Wonder what he thinks is fast then...cheezycheese - 10-9-2010 at 02:44 AM
Go Chris, you're a rock star...:singing:indigo_wolf - 10-9-2010 at 05:10 AM
On skis ?!?!?!? :o :o :o
ATB,
SamBladerunner - 10-9-2010 at 06:39 AM
I am most impressed by the edge control on that ice !
Looks like I will be needing to figure out my best footing for a blown out, fozen lake ?
I have long straight edge skis and it looks like this is what Chris is using ?
What have folks found work best on icety lakes ? Skates or skis?
For someone who grew up playing hockey I find I am unreasonably concerned about kiting ( and jumping :Ange09: ) on ice !:sniff:BeamerBob - 10-9-2010 at 07:27 AM
I couldn't figure how he had such good edge control myself. Complete control. Maybe it had more snow on it than we can see but much of it looked
like glare ice. Nice ride though. I wish the vid would've shown more of the kite to see how it is running.indigo_wolf - 10-9-2010 at 07:43 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by BeamBob
I wish the vid would've shown more of the kite to see how it is running.
When the filming is being done by trained polar bears that are trying to drive the Ice Cat at the same time, you can only critique so much before you
get a wet paw upside the head. :o
I expect cost of a second unit crew (of more disgruntled polar bears) would have taxed the budget too much.
ATB,
Samthanson2001ok - 10-9-2010 at 08:09 AM
I have done a little kite skiing on patchy ice/snow. One lapse, where you are not on your edges, and WHEEEE! Not a good thing.
I would not be surprised if he has edge sharpening down to a science. I would like to know his tricks.rudeboysaude - 10-9-2010 at 09:41 AM
Chris is the man! Great skier and has mad kite flying skills. Glad PL has that cat on their team. I know he sharpens his skis so often he can wear
through a sets edges, that and because he and Molly log many miles a season.
Skates are fun on ice, but not when you hit a drift pile. Then your more likely to face plant. I finally got a Switchblade for my snowboard. If you
prefer snowboard to skis, everyone Gould get one. Best invention for ice and board ever. Watch the vid here of Todd shredding on glare ice:
Nice vid Chris, snow will be here soon!revpaul - 10-9-2010 at 01:04 PM
i've read high speed stats for skiing butdon't recall seeing the high speed runs (and i certainly haven't done any).
the man has got skills/kahone`s.
i am also very impressed that a "depower" foil kite is flying through the air at 60mp/h. i assumed these speed kite skier guys/gals used FB race
kites with the higher ARs and lower drag ratios.
way to go PL Charger:singing:
Paulg-force junkie - 10-9-2010 at 06:00 PM
looks like right at the end of the vid you get a look at the ice and it looks somewhat rotten or at least thats what I call it, best ice there is if
there is such a thing and have had some scary fast runs on this type of ice but the falls still hurt just as badsnowspider - 10-9-2010 at 07:31 PM
Check some of the speeds over the last couple of years on www.stormboarding.com , skies , boards , buggies , sleds ..... things happen fast on the ice !Jaymz - 10-9-2010 at 07:36 PM
Those guys are hauling. I've scared myself silly a few times on ice with the kitewing and would "eject" (drop and slide) Need to start carrying the
GPS along. We can get some sweet ice here at times, but some winters it never frezes up, and when it does, only lasts a few weeks.
I started using 21" Nordic Skates last season. ALOT more stable and smoother then the rockered hockey skates. The resistance is next to nothing and
nothing beats the edging on hard ice, but I don't think they have the stability of skis at those speeds.highazakite - 11-9-2010 at 09:40 AM
i did not know he had made any vids himself yet. cool to see. as for the edging on ice he goes into detail on how much attention goes into the gear he
uses and how much work it takes to keep razor edges on his skis in his blog, http://www.hardwaterkiter.blogspot.com/
a very inspirational writer and the type of person who deserves his sponsorship due to the work he puts in.markite - 22-9-2010 at 08:48 AM
I love the glare ice on skis. When we started ice flying way back (over 20 yrs ago) we all looked for that ice for speed. Now most guys are looking
for powder for snowboards. It's not often that we get good clean ice - usually freeze/melt/slush freeze
I have a collection of old straight edge skis and keep and edge file to sharpen the edges as sharp as possible and before going out and then you hold
like a skate edge. depending on how hard the ice is, you can loose that edge quickly if you chatter the edge skidding or sloughing off speed.
