As the forecast remain depressed for the upcoming week end it sounds like a perfect time to do a full check of your kite equipment. And trust us it is worth it, better fixing and prevent than ending up in a bad situation with equipment letting you down right in the middle of the session… let’s start today with the most fragile part of a quiver, the kite(s).
If you not use to rinse it, it might be the right time for it. Most of manufacturers do not recommend to rinse kites regularly but once a while is worth it.
After rinsing check it completely for any wear and tear… even small one. A small tear mean a weak point. A weak point combined with a kite crash could end up with a kite parted in two….
Choose a bright room or sunlight, rather than having the kite laying on the ground hold it in front of the light, it will make easier to localize any small tears. Go progressively, panel by panel.
It is also worth it to have a look at the kite bridles and pigtails, they usually are not subject to premature wear or damage but if you had some tangles and / or you riding old equipment there could be some weak points.
How to fix it?
For small tear and wear on the canopy best is to use ripstop tape, they are available in different colors to match with your kite’s.
If the tear or scratch is on a bladder use dacron patch, they are thicker and have stronger resistance to support the bladder pressure.
For bigger rip and tears (over 10cm) you will need it to be fixed by a professional as it is likely to require some stitching work.
For bridles and pig tails we recommend to get replacement from your kite manufacturer and always change the pair (both side). Lines and bridles stretch with time so assemble a new and a old bridle will give you an unbalanced kite with poor performance or even worse control issues
How we can help?
We sell ripstock and dacron patches, Flora can also fix any major damages on kites. Visit our Repair page.
We can order bridles for Cabrinha and F-One kites.
