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Safety gear poll

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wakeboy
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Safety gear poll

Postby wakeboy » Sun Apr 20, 2003 11:46 pm

question> Who wears all the safety gear? Helmet, bounacy aid, leash for kite?

I wear it all, sometimes i think im the only nonce, but then i think well i will have a better chance if it goes wrong, im not arogant to think it never will.

The other day i broke two lines at speed and head butted the bar as i fell on my face,, good helmet and impact/float aid..... i was uninjured.

who doesnt? and why not reasonable answers please?


oh yes none is not there as i forgot to add it but if you use none thrn post and say that
Last edited by wakeboy on Mon Apr 21, 2003 12:04 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Postby Guest » Sun Apr 20, 2003 11:54 pm

How about an option called None?
I don't use Saftey gear at all

bludger
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Postby bludger » Mon Apr 21, 2003 9:50 am

I have all the safety gear - and when learning and worried wore it consistently an was called "Gay" (a popular kiting term), now I wear it for conditions - low tide 2 kites gentle breeze - no safety gear
high tide - no beach fresh wind safety gear
- and always wear a bouyant impact vest - (wakeboarding)

Bottom line if you don't need your job and possibly a functioning brain then you don't need safety gear
:D

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Mr Jo Macdonald
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Postby Mr Jo Macdonald » Mon Apr 21, 2003 10:44 am

I use leashes on all my kites but don't use a helmet or impact vest, a wetsuit makes you boyant.
When I settup to launch I always look downwind before laying the kite out to see where I'll go if things go wrong, same applies when I'm coming in, if I don't like where I'm coming in I'll either turn around and kite somewhere safer or come in with the kite on the leash.
I think the best way to avoid big nastiness is to avoid it like the plague. I also think a lot of safety gear will help in minor knocks but I'm personally not convinced about major impacts. I'm pretty sure gath helmets have a disclaimer on them saying it's not for impact protection and even hard helmets such as for American football don't offer neck protection, personally I think a helmet might even increase the chances of your head getting caught and twisted a way it isn't meant to.
Mel mentioned the fact that safety gear can give you a false sense of security and I agree although you can also have that without safety gear.
The other day, 12-20, a good kiter was launching his 17m fuel standing right next to a bunch of concrete cabins downwind of him. I asked him if he didn't think moving further towards the water would be a good idea, he did, he wasn't wearing safety gear but some people are indestructable aren't they?, or believe they are until they get hit hard.
Anyone who's been hit hard, and has survived to tell the tale, knows the human body ain't designed for that sort of treatment and if the shit really hits the fan imho the things that are gonna save your ass are:

luck,
where you are,
what you do,
and how fast you do it,

in that order.

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Postby Guest » Mon Apr 21, 2003 1:21 pm

Mr Jo a wet suit provides enough flotation but in case you feel unconsious for some reason in the sea it is not sure that you will float with the head up. Floatation or impact vests are designed so that you float head up so thats an extra safety feature that makes them worth buying.
I dont have a vest but now that Dakine has impact vest-harness i will try it.

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Protos
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Postby Protos » Mon Apr 21, 2003 2:53 pm

Gear I use:
-Lotus Designs PFD (nice fitting kayak vest)
-Sliding ring kite leash on my ARCs, works mint!
-No board leash (just started going leashless)
-Camelback hydration system- I can ride alot longer when I'm not dehydrated, and I'm alot less sore the next day.
-Carry a hook knife.
-Use sunscreen 8)

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Postby Guest » Mon Apr 21, 2003 3:22 pm

Guest flotation devices used in windsurfing and kiting are NOT designed to float you face up. They are not coast guard approved for this purpose

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Mr Jo Macdonald
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Postby Mr Jo Macdonald » Mon Apr 21, 2003 6:12 pm

Anonymous wrote:Mr Jo a wet suit provides enough flotation but in case you feel unconsious for some reason in the sea it is not sure that you will float with the head up. Floatation or impact vests are designed so that you float head up so thats an extra safety feature that makes them worth buying.
I dont have a vest but now that Dakine has impact vest-harness i will try it.
Yeah they may be designed to do this but most times I've been dragged by a traction kite attached to the middle of my body I got dragged face down, once when I was learning I got dragged on my back and my head was under the water, not fun at all.
I used to wear a pdf when I started windsurfing because there are a lot of things that can knock you out, (mast, boom, board) but I stopped when I started wave riding because a pdf will give a wave a lot more to grab.
I don't use a board leash.

But really this is just how I feel good, your own safety is a very personal thing so I think everyone should decide for themselves and I respect people a lot for using safety gear.
I know I can die kiting, but hell there are worse ways to go waiting for me every day of my life.
I won't fly a kite if it doesn't have a leash because that's not just a question of my life but that of others too.
This is also increasing my chances of a nasty accident where I ride because out of maybe 40 kiters there are about 5 of us who use leashes so if I happen to cross lines disatrously with someone they will probably get out of trouble much faster than me and I'll end up having to release my leash too because even if my kite's depowered on the leash, there's could power up and then it'll be my problem, another reason why I have a QR on my leash.

Most people around here don't use kite leashes and do use board leashes, we still have a long way to go.

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Postby kitingkt » Mon Apr 21, 2003 10:33 pm

i use a helmet and a leash on my board but, no vest. the da kine one in the post above sounds interesting, i will have to check it out. i carry a knife, extra line and a carabiner just in case i have to ditch and wrap things up.

kt

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Postby KiteGlider » Mon Apr 21, 2003 11:15 pm

Black Bell skate-boarding helmet $10.00 at Kmart :lol:
(saving up for a better one)

Kite leash

Waterski PDF

Obrien waterski gloves

Surf booties

Long sleve rash gaurd

mini survival knife

Camel water pack. (thinking of filling it with sports drink and water)

flares and helmet strobe light - :lol: - NO just kidding


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