Does anyone know what the purpose of the large pocket is for at the top of North kite bags/back packs? When you unravel it it is about 1.5m long, tapered towards the end with mesh on the end. When turned inside out it also has North logo on both sides, as if it should be used as a wind sock? I only noticed it today for the first time after I gave the bag a good hose out. Seems a bit odd to me but hopefully someone here has found a good use for it that will enrich my Kiting experience!
Haven't seen that in a while but it's for packing your kite up with the struts still inflated. Pretty handy if your kites still wet or you don't have have one pump.
Makes sense I guess. Mine are 2015 kites with single pt inflation/deflation but I guess you could still isolate the struts and hang the bag to allow it to drain through the mesh. Cheers 
Select to expand quotedoodah said..
Makes sense I guess. Mine are 2015 kites with single pt inflation/deflation but I guess you could still isolate the struts and hang the bag to allow it to drain through the mesh. Cheers
Even with single point inflation you can still lock your struts off via the pinch clips, should do when you kite anyway in the off change the leading edge goes flat you will still be able to self rescue.
I keep the struts inflated and use the extended bag when Im on a kite trip in the islands, saves time each morning setting up
Aah, that post made me feel old!
Before one pump systems came out this was the norm in a kite bag, as it was an absolute prick trying to get the smaller struts to a decent pressure (they often didn't have a return valve, or if they did it was a crap little ball that wouldn't seat properly). So you generally left the struts inflated.
The only really compelling use for them now is for boat launches- set up your rig, deflate the leading edge and roll it all back up, then it's just a matter of inflating the leading edge from the side of the boat.
Obviously not a compelling reason, and i believe the post-2015 North bags have taken this out again.
Select to expand quotejackforbes said..
Aah, that post made me feel old!
Before one pump systems came out this was the norm in a kite bag, as it was an absolute prick trying to get the smaller struts to a decent pressure (they often didn't have a return valve, or if they did it was a crap little ball that wouldn't seat properly). So you generally left the struts inflated.
Yeah that sucked, especially with 7 strut kite, useless syringe pump. What is it with that stupid ball anyway when you could have a pinch valve like on a beach ball???
keeping struts inflated saves 10-20% of pumping (if that) so no time saving there.
It helps dry the kite out while upright but suddenly takes a whole heap of room in the car.
Cab used to have the same thing with their 2008-09 kites then they came out with a sock or a "compression bag" in 2011 onwards, sometimes you see them sometimes you don't, people often throw them out... I find them useful when folding up the kite (extra protection from any sharp things in grass or sand), also can throw the whole kite in the sock over a clothesline to help it dry out..
I'm not sure but assumed it was for packing your kite in bad weather. If you open the top and roll it out you can shove it in thru the hole. It almost doubles the size of the bag so you don't need to spend time folding it up properly on a windy beach.
The army has the same for sleeping bags. If you have time you neatly roll up your bag, open the fastex clips, and then neatly put it in the bottom of your backpack. However if you need to bug out in a hurry you just pull out the side opening like the north sock and shove tour bag in quickly. Its not neat but you can sort it out later.
Anyway I may be wrong but think it could be the reason
I leave some air in my struts and pack extended over winter.
I figure not scrunching up the cloth for extended periods might extend the life a little.
Select to expand quotejackforbes said...
Aah, that post made me feel old!
Before one pump systems came out this was the norm in a kite bag, as it was an absolute prick trying to get the smaller struts to a decent pressure (they often didn't have a return valve, or if they did it was a crap little ball that wouldn't seat properly). So you generally left the struts inflated.
The only really compelling use for them now is for boat launches- set up your rig, deflate the leading edge and roll it all back up, then it's just a matter of inflating the leading edge from the side of the boat.
Obviously not a compelling reason, and i believe the post-2015 North bags have taken this out again.
Yes, they were the days, mucking about to get the ball to seal. I used to roll the strut over so the inflation point was facing down and give it a flick to encourage the ball to fall into place before removing the pump nozzle.
I still remember the joy upon buying my first one pump kite... 
