Totally agree with above posts regards the "ring"

A few years ago we ran a trip to Dahkla where two kites pulleys failed, it was a nightmare trying to sort this out, no real problems with the steel rings, they simply won't fail.

We have now been using the kites with rings for a quite few months now and have seen no difference in wear compared to the pulleys.

KISS.....keep it simple

www.blastkiteboarding.co.uk

I used to fly North and 5th line is the reason why I don't fly them anymore...
It is a great system until you wrap that 5th around your kite and bow-tie. Your kite is in 2 pieces now.
It's just my opinion...
Also, as far as ring and pulleys goes, I am opting for non pulley use.
I have many different brand's kites but all kites that have pulley's gray line does wear out... and I use the non-factory expensive ronstan pulleys (orbit) . They still wear gray line so I decided to go with metal slider and couldn't be happier!

I´m a North rider and I used to fly Best and I will use my North bar on the renegade infinity v2 with 5th line just for safety reasons, a 5th line is the best way to depower a kite from 100 to 0 in a second. If you rip you kite in two pieces bad luck but if you break your neck......

P.S INFINITY v2 is 5th line ready.

How do you guys manage to get bridle wear on your pulley kites?
Ive got a bunch of pulley kites, older and newer, different brands, different line quality, a little wear on the oldest one, but the line will easily survive the kite, not a sign of wear on any of the others.
Would definitely not have any issue with the rings if I was used to wear and line replacement.

Once again Mr.McAbe, how can I help you!!!
From what I see you have not answered any of my questions from my previous post. Do you own any EPIC kites? If so what seems to be the problem if any?


P.S. I have seen so many different kites from different companies with the same wear on the lines from the Pulleys, so I don't understand what you are trying to say!!! If there is no wear on the lines, that means you are not using your kites enough and spend too much time in front of the computer.

Mr. McAbe, you must not kite a lot as any bridle no matter what the set up when flown powered up and turned/looped quickly will over time have wear on it as that is just the nature of friction especially under extreme tension of lines such as diving or looping through power zone quickly. There is no way to completely eliminate wear while still using anything on the bridle that slides, we can only minimize the extent that it wears and the rate at which it wears by using smooth pulley or o rings and thick well made bridle line.

Thanks Dimitri but you don't need to help me, its really no big deal.
I just don't agree when you say there are no problems, I think there are, small yes, but still a problem.

Fact is that I own a Epic kite that I have used way less than any of my other kites and its got noticeable brindle wear, so no matter how little you think I use my kites, the difference is unquestionable.

I'm not content about having to replace the lines (in a year or two I suppose) as I have not needed to do so on other kites, I'm very pleased with the kite otherwise.

Thank you Mr."McAbe" for the info.
Once again if you think your EPIC grey kite lines are wearing too fast can you please let me know which model and what year it is plus a picture of the wear on the line, because this will help me to understand better the situation and help you the best way I can.
Thank you very much for your time.

I will agree that less wear is what you ultimately want.
And for folks like you that have never had a pulley problem, then they are the better choice than rings.
But for those that have had pulleys that seize up and/or break, grey line wear is much greater when pulleys seize and dangerous stuff can happen when pulleys break.
Unlike the grey lines, you can't tell when a pulley is going to fail, they give no real visible warning like the lines do.
In the interest of safety and durability, a ring...or better yet, the new Epic one piece pulley/slider part is a safe durable (the best) choice for a lot of kiters.
But it is hard to please everybody, all the time. Companies make a choice based on testing and feedback and hope they please as many of their customers as possible.
North chooses to use five lines to have kites that fly without pulleys, ..I would never ever fly a kite that needs a fifth line that can split the kite in two if you dump it at the wrong time in the wrong place. I was done with that when I sold my Slingshot Octanes and Machines. But still lots of folks like the North system.
Epic made a choice to use rings when customers and test pilots had pulley problems. Cabrinha has made the same choice.
If your Epic kite would be better, for you, with pulleys, then I think changing them out is a good idea because it's great when you love everything about your kites!!
I may have a couple in my spare parts jar, let me know if you need 'em.

Its is what makes me annoyed, not the actual wear on the lines.
I don't need your help to fix this, I want you to be honest and admit that rings wear more than pulleys, don't pretend you have no idea what Im talking about
There is nothing strange or different about the kite I got.
Rings are safer, great, use rings, it is no big deal replacing lines once a year or whatever, but tell people what to expect.