Magically folding a kite like new?

[GregWoj]

They key is getting all the air out... My Core 17m bag can actually pack two kites folded efficiently. So I toss both kites in that bag with 2 bars and 2 boards and 1 harness. Weighs in around 45 lbs.

I like travelling with at least 2 of everything (except harness) and sometimes 3 kites (2 packed in the Core bag, one carry on). I learned the lesson of always taking 2 bars, 2 (or 3) kites, 2 boards because when travelling, nothing sucks more if you have 1 of something and it breaks for some stupid reason. Had a bladder pop on me in the middle of no where once in Puerto Rico and I just sat and drank corona's on the beach while the other guys ripped it up.

Tip: Take the fins/straps off your boards. Makes them lighter to lessen the awkwardness of the look the check in lady gives you and protects your travel bag/kite bags. I didn't do this once and when I scooped up my bags at bag claim, two fins ripped through the bottom of the "golf" bag.

Oh and nothing beats unfolding a new and CRISPY kite!! Smells like a new car too

[PVITfrumBYRAM]

There are lots of different ways to fold kites and the key is definitely getting the air out. Rectangular folds make for great flat packs as one previous poster recommended. I pack anywhere from 5-10 kites everyday at the shop I work at. My morning routine is to pack down all the school kites that were inflated the night before to dry off. Usually around 5 kites, then I pack down anywhere from 3-5 more at the end of lessons.

I'm guessing you have a one pump system, given that it is almost 2015 now. Utilize those alligator clips that sit on the hoses connecting your struts. Most people neglect getting the air out of struts, and tend to keep too much air in the wingtips when they begin to fold to make even a somewhat decent pack down. I find in my personal kites, the middle strut is the biggest pain in the ass because the hose bends into a kink and doesn't let air in the leading edge unless I fold the leading edge back some. The best way around all this is to roll your struts up from the tip to the leading edge. Once you are at the strut valve, squeeze the air out of the strut that lies above the valve, once this air is out, close off the strut clip to lock the air out of the strut. Repeat to all struts then unroll all the struts. I would then suggest doing a normal roll up to squeeze more air out and then unroll again. Or you can go from this step without that, but if you want it super flat, it will take too rolls. Once the kite is laid out flat again, fold the trailing edge towards the leading edge, 1 foot, 1.5 feet, 2 feet, you decide. then start doing nice rectangular folds from the wing tips. You could do all kinds of variations of that. 17 meters are cake doing it this way. Have fun.

[marekmk]

If you want pinholes in your kite pack and fold them on brick, stone or concrete.

Manufactures are coming in for a lot of stick on the quality of the cloth but for most

of the time its how we treat our kites that result in these issues, one is packing the other is

self launching and not doing it efficiently.