Switch Launches Element4 All-Terrain Kite

[Kamikuza]

Quality is way better than Ozone...!

[clint2070]

Im on the Pivots this year. They're the best kites Ive ever had ! When you're a beginner You don't know the difference between anything. You don't blame your performance on the gear because you don't know any better. Even if its bad gear,you blame yourself. My first kite was a 2007 19m Liquid Force Assault. I didn't think I would ever get it and thought that my kite falling out of the sky all the time was because I sucked ! That kite was horrible ! Turned like a 20m and had the power of a 12m.

[corbett]

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[DangerLifter]

one 2015 Switch bar + luggage scale = problem is clear.

Be honest Switch guys,

Could you explain for non-switch guys, please

[corbett]

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[L0KI]

The redundant above bar swivels on many bars should be designed out of existence.
Kite companies/bar design groups should concentrate on good swivels on the chicken loop only and then make good reliable safety release systems without the often faulty swivels.
Easier and much cheaper to do, thus lowering the cost of Bar/Lineset/Safety systems, while making them better.

[corbett]

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[L0KI]

Yes...redundant.

[Starsky]

one 2015 Switch bar + luggage scale = problem is clear.

Be honest Switch guys,

From that were supposed to understand this?

Simply put, a minimum force of 6.5kg is required to pull the line splice through the swivel to flag the kite. 6.5kg was the minimum, 9.5kg was the most. I recorded this on camera.

The top line splice is too fat, they clearly changed the lines recently or they drilled too small a hole in the swivel.

Is this a safely issue? I believe it is. On a practical test with my 19m kite in 9mph winds, the line splice took 10+ seconds to pull through the swivel after I released to single flag line.

Next time skip the critic and say what you mean.

When it took that 10 sec for your kite to flag in 9mph winds..... did it have you safety at risk?

I'm not sure your raising a valid concern. Unless you know kiters weighing in under 10 kg. I certainly think any splice in a safety that has to pass through a narrow should do so smoothly, but the actual load in even average wind with even lightweight riders is going to surpass those values.

Personally, long bridles would be far more concern.

[L0KI]

Personally, long bridles would be far more concern.

Agreed.
Long bridles (looping kites) can screw up the best safety release systems.

I looked at the pics of the new Element on the Switch website and I'm not sure the bridles are as short as many out there...but it is hard to see things accurately in many pictures.

I would hope that they listened to their customers (like the Element owner above) and shortened up the bridles.

But your kite has to be designed really right to have no pulleys and a small bridle and still get great performance. (C kites excluded).