I think i found a strop line that wont wear out, lol. Its a coated steel cable from my Bowflex with carabiners on both ends. Its about 3ft long with the carabiners on it. Havent had a chance to try it yet as the wind seems to die at time i get off work, lol.

Careful you don't damage the spreader bar. It's cheaper to relplace a piece of rope than your spreader bar. Besides the metal filings will do their own damage.

I thought about that... the coating is quite durable though and the cable i want to try has never been used before. The ones ive used for the last few years have no sign of cracking on the coating and ive got a roller spreader for the waist harness now.

NVM - doing a search eliminated my question.

windsurf harness lines,
i will give you for free at fiesta park

I've never worn out an amsteel strop. That coating will break and chew through the wheel on your spreader.

Strop length is a personal matter, but you don't want it longer than you can always reach the handle with either hand. 3 feet long is too long for about anyone.

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob

Strop length is a personal matter, but you don't want it longer than you can always reach the handle with either hand. 3 feet long is too long for about anyone.

Exactly what I was thinking. I have short arms but I am sure my strops are considerably shorter than 3ft.?

Also, a stiff strop would likely have a bad habit of flopping out of the spreader when not tensioned?

Not sure how some measure your home made strop length, I have bought and sold and made up custom lengths of all sorts.
If you fly with the power lines only on your 4 line kite. Depending on your harness and handle set up the real length of the strop is determined by the distance of your setup while in the buggy and hooked in to the harness while turning the kite from one extreme to the other, and still be able to reach the far away handle without over reaching.
If you fly with the brake lines in conjunction with the power lines. Your strop line is no longer than the distance of your handles are to reach your point of hooking into the spreader bar. Got that?
If your handles are 18 inches long, your strop will be 32 inches long or less. 12 inch handles- 24 inch strop or less.
I will take try to take a picture to show what I'm talking about.
The idea is that this size is so you can apply the brakes 100% and while the brakes are applied the are the same length as the strop so the handles, strop line can be held with one hand together and unhook with out extra slop in the strop line. PKD made the handles this way with the strop line included for racing. Most racing buggy riders complained the strops were to long and they made them shorter by 4 to 8 inches depending on handle length.

3' is insane. 13"-18" is the lengths I've used and I found anything longer than 16" was way too long for me in the buggy.

Another factor for strop length is the position of your kite. Race kites fly forward (father from the center of the wind window)of the buggy and beginner kites fly closer to the center of the window compared to a race kite. This makes a difference in the strop because of rear tire interference and your side rail and hip interference. These things that get in the way will require a longer strop. If the kite flys out front of you and the buggy then you can shorten up the strop length.
If this is too confusing I would say to make a strop that's say 36inches long and try it in a real life buggy ride and then shorten it a couple inches at a time till you can't use it without a problem. This way you know exactly your personal strop length.
I've bought strops that were 12 inches to long for use as a strop, which are no longer sold.
As for material of a strop line, I would recommend a slightly stiff material. Something along the line of 3/8 or thicker amsteal, thinner is to me too limp to hook in and stay there. On the other end too stiff is hard to use and not so user friendly.

Jeff I like your logic about being able to put the brakes on fully while hooked in. Ultra short strops set up for racing might not allow that. I set my first pb over 100 kph with my 2.7 Vapor that Brian set the record with but I used his lines. The usable strop length was only about 5" from knot to knot. I was uncomfortable with it being so short at first but in reality, it was plenty long enough.

I've heard the logic about race kites flying further forward but for every speed run that has the kite way up front, there is an upwind slog to regain position. This is for my riding style on a lakebed. In a race course the kite would be to both extremes as well. I've always made my strops long enough to controll the kite while launching and landing as well as long enough to always be clear of my side rails when in a stable running position. Most push pull turns are with the kite up high for turning and coming in to camp so not much of a factor.

I dont currently have a buggy, was wanting to try my FB kites out in the snow so they get some love this winter, lol. As far as strop length goes, thanks for all the info of picking a correct length! I have fairly long arms (6'4.75" wingspan) so thats why i was thinking a longer strop would work for me. Actual length of what i have is 33.5" and with mocking things up in the house, my handles feel like theyre in their normal location and turning from one extreme to the other is within reach. Now if the damn weather would just co-operate, i could field test things, lol.

Quote: Originally posted by adambweird

I dont currently have a buggy, was wanting to try my FB kites out in the snow so they get some love this winter, lol. As far as strop length goes, thanks for all the info of picking a correct length! I have fairly long arms (6'4.75" wingspan) so thats why i was thinking a longer strop would work for me. Actual length of what i have is 33.5" and with mocking things up in the house, my handles feel like theyre in their normal location and turning from one extreme to the other is within reach. Now if the damn weather would just co-operate, i could field test things, lol.

It's hard to tell if your length is correct by static flying with the strop/tow point directly in front of you. For example, once in motion using a buggy or snow skis, your body is turned sideways to the pull and your harness tow point will try and twist around to the direction of pull. Once this happens your "far" arm will feel too short lol.

I have never made a strop that wasn't too long and had to be shortened
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but 2ft is real long
IMO

The issue I see is being stuck with a very long strop as you progress. The long strop will not be so bad while you are still flying with a Push Pull style so give it a go.

As you progress and especially when you get in motion you should find yourself using primarily brake input to control your kite. I personally hold my handles sort of like a bar. I fly depower so that style works for me. As Bob pointed out when flying proper you only need 5 or 6 inches of active travel max' on your strop. The only time I really need to use the Push Pull style is in low or sketchy winds and I am unhooked in those. Even when walking back upwind or resting I mostly control with brake input.

I never push the limits hooked in to a strop ! NO QR!

I suggest that once you start flying with more brake input you should get some good rope and try a shorter strop. If you are using more than 5 - 6 inches of travel then you may want to think about adding more brake. ( and holding the handles like a bar )

:bigok:

To date i have yet to go in motion, not for lack of trying, lol. The winds here seem to get shifty and start crapping out when i get off work coupled with 6 day work wks til Feb and football on Sundays... my flying time has been cut down a bunch, lol. But, theyre calling for 8" of snow on Sunday... might have to get the board out after snow removal and watching the Browns lose, lol. Or maybe my saucer sled and the Pepper if the wind is high, lol. I have seen people flying bar style in different videos, didnt pay a whole lot of attention to it before since i didnt have the option of going mobile til recently. Makes sense to fly like that while hooked. Theres gonna be a bunch of stuff to try out over the winter, thats for sure!

Most of the handles have a knot on a short leader on the strop side. I use a longer strop than I will need and leave one
end with a loop and one without. I larks head the strop to one handle and use a cow hitch ( like a larks head without the end spliced back )
on the other knot. This hitch will hold well enough, and adjusts easily. Experiment till you find the length that works and splice a loop
for that length strop. My buggy strops are not the same as my snowkite strops. You will find that the strop will be shorter than you think.
If you have a bullet spreader use 3/8 " line to avoid getting the line stuck between the roller and the spreader.

I agree that 5-6" of travel is all that is about all you use when powered up in good air. Janky winds are something else and you might want
to reconsider the strop, or increase your accident insurance. I find that when I'm down to a 2.5- 3.5m kite I go without hooking in.