Snowkiting switch nitro. Moving to toronto

[Seawalker]

Hey guys and gals,

Im moving to canada in the next few months. This is also coinsiding in buying a replacment 12m. I have an epic renegade 9m. The switch nitro sounds like an awesome kite, but how does the nitro4 12m fair as a snow kite?

[Starsky]

Any 10-12m kite is going to be good on snow. Its tough to say what suits snow kiting as far as tube kites go because conditions can be so varied. You can use the same kite on a day that's 10-12 knots and depending on snow conditions it can be a highly variable experience. Hard pack your good. Deep powder your underpowered. Slick icy and your overpowered. Inland riding and it drops out on you every so often...... There are so many variables. My winter quiver is pretty much two kites. 11m C for the steady light stuff and a bridled 9m for everything else. If its too windy for the 9m I'm probably happy to wait for it to drop. There are novelty sessions like perfect skating ice and 30 knots where a trainer and skates is fun for an hour, but any 10-12m is your bread and butter. As a general observation, I would say that because your often flying any given size in far less wind than its designed for on water, the only "type" of kite that is less than amazing on snow are delta kites. They have a ton of power, range and relaunch great so by all means if you have one, use it (I do) but in really really light or drop out conditions, they just don't have the wingtip area to react/recover well. Not a deal breaker, but lets say, less suited. Anyway, welcome to the north. So pumped were about to get dumped on!

[NHKitesurfer]

I moved from my element quiver to nitro's last year but kept the V1 13m element specifically for snowkiting. Have not yet tried the V3 nitro 12m or 10m on the snow but will likely this coming weekend. My guess is they may not be as easy to relaunch as the element but that's just a guess. Most of the time I'm hot launching or reverse hot launching the element anyway so I don't think there will be much of a difference. One thing I am hoping for is better upwind ability in the nitros like I see on the water and the ability to handle gusts better than the element.

[Seawalker]

Hey Starsky and NHK,

very informative replies. Thanks a ton. Makes for an easy decision. The renegade 9m is a delta and being a 9m will be used in the non-marginal wind conditions. So dropping out of the sky should not be an issue. The nitro-v4 12m is a C-shaped kite and should slot in nicely to what you guys are saying.

Let me know how you got on with the nitro's this weekend NHK!

also don't know what area you guys are in but if you are near Toronto can you recommend the best places for summer and winter?

I'm used to Ireland there are no restricted beaches just common sense in the summer months when swimmers & lifeguards are about.

[soul19]

I would look at either a 11m Renegade or a 12m Screamer as you are familiar with the Epic feel. Welcome to Canada my friend!

James

[irwe]

Checkout www.localkitespots.com

[fogmeister]

Welcome to toronto......we have a slew of great spots in and around toronto.


I dont snow kite .....but know Cherry and frenchmans get some action when it freezes....but lake simcoe is prob the most popular....rice lake also has winter kitebording.


In summer, toronto cherry beach is number one and just outside frenchmans bay in pickering is my favorite......but tons of other places to go ....most popular are wasaga, oliphant and sauble beach, sandbanks and Presquile, long point and mitchells bay.......you will always find people at these spots if its windy there.

[Seawalker]

Cheers guys,

very helpful stuff looking forward to it. Re screamer suggestion, though I would like to go that way the price difference for new inc. bar (witch I need) is €500-650 more than the nitro. I could almost get another kite from switch

If I was in that price bracket I would probably choose a wainman boss.

the reviews on the nitro are solid, and the customer service from switch seems top notch.

Anyway let me know how the nitro performs on snow, I have some time before I buy.
actually speaking of buying from Switch kites in Canada NHK did you get hit with any import charges? I ask cause I could buy while still in Ireland.

[NHKitesurfer]

I took it through its paces and then some on Saturday. Wind was blowing 20 to 25 with gusts to 50. Smaller guys were on 7m and even 5.5m kites but me being 205# I was the biggest guy there and flew the biggest kite - my 10m Nitro3.

All I can say is it was baller! Total blast cruising up the side of a big hill at 25mph and then carving and boosting on the way down. The nitro handled the gusts way better than all of the smaller kites (Cabrinha, Naish, Best) and I was on the snow the longest. Some of the others did not feel safe in those conditions...I had a great time.

My only complaint with the Nitro is that it jumps a bit too high for me but I need to dial it in better to enjoy it like I do on my 12M Nitro and 13M Element.

I did not crash the kite so I can't comment on relaunch.

[thechenzo70505]

Local ontario forum is back up and running.
www.thechickenloop.com