I think longboard freeriding these days is as cool as snowboarding was for me. If I could afford to crash and burn like most of the kids freeriding on speedboards now, I would be really stoked but my neck and my doctor will not allow that abuse anymore.

James, if you get a chance to learn to kiteboard, do it. You will go out of your mind.

[oldnbroken]

Cannon,
I need to know more please, please.
I want to put pneumatics on skateboards.
Tell me more about that hub please.
Tell me more about carbon fiber trucks.
Who is the old kiteboard dude? I know all the old guys, like to know who you are talking about.
Thanks!!

[sk8norcal]

d-ex?





what is the SurfRodz IA link? link no good...


check my wind powered section
http://wackyboards.blogspot.com/sear...wind%20powered

[oldnbroken]

That Starrfilms kite skiing footage is so ahead of it's times in ten different ways.
Really cool.
Your wackyboards site rocks.

[Cann0n]

Cannon,
I need to know more please, please.
I want to put pneumatics on skateboards.
Tell me more about that hub please.
Tell me more about carbon fiber trucks.
Who is the old kiteboard dude? I know all the old guys, like to know who you are talking about.
Thanks!!

He is in his late 30s early 40s.

As far as more info, I have no idea on brands. I haven't even ridden a landboard. Dying to get one...

[pavedwave]

James,If you are going off pavement use a mountainboad with footstraps. If you are going on tarmac, a good stable dropthrough or dropdeck (Demonseed etc) works great without any foot binders. No footbinders on pavement.
... Trainer foil and SUP board would be great. We have used the foils with our kayaks before and it is fun.
Kiteboarding on water is still the king.....just pure sex!!! .

i was thinking of starting mellow with a big 5-foot Flexdex and the 3m trainer kite (got a
HQ Hydra) with the landyachtz skyhooks attached, and carve out some mad turns, totally stoked to get out, just need a single dry day!!

there's a new kiteboarding + skate shop in the NW called Motion and Jason's always pumping me up to go kiting. sounds like a total blast but I'd probably wait until next spring to get into it, when the days get longer again. lots of toys, not enough time!

[oldnbroken]

i was thinking of starting mellow with a big 5-foot Flexdex and the 3m trainer kite (got a
HQ Hydra) with the landyachtz skyhooks attached, and carve out some mad turns, totally stoked to get out, just need a single dry day!!

there's a new kiteboarding + skate shop in the NW called Motion and Jason's always pumping me up to go kiting. sounds like a total blast but I'd probably wait until next spring to get into it, when the days get longer again. lots of toys, not enough time!

That will work, but I have had better luck with dropthrough or drop decks than topmounts.
I also want a stiff deck with no flex when kite landboarding. Your kite is perfect.
I would skip the skyhooks. You want to be able to jump off the board quickly and often when learning.