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What to look when buying a used foil kite?

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Topaz
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What to look when buying a used foil kite?

Postby Topaz » Wed Feb 14, 2018 6:34 pm

I'd like to get a used foil kite, but the bridle kind of confuses and discourages me.
What should look to check that the bridle is in good and usable condition?
Are they easy to fix or adjust if they have been messed up?

How about the canopy? Anything particular to check other than visible condition of the fabric?

Thanks

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Re: What to look when buying a used foil kite?

Postby Mossy 757 » Wed Feb 14, 2018 8:03 pm

Inspect the canopy stitching for loose threads, torn seams, or any needle holes that have conspicuously enlarged where the thread penetrates the canopy in the stitching. Check for any pinholes in the fabric, the best way to do this is to get the kite in the air then fly it in front of the sun to see if any light shines through. Do you see any bridles that look worn or frayed, or if there are sheathed lines in the bridle are those sheaths in tact or are they abraded to a point where they don't run smoothly over the pulleys? Does the kite feel crispy like a wind breaker or soft and pliable like silk? Can you see white salt deposits where seawater might have dried out on a wet canopy or is it all a nice uniform color?

Other than that, the way the kite was flown, by whom, and for what purposes will tell you a lot about the wear and tear on a used foil kite. Just like cars, 100k miles might be all commuting on freeways to work or it could be 100k miles of drag racing, 1/4 mile at a time at full throttle. Knowing the seller or at least understanding how they used it or how long they've been flying foil kites can tell you a lot.

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Re: What to look when buying a used foil kite?

Postby Kamikuza » Thu Feb 15, 2018 8:37 am

Re. the bridle -- look at the kite in the air. There shouldn't be tucks or pulls anywhere in the canopy that indicate line shrinkage, especially at the tips. Other than that . . . I don't know. Caveat emptor. Knock the price down until you're happy taking the risk.

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Re: What to look when buying a used foil kite?

Postby joriws » Thu Feb 15, 2018 12:49 pm

Porosity aka air tightness. Try to breath covering your mouth kite kite fabric. If breathing is too easy kite's air tightness might be gone, on new kite breathing is impossible. There is a possibility to re-coat the kite but actually it is hard to do and usually not worth of the discount.

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Re: What to look when buying a used foil kite?

Postby sedluk » Fri Feb 16, 2018 1:53 am

I think the strategy of knocking down the price until you are happy is the route most take.

I am usually on the other side but I have bought some used foil kites. I think there is probably more worry than there needs to be. I bought a used 9m Sonic 2, it was used a few times before I bought it and now that I have used it several times, it makes no difference to me.

I have sold some Speed 4/5 kites that were used maybe 5-10 times for less than half the new price. I know guys that have flown there kites most days for years, we are talking hundreds of sessions and they are still going strong. So it is just the way it is, the resale market is pretty nervous and probably over concerned about some wear. Sure, after a few hundred sessions the kites no longer look like new, the white gets yellowed after a few times in the water. I notice a big difference between the guys that buy a new kite and use it many times a week, they don't seem to care at all that the white is not white and the fabric is not crisp. They just continue flying the kite and having fun. Most of these guys would buy a new kite if they noticed any difference at all.

Then the guys looking at used kites are super careful even when looking at a kite that has only been flown 10-20 times.

I have seen the same thing with LEI kites. Sure, some of that is because it might be last years model and they really think that there might be a big difference in the new model year.

I generally buy the latest models. Then sell the previous model, I often sell them to friends for pennies on the dollar because I think it works better that way. It I am going to sell a really nice kite for pennies on the dollar, it might as well be to someone I know and someone I kite with.

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Re: What to look when buying a used foil kite?

Postby Topaz » Fri Feb 16, 2018 2:37 am

Thanks for the comments!

All very helpful.

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Re: What to look when buying a used foil kite?

Postby kitexpert » Fri Feb 16, 2018 12:26 pm

sedluk wrote:
Fri Feb 16, 2018 1:53 am
Most of these guys would buy a new kite if they noticed any difference at all.
Problem is they get used to their aging kites. I've seen many times how excited people are and how much they praise their new kites and "development" achieved - this is mostly because their old kite had become soggy out of tune POS. It was last weekend I tested one old foil kite which had a new owner. I didn't want to spoil his mood saying how it is, and he as a beginner didn't know how it should have flied and looked like.

Many enthusiastic kiters just buy new kites before problems are apparent.

Slowly decreasing performance is one of the biggest drawbacks of foil kites, LEI's are much more constant in that respect. Speeds and race foils are worst (race foils perhaps not there yet), because they are closed cell kites with high AR. Some low AR open foils like Frenzys do last very long and they are usually not as heavily used year around.

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Re: What to look when buying a used foil kite?

Postby downunder » Fri Feb 16, 2018 2:41 pm

No matter how many issues the kite has if you have fun with it.

Same with the board. We have a rider who makes his huge boards but he loves it.

Ive got Sonic v1, used. The bridles are not a big deal, just use a common sense. The same guy replaced everything he could by himself pn his foil, it will not kill you :)

Oh, I already wrapped my Sonic around the tree and a pole. Do that with an lei and its finished :)

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Re: What to look when buying a used foil kite?

Postby windrider1 » Fri Feb 16, 2018 7:57 pm

There are no special considerations for a buying used foil kite more than looking at the bridles for obvious wear and the canopy itself for Rips tears or signs of excess wear. Foil kites usually last longer than lei ‘s .

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Re: What to look when buying a used foil kite?

Postby Pedro Marcos » Sat Mar 10, 2018 7:10 pm

Ive seen foil kites with just 1 year after being manufactured with the fabric soft and all the "crisp" gone, but the kite still flying good, i think the "crisp" doesnt last very long.


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