It's like being on rails. The ice buggies really rock and the speed is awesome. On ice you don't need to worry about the waxing - but you can start
tearing edges off old skis when you get into alligator skin ice.
Great vid - hoping we get some good winter conditions this year to spank those Chargers around.Kamikuza - 23-9-2010 at 07:13 AM
Chris is mentally deficient. We have proof :shocked2:scarecrow33 - 24-9-2010 at 07:55 PM
As someone who readily kites with Chris, I can say first hand the boy has skills. Not only with kite control or reading the wind, but he can sharpen
a pair of skis with the best of them. With his super sharp planks and a great strength- to- weight ratio he can dig those badboys into bombproof ice.
In doing so he can fly a size larger kite than anyone else on the ice. He will push the envelope to eek out a 1/2 MPH more. I've tried to mimic
his style, but I just don't have the strength, weight or nut. I know my limitations. He's still in search of his. I'm stoked when I approach 60,
he's disappointed if he doesn't. GOOD TIMES.
All this talk about speed kiting on ice is great, but I have to point out one glaring fact. Chris's fastest runs (70+ MPH) are on rotting/ slushy/
sh***Y snow!!!!! Figure that one out!?markite - 24-9-2010 at 09:06 PM
that sounds about right. I think I get my fastest speeds as soon as air temps make a slight shift warmer and you get that grey ice that you can really
hold a nice edge.
Ahh it's all good when you get the fast days.
I've got some more Go Pro footage from the end of winter - supper day, sunny and a good thin snowpack - we had a mix of Phantoms, Venoms, Scorpions,
Synergy, Vortex and Chargers out - nothing fast just a nice cruising day but looked beautiful. Might get around to posting it before the big freeze
but it's still surf season and wearing a shortie so not thinking of winter just yet.Feyd - 21-10-2010 at 05:48 PM
I haven’t been paying close attention to the snowkiting forum until just recently. This thread had been a good read and I just want to chime in and
give my long drawn out 2 cents.
First, Thanks Cheezy but I’m hell n’ gone from being a rockstar I’m just out to have a good time and see what my Peter Lynns can do. =)
Second, yes I ride on skis and for hard, smooth glare ice straight skis are my tool of choice. The surface in the vid was hard boilerplate (no rot)
and I’m sorry the footage was so lame. I just never got the angle on that Vholdr right and trained polar bears would have done a better job I think.
Third, I’ve been tuning skis for myself and professionally almost half my life so I do have a good grip on the technique. Rudeboy is right; we go
through a couple pairs of skis a season with all the tuning.
Fourth, I understand the assumption that for speed a fixed bridal is where its at and I agree they are very fast and efficient and purpose built for
attaining speed. But I think depows are overlooked too readily and the Charger is a fast kite. Faster than the Synergy which I got 73.5mph on year
before last. I made some mistakes last season that kept the speeds down but we’ll see what comes up this winter.
Fifth, falling at those speeds the friction burns the heck out of you sometimes. Hitting shore in a crash can be problematic.
Sixth, sometimes I am mentally deficient (as you've probably gleaned from this post) and Kami probably has more proof.
Seventh, yes my fastest speed was on a slushy, slow surface day but I waxed appropriately and it was absolutely nuking. Brute force got the job done
that day in spite of the slush. I still think hard/fast ice is the way to go.
I appreciate the discussion and the input from everyone who's been following my blog. I'm starting a new installment and we've got snow in the
mountains so regular installments of the silliness will be comming soon. Have fun out there.Cheddarhead - 18-11-2010 at 07:22 PM
Has anybody ever been crazy enough to throw their kite up to 12 and pull in the bar at those speeds? I couldn't imagine lofting myself into the air
while doing 60mph over hard ice.
I would have to be suicidal to try that. A poor redirect, and you might as well leave me for fish food in the spring.Kamikuza - 18-11-2010 at 09:55 PM
It's all those noodles and moose burgers ...!ripsessionkites - 19-11-2010 at 01:56 AM
jealous!!! i need to get out.Feyd - 19-11-2010 at 06:33 PM
Noodles and mooseburgers. Great now I'm hungry, thanks Kami.
Deep breaths Rip. Deeeep breaths, Aaauuuummmmm.
Hey wait, you have ice closer to you than I do! What the hell are you jealous about?!Feyd - 19-11-2010 at 06:43 PM
