Kite Manufacturers: You must standardize safety features

[windyway]

Kite manufacturers must standardize safety features.

For example, take control bar colors.
If solid red was ALWAYS in the left hand, the kite launcher could see and prevent the "upside down bar" launch.
But what if its a Cabrinha and the bar is black and yellow or the Naish bar is mostly white?
Is fashion more important than someone's life?

How else does this effect us?
Do you have two different brands of kites?
Did you just change brands?
Do you notice a newbie making a mistake?
Are you trying to help someone in trouble?

What can be standardized for safety?

• Bar color- Solid red is left
  Line colors- Red left, black right, center tbd
  Goof proof connectors- Knots on front lines, larkshead on back.
  Bridles- Red is left, black is right.
  Chicken loop release- Push or pull. Loop, ball, or sliding collar?
  Leash release- Push or pull
  Kite knife pocket- front right side of every harness. Is Mystic Warrior the only one who figured this out?

Manufacturers must be pro-active and do more to help prevent accidents.
It's time for manufacturers to get together and set some basic standards.
.

[Kite-4-Life]

We'll get there one day!
safe kiters unite

[Toby]

I second that!!! Give us standards!

[Wind Breaker]

I agree, but black is not good for a line color. The first generation of Eclipse kites came with a black line, and it was impossible to see in certain launches with lots of dried black sea grass - right in their own back door in Hatteras. Not to mention that in the water, a black line can be very dangerous because you can not see it easily. It appears that Eclipse has switched from a black line to a blue line this year. Slingshot still using all white lines?! What a pain in the arse that is when walking out lines, untangling, etc. Not to mention hard to see on a true white sand beach.

Red-left (well established by now, right Cabrinha?)
Blue-right
Whatever for center (yellow/orange would be most visible)

Regardless, it should all be standardized.

[steveb]

Once you standardize certain features you limit the opportunity for improvement and development.
Standardize the kites you use so you know their features and you're standarized

[JGTR]

I don't agree that safety systems should be standardised. You can't have a standard system because all systems have their pros and cons and you can't please everyone. Different systems give people the choice to use what they feel comfortable with.

Take the Mystic harness knife, great for right handed people, except some people are left handed.

Also there are other aspects of safety that are totally ignored by 99% of kitesurfers - like flotation vests and helmets. I don't wear a helmet, stupid really, only got to get a whack from a board knock you out and its goodbye

Companies spend fortunes on advertising their safety gear yet their riders don't wear even the basic safety equipment - some don't even wear leashes

Its up to every kitesurfer to be familiar with their kit and know their limitations - I know that the 2 different bars that I use have different logos and colours on each side and I make sure that I always rig it up the same way each time.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't think of safety, but its more down to the individual than the kit

[bay surfer]

Not everything should be standardized, Colors yes.
Lines, connectors, yes.
Chickin loops, bar safetys no, You can have your sliding safety and put them where the sun does'nt shine, Some are just plain stupid and unsafe.
(I never wear a leash) , But I alway wear a helmet, never lost a kite either. seen many kites go bye bye own by users with leashes. Just because you dont wear leash does not make it safe. Many safety systems out there.

[Dimitri M]

This is very very good information we are getting here. I do strongly believe that the lines and bar colors should be standardised. Now the CL, the Depower Straps, and Kites needs to be worked on every time in order to bring the best and safetyest product in the market. So these should not be STANDARDISED like the bar and lines color.
Any way this is my opinion.

[EvanOR]

I agree with Dimitri.

Cheers,

Evan

Ocean Rodeo

Choose Performance over Hype.

[aahi]

I agree with dimitri as well, safety systems should continuously be improving, BUT i think that in the case of a chicken loop, I think that the "activation method" should be standardized.

Personally I think that every CL should have a 360 degree (i.e. that you can grab from up, down, left or right) PUSH AWAY release, preferably marked in a red color as well. This I believe because, in some cases when you need to release the kite when there is no tension in the lines (a hidenburging kite is one example) pull releases sometimes don't work because there is nothing pulling back. when you use a push away release there is always your harness hook doing the opposing force (I hope I explained that clearly) also it prevents accidental activation when grabing your chicken loop after an unhooked trick This kind of release you can also activate with out even looking at it (sometimes i don't know how someone is supposed to find a small little red knob in a hurry)

otherwise, standardize bar and line colors!!! we are actually almost there, only a couple companies left...