MikeDobbs

I was first bit by the bug some 7 years ago in 2010. My wife and I were on vacation in FL, and a local kite shop had an advertisement in the tourist paper for a free 1 hour kiteboarding lesson. I called them up, and they met me at the beach with a B3 trainer kite. As soon as they put the bar in my hands I was hooked. I couldn't believe the power the kite was able to generate- and I was even more amazed at how much control I had over it. Growing up, like most people, my only real experience with kites was with the basic one string kites, over which you had essentially no control. The idea that I could harness mother nature with a kite just grabbed a hold of me, and it hasn't let go. The following year we were back on vacation and I was taking my first lessons with that same kite shop, XL kites, in Destin, FL. Those guys are terrific if you're ever down in the area. Those early days were rough. I was impressed with the power of the trainer kite the year before, but I was terrified of the power that a 13m Crossbow could generate. I can remember being so completely exhausted after my first lesson, not from the physical exertion, but from the constant adrenaline that was coursing through my body as I was sure I'd get ripped up into the sky at any moment. All that control I felt with the trainer kite was gone. Depower was a whole new world, and I had to put my time in. That same year I bought my first kite (a 10m Griffin Argo - which I really love - bought another one a few years later, 14m). I did most of my riding in FL because where I live in NY it's very expensive to pay the local shops to get to the good (read safe and shallow riding areas for beginners), and if you've ever been to FL in the summer you know the wind isn't great. So, I spent most of my first few years struggling to keep the kite in the air, and getting a few rides here and there. Summer of 2014, I purchased a used Spleene Door and that board changed my life. All of a sudden, the light FL winds were enough to get riding, and I did more riding in a few days that summer than I had in the previous 4 years. Last summer, my wife and I bought a small used boat to get access to some great local riding spots here in NY, and now I feel like a real kiteboarder. I spent hours on end skimming along the surface of the water propelled only by the wind this summer, and I can't wait to get back in the water next year. It's been quite a ride, and for me, a pretty steep learning curve, but in the end it's all been so worth it. Check out my video to see me enjoying kiteboarding this summer. Cheers!

Thanks George- what size wheels do you have on those 8"? I notice that the skates in your pics are much longer than they need to be for the wheels to clear the skate boot- is there a particular length you'd recommend I shoot for?

Thanks guys- I see what you mean about the well-kept grass. Looked up those "wheels of doom" and even found a tutorial for building them from an old pair of rollerblades. Since I've already got one of those, perhaps I'll try that route before I shell out $400 for the Powerslides (although the do look sooooooo cool ) George, do these instructions seem like they would lead to a workable pair of kite skates? http://www.doomwheels.com/articles/buildwod.php

Hi everyone- This is my first post on the Kite Skating forum of ExtremeKites- I currently kiteboard, buggy and landboard (a very little), but after watching John's video of Spartan on his Powerslides I am seriously thinking of ordering a pair! (If you haven't seen the video you have to check it out: ) Here's my question. I'm in the US, and shipping back and forth to Germany is going to get expensive if I get the size wrong. On the website they say to order a size or so larger than normal, but depending on manufacturer I wear anywhere from a 10 to 11 US. Does anyone who owns these have any comparissons to the sizing of known brands such as Nike Sneakers, Innov8 sneakers, or Vibram 5 fingers? The five fingers would be ideal, since it's such as exact fit. Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I'm new to power kiting. I've been messin around with a landboard, and will be taking kiteboarding lessons this summer. I picked up a used Best Yarga recently, and realized after the fact that it has a C-Bar (which I think stands for competition). Problem is, the 5th line on this kite terminates up where the back lines attach to the lines from the kite, as opposed to going down through the bar to clip into. In other words, I can only fly the kite suicide right now. Is it a big deal to modify this so the 5th line comes down below the bar? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hi everyone- I'm brand new to the sport of power kiting. I have an Ozone flow 3m that I'm learning to landboard with and I recently picked up a used North Vegas. The right side lines on the Vegas were both cut very close to the end, so I figure I can re-splice the loop onto the end, but I'm not sure if all 4 flying lines should be made the same length or if the front and rear lines are supposed to be different lengths. Can anyone help?