How old is your oldest kite you still ride on?

[PugetSoundKiter]

Rode my 2005 era PL Venom 19m and 2005 FS Speed 17m last summer

[BiteMe]

2007 Royal Era. Still my favorite kite ever

[Peert]

2007 9m Best Yarga hybrid. Used maybe 2-3 times a year as I need 25 knots plus to ride. A little wrinkled (like me ), but has held up well.

just 2-3 times per year above 25 knots? That is so sad.... are you sure you don't want to move?

Oldest kite for me is a 14m 2007 warroo with some struts removed... For low wind conditions.
Rarely use it..

[jhonson]

SS FUEL 2007 9m still fun whit this kite.

[tomtom]

I have 2006 GK Sonic - 8. I dont say it is in good condition, but i still use it.
I leave it for my children to beat it to death while learning It has very good safety system just let go the bar and all pull is gone. Only thing missing is one pump

It would be very interesting to have an independent kite designer deconstruct this kite to find out why it's been so durable. Is it just overbuilt and heavy? Is it superior materials, design, luck, or a combination of these things?
Tomtom, what does it currently weigh? How does it compare weight-wise to a 2018 8m?

Only thing a change or repair was valves as they delaminated. Otherwise - kites last surprisingly long. I dont let them flapping in wind.
But main thing a think is how often you rode them.

I will weight the kite and compare it with 2018 - North NEO

[Bille]

Rode my 2005 era PL Venom 19m
...

Is that the 1 or 2 (?) ; because i used my 19m,(1), on the Jean dry-lake bed
a few weeks ago !

Also have the 10m, PL Venom 1 ; it still gets used a Lot !

And i got a hair-cut in my blue Venom , T-shirt last month . No Really !!

In 2009, i did my first try at kite boarding, with two fake legs ; it used the 19m, PL Venom 1
because it's SOooooo stable.

Bille

Just tried to add a picture of that day , and it didn't work ; did the KF
change it's protocall, or is it windows 10 on my PC doing that ?

[Carlos_C]

2006 Flysurfer psycho 3's have 8 - 10 - 13 - all going strong

[jumptheshark]

2007 Royal Era. Still my favorite kite ever

Amazing kite.

After selling em I never saw the guy who bought em use em. Was tempted to offer to buy em back.

[Wind Runner]

This thread makes me think about what it is exactly that wears kites out. We all know that UV/sunlight is very bad, but based on my very limited experience I see the most wear and tear on the places where my kites get folded. The thought of rolling them end to end without folding them at all is appealing (like windsurfing sails), but would definitely be a transport and storage problem. Just to stay on topic, my oldest kite was bought new in early 2015. Young by some of the examples in this thread... because of that I will put aside any thoughts of replacing it just yet

[PugetSoundKiter]

Is that the 1 or 2 (?)

Hi Bille,
My 19m is a Venom1 and stock, without a Trailing Edge Tuck Link1 , Link2
My 17m Speed is unmodified too, no 1.5, 631, or 421 mods.
Only fly these in light steady winds, usually on my Mako King for maximum leverage.