Kite Skates

http://www.terrablades.com/

I sent an email to Terrablades last night, they guys name is Rich, he is very enthusiastic about kite blading, this is one added bonus above some of the other brands IMO, as a couple of the others are targeted as exercise & offroad use, eg Powerslide, skike and I have not seen anywhere on their website links to kite blading.

Here are a few photos Rich sent me this morning.





They come in custom colours so you can pick your own, down the line, still working on the colours & to find a way to keep the expense of it down.

Instead of wrecking your expensive ski boots, a trip down to your local ski store and buy some ex rental boots (of reasonable quality) is a good alternative to trashing your expensive ski boots.

Research on Vimeo

Ok this is a crude chopped down version of a skype meeting I had on Sunday with the designer of Terrorblades. Not made to wind an oscar, just for some information.

Some of you may find it insightful & perhaps ad or eliminate a few misconceptions also.

Luke

If anybody has an opinion, for both for and against please voice it here.

Cheers
Luke

I think they are well made and strong.

Ski boot for ankle protection is a big plus.

They kite blade & track well from what I have seen in the videos along the ground.

From videos they are probably the most terrain capable I have seen.

If there was a freestyle video of these demonstrating they will work for jumping that would help.

My only real concern is the higher centre of gravity for landing big jumps could be an issue.

Alrighty,

I have spoken numerous times with Rich the guy who makes these things today, including a friend of his who swears by them, he used to be a rep for FS a while back is still flying FS gear, and is now working with HQ kites (jesus its a small world) he successfully jump tested these monsters and had no real problem with them.

They are tough and will take speed on very well also.

I am almost sold on a set of these things.

I like bullet proof, I also like ski boots, these were based off grass skis so there is some heritage there also.

[SIZE="5"][color="Red"][color="red"]All in favor of adding to our National deficit say I?[/color][/color][/SIZE]

Imput guys, its our kids we have to think about in the future because of the National Terror Blade alert these things will cause through customs.

Just tell us the price, son!

I've got an old pair of ski boots (don't really want to use my new ones), I could probably use with them.

Todays current rate with our F*()&)*(& up dollar is $1276 AU.

A year ago, they would have been $950 approx.

Still finding out about shipping.

At first I thought god dam that is a lot of money, but after reading in another thread about a set of Powerslide Nordics that broke after a lofting I am weighing up my options thinking bullet proof, or something that a wayward landing may break something that I paid $5-700 dollars for that was not for intended use???

As I said I appreciate all opinions.

I also think if the sport is going to grow, that it would be good to have a few people on different types of blades, its the only way to really progress by trying new things and products.

PS. if I do get a pair of these, anybody with a set of ski boots is welcome to kill themselves on them, just unclick the binding while I am laying dead on the ground

Ouch... that's a lot for a ski-binding with wheels.

Set of aggressive inline skates $600 (won't go offroad)

Rolex watch $10,000 (who can tell)

Mona Lisa painting (chick with the big titties) anybody notice her face? $20 million bucks

Apex Racer buggy $4000-5000

Ozone Manta 10m $2000

Price of fish.....

Its official I am importing a set of terrablades.

I had a 2 hour convo with the creator and maker of terrablades today including some video I took of him demonstrating them in his workshop.

I will edit it down and do a short version for anybody interested.

I was really sold on them after seeing them on skype & getting the run down on how they are made, the capabilities and so on.

Great guy, also invited me over the next couple of weeks to get on skype and watch while he is making my pair of terrablades.

At least this way we will have something to use as a comparison in Aus.

Will get the video up this week.

Luke

ps. thanks to Spartan again for his discussions and suggestions over the phone!

No worries mate, anytime.

George

We need a time machine and a teleporter so we can go and get em now
Can't wait for the video Luke

Agreed!

Once/if we see our Rudd Bucks, I am sending mine offshore.



As soon as I finish the video from the weekend, I will edit down the Terrablade video I shot of the meeting and post it up!

Far out, look impressive. So is the price and that's just the Terra Blades, then add on the ski boots. I'll be sticking with my landboard for the moment. These beauties even come with drum brakes in each wheel. No wonder the cost is high. The crescent shape for where the wheels meet the ground should make good for turning and I assume will cause less tire wear. I just wonder how much the price would drop without drum brakes, some thing that landboarders + kites don't use.

