Let us know you’re interested in lessons when purchasing a kite. We take care of our customers and will do everything in our power to get you riding safely and in style.

That’s kiteboarding :) Half of the sport is “waiting on wind”. The good news - if the conditions aren’t suitable we’ll take extra time explaining the gear and going over the safety features. We can practice set up and emergency release. Your private day may not have you riding upwind but at least we’ll teach you enough to avoid getting injured. That’s an essential first step.

Once you’ve purchased gear you’ll be on the short list for future private lessons if needed.

When you support our business we support you. We love to watch our student progress. When you’re able to ‘kinda’ kite on your own you’ll have an open invite to tag along on our group kite days. You can get tips as you progress and have eyes watching you in case of emergency.

*Starting on snow will double your chances of having adequate wind.

Snow is much easier.

On Snow: You ride with less power. The kites can fly in less wind (foil kites). When you fall you won’t lose your board (no body dragging!). The equipment is more durable (no inner tube that can be popped).

On Water: You must have enough power to lift your body out of the water. With access to that power, your falls are harder. You will lose your board up-wind and have to spend time body dragging to get back. This limits the amount of attempts you get to learn.

On Snow: You have a higher probability of getting adequate wind. You require less power and can use smaller kites. This means, when you make a kiting error your falls will be minimal. When you fall, you can stand up and try again immediately. Your instructor will hold onto your harness and give you real time advice while kiting (can’t do that in water). The kites are more durable and can take much more of a beating. You can learn kiting on snow in a fraction of the time. Save the money. Start on snow.

Ski’s are easier for two reasons.

First off, you have mobility to walk. Sometimes when you crash your kite you need to move your body to put the kite in an ideal spot to relaunch. Easy on ski’s. Hard on a snowboard.

Second, Your legs are squared off against the kite. This makes it much harder to get pulled off your feet. You need to find your balance and learn to lean against the kite when powered. Harder on a snowboard with one edge. You have a much larger margin for error on ski’s. This helps you progress faster.

Hands down the best snow kite on the market is the Gin Shaman 3.1

Its the easiest to learn on and you can progress to an advanced kiter without needing upgrade. Its stable in varying wind conditions. It has less bridal connections which makes it easier to untangle and set up. It packs small and is easy to bring multiple kites in a single backpack when you’re unsure of wind strength. Its durable and can take a beating. We’ve flown them all. This is the one.

There a few top brands and this is an ongoing debate. However, our favorite is Core Kiteboarding. These inflatables are easy to fly and we find them to be the most durable. You may spend a couple hundred dollars more but its well worth the investment due to longevity and ease of use.

You need a way to get in and out of the back country. Some people bring snow shoes which are adequate for short trips. The best thing you can have is ski/splitboard touring setup. (Touring Skis/Board, Bindings, Boots, poles and skins)

We sell all the ski touring gear if you need help with purchase.

When snow kiting we avoid avalanche terrain. Rolling meadows and low angle terrain are best for back country kiting. If you’re choosing a spot that has any avalanche risk please be sure to have a beacon, probe and shovel. As well as the training to use them.

Never go back country kiting alone.

We’d love to help. Send us a message on when you’re coming and what type of terrain you’d like to see. We’ll try our best to sort out your trip.

Snow Kiting is a fraction of the price. Water kites have an inflatable tube sewn into the kite to keep it afloat. This adds substantial material, weight and labor costs. You can buy a snow kite for less than half the price of an inflatable.

You also need a specialized board for kiteboarding. You must be able to come out of the bindings when you fall to avoid injury. The board must be lightweight and have a handle used for body dragging. These costs add up making kiteboarding more expensive.

No. If you stay out of the back country you can kite on your normal resort gear.

When accessing the back country its recommended to have ski touring gear. Send us a message for more details on the touring gear and a quote.