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After releasing my QR, I found the loop end, which looks like a wire staple, to be bent. I checked my spare bar QR and it's also bent, but not as bad. It seems that when the loop is loaded, it goes very oval and pulls down, levering against the butterbox mech, which is at an angle. Not sure if this bending has weakened the loop. Can anyone else check if they have this? Totally didn't notice this until It was apart. Mebbe it's nothing to worry about, but any thoughts on this? B.T.W, I am more of a recreational kiter and don't do kiteloops!

known design issue.
they break.
probably give you a new one, check and let us know....

Ok thanks. I thought it might have weakened it. Have Slingshot recognised that this is a design failure? Out at sea in a blow and it breaks, seems a real safety issue? I would have thought they would have notified buyers to check but I have not heard anything. Just seen the 2013 bar and it looks like the same QR ?

After 2010 they are designed with a bend it them.

letsgoflyakite wrote:Ok thanks. I thought it might have weakened it. Have Slingshot recognised that this is a design failure? Out at sea in a blow and it breaks, seems a real safety issue? I would have thought they would have notified buyers to check but I have not heard anything. Just seen the 2013 bar and it looks like the same QR ?

That's because it's not a problem. We teach with SS bars on all kites (@ 10 per year) and have not had any breakage since this design came out. I have heard of a few but haven't seen it. The metal square loop has bent a little but doesn't effect anything. I have had a Butterbox crack but was replaced under warrantee and replaced.

noel wrote:

letsgoflyakite wrote:Ok thanks. I thought it might have weakened it. Have Slingshot recognised that this is a design failure? Out at sea in a blow and it breaks, seems a real safety issue? I would have thought they would have notified buyers to check but I have not heard anything. Just seen the 2013 bar and it looks like the same QR ?

That's because it's not a problem. We teach with SS bars on all kites (@ 10 per year) and have not had any breakage since this design came out. I have heard of a few but haven't seen it. The metal square loop has bent a little but doesn't effect anything. I have had a Butterbox crack but was replaced under warrantee and replaced.

Well, I now definitely think it is a problem. Metal that bends is weakened. I have just found a thread ' rally problems' where there are a couple of pics where the metal has now cracked at the bend. If your happy with that, fine, but I don't want to be hanging on to a cracked loop of metal on a cold winters day in a blow.

Not a problem ? ?

E^Ri wrote:After 2010 they are designed with a bend it them.

Odd. This is a 2012, and no bend as far as I can see ?

Did you check with the shop you bought it from? Of course not! You said it's a design flaw which it is not. Things do break which is why you check your gear. If you bought through my shop, you would have a new one already. Yours didn't break, did it? I just check all of my school bars and although most have a bend in it, none are broken or cracked. I am not saying it can't happen but I have broken c-loop or parts of on most brands including Cabrihna, Epic, North and Nobile and still don't think it is a design flaw. Come to think of it,

Things I have broke or bent in kiting: lines, bars, boards, straps, fins, depower straps, leader lines, etc...

All design flaws?

noel wrote:Did you check with the shop you bought it from? Of course not! You said it's a design flaw which it is not. Things do break which is why you check your gear. If you bought through my shop, you would have a new one already. Yours didn't break, did it? I just check all of my school bars and although most have a bend in it, none are broken or cracked. I am not saying it can't happen but I have broken c-loop or parts of on most brands including Cabrihna, Epic, North and Nobile and still don't think it is a design flaw. Come to think of it,

Things I have broke or bent in kiting: lines, bars, boards, straps, fins, depower straps, leader lines, etc...

All design flaws?

Possibly ?

However, to stay focused, for you to see the below pic showing a cracked safety system and say 'there is no problem' gives a big clue to your credibility.This is also at odds with you saying you would give me a replacement in your shop ? Why, if it's not a problem? Anyhow, it might not be a problem to you, but it is to me. If you search the forums, it appears I am not the only one to think this is a problem. Your also making huge assumptions about what I have or have not done. Yes , I have checked with my shop, (so you are wrong there), who said,' odd, all my own bars are fine' , until he actually checked and found his had also bent... . Yes, I do check my gear, which is how I found this, and why I posted asking if anyone else had this problem.
It seems to me, the way this QR is desigened, puts a levering effect on the loop halfway down? It bends? Which makes it weaker? (pic above) It then cracks? (see the big pic below showing this). If you see you have a problem with your car brakes, do you keep using them untill they fail? So no, I won't carry on using this until my safety system cracks. Thanks all the same...

Easy there with the big words! You asked a question about a "bent" part on your bar that may or may not have been bent at the factory but has not cracked. Then you show a pic of someone else's bar (you found a pic of) that is cracked. Which yours is not. You checked with your shop and though I am not sure, but it sounds like your shop did not think to warrantee it. (maybe I am wrong) If it was a big deal to you, I would have had it replaced at no charge even if SS didn't. You asked if anyone else had this problem (bent) and I replied "yes" but have not had a single one break since this design came out. Your second pic shows the bent piece but it is not broken and by any means changeing the way it releases or is able to reset the safety.

If there is a chance that you may not like the answer then don't ask. Credibility has to do with honesty and but I am not sure that's what your looking for!