I have a few kites, including a 4 line powerkite and so far I pack them up with lines attached every time. Sometimes have to untangle and straight out lines.

So I am curious what do you recommend, untying the lines after every flight to have less wear and tear or is it a wash and more of a personal preference?

We discussed this a little bit awhile back. I prefer to leave them attached. Here is link to a video that shows how to do it with the least amount of hassle. It is near the end of the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FFVFffvXrQ

It is near the end of the video when he is putting the kite away

I find the lines are far less likely to wind up tangled if they are attached at both ends. That way any tangles that happen can usually be shaken out or pulled out against the wind.
A bar is even better than handles because handles can pass through each other if they come loose in the bag, which is a pain to untwist when you have the kite staked on the brakes, wanting to launch but the lines are tangled in a way that results in having to pass a handle through the other lines. Try to do this without unintentionally launching the kite into a spiral! Now I always wind onto my handles instead of parapacking to avoid this.

I have one of my kites on a bar, I parapack that setup and it works great.

But, if you detach the ends and they manage to pass through things and tie knots, that's when things get really ugly.

Personally I keep them attached. I have noticed if you wind up the line in a figure 8 (video) place the bar/handles in the center of the kite to roll up, and reverse your actions when you unfold it, the lines should be straight. Very few and far between I may have some how twisted it and have to undo one when it's all laid back out.

Using this method I can usually have a kite up or packed in about 3 min. However the larger the kite is the longer it takes to pack such as a closed cell or LEI...gotta let the air out then. That takes a bit longer, but still the lines are all the same if wrapped up this way.

This comes up periodically. I look at it this way...

1) If you are flying many kites on one bar, you're going to have to disconnect to swap obviously. But even then, for the sake of neatness I leave attached. More often than not I end up launching the last kite I flew on.

2) Faster set up and break down. Unless you manage to slide a bar though a bridle when shoving the bar/handles in the pack, the kite should unpackin the exact reverse order as you packed it. Easier, faster and reduces change of connecting the wrong line to the wrong place when in a rush. :D (cause that NEVER happens)

3) You never forget your bar and lines. If you have multiple kites and/or bars nothing is worse than getting to the kite area (again in a rush) and you realize you grabbed the wrong bar of no bar at all.

Getting into a system with your setup/packdown is key. The more you do it the faster you get. The better your packdown the better your set up. I can proably get an open cell unpacked and launched in just over a minute not counting anchor placement. It has to become second nature and muscle memory. We teach the same pack down method here with each student. This way when we are using multiple kites everyone knows how to unpack it and when they pack it up, it will be ready for the next person. A small thing that makes life much simpler.

keep it simple keep them on.

The biggest reason, other than one bar w/ multiple kites senario which is the primary reason, is to rinse the bar/lines off, which is a kite boarding situation.

but in my experienc, land based riding gathers alot of sand/grit and may require the same.

riders choice is the end of it.

Michael Gaylan wrote:

Quote:

However the larger the kite is the longer it takes to pack such as a closed cell or LEI...gotta let the air out then. That takes a bit longer, but still the lines are all the same if wrapped up this way.

I always leave FB Foil handles attached and my DP Foil Bars attached but always disconnect my LEI lines from the kite. Never noticed anyone unpack or pack a LEI kite with the lines attached so the quote above had me wondering why not and the pros/cons.

To capitalize on the internet brain trust, just read 140 post on this topic at { LINK }. Thought I would share this resource and concluded I am going to continue packing my dry Foil controls connected and continue disconnecting my LEI lines from the kite.


:dunno:

As many times as I have flown my LEI I have only had to remove ONE line maybe 3 times. Other than that I have never had any problems. I say this because it is usually 1 line (some how) that would get twisted up. Seriously I have NO idea how ONE line could get that way but that's just how it was each time. I simply disconnected it, pulled it through straight, and reconnected.

This subject is pretty much one who's kite owner can do as he/she wishes. Each to their own. I like the quickness of set up/pack.

The rat nest of a line set you have pic above pistolpete, is how my bar lines ended up once when I DID disconnect it. Maybe not quite that bad. LOL GOOD LUCK with that one. I didn't have any tie ties I just used the kite killer as my wrap. Not a good idea IMHO.

Again Pro's and Con's

Someone e-mailed me this one.

^ that's cool

I disconnect them, not because it is easier or harder, but i show so many people how to kite, that disconnected means its more like the kite when they buy one, so they already know what to do initially when they get the kite.

I've left a few connected a time or two (rain coming, etc) and found it easy on the return trip. the exception is parapacking....which did not end well...twice. Thus i attempt no further.

Recently, I started experimenting with line lengths so I'm changing lines more often than kites and typically stow them disconnected. Up to that point in time, I kept a set of handles and lines on a winder with each FB in my quiver and was completely anal about my set up and stow rituals. I call it the two-minute-drill because that's about how long it takes to run down my mental check list during set up and get to the perma-grin part.

For me, it's all about routine and spotting anomalies rather than convenience.

I leave the lines of my FB kites attached. I learned to para-pack via various YouTube tutorials that are easy to find.
Para-packing for me allows very fast setup and pack out with consistent results as long as you do it the same way every time. Many also like the sock method for wrapping lines. In any case, use the tutorials that are out there and do what affords you the fastest and most seamless transitions to and from the kite bag.

I almost always leave my lines attached, ESPECIALLY on days like today when the mercury never got above 13F. The last thing I want to do in sub arctic weather is larks head lines to a bridle. (one less time you have to take the gloves off):D