What do you do at the end of the session if you aren't rolling your kites up? You are going to create a fold in the material then surely?FLandOBX wrote: ↑Wed May 09, 2018 4:57 pmThe "fold test" is intriguing to me. I have never used it, never known an instructor to teach it, and can't imagine that it's good for your kite or LE bladder. Am I the only one who thinks that the "fold test" forces the kite and LE bladder to do what they are not designed to do?
I've always found that gauges are reliable and easy to use (except on kites that have a one-directional inflate valve like Cabrinha). Otherwise, the ping test works for me.
Yes, I do roll my kite at the end of a session. But I usually remember to deflate the kite before rolling. It's not folding the material that gives me pause; it's folding a fully inflated LE bladder.nothing2seehere wrote: ↑Thu May 10, 2018 8:58 amWhat do you do at the end of the session if you aren't rolling your kites up? You are going to create a fold in the material then surely?
I'll have to check the gauge, but these two smaller kites are Naish Pivots. It would be hard to pop a strut valve on them, they have a strap that holds them, and the main valve is a screw type.edt wrote: ↑Wed May 09, 2018 8:56 pmI would be afraid of popping a valve a that pressure. But as long as your kites don't explode, why not.Hugh2 wrote: ↑Wed May 09, 2018 8:41 pmI'm lucky to be a feeble 62-year-old, so I pump my kites as hard as I am able! Turns out that is the top of the red region or around 12 PSI ( I think, the pump is in my garage) for 7 and 9m, and top of green range, maybe 9 PSI, for my 12 and 16m, which are also older kites.
Yes, I've noticed. And if I'm asked to launch a kite which I think is too soft then I say so and refuse.badgb21 wrote: ↑Thu May 10, 2018 8:24 pmA few years ago, you would often launch folks and the bladder would feel quite soft, you'd say something, they'd shrug and off they went.
Of recent years I rarely, if ever feel a soft kite when launching someone.
Suggests information and equipment (pump gauge) has helped.
Anyone else noticed this?
Ah. Makes sense. I see your point. I probably should have said 'crease' instead of fold - but even that might not have been clear. Its something that's easy to demonstrate but difficult to explain. Probably why pressure gauges are the primary way for most people.FLandOBX wrote: ↑Thu May 10, 2018 4:20 pmYes, I do roll my kite at the end of a session. But I usually remember to deflate the kite before rolling. It's not folding the material that gives me pause; it's folding a fully inflated LE bladder.nothing2seehere wrote: ↑Thu May 10, 2018 8:58 amWhat do you do at the end of the session if you aren't rolling your kites up? You are going to create a fold in the material then surely?
Dimitri's video shows a technique that doesn't trouble me at all. Nothing2see, you've described it perfectly here:
" .....you aren't trying to fold the LE. You are checking to see if it would fold without much effort...."
But your earlier description of the "fold test" describes a different technique that I wouldn't want to do on my kites:
"Move to near the wing tip and try and bend the LE. It should resist bending but still fold."
Bottom line is that actually folding a fully inflated LE (i.e., folding the tip of the LE over to the interior LE) puts too much stress on the bladder. I've seen many LE bladders explode with far less stress.
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