Adventure Logs wrote:
The flysurfer bar is decent but there’s issues that they never have corrected like bungees to secure the lines which never work, grip that easily gets damaged and those damn bar floaters which always tears. The latest infinity 3.0 CC is pretty good but I’m curious to see what the new 4.0 has in store. I expect the new bar to be released with the need Speed/Sonic so that won’t be happening till new yearish I’m betting. Anyone have any spy pics of the new bar? I know they’ve been testing it for awhile.
To be honest this is most bar problems or most bars have problems. The big problem with bars is the chicken loop, very few people us it or need it. Few brands are willing to step away from the norm, but flysurfer has consistently show it can make it's own path. My hopes are a little high but not very. Ultimately you just don't see any great innovation from the big brands. The bar is a simple device, it is best not overdone, kept lite, efficient, functional. I was really sad when flysurfer stopped using carbon in their bars, it was a big down step for the brand.
I would love to see licensed or just taken up Toby's "Strictly Hooked" motto, and the release of "Strictly hooked" bars.
andylc wrote:
How does a brake line interfere with launching and relaunching exactly?
You have much more control with each side individually held. In very light wind say 4 knots or even a bit less, you need to relaunch in stages. First lift the kite off and rotate it. Often you need to swim against the kite to do this. You have limited time you can swim that hard or limited time when you get a small gust. You need to raise and rotate the kite as fast as possible. One side needs to go from full reverse flight to full forward flight in an instant. You let go of one side to do this. You can even do this one handed by feeling the balls lol.
Generally with relaunch having control on both sides just makes things so much more in control. When I watch Ozone riders with straps I cringe. They have trouble and get into and can't get out of situations that it doesn't need to be that way. Sure you can mess well up with balls, but you can learn things you can't with a strap.
Even for riding, you can use the leaders or balls to correct things or do things.
andylc wrote:
it’s useful to loop around a stake and keep the kite on the ground although I’m sure I’d manage some other way if I didn’t have one. How to people without one do it when required?
You can wrap your bar around the center, or leash both rear leaders to the depower rope. I usual just walk up all 4 lines. You land reverse, hold leaders in the center with depower rope with one hand. Disconnect from the kite. Next hand up to the 4 lines. Then hand to hand walk up the lines. Care not to stand such that lines could catch you if you drop then. Once you are at half way and if the lines are slipping or kite is hard to hold, you can let go of one side or even 3 of the lines to flag it. Of all things you can let go of the whole kite, if you are smart and do this from the start in a place it is safe to do that. It does not take much to stop a foil on the ground, if something catches the fabric or a bridle they 99% of the time won't power much. They are really different from LEIs like that.
Yes a brake strap seems simpler to land and it largely is. But again more control with both rear lines and you can land off center and in tighter places. A brake strap is something with a lot of negatives that don't outweigh any benefit.