2021 Duotone Kites poor construction quality ?

[aitorlopezosua]

Hi Octavt, I totally agree with you. The glue used in the building of the kite, must to some extent, add to the structural integrity of the panel joins, If this glue fails then to 'some extent' that integrity will be decreased, and will rely totally on the stitching , which has come apart.
A home repair is going to lessen your confidence in the kite, and possibly the resale value.
A professional repair, hopefully 'invisible' , is probably the best fix, if Duotone won't replace the kite, which I doubt they will. also a decent professional repair will be better than replacement, unless the replacement has better stitching, which I doubt.

I had something similar on my 2018 15m Juice: Central panels next to LE start opening swing glue and stitches failing. I got it patched and repaired to reinforce the area and problem solved. We are flying pieces or fabric, a shame that it happens. As your kite is new place a warranty claim.

[octavt]

@aitorlopezosua wow the lines are really worn, definitely I need to check mine.

As for the warranty I will take even more photos and try to contact DT again. The process is quite lengthy because I need to reach out to my dealer first whom in turn needs to contact Duotone. It would be easier if I could talk to them directly. Last time this is the response I received.

[LePhasme]

Dude, there literally are holes in your kite, send those pictures to duotone directly, they have to replace that kite.

[Faxie]

@duddd I contacted my dealer and he told me that this is a warranty problem and he is 99% sure they will change the kite, but the reply he got from duotone is that the kite can still fly normal and the glue it's just a way for them to keep the pannels together for sewing in the factory. Also they offered me 50$ credit. I give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe they did not see all the pictures and videos I gave my dealer but I don't know it does not seem very normal to me.

Glueing the pannels is an integral part of the construction, NOT just to align and keep them together for sewing.
If the canopy and LE pannels are only sewn, the kite won't survive even one session.

Few brands have experimented replacing the double adsesive tape method with alternative materials and/or technologies (including HF welding). Maybe Duotone are close, but as it seems not there yet.

Yeah I remember Cabrinha mentioning the welding on their website.

[SolarSet]

If they only spent more time improving their gear quality and less time smoking weed or eating magic mushroom they would have great products.

Please see how they think LEI kite can foil in 4kts thanks to aluula, they must be high as f*** but definitely on from jumping on new juice.

[octavt]

I inspected the kite more carefuly and took some more photos, of course I found more places where the stiching is opening, including on the leading edge.
Two more things I have noticed : One that in a lot of places where the glue opened sand got stuck in the seams . I'm wondering if this will act like sandpaper in the long term?
Second in the places where the pull is strong and the glue is gone the wholes of the stiching actualy got wider and I am afraid they will break at some point like someone commented above.

[SolarSet]

Jeez this pics look terrible. IMHO glue and stitching should act like composite material that always consists of two ingredients that should complement one another like in contraction there is cement and metal rods.
This looks like material will eventually rapture looking at how stitching is affecting material.

[Kitemenn]

If they only spent more time improving their gear quality and less time smoking weed or eating magic mushroom they would have great products.

Please see how they think LEI kite can foil in 4kts thanks to aluula, they must be high as f*** but definitely on from jumping on new juice.

Good thing that their prices remain manageable 3000 euro and up

[octavt]

I have sent this latest set of pictures to Duotone and now I'll wait for their answer. I hope that they will arrive at the same conclusion I have been reading in the comments above from you guys, that the glue actualy plays an important role in the endurance of the kite.

[diana_iv]

Last year we bought Duotone Evo. The situation this year is like in the pictures (the cloth of both Evo 10 and Evo 8 kites is broken, close to the trailing edge). This is most probably because of the glue they used - it hardened with the time.
We used these kites only one season