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North Valves: Continuing a sad story

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flu
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North Valves: Continuing a sad story

Postby flu » Thu Aug 16, 2018 12:02 pm

North valves have now ruined my third consecutive kitesurfing vacation. This a 12m2 DICE 2016 model. It had the old now-infamous valve whose thin inside plastic lid had a tradition of disappearing inside the tube, if you used any pressure pump or even pimp a little hard by hand. The first time in Jericoacara I found a magic repair man to recoup the lid and glue it back as well as possible. Back home: The dealer „forgot to mention this“, but had a hard time getting North to replace tube.

Replacement valve, second vacation in Dakhla, just plain leaked - again. This was the new and improved version with a contraption inside the valve that should prevent the lid from tearing off. Ali, another magic repair man at the kite station, just laughed when he saw it („Oh North valves, I repaired so many, I am out of them“!). He cut out the entire valve and just - somehow - stitched in an ancient Switchblade valve he found in a corner somewhere.

Should have have kept the kite that way. Instead, ordered new tube. North would not replace it for free. When I pumped it up first time here in Lamu, the valve lost air in both postions, „open“ and „closed“, kept the air out only by the outer cap, but losing aur over time.

So now, I am out there kiting, just glued the valve completely shut, using the air outlet on the side to pump up the the kite. So much for North valves.

Never give up. Keep kiting.

Stefan, presently Lamu

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jakemoore
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Re: North Valves: Continuing a sad story

Postby jakemoore » Thu Aug 16, 2018 1:10 pm


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Beardytello
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Re: North Valves: Continuing a sad story

Postby Beardytello » Thu Aug 16, 2018 1:19 pm

I've just had the valve replaced on my 2016 evo as it was leaking. Didn't think it was ideal for a 2 year old not particularly abused kite.

But what I can't have repaired is the fucking bag!! What a load of horse shit those things are.

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Re: North Valves: Continuing a sad story

Postby Faxie » Thu Aug 16, 2018 2:54 pm

You get what you pay for, lol

jyka
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Re: North Valves: Continuing a sad story

Postby jyka » Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:19 pm

Oh, north is another kite company using shitty "we did it better"-valves.
Why almost all kite companies try to invent the wheel again and this is what happens. Why don't they just use a standard boston valve? It is so simple and works great. Or does anyone have problems with boston's?

https://www.diypackraft.com/wp-content/ ... alve-1.jpg

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Topaz
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Re: North Valves: Continuing a sad story

Postby Topaz » Thu Aug 16, 2018 6:35 pm

Faxie wrote:
Thu Aug 16, 2018 2:54 pm
You get what you pay for, lol
Yes, but in this case, North kites are expensive, so you pay big but you get little.

I''ve been lucky so far. My 2016 Dice valve was hissing some times while pumping but it would keep air once the lid got tight. And somehow it got itself fixed and it doesn't do it anymore.

2015's Rebel and Vegas going strong.

I agree with brands trying to re invent the wheel, however, that valve in the picture isn't the old Cab's that you have to screw on? It works, but it has double screw.
I like the Naish inflating valve. At least until 2015. I don't know if they changed it lately. Just push it in, then pump, then screw in the lid. It works every time. No twisting, no double screw.

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Re: North Valves: Continuing a sad story

Postby foilholio » Fri Aug 17, 2018 12:16 am

My valves never come off. Can leave the kites in the car on a hot summers day, no worries.

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Re: North Valves: Continuing a sad story

Postby Pemba » Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:29 am

jyka wrote:
Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:19 pm
Oh, north is another kite company using shitty "we did it better"-valves.
Why almost all kite companies try to invent the wheel again and this is what happens. Why don't they just use a standard boston valve? It is so simple and works great. Or does anyone have problems with boston's?

https://www.diypackraft.com/wp-content/ ... alve-1.jpg
Agreed, never had any issues with these. But then there's just the one per kite.. The "we did it better" thing is what keeps things going on I guess. The 2018 models are all better than the 2017 ones etc. But it's also what somebody (Cabrinha, Ozone, or .. ?) thought when they introduced the Boston valve. Or the "bowkite". Etc.

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Re: North Valves: Continuing a sad story

Postby coupdevill » Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:24 pm

I'm sure the Duotone valves will be much better. :D

coup

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jakemoore
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Re: North Valves: Continuing a sad story

Postby jakemoore » Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:31 pm

foilholio wrote:
Fri Aug 17, 2018 12:16 am
My valves never come off. Can leave the kites in the car on a hot summers day, no worries.
LOL. I wonder if temperature cycling in a car contributes to shrink in bridles and lines.


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