hey bro.criznach wrote:If you can kite decently on the water you'll have fun right away on the snow. A few different puzzles when you hit terrain but it's all fun. Just stay away from rocks and trees until you're up to speed.
I've been an avid foil guy on the snow for 7 years. The past two summers I've flown inflatables on the water and have reached a decent level. This winter I've had 2 days on snow and have not been very excited about the foils. I really wanted to pump up. One of those days was a gusty, whiteout 5m day, and surprisingly the convenience factor of the foil didn't cross my mind. The second day was a typical 10-12m day, and the difference was clear. I flew a 10m ozone Manta II for a few hours, then a 10m rally for 30 min. Totally different beast. Much more responsive, but slightly less powerful.
If you know how to kite, go with the inflatable. Any modern kite will flag out and have an effective safety, so I don't worry about that now that I'm comfortable. I could see the foils being more enjoyable if you're starting out. As a beginner you may not yet know the value of the time spent pumping. They turn slower, which is nice for learning spins and not getting jacked up by looping the kite accidentally. Boosts on a foil feel a little more floaty. Other than that, I may sell my last trusty foil and pump for the rest of the season.
try an ozone summit of you get a change. way more stable and alot faster than the manta. .... but still feels manta..ish.
its definately a viable option to leis.