Snowkiting Safety Tips -- How To Enjoy Kite Skiing While Minimizing Risks

Snowkiting is becoming the most popular outdoor sports activity for winter. You can snowkite while on a ski or snowboard. For most beginners, kite skiing is preferable because of the greater control that you can have over kite. This kind of sport is no different from kite surfing. The required equipments and accessories for both sports would be similar. The only difference is that you have to fly your kite on a snow covered field and ride on a ski or snowboard. Like any extreme adventure sport, kiting on snow is risky. But there are things that you can do to minimize the risk so you can fully enjoy your kiting experience.

The first thing you need to do if you want to go snowkiting is to ensure that you have the right equipments. If you are a beginner, you should procure a traction kite made from foil. A foil trainer traction kite is more manageable and lightweight. This kind of power kite is suitable for those who are still mastering the art of kite skiing. However, you may also consider an inflatable tubular traction kite or a soft single skin kite. A traction kite is very powerful and designed to pull the user when it catches the wind. It has the capability to fly more than 100 feet at 25 to 50 knots. When buying your first power kite or traction, it would be best to stick to known brands. Branded kites are more durable and equipped with the necessary safety features.

Other crucial accessories you need for snowkiting include a kite harness and strong kite lines. A kite harness is designed to take the pressure of the kite’s pull from the arms of the rider. It comes in various designs and configurations. You can find a kite harness with seat and leg loops, vest attachment, or waist type. A kite harness enables your body to maneuver easily while the kite is flying. Take note though that harnesses designed for wind surfing are not suitable for kite skiing. This kind of harness may break easily which could result to injuries and loss of equipment. Lastly, you will need highly reliable Dyneema kite lines. Dyneema kite lines are best for entry level flyers because they are lightweight and more affordable. These kite lines have special braiding, through and through impregnation, and polished for safety.

After getting the most suitable equipments and accessories for snowkiting, the next most important thing for you to do is to learn the essential techniques and basics of the sport. Remember that kite skiing is radically different from land-based ordinary kite flying. When you kite ski, your equipments are powerful and you are highly mobile across a wide field. Make sure to get proper instructions from a licensed professional. There are certified snowkiting trainers today who can teach you the basic flying techniques. Most important of all, trainers will teach you how to minimize hazards while kite skiing. If you have the right equipments and you know the proper techniques, then you can fully enjoy snowkiting without exposing yourself to unnecessary risks.