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Which kites have heavy duty bladder valves?

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Beachboy
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Which kites have heavy duty bladder valves?

Postby Beachboy » Tue Oct 02, 2012 2:39 am

Im not interested in slamming any brand here, but I am so tired of delaminating bladder valves. I have been loyal to a certain brand for years. The performance is amazing, but the valves always fall apart, even on fairly new kites. Certainly this is not a problem that can't be solved. But this brand has clearly not made the initiative. It's a shame...

SO my question is what brands have? Please let me know if you've had kites that have never failed, even through multiple seasons? I'm ready for a change.

tmcfarla
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Re: Which kites have heavy duty bladder valves?

Postby tmcfarla » Tue Oct 02, 2012 2:58 am

I think they are all the same. I can attest that flexifoil delaminates, and I've heard people mentioning just about every other brand as well. Keeping your kite away from heat definitely helps, but if you live in the tropics it isn't practical to never have your kites in your trunk.

You can sometimes glue them back down with aqua-seal, it is really a pain in the ass and if you screw up you can ruin the bladder (I've re-glued about 15 valves, most worked but 2 or 3 didn't).

In a pinch you can just cut out a leading edge valve and patch the hole with tear-aid (also place some dacron repair tape on the inside of the leading edge so the bladder can't herniate from the hole where the valve was).

One-pump kites suck for this reason (and other reasons too). I'll probably never buy another one-pump kite and am currently slowly converting my kites to multi-pump as the valves go by cutting out LE valves. I haven't yet found a suitable plug for the strut hoses so I'm stuck with replacement valves for the struts.

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Bille
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Re: Which kites have heavy duty bladder valves?

Postby Bille » Tue Oct 02, 2012 3:38 am

tmcfarla wrote: ...
I haven't yet found a suitable plug for the strut hoses so I'm stuck with replacement valves for the struts.
Maybe there is a suitable plug with it's own valve & cap, that could be
zip-tied or glued on the strut hose ? I'm gonna start looking because i Don't like
the one pump system either .

My extra Ozone Edge's stay in the van at Mohave while i kite ; It's sometimes
113deg in the shade at that beach , and i have NEVER had a valve delaminate
on a Ozone, in the 7 years i bin kiting. Before the Edge i had the Ozone Instinct.

Bille

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Re: Which kites have heavy duty bladder valves?

Postby RalfsB » Tue Oct 02, 2012 9:04 am

I have a couple of 2011 Ozones, also have had no problems with valves so far. Used to have such problems with pre-2010 North kites.

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Billy B.
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Re: Which kites have heavy duty bladder valves?

Postby Billy B. » Tue Oct 02, 2012 11:28 am

Some of my kites serve double duty in the summer and winter, I have had lots of issues with delaming valves. I think many brands have it happen based on the plastic welding technique used.

I have replaced deflate valves the most since they not only peel off and or leak but also crack when cold enough, I think it is becuase the are thicker?? I even had to replace every single valve on a kite that we were filling with a scuba sized air tank filled with some thing very cold(Gas of some sort) one fill up and all the valves on my 2009 13m ozone Edge delamed in ten minutes a few years back so cold can be just as much a issue as a hot car.

I have been flying the North product since the 2011 line, I have had around 25 plus kites with only one issue of a deflate valve pull tab ripping off in very cold weather, the valve was fine and is still in use for the guy I sold the kite to, but the little pull tab peeled off, so you need to "work it out"

Most of the replacement valves work great and I have only had to replace a replacement valve once or twice. For a couple of years the kites I flew always seperated so I didn,t mind fixing them becuase the flew so well. I could do one in 10 minutes or so at one point, Haven't done one since getting North gear.

Good luck!

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Billy B.
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Re: Which kites have heavy duty bladder valves?

Postby Billy B. » Tue Oct 02, 2012 11:32 am

Bille wrote:
tmcfarla wrote: ...
I haven't yet found a suitable plug for the strut hoses so I'm stuck with replacement valves for the struts.
Maybe there is a suitable plug with it's own valve & cap, that could be
zip-tied or glued on the strut hose ? I'm gonna start looking because i Don't like
the one pump system either .

My extra Ozone Edge's stay in the van at Mohave while i kite ; It's sometimes
113deg in the shade at that beach , and i have NEVER had a valve delaminate
on a Ozone, in the 7 years i bin kiting. Before the Edge i had the Ozone Instinct.

Bille
Billie,

You could always go to the North Dynos. No one pump and edge like characteristics... Got a 2011 10m right up here in Heber City that needs a new home..5 days on it. :thumb:

BB

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Re: Which kites have heavy duty bladder valves?

Postby edt » Tue Oct 02, 2012 6:15 pm

all valves delam, i've flown north ozone lf slingshot cabrinha. I'm at the point where I don't care anymore, I throw my kites in the trunk and if it delams thin coat of 3m5200 fast cure, restick shot glass over the valve 2 pounds weight, let it cure, done twenty valve resticks zero failures. A tube of 3m5200 costs $15 and will do over 100 valves. If you need to kite the same day use a valve patch like an airtime ustick or equivalent. Unless of course you have a naish kite, then you need to find someone to repair your octopus.

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Re: Which kites have heavy duty bladder valves?

Postby Beachboy » Wed Oct 03, 2012 7:04 am

Yes... It's true that when you use marine glue to repair them, they generally stay repaired. At least until the next valve down pops. So if all valves are delaminating, what aren't manufacturers using good marine glue to put them together in the first place? Is my thinking too simplistic??

I'm still hoping that some kite manufacturer is putting out quality workmanship... Considering what we pay for kites now. Hoping to hear....

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Re: Which kites have heavy duty bladder valves?

Postby JGTR » Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:31 am

Been flying Naish since 2007, have kites from 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010. No problems with any of the valves.

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edt
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Re: Which kites have heavy duty bladder valves?

Postby edt » Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:12 pm

Beachboy wrote:Yes... It's true that when you use marine glue to repair them, they generally stay repaired. At least until the next valve down pops. So if all valves are delaminating, what aren't manufacturers using good marine glue to put them together in the first place? Is my thinking too simplistic?? I'm still hoping that some kite manufacturer is putting out quality workmanship... Considering what we pay for kites now. Hoping to hear....
Beachboy it is a genuine mystery. Own a kite long enough you are getting a valve failure. Maybe Dimitri (or some other kite manufacturer) can explain it, he's on the forum a lot and seems to know a lot about how his epic kites are made.


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