Looking at the design, structurally, these have been purposely built and to keep the weight done, looks like this guys comes from the Aero industry judging by the quality of this product.

Any way, we will be looking forward to seeing the guys in Oz use them.

Hi SB,

The brakes cost extra, and the designer told me yesterday that they will not end up being the final design they are a work in progress.

The brakes are effective otherwise he would not put them on the Terrablades but he would like to improve them more.

The brakes, apart from a nice little application of standing still while you launch a kite would be good, but for 99% of the time they would be useless for kiting.

To prove that theory, the pair he uses for kite blading have no brakes on them.

It was a fascinating conversation, I am sure you will find the video interesting SB. He even showed me the length of alloy he is making my set out of, it is a real, beginning to end journey.

They are purpose built for kiting, just like Spartans are, some of the other brands on the market after my research so far none of them advertise that you could use them for kite skates, neither will any warranty apply if you break a $550-700 pair of offroad blades.

Ski boots are easy, go down to your local ski store & buy a set of intermediate to advanced ex rental boots from last season.

They are happy to get rid of them, and we will not mind hacking them up!

Yep the prices just keep on adding up, just peeked at the first site google came up with for skii boots:

[url]http://www.larryadler.com/Ski_Store/Equipment/Ski_Boots.cfm?gclid=CPP_h8TSoZoCFSRPagodTwi79g[/URL]

Looking at 500 - 900 $AU.

Yep the prices just keep on adding up, just peeked at the first site google came up with for skii boots:

[url]http://www.larryadler.com/Ski_Store/Equipment/Ski_Boots.cfm?gclid=CPP_h8TSoZoCFSRPagodTwi79g[/URL]

Looking at 500 - 900 $AU.

SB,

Second hand dude, second hand, ex rental.

Only an idiot/cashed up monkey would take a new set of $900 ski boots onto a sandy beach

Are you talking yourself into not taking up the sport

Thanks Luke. Yes, looking at the vid of the Terras on that rough hill, any thing that can survive that has got to be built well. So what sort of prices is one looking at for the ex rental skii boots. Good idea, especially since you are going to hacking them ..... wait on a minute .... hacking them up. Excuse my ignorance, never really looked at a pair of skii boots up close, but did I hear right, you have to take / cut bits and pieces off them?

Another quick, look, the boots 30$ ex rental,

see [url]http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Ski-board/Ski-boots/auction-215290904.htm[/URL]

So perhaps with 30 to 100$ one can get some thing suitable for the Terras then.

Hi SB,

Hacking them up meant, damage from sliding on grass, maybe the occasional bent buckle (cheaper than the occasional bent buggy) also for grabs, like my freestyle skis over the years, the tops get cuts from the edges, and also my boots get slash marks also. I have cut ski pants, you name it.

Hence why I enter into this with buying second hand rental boots.

Cheap boots ex rental would start from $25.00 for beginner boots (which would probably do) but if you get into intermediate/advance boots the comfort and support is better, so is the weight, they are lighter, so anywhere up to $100.

Personally for a pair of ex rentals I would pay up to $200 for a excellent pair of boots (for comfort value, and support).

Thats my sport (flying) its not cheap, I like good quality gear, I am prepared to pay the extra if I am going to get the results I want out of it.



Hi, I didn't see your post but believe I hit the nail on the head!

As for the price of Terrablades.

Blame the Aus dollar for that.

8 months ago they would have been about $900 AU

I am paying approx $1276.00 plus courier fee.

Sounds like a lot, but they are proven, hand built, customer service & 24 hour support from Rich who makes them, a very obliging guy, who is passionate about what he makes & no quality sacrifice.

That beats the hell out of any mass produced company in any sport IMO!

If they end up being what I think they will be for kite blade freestyle, the it will be money well spent.

The bizzare part is my first post in this section was about my perfect set of blades, I am still amazed that what I imagined as the ideal set up (lenght) plus ski boot bindings and ski boots was actually out there.

The Bindings are one of the few parts that he buys as they are purpose built to add to the pro set up.



http://www.bombersplitboards.com/Pages/bomber_split_bindings.cfm