Are Carbon Bars worth the extra price?

[Frankieboy]

I am building my own bars for as little as 40 EUR each without lines. Inspired by the Kauper Bar, with backline adjuster (little knots) - which is working fine (I don't adjust while driving, only if needed with kite in parking position). I like having a very long depower of 60-70 cm for safety in gusty winds. Could easily be blocked to a shorter range for shorter arms. Someone with shorter arms will typically be less heavy, needing smaller kites - the smaller the kite the less depower throw you need.

Price matters because I use one bar for each of my 5 foilkites. Weight matters a lot (travelling and snowkiting). I am not using a teflon tube though, instead I use 3 mm dyneema lines for each frontline, that I can easily replace if worn. Cheers - Tom

Hi Tom,
Could you share a picture of one of your bars?
Tx

[downunder]

To be fair,

A Champagne cork is better than nothing or even rubber. Since there a rubbers of different softness.

A cork has huge surface comparing to Eva ends. Mind u, 2 part silicon might work too.

Re margin, I applaud everyone for the effort in marketing etc for the product. Of course I would do the same. But, as said, since have a skill, material and tools, a purchased bar is not for me.

40 Euros is fair for a home build. So for 200 one can make 4 and leave them on the foil kites.

Combine this with removable Wichard release, and it awesome. Sure, add lines cost too...

[evan]

Hard to compete with home built bars on price as there is more to the cost of a bar than only the materials

[downunder]

Except, they ARE home built

[Robsw6]

I thought that carbon is prone to point loads, impact damage & can pick up hairline cracks (hence non-destructive testing used on carbon structures).... sounds like the wrong choice of material for a bar, given they are prone to knocks, dings, impacts with amongst other things eye sockets?!

ps $600 / €700 for a carbon bar... if bar only, there's a bit of margin in that one $$$$..... the Groove price at €220 sounds about right

[aleks]

The cheapest ones I found so far:

http://monocomposite.com/en/kitebar

I ordered a few for me and my friend, will let you know how it works out when they arrive.

[twig]

I tried to list all brands that make carbon bars.

I bought a bar from infexion.nl to set up myself with lines and trimmer. I prefer this bar because you can slide the steeringlines easily along the bar and easily get a more narrow bar.
I ride it with my 18m flysurfer sonic and with my 7m ozone reo - the same bar.
Just check out the instagram of infexion and its obvious that this bar is designed and tested extensively, and theres so much custom made to fit the customer https://www.instagram.com/infexion.bars/?hl=en
Im not sponsored but want to highlight a gem in the world of kiting.


Infexion.nl
Sk shapes
Groove
Vmg_bar
Linestofly
Ketos
Mono composite Karat
Pintxo Bar Kauper xt
Flying Sardine
Kite Attitude
Enata
PKS Full Carbon bar Kiss
Kitelab
Core - (semi carbon bar)

Please mention other brands if i missed any.

[jyka]

^add Naish to your list.
I had crazyfly full carbon bar which was heavier than any of my aluminium bars
The weight wasn't the only bad thing about that bar..

I have also one DIY-carbon bar, it isn't strong enough to unhook but great for hydrofoiling. When the bar is super light (650g complete with lines) the touch to kite is different.

[jumptheshark]

I like a light bar but can't say I have any attraction to a naked carbon pole with no functional bar ends. This one is light, it floats, has red on the proper side, is comfy, has soft bar ends, keeps the rear lines clear of wrapping when in the water with slack lines yet is still about as minimalistic as I could ever want.

[evan]

^add Naish to your list.
I had crazyfly full carbon bar which was heavier than any of my aluminium bars
The weight wasn't the only bad thing about that bar..

I have also one DIY-carbon bar, it isn't strong enough to unhook but great for hydrofoiling. When the bar is super light (650g complete with lines) the touch to kite is different.

Naish carbon is only superficial. It's a single visual layer only on the bottom besides the bar hole, rest is chopped glass glued to an aluminum center piece.