Pablo, the strop line on the Brooza's handles - is that a good "standard" length? I'm just now doing the math on lengths and stuff to set up my quick release to use with a climbing harness and will likely add a length of rope so that my hands are held at a comfortable position away from my body thereby making all of my strops the same length as that one. I'd otherwise I'd use a longer strop line but like those particular handles. Are there any pros and cons to using a long vs. short strop?

Interesting question, they're the perfect length if you're using a pulley block and harness. If they were any longer they'd be hard to reach at full turn. Any shorter and you simply don't get enough turn.

If you end up using them with just a standard hook or pulley spreader bar then they're quite close to your waist and it can be a pain to hit full brake while in a turn.

I think they're a good length from the factory though, I have all my strops at roughly the same length. When the original strop finally does wear out, simply tie knots in the ends about 1" away from the handles, then make up another strop and larks head the ends onto the knots.

As for overall lenght, it's a comfort thing, I like them out as far as possible while still being able to reach both handles no problem when reaching over to one side. When I was flying straight off the spreader bar I had them longer though, just to move the handles away from my body and allow full brakes in a tight turn.

Thanks Pablo!

For a quick release you might look under an item called a pelican hook
designed to release under load. Used in the marine trade for releasing nets under load and similar uses.

Hi everyone i have a 6 meter panshand it is hard work using handles and have trouble with using the brakes would a bar be better with a harness. If so i do not want to brake the bank and have no idea about them does anyone know of any that i should look for.:puzzled:

Unless you've got a fail safe, automatic quick release I wouldn't connect directly to the kite until I was very competent with it (I've yet to hook in myself to be honest). Even then I'll be using the Wichard. I find my Panshs to be quite fussy about the brake line setting and need them quite tight which gives me good brake control with the handles. How long are your handles? I've got limited experience with a Flexifoil bar which gives me no brake control other than a webbing strap that I can adjust - but really only tighten while in the air, must be loosened on the ground. Landing requires grabbing a mitfull of actual brake line which scares me (I got sliced good by a little stunt kite years ago...)

I'm relatively new here so hopefully someone can verify or correct me on this.

I use a Ronstan QW with a big loop of red line attached to the pull-pin for release. I connect it to a small Harken pulley w/ ball bearings.
What no one has said is that going from plain strop around the spreader hook to a pulley is like stepping up to power steering; flying the kite can be done practically on fingertips.

About grabbing those brake lines, get a pair of sailing gloves at the marine store. They have reinforced (fake) leather palms and open fingertips for grabbing that larks head. Not expensive and very comfortable. I never fly without them.

You can make a bar with a proper safety easy enough, do a search for the Crossover bar, It's been discussed many times. to land, simply unhook the fixed D-loop and let go of the bar. it'll end up about 1-2 ft away from you and the kite will be on full safety. It'll also feed in brake line steering while flying the kite. It's simply the only bar system I'd use on a kite 5m and larger.

I believe there's some other products out there, I think HQ or Radsail makes them if you don't want to DIY

This has been a good re-read. Right now I have mine set up with harness, D-ring, biner, quick release, pulley. Above, someone had it QR, biner, pulley. That would keep the pulley from sailing somewhere if you disconnect under pressure. Two questions, does no one use any kind of kite killer to keep things close if you disengage the QR? And what do you put on the QR to actuate it?

I made 2 strops today but no wind to try it. I'm getting close on this.

I've tried using kite killers with my harness setup. Works okay, but I start feeling a bit tangled up in the buggy with all of these things...strop, killers, quick release line... Maybe I just need to keep working on getting a setup that is comfortable and functional. <shrug>

Regarding the QR...for now I've run a short length of climbing rope between the shackle release line and a side loop on my climbing harness. It's short enough that there isn't much slack...but not too much tension to cause an accidental release. When I need to bail with the kite killers on, I drop the handles and bring my right hand down toward my harness; it encounters the slightly tensioned release line and POP! off goes the pulley.

One drawback of my setup is the release is definitely a right-handed operation...I have no release line on the left side. I just hope with this configuration that in an emergency I have my wits about me (and range of motion with my right arm) to hit this release.

I wonder why a guy couldn't find a way to run a line down to the harness from the brake lines much like a leash on a bar setup instead of using killers.....

Yeah, perhaps like a kind of second strop that's long enought not to interfere with flight.

Does anybody do this?