Trick Skis
Moderator: MK
Trick Skis
Just wondering if anyone out there had tried the small trick skis with a kite? Any opinions or hypothesis on how these would work?
The sidecut is fine for cruisin', as long as there is even a little snow. Even firm conditions are OK if it's bumpy (cause the skis are shifting around the whole time - the bumpiness marginalizes the sidecut).
Long skis are more stable naturally, due to a few factors... Weight, length, sidecut... But, overall, the little trick skis work great. I've got some 163's that I take out on anything but glare ice.
-Coach
Long skis are more stable naturally, due to a few factors... Weight, length, sidecut... But, overall, the little trick skis work great. I've got some 163's that I take out on anything but glare ice.
-Coach
BTW - if you are talking about the REALLY little trick skis - the ones around 100cm or less - then it's a different story.
Those super-small (technically, I believe they are called "skiboards") skis would be good in a limited range of conditions. On glare ice, they'd be sketchy and in too much snow (like a few inches, especially in heavy, wet snow) they'd bog down.
For the hardpack conditions we usually have (what's usual about our winters anymore, though?), skiboards would be pretty decent.
-Coach
Those super-small (technically, I believe they are called "skiboards") skis would be good in a limited range of conditions. On glare ice, they'd be sketchy and in too much snow (like a few inches, especially in heavy, wet snow) they'd bog down.
For the hardpack conditions we usually have (what's usual about our winters anymore, though?), skiboards would be pretty decent.
-Coach
my experience with skiboards has been limited to using a B-3 or B-5 on either unskatable mixed ice or hard pack. i started kiting last year with my ice skates and became disgruntled when we began getting snow and i could no longer use the skates. i am more of a skater than a skiier. after searching around for a suitable and affordable foot vehicle, i stumbled upon the 75cm skiboards from snowjam. for reference, i am about 5'-8" and 170lbs. obviously, with the B-3 i am not a jumping kiter. my preference has been for long rides across the lake. i havent tried to get any lift out the the B-5 either, and only occasionally use it in lighter winds to ride the similar style, best described as earthbound aggressiveness. i do get chatter at higher speeds, but nothing uncontrollable. and my ability to get up wind is as close to ice skates as i can hope and generally, and the short length, combined with the side cut has kept the skating feeling alive in post ice conditions. my only complaint that differentiates the boards from skating is being locked into hard ski boot. i would love to find a boot system similar to the Coyote Rollerblade boot for the flexibility. also, we get a considerable amount of snowmobile traffic running across our lake, which can cause fairly rough surface conditions in hardpack glazed snow and the skiboards can really level the playing field. particularly in the late melt season and to the end my boards hold an edge on the crusty honeycomb very well. overall, in the conditions i have had to ride at home, i give my boards a thumbs up. and to add, is the occasional novelty of taking them to the local slopes, (Trollhaugen) to get a snicker out of the snowboarders and giggle out of myself.
John C from this message board does well on snowskates too:
http://www.downhaul.com/kites/011202/im ... 020083.jpg
http://www.downhaul.com/kites/011202/im ... 020084.jpg
http://www.downhaul.com/kites/011202/im ... 020083.jpg
http://www.downhaul.com/kites/011202/im ... 020084.jpg
-
steveb
- Posts: 2146
- Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2002 3:31 pm
- Location: sblain@frontiernet.net
Ski Boards
I concur with John, we used the ski boards all of last season they work great!.
John and I both use snojam boards, they are wider with a really beefy( catek) aluminum boot plate. http://www.skiboards.com I'm 225lbs and I use the 90cm board. They have never slipped out while edging hard, they go through crud , over powder and will hold on all but glare ice. The side cut is not an issue as you can vary your edge preassure for direction, when you have to do something with the kite you do not have a big ski tip in the way. They are really easy to skate on, roller blade kind of feel , when you want to move around without your kite. As they are twin tips you can go backwards, land backwards and have very little swing weight in the air. As they are so short I never have to think about what my skis are doing, it just happens. Tight turns ( hockey stops) or carved speed turns catching up with a diving kite both work well.
For us they work really well, Randys seen me on Forest lake going about 45mph (Randys estimation) without any great problems. Try them!
John and I both use snojam boards, they are wider with a really beefy( catek) aluminum boot plate. http://www.skiboards.com I'm 225lbs and I use the 90cm board. They have never slipped out while edging hard, they go through crud , over powder and will hold on all but glare ice. The side cut is not an issue as you can vary your edge preassure for direction, when you have to do something with the kite you do not have a big ski tip in the way. They are really easy to skate on, roller blade kind of feel , when you want to move around without your kite. As they are twin tips you can go backwards, land backwards and have very little swing weight in the air. As they are so short I never have to think about what my skis are doing, it just happens. Tight turns ( hockey stops) or carved speed turns catching up with a diving kite both work well.
For us they work really well, Randys seen me on Forest lake going about 45mph (Randys estimation) without any great problems. Try them!