Kicksledding/Kicksparking on wild ice?

[Peter Schmidtke]

Hello,

A knee problem has prevented me from skating at all for the past few years now. Since it's strictly an inner knee issue which pushing off to the side in a skating motion definitely aggravates, I wonder if I'd be able to head out on ice on a Scandinavian "Kickspark," which is propelled instead with a back-and-forth motion. I've never seen one outside of YouTube videos, so am curious if anyone in the Nordic skating forum has one, or has friends who do. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgaQLPekCC8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysTv2yqEOoM

Thanks for reading,

--Peter

[Kristopher Hammer]

Someone had some sort of kick sled on the CT River on Sunday. Didn't get her name and I don't think she was part of the large group with JAmie so might not be on the gogglegroup 

listserve.

Kris

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "VTNordicskating" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to vtnordicskati...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/vtnordicskating/846621938.601964.1642489100153%40mail.yahoo.com.

[Dan Spada]

Peter,

I would touch base with John Dimon at Human Power Planer Earth in Saranac Lake. He is a big proponent and markets several different models. Google and you will find him.

Dan

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 18, 2022, at 04:26, Kristopher Hammer <kristophe...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/vtnordicskating/CAARH-0LfJFimY_j9ZsrO4Jr6TTjqEU0zTrUzmxezrBxuQfeUaw%40mail.gmail.com.

[sarah rosedahl]

I saw them advertised at The Wild Center in NY. That might be a place to try one out.

Sarah Rosedahl
Artist, Illustrator, Cartoonist
www.srosedahl.com
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/vtnordicskating/3D95015A-C953-4D3F-9D33-535A45AC213C%40gmail.com

.

[Heather Alger]

https://nordicskater.com/collections/kicksleds

Heather Alger
142 Eastern
802-274-8040

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/vtnordicskating/760980141.1058686.1642511808285%40mail.yahoo.com.

[andria wolf]

i think you can rent them at lake morey--seen them there

awolf

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/vtnordicskating/CAJ0nCEaUL%3DmGfogM9bFsLUuZTyv-APFjHKDhB44dd1j09Gx6dg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Jamie Hess]

We got our kicksled from Nordic Skater in Newbury, NH. Ours is an Esla
T6 made in Finland. They come in different sizes; the T6 is best for
people from 5'3" to 5'10". The kicksled you saw on the Connecticut
river on Sunday was the same model as ours, but in blue whereas ours
is natural wood.
Jamie

On Tue, Jan 18, 2022 at 8:19 AM Heather Alger <heather...@gmail.com> wrote:
>

> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/vtnordicskating/CAJ0nCEaUL%3DmGfogM9bFsLUuZTyv-APFjHKDhB44dd1j09Gx6dg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Anne Lloyd]

I have a Canadian one. I'd have to look up the size, if that matters. I live in Bristol, Vt and you're welcome to try it if we can arrange something. 

Anne

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/vtnordicskating/CAELCQgYd57LMrGrpEUk_i5itrqBG7845wV%2BoLq%2BW26%3DM%3Dw%3DSxw%40mail.gmail.com.

[David Dermott]

On Tue, 18 Jan 2022, 'Peter Schmidtke' via VTNordicskating wrote:

> Hello, A knee problem has prevented me from skating at all for the past few
> years now. Since it's strictly an inner knee issue which pushing off to the
> side in a skating motion definitely aggravates, I wonder if I'd be able to
> head out on ice on a Scandinavian "Kickspark," which is propelled instead
> with a back-and-forth motion. I've never seen one outside of YouTube videos,
> so am curious if anyone in the Nordic skating forum has one, or has friends
> who do.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgaQLPekCC8
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysTv2yqEOoM

I think a kicksled work for you. It is probably best if you can try one
first.

It seems that a lot of our Nova Scotia nordic skaters also have kicksleds
for times that the lake ice isn't ideal for skating.


There are several choices - the "kickspark" in the videos is what I call the
"racing model". I have an older (ca 2000) model kickspark (steel frame rather
than aluminum) but prefer the traditional "chair" models. The Finnish ESLA
models are the most common in North America. The trouble now is that they are
quickly "SOLD OUT" early in the season

Nordic Skater https://nordicskater.com/collections/kicksleds
is currently (Jan 18) SOLD OUT

GOSLIDE/LaGLISSE in Montreal is the biggest supplier in Canada. They claim to
have them in stock now: https://goslide.ca/

The regular 5mm wide steel runners do not have sharp edges (like skate
blades). They are good on "orange peel" ice (and ice too rough for pleasant
skating) but on perfect (10) hard ice with no snow cover, they lack lateral
control. It might be possible to sharpen them.
Special "ice runners" (about the same width as speed-skate blades) can be
added to the Kickspark - I've never tried them


--

David Dermott , Wolfville Ridge, Nova Scotia, Canada

[David Dermott]

On Tue, 18 Jan 2022, Kristopher Hammer wrote:

> Someone had some sort of kick sled on the CT River on Sunday. Didn't get
> her name and I don't think she was part of the large group with JAmie so
> might not be on the gogglegroup
> listserve.
> Kris
>

Jamie Hess sighted a kicksled on the CT River in 2001:

