Switch kites - new bar option?

nice find... look like wainman competition... "heres our 3 kites, wassup?"

they look pretty clean, dont supposed there are many out there, any experience would be cool

$1k for a 16m kite & lines, not to shabby sir!

That bar looks great.

There's a 5-line option too, which'd work for the FSer FDS I think ... be nice to have all the goodies that're on that bar ...

... cos I'm not so impressed with the Ozone loops any more - the DD is a bit short and when I pump the kite to keep it in the air, it likes to spit the CL out ... usually thwacking my hands as the bar goes shooting out of my grip. Got a real sore thumb joint now cos if it, and it isn't the first time

There's some reviews over at kiteforum and they're glowing ... time will tell though. I'm still impressed with the Cab IDS system though and won't be buying new kites for a while. Honest

Quote:

Originally posted by Kamikuza ... cos I'm not so impressed with the Ozone loops any more - the DD is a bit short and when I pump the kite to keep it in the air, it likes to spit the CL out ... usually thwacking my hands as the bar goes shooting out of my grip. Got a real sore thumb joint now cos if it, and it isn't the first time

You're switching bars because of DD envy? That's just so wrong.

I think there is a surgical procedure that can lengthen the DD.

Kind of surprised you haven't retrofitted the Flexifoil Chicken Loop Lock to keep your thumb from being repeatedly bashed.

"Doctor, it hurts when I do this"

"Well, stop doing that."

ATB,
Sam

Yeah I've got a thing like that, that came with the Naish Shift bar I got for the Airush Lift ... won't work with the Dakine spreader bar pads I've got though.
I think it's just the design of the Ozone DD - the little sleeve around the PU tube it's made from twists around and I think the seams help flip it out.

Agree with that philosophy too ... the 10m kite I got is so quick (or I'm so slow ) that I looped it several times the last day I was out, resulting in me drilling head-first into the lake :o

I'm not sure about the Y-connector, but the safety through the bar is fine by me I like the connection point in the dead space in the middle of the CL. Loops on the side like Naish or the Ozone bug me ... I'm sure it's just my OCD playing up though ...

No still only in the "thinking about it" phase ... and I've decided I want a Speed3 12 now anyway

Sore back, no kiting, really bored ... RETAIL THERAPY!!! ordered a bar for the SA2 with the 5th line ... we'll see how it goes

Also, saw a video that inspired good feelings ...

http://vimeo.com/25534597

Here's a pic of 3 bars ...



Here's the data ...

Switch bar
45/55cm
double front line safety (short)
40cm depower + 24cm trim (adjustable)

PL Navigator
55/65cm
single front line safety
50cm depower + 33cm trim

Flysurfer Speed2.5 19
57/62cm
FDS fifth line safety
OEM = 40cm depower + 12cm trim (my depower line has stretched)

Cabrinha
55cm
double front line safety (long)
40 (+30cm) depower + 12cm trim (not sure, forgot to measure and camera battery died)


Pics of those bars ...






I'm no expert but here are my thoughts on replacement value ...

For the PL Navigator - skip the bar, get the quick release setup and replace ... should be a straight swap, it's a similar system under the hood but the push-away release is MUCH better on the Switch.
- Quick Release Complete - US$29 - http://switchkites.com/warehouse_comp/product_info.php?cPath...

For the Flysurfer - total replacement MAY be ok (regarding depower+trim and FLS/FDS) but you're giving up 2 to 7cm worth of leverage. I'm going to try it out but I dunno if it'll be any good. Again, I think the QR/CL would be a good replacement for the Infinity bar but as the older bars have the single depower line : (probably) not possible without replacing the bar.

For the Cab - meh, I'd hate to give up the IDS "letting go is 90% as good as pulling the QR" system. But if you really want a spinning thingy and a stopper ball, then at least it's a similar system. Be quick to QR though would be my advice.


As far as modding the Switch bar itself ...
It comes almost set up to be a "release to front line" safety like the older PL bars ... add a ball thingy, re-connect front line to safety - done!
The 5th line option looks easy to do.
The swivel ... looks weak. I want to replace it with a simple ring :o


My over-all opinion of the Switch bar
Grip is firm, minimal padding but has a raised pattern - should be grippy.
Bar seems a little thicker than the Cab bar over all ...
Bar-ends are nice and big, should be comfy on hands. Also has bungy line tidies that retract - like the Nav bar - a nice touch.
The cover on the spinning head thing just clips on - I don't rate its life expectancy very high but I might be wrong.
Big win is the adjustable trim block thing. Neat.
Nice big bar floats, and they cover adjustable back line attachments.
The stopper block has velcro on it, the idea being to secure the end of the trim line to it. Rate that very low as a success too - I'd replace it with the PL Nav ring and twice as much velcro system for maximum tidiness.
Leader lines are that very dense stuff that Cab uses on the bridles - thin but strong, I bet. I prefer the Amsteel though - which is used only at the bar to leader pigtail - cos it just seems better :D

Any question?

Good spotting, hadn't thought of that ... could have been messy and there's nothing to really stop the bar shooting all the way to the kite too ... hmm ...

No, the hole in the bar would be too small. I looked at it for the S2 too ...
Easy enough to mod the bar to make it FDS but it's only 55cm wide ... I think I want more

Oooh you rotten buggers - they've stopped selling the QR complete ... looks like you can buy everything except the metal tube down the center of the QR body - so pretty much, you can't mod out your other bars without buying the whole bar set. That sucks