Which do you think will help with longevity of kite & bladders ???
Ive noticed that there are very few people who take the time to fold there kite up properly - they just grab one end and roll or 'screw' it up as tight as possible !!! if you really think about it - what stress does that put on the bladder / valve connections combined with days / weeks on end sitting in the bag.
All rubber loses its properties under stress after a very short amount of time, weather not included !!!! (weve all seen what happens to the basic rubber band after a few months... )
I blew a few struts/ bladders this season on kites just over 12 months old and they all went in the same place about 1/3 of the way up from the trailing edge.
I usually roll the LE of my kite up from both tips to the centre and then fold the struts over 1/3 of the way up from the trailing edge then over again, so I am sure that this is why the struts blew as it is right where it folds.
Not sure what I could have done to prevent this though unless I left the bag extended and just rolled up the LE and didn't fold the struts or just tried to vary the spot where I fold them a little.
My kites got a lot of use and I generally pump them up rock hard.
Although I loved the kites to fly, I was disappionted with what appears to be weak point in the design.
I am now riding a different brand of kite so hopefully I will have more luck with these, time will tell.
I'm not sure if it applies to kites but with our sales it was always believed that folding was best as long as you folded it the same way and at the same place each time. I roll my kites up though and haven't had a problem yet touch wood.
leave your struts inflated. constantly shoving your fully deflated kite into a bag that is never big enough isn't good for your kite. eventually you will put your fist through the canopy while shoving it in. it probably isn't the best thing for your struts to be inflated all the time but i havent had a problem with them yet after 3 years.
I generally roll my kite up as to not stress the same spots (as above).
I reckon that compressing the kite to a minimum is important, luckily I have large bags. While it may seem lazy compared to folding a kite, that does necessarily mean its the wrong thing to do.
I do try to ensure that there is as little sand as possible in the kite.
The Kite Dr explained it to me a couple of years ago as being better to fold than roll. He said that the rolling is more likely to pinch the bladder whereas folding maintains the shape.
I figured the man who has done a large percentage of repairs in WA for a LONG time would probably have a fair idea.
Cheers,
Ben.
I fold my kite but when it comes to getting it into the bag I'm stuffed lol as my bag is a little too small and I end up stuffing it in.
Obviously a woman didn't design it or the bag would have been bigger!
You guys worry too much - is this really an issue?
Roll it gently, treat it gently.
Like a woman.
fold it don't roll it. that's the motto i run by preserves the material, with the oolder c kite with the rods in them it was advised to roll them but now with the new sle and bows you should fold them, keeps them crisper for longer and the material gets less wear.
As long as you are kind to your kite, I can't imagine it makes much difference!
Yacht sails are concertina folded so you can lay them out on the deck, attach the sheets, attach the clew and feed the head into the track so you hoist them straight up the forestay or the mast track, not to protect them from wear. (I have worked foredeck on keel yachts in races). If you had to unroll the sail before you could hoist it, the bloke on the foredeck would have to contend with a mass of unfurled sail! It's a tricky enough job staying on your feet, being yelled at by the skipper and doing eveything else without having to contend with controlling metres of unfurled sail. In terms of storage, its harder to put in a sail bag that way.
If you are using your gear enough, wear and damage from storage will be the least of your worries!
Its not really a good idea to roll your kite up real small. This is when bladders twist and stuff. Better to roll the kite up with a small amount of air in it. This will keep the bladders in place.
Im generally rolling up in a fair bit of wind and what I find is the quickest most efficient way is posted herehttp://www.newkiteboarding.com/latest/index.php/topic,52.0.html
Rolling wing tip to wing tip rolls sand into the kite and its a mission doing it when its windy.
Folding the kite in half keeps the sand on the outside of your kite.
In half is only half the job to roll it up too.
I roll from the tips to the middle, neatly but fairly loosely. I like to arrange the leading edge so it rolls smoothly.
Once in the middle I pat the rolled sections flat, squeeze out any remaining air, then fold from the ends towards the middle. It then fits neatly into the bag.
My kites always look neat and crisp.
I used to fold the tips in before rolling and ended up with havt wrinkle in the tips so I turned to neatly rolling. The advantage of rolling before folding is that you avoid always folding in the same place.
I find the worst things for wear and tear on kites are abrasion against hard surfaces and putting kites away wet and sandy, and leaving inflated kites sitting in the wind on the beach for long periods.
The biggest single cause of damage is carrying from the beach to the grass packup area when the wind is not strong enough and the kite gets caught on branches and rocks and pavement and stuff. In those circumstances it is best to deflate at least the LE on the beach.
