Buying a repaired kite

[Dreamer]

Hi all, I'm a newbie and this is my first post here so please be easy on me

I'm being offered a kite with a repaired rip that goes along the main bladder all the way from the trailing edge to the leading edge and then makes an L that is about a foot long. Only the canopy is affected.

I know a repair makes a kite lose a lot of value but I'm wondering if that if just because of aesthetic reasons or can the kite really fly much worse or be prone to riping again in the same place? The repair has been done by a professional and it looks very solid.

I know you will probably say to test the kite but unfortunately it isn't near me and even if it was I don't have enough experience to know if the kite is behaving correctly.

Any comments will be appreciated,

[harppa]

I have managed to rip two of my kites and with both the hole was big enough for a man to go thru.
To be honest I can´t tell any difference with how it flys.
Naturally I was bummed that resale value went down the drain but then again I payed 500€ each and they have served me for 3 years now so worth every penny.
If the repair has been done by professional and you get a good price then go for it.
At least with my other kite the guy who repaired it (used to repair parachutes) said that the kite is stronger from where he has repaired it.

[dr.]

Hi,

If the repair looks solid, tidy and been repaired by a professional and you are getting it at a knock down price then go for it.

I know some kiters who actively seek out repaired kites with a good name just because of the knock down price...me included.

Experience tells me it will not effect performance if its a good repair job.

Dara

[Wetstuff]

.... Hell, I have bought maybe 5-6 kites that were wounded. I only got burned - if $200 for a 2yr old kite is burned - on one. It looked as if it was a target for a skeet range but I patched it with lotsa little round patches. A well torn, and repaired, kite is halved in value as soon as it is re-stitched.

Jim

[Peter_Frank]

Hi,

If the repair looks solid, tidy and been repaired by a professional and you are getting it at a knock down price then go for it.

I know some kiters who actively seek out repaired kites with a good name just because of the knock down price...me included.

Experience tells me it will not effect performance if its a good repair job.

Dara

Agree fully - a good repair job will not really affect the kite, so if you get a good price then go for it

Peter

[diraklib]

I'd say go for it if the kite itself is from a year in a model known for being a good kite. ripped my 11 from LE to TE in Azerbaijan. Used a whole kitefix package to put it back together - not enough of the glue fix to do both sides as recommended and had to use the dacron tape. It ain't pretty, but it works. Can't even justify to myself buying the latest version of it cuz it flys great and holds together even after I slammed it in the water a couple of times.

As a newbie - sounds like a good deal - you'll be abusing a kite no matter what you use. Get some hours under your harness and then use your hard earned case to get something nice when you are over slamming yourself and kite...

enjoy

[Henrythepeacock]

Dude if it's a pro repair then that will be one of the strongest parts of the whole kite!

Only buy it though if it's really really cheap and don't expect to get much back when your done...

[nicegrab]

Good way to go too if you plan on beating the shit of it -or- plan on having it beat the shit out of you.

[FabsPH]

I am riding my repaired kite, and it's just fine.
As long as you don't pay too much for the kite, you will get a quality product. Unless the repair is done "homemade" , you will be ok.

After my kite repair, the kite lost ca $200 in value. Just the way it is.
Great for you, bad for us.(who payed big $$ for the kite)

[Dreamer]

Wow I'm amazed at the unanimous response!

The kite was a 2007 9m cabrniha omega that the seller was asking 300 Eur for (inc bar and lines). I was going to offer 220 Eur (300 USD aprox.) but unfortunately he just sold it to someone else a few hours ago.

However I will keep your great suggestions for future purchases.

Thanks!