But but but..I like my boxer in the snow. Yeah I need to look at it.
I like kiting with my tube kites in the snow too especially on my frozen lakes all over my great state of Michigan, but you need the right tool for the right job. If you are doing descents you need a foil kite. You got to consider what happens if you have your pump in your backpack and crash and smash the pump. I've busted a pump like this before. They are quite easy to shatter in the cold. Then you are post holing for miles to get back home. Or what if you get a puncture? Get a foil. Now of course there are other problems with foils you don't have on tube kites, like the bow ties, but you can always flag out on the snow, go fix it and then reride. If you are doing long distance runs, then you can fix most problems on a foil kite with a little bit of spare fabric, sewing needle, fid and a little bit of extra line. On a tube kite you are finished if you have any problems with the valves and will have to walk home or push the button on your epirb.
I might get a chance to test some tethering a bit tomorrow. I'll take a look at the foils, but that would be a longer term plan anyway.
The way I look at it, I would come to launch site, pump up, leave the pump and some other things at the base, but bring the kite bag and snow/avalanche gear, then let the kite pull me up the mountain while playing, pack it on the top and ski down, maybe pump up and do it again. Obviously, these are ideas that will need some refinement, but so far that would be my need. If I could use the spade to tether I think that would be sufficient for day-tripping gear. My biggest issue might be that I think a lot of times the wind blows a bit harder on the tops so general self landing rules might not apply as well. I guess I will find out.
Tomtom I am not sure if I follow. Do you mean I should bury the LE of my inflatable or is this for a foil kite?
Yes I use this to launch my kites too. Naturally I am doing the trench to tip, then put snow on top. In light wind is work even with powder snow. But the trench prohibits wind getting under the kite, and like you said increases friction. But on higher wind kite bag, helmet, or snowboard/skis can be used extra weight. "So it depends".
This launch is still better than trying to hold your tube kite down with snow. Foils are different they lie flat
Today worked well. I used my poles through the bridle to hold the kite, then put the kitebag on the LE then just launch normally. Not sure if I would that is nuking conditions.
I've put off the foil plan for this year at least. I don't snow kite enough to justify it. Yet. Maybe if I do multi-day long treks.