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Hey guys, relatively new to the sport just have a quick question about my 2008 16m liquid force session. About the second strut in from the wing tips, on either side, the kite seems to fold in on the leading edge when building momentum through the wind window. Sort of like a "flapping" motion. Now where I live there is no real kiting community and taking lessons isn't an option so everything is self taught. I haven't had the right conditions to get up and planing with the 16m session yet this summer but have been on the beach flying it and something feels off. I also own a 2004 12m flexifoil atom which flew with no real problems last summer and I was able to get up and planing. So this leads me to believe the problem has something to do with the lines/length maybe even the knots on the session. I am 5'11 165lbs with wind speeds anywhere from 15-30 kmh on a good day. Also riding on a 140cm slingshot twin tip. Thanks in advanced for you help!

hard to tell without seeing it but if it is both sides it is PROBABLY not pumped up hard enough. Can you bend the wingtip with your hand easily? if so, then just not enough air in it.

sorry, your gonna have to deal with that. you can pump it up as hard as you want, it will help a little, but your still gonna buckle that wingtip when you load it up.

your kite doesnt have these, but if there are line (bridle, or backline) attachment point adjustments (where the bridle or back lines actually attach to the LE) you can try moving them, usually closer together (bridle towards windgtip, backline away from wingtip) that can help a little sometimes too.

refer to recent thread on stability, some kites have it, yours doesnt. thats a known issue with that kite. fortunately, it could be worse. imagine if you weighed 250 and were trying to use it in 18-25mph.


are you sure its an '04 atom? i didnt think those were around until 07, maybe 06

Sounds like your not pumping hard enough. Kites should be about 8-10psi or feel like a basketball. If the leading edge is really fat in the center and more skinny at the wing tips then you need to pump pretty hard to keep it from flapping.

pump it harder and by that I mean pump it 20 or so more times than what you're doing. Or buy a $10 pressure gauge and pump it to 8 psi just to feel how hard it's really supposed to be, then after you figure it out you can ditch the pressure gauge.

Thanks for the quick responses guys I appreciate the info. I would say it is most definitely not pumped up enough considering my pump hose burst and I finished blowing up the kite with my lungs. As for the atom I am not 100% it is an 04 that was just my best guess because I thought that was when the samba color scheme came out. I could do a little deeper digging to find out the actual year. Next opportunity I get ill for sure grab a gauge and pump it to the 8-10 psi range and hopefully it makes a difference. Thanks again guys!

Maidra,
If you can't find a gauge to see how much you are pumping the kite you can always check it by looking at the LE. If you see that you still have some creases on the LE while you are pumping then the kite needs to be pumped more. Then once you are finished pumping the kite, make sure to flick the LE of your kite with your fingers and it should do the same sound then a drum. That means its rock solid. Pumping the kite with your mouth won't work unless you are SUPERMAN.

Maidra wrote:I would say it is most definitely not pumped up enough considering my pump hose burst and I finished blowing up the kite with my lungs.

Wait. What?

I have blown it up with lungs before one psi taco city

Maidra dude
Check your 2008 kite for a twisted leading edge bladder ???