Kite designers, don't do this s**t please

[GTC]

Hi all,

This is a clear example of how bad a product can get because of the idiocy of trying to make it prettier.

The pictures below show a brand new Wainman bar and the same bar after two years of use. As you can see, these fancy colored letters are almost gone because some clever designer didn't realized that after some use + water + salt + UV they were going to peel off.
Oh! And this bar costs 395€!

Please make your products KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) and robust.

[cleepa]

Ah well, not quite sure what to say about the Wainman bars. Although I haven't used their kites for a long while now, I continued to use their bars. I had one bar that had the same thing happen as with yours. It happened after only 2 seasons. I think it was the previous revision of the bar to yours. I also have a Wainman bar that looks like it is the same revision as yours (or at least the same design). It lasted me 5 years of solid use until a back line broke inside the foam that forms part of the bar end. It was a great bar, but I'll never again use another bar that hides away structurally important parts of the bar behind things you can't remove to check and/or repair.

[sarc]

You may try this:
- Wash with dishwashing soap and dry
- Apply shoe goo wherever the EVA foam is damaged
- Wrap tightly in cling foil and let dry. The cling foil pressure will distribute the glue evenly
- Unwrap and go kiting (if some foil sticks to glue, it will wear out in a couple of sessions, so no issue)

Personally I use gorilla glue to do this (be aware that the glue expands a lot so use very little!)

[plummet]

What's the problem? Bar warn out after 2 years hard use? Seems legit.

PS my 2012 ozone bar foam is still good.

[socommk23]

Maybe kite companies should make gear that lasts 10 years?
Then there would be no kite companies.

[Bushflyr]

LOL. Buy EVA foam on Ebay. Replace foam on bar. Simple. I'm running on the 4th recover on my bar now.

[Regis-de-giens]

Tennis raquet over-grip (To be wunded on top of current foam, as overlayer) ... 1 euro per side

[bjw]

Also kite designers... Don't do :

Battons
Pulleys

[coffeeking]

2 years use? Seems pretty reasonable for it to start getting tatty, but given their prices I'd say that's the problem. Back in the day when a bar and lines was no more than £150 new that wouldn't be an issue, but these days when bars are huge amounts people expect a bit more I guess.