Today was out on the buggy in about 8-12 mph winds with a 4.5m pkd cent ii. As I put the kite through a down loop and did not properly time my turn, the right power line snapped in the middle. The line was put under stress dragging me sideways but based on its load rating that should not be problematic. Before the last few weeks I didn't care or think much about kite lines. The last four times I have been out I have broken three fairly new sets (less than one year old with max a dozen uses each), for no apparently good reason. Each of these sets was broken either fairly close to the kite or mid span, both are areas that dont usually see much wear. Last time I had broken a set, before this spat, was over a year ago and it was my fault because I ran over the line and it got wrapped around the axle.
All my line sets are either the yellow PKD lines that come with the PKD kites or the flexifoil lines from amazon. The three sets that broke all were flexifoil sets purchased in early 2018.
Not sure what's going on, whether there is a problem with the lines or I am pushing my gear harder than I used to.

How often do you guys end up breaking a line?
Has anyone had any problems with the flexifoil line sets from amazon?
What line sets do you typically use and how are they working for you?
Also what is a good inexpensive source of line in bulk and is it worth going that route rather than buying ready sets.

Those must have been your tracks I saw yesterday at the beach!

Lines can snap for a few unknown reasons. I had a line snap for no good reason I could recall.

Overall only a few line snaps unkown or from known damage in a dozen years. Pretty good!


Did you in fact stress it beyond it's max? How would one know?

Strength Rating are a bit flawed out there as has been said on past posts.

Could be a manufacturing flaw..?..... or any kind of line nick... A
snag on a sharp edge piece of ice, stepped on by your ice skate, axle entanglement FRICTION BURN, or a snag on a RAZOR clam on beach..:P?.


Consider friction wear of the lines themselves in regular use after many hours and hours. Do you loop or muti-loop kite and fly like that for extended periods with lines rubbing against each other? all adds up to wear and tear. I think your issue is with lines that are not heavily used yet... but just stating here how lines can weaken/break.

I'd think where you would put the most stress on a line is when you become static(stopped) or even moving opposite to a sudden HIGH POWERED pull. This may occur ,in fact, in a mis-timed, 'non-fluid' downloop turn like you had . You mention being dragged sideways...so combine that with the acceleration or extra power of a down loop , and that might do it.

Oh, and I would also think if one is flying overpowered in such a scenario, that would up the line stress. Not saying YOU were overpowered, BTW...just thinking about line stress factors.

When your wheels are rolling ahead- going with the direction and with the acceleration of power- there isn't that same resistance .


Flexifoil makes a stronger line set, I believe. You might opt for that.