Ok. Kites these days are pretty awesome. The Bars are pretty great too, but I think could be better. You get some or most of these on different bars but I don't know of one that has them all.

So in the grand tradition of writing a Santa wish lists:

For next Xmas I would like santa's kite elves to design....

1. O'Sh#t handles. Plus with loops for connecting the safety on both sides. I use these when I have a sketchy self launch situation.

2. Pull-pull type depower, but with stretchy lines that come all the way down to the bar. It is always when you're over powered that you have to have orangutan arms to reach the blasted depower. These could go to the outside of the bar to keep the clutter to a minimum. Oh and while we're there, how about heaps of length. I would actually like enough such that I don't need the three different knots on the rear pigtails - after all don't they just do the same thing? Why not miles of depower?

3. A donkey dick that is mounted on the loop that flicks either way - I keep ending with mine upside down - most certainly operator error, but I see most manufacturers now have them on one side.

4. Nice grips.

5. Bright grips

6. Grips that are obvious different colours for left & right (or is that port & starboard?)

7. Bar floats, but also why not make the first 2-3metres of lines out of thick stuff? Wouldn't affect performance & could save someone's finger.

8. A chicken loop that opens with the safety rather than detaches. I've never lost the loop after deploying the safetey but I reckon it must happen - why not just one that pops open.

9. Below the bar safety. That swivels so no unwinding.

10. Safety's that are reliable & easy to deploy - but not too easy. I like the Cabrinha style push away personally but it makes me nervous when hooking back in that I'm going to pop it. But haven't seen anything much better.


Any other thoughts.....

general_dude said...



Any other thoughts.....

Have you looked at the new slingshot bar lately?

a north bar is all you need

naked bitches.

How about a bar system with a swivel that actually works untwisting lines without interfering with the safety line?

I modified my own one up, took a slingshot 2009 bar with a 2005 chicken loop & rope. Swivel above the bar running via a pully to avoid excessive wear, loop on one front line so i can land (however slingy oh-sh1ts can do this). It means i ride suicide but when unhooking its the only way.

The problem with i have found with the depower under the bar is too many ropes running through middle of the bar & the ropes wear quickly. By running the big slingy rope there is only one, i coat it in wax & is looking good still after a season.

i never move the stopper balls, the rope is actually doubled over on its self, so even if the outer is the wear through, it holds its self on kinda like the old chinese finger trap.