"Next on the right is Wilson's Landing, accessible off Route 10, where I
first stepped out onto the river ice seven years ago. This section of river
generally has the thickest and safest ice. A woman was gliding around on her
Norwegian kick-sled as I skated past."

http://www.nordicskaters.org/nordicskating/ctriver/kicksled.html

--

David Dermott , Wolfville Ridge, Nova Scotia, Canada

kicksledding: http://www.dermott.ca/ski/spark.html

[David Dermott]

On Tue, 18 Jan 2022, Kristopher Hammer wrote:

> Someone had some sort of kick sled on the CT River on Sunday. Didn't get
> her name and I don't think she was part of the large group with JAmie so
> might not be on the gogglegroup
> listserve.
> Kris
>

Jamie sighted o a kicksled on the CT River

[David Dermott]

On Tue, 18 Jan 2022, 'Peter Schmidtke' via VTNordicskating wrote:

I think a kicksled work for you. It is probably best if you can try one
first.

It seems that a lot of our Nova Scotia nordic skaters also have kicksleds
for times that the lake ice isn't ideal for skating.


There are several choices - the "kickspark" in the videos is what I call
the "racing model". I have an older (ca 2000) model kickspark (steel frame
rather than aluminum) but prefer the traditional "chair" models. The
Finnish ESLA models are the most common in North America. The trouble now
is that they are quickly "SOLD OUT" early in the season

Nordic Skater https://nordicskater.com/collections/kicksleds
is currently (Jan 18) SOLD OUT

GOSLIDE/LaGLISSE in Montreal is the biggest supplier in Canada. They
claim to
have them in stock now: https://goslide.ca/

The regular 5mm wide steel runners do not have sharp edges (like skate
blades). They are good on "orange peel" ice (and ice too rough for
pleasant skating) but on perfect (10) hard ice with no snow cover, they
lack lateral control. It might be possible to sharpen them.
Special "ice runners" (about the same width as speed-skate blades) can be
added to the Kickspark - I've never tried them

--

David Dermott , Wolfville Ridge, Nova Scotia, Canada

Kicksled: http://www.dermott.ca/ski/spark.html

[Susan N.]

We own 2  traditional kicksleds and one kickspark.  We used them all on wild ice. They all work great!  I will say the, traditional style with longer runners turn much easier. The Kicksparks are made for racing...  Hopethat helps.

Susan

[Suzanne Stofflet]

It might be fun for someone to organize a kicksled/Kickspark outing sometime! I love my Kickspark. 

Sent from my iPad

On Jan 22, 2022, at 8:56 AM, Susan N. <snowfla...@gmail.com> wrote:

We own 2  traditional kicksleds and one kickspark.  We used them all on wild ice. They all work great!  I will say the, traditional style with longer runners turn much easier. The Kicksparks are made for racing...  Hopethat helps.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "VTNordicskating" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to vtnordicskati...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/vtnordicskating/b1840b73-62e7-4e71-9dcb-440e8abeef9en%40googlegroups.com.

[devonandbob09]

Susan, do you have them with the blades they come with, or did you retrofit metal blades onto your kicksleds?  And where did you purchase them?  Thanks!

I'm excited to be reading about this. I almost unsubscribed from the group last week because I now have two very bad knees and can no longer Nordic skate.

[Devon Dougall]

I have sent him an email, thanks for clarifying. Never thought of looking for older ones, but will now!

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

On Sat, Jan 22, 2022 at 9:53 PM, Snow Fern

<snowfla...@gmail.com> wrote:

We use the blades they came with.  The Kickspark we got from John Dimon, Human Powered Planet Earth.  

https://www.facebook.com/Human-Power-Planet-Earth-160924464078271/

The two others are likely antiques, which we came across in our travels.  

Today, 3 of us went out from Cliff Haven to Crab Island. Two of us were on Nordic skates, one on an antique kicksled.  We all had a great time.  The kicksled worked better on the rough ice than our skates!  A kicksled won’t like always keep up with Nordic skates but it’s still a fun way to enjoy the ice!!  John rents the kicksleds if you just want to try one....

Any other questions, feel free to contact me!

Susan

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "VTNordicskating" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to vtnordicskati...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/vtnordicskating/b4422df3-4315-4d1f-b2c8-b624abd866c5n%40googlegroups.com.

[Chad Atkins]

  Melissa at Brave The Snow out in St Paul, MN is getting some kicksparks in this week/early next week as her shipment has landed in NA. I believe the traditionals are waaay backed up. Not sure if that helps or how many are presold but she was very helpful, supply and shipping is tough...

  Best, Chad 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "VTNordicskating" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to vtnordicskating+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/vtnordicskating/b1840b73-62e7-4e71-9dcb-440e8abeef9en%40googlegroups.com.

[JOHN McELDOWNEY]

Human Planet Power Earth bike shop in Saranac Lake , NY has kicksleds, kickbikes and nordic skates. 

On Jan 23, 2022, at 7:41 AM, 'Devon Dougall' via VTNordicskating <vtnordi...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

I have sent him an email, thanks for clarifying. Never thought of looking for older ones, but will now!

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/vtnordicskating/1137955263.1520825.1642941704502%40mail.yahoo.com.