winter kite sizes?

Adamr · Post by **Adamr** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 4:13 pm

this is a little similar to the previous post,

but I have at my disposal a 3m a 5m and a 7m foil (i've got LEI's too, but i hear foils are better on snow, and i'd rather not trash my inflateables)

I'm from MN but I go to school in San Francisco and I'm going home for winter break, any suggestions on what size kite to bring? (i can really only bring one)

This is my first time snowkiting, but i've done quite a bit of water kiting.

Portland Pete · Post by **Portland Pete** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 4:30 pm

Adam

I dont know what sizes of foils since I dont own any.

What kind of winter kiting is there that isnt snowkiting ?
I assume Waddell Creek is still blowing this time of year

Arent foils smaller than LEI's to bring on a plane.

When I flew to Florida on United
I had two major concerns keep from
getting charged oversized fees

1. Weight (less than 50 lbs per bag)
2. Linear length < 62 inches
L+W+H < 62 inches

Somehow skis and snowboards are still free

Pete

SCOTT RIDOUT · Post by **SCOTT RIDOUT** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 4:45 pm

Funny you say that, when I flew Delta to Florida and North Carolina this last summer I never got charged both ways usually only one way? I don't think the airlines know what the heck a kiteboard is, they just look at the size of bag most of the time at least when I traveled?

Adamr · Post by **Adamr** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 4:53 pm

foils are tiny compared to LEI's. That said, the conversion goes something like

5m foil = 8m LEI
7m foil = 10-12m LEI

although, i very much could be wrong, that's just a guess really. So, my question is more, are the kite's you use on the water different than on snow? do you need a smaller kite on snow for the same amount of wind?

i can only really bring one kite because that's all that will fit in my suitcase, i have to bring a few clothes home too . . .

Portland Pete · Post by **Portland Pete** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 5:15 pm

Scott

Here are the details of my botched trip to Florida

I had borrowed a dakine 6' Air Wagon (bright yellow)
heard all the stories to call it a golf bag, snowboard,
wakeboard etc...

I added two kites to the bag last minute and in a rush
showed up at the counter with a 125 lb bag.

100lbs is their maximum, so they said I wouldnt
be able to take it unless I got under 100 lbs.

So I took 30 lbs out and put it in an extra
gear back that I luckily had in the big bag.

So I got charged for overweight right away
and then I got charged for overlength too

16W+12H+72L = 100 linear inches
62 linear inches is their max

So I got charged $25 +$80 = $105 total

Now I know better
smaller bags that look like regular luggage
under 50 lbs each
Pete

Mike W · Post by **Mike W** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 8:49 pm

Adam, if you can only bring one kite, bring the 7m. On light days in heavy snow it won't be enough, and on occassional windy days it will be too much, but it will work great most of the time. You can shorten the lines if you are dying to get out in bigger wind with it.

johnny · Post by **johnny** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 10:46 pm

bring a big kite, unless you want to be pissed off. most of the time a 16 is the only kite worth using. a 16 and a 10 will cover 90% of the days. if you've kited 75 days on the water this year you can handle about the same size kite on the snow as on the water and it's normally not real windy here.

Stone · Post by **Stone** » Sat Dec 13, 2003 12:30 am

Adam, it's simple. Take the 7m foil.