I would appreciate some comments from experienced kiters on kite wear and expected lifespan.

I learnt to kite using a couple of secondhand kites I purchased in 2007. They served me well while I was at that stage where I was crashing the kite fairly often. Once I was riding well and jumping I decided to buy my first brand new kite. June 2008. I bought a new kite thinking it would last a few years and it is still in excellent near new condition everywhere except for the sail material either side of the centre strut in the rear third towards the trailing edge. There are many short cracks right on the trailing edge about 30 mm long. I know this is typical of kites left on the beach to flog in the wind. I have never done this. There are also several cracks that are up to half a metre long but a bit further in from the trailing edge. They run parrallel to the trailing edge. These are large white lines that look like cracks in the material.

I have done a fair bit of kiting on this kite over the last 7 months. Could it be worn out this soon? How many flying hours is to be expected out of a new kite?

i think if you only have a single kite they wear a lot quicker apart from the obvious you fly the kite in wind that's too strong for it and put it under heaps of stress.
I noticed a big improvement in longevity as i got better. Also the brand helps a lot i think. Certain brands and year makes are a lot less durable. After my horror run, durability and resale are my number one kite priorities. That said I had a single kite for a year and kited a lot all through the year and it was still in very good nick. So I would guess a couple of years before it's best to sell and still get some money back...

Not sure if this is your problem but I have noticed that all (that Ihave seen) the high depower kites seem to flutter mainly when sheeted out in too strong wind. It seems to have the same effect as leaving the kite on the beach.

Lifespan would depend on;
-Amount of days/time used per season (no. of kites in quiver)
-Correct inflation usage
-If kite/struts are left inflated on beach, in car, or in the sun
-Where kite is used and landed (ie sand beach, estuary, grass, gravel)
-How often the kite is dropped hard or in the surf
-If the kite kite is stored dry and clean
-Brand of kite, material, stitching and colour

Bar and lines would be the first to go if the kite have had a good life, with assisted take off and landings on clean area. Friends have sold kites a season old that have rarely been dropped and are as new. I would guess an average of 2-3 years, but I like new ones

200 hours??? Seriously guys...
I had my kite (will not tell the brand) but the colour was white (it is a valid point u will see) for 3 seasons . I used it and abused it for 4 seasons kiting in extremely sunny location (white and UV - not a good combination) Weather conditions allowed me to kite more than 320 days a year for at least 4 hours a day 4*(320*3)=3840 hours . This baby of mine was still in good shape and if I wouldn't loose it few years ago I would be still riding it.

Kite lifespan...treat your kite well and take it out of the sun whenever u finish riding and it will last and last and last....and last. Your prestretched dynema lines will wear quicker that the canopy on your kite :)))

That doesn't look to bad. Those lines on the trailing edge happen to most kites after a bit of use. Usually its just the colour gone out of a section and they don't get too much worse. They definately look as though it's from depowering the kite in high winds...

Keep checkin them every now and again, if you can see thru the material, put a patch on it. Otherwise keep on riding - Slingshot make strong kites and use top quality material so you'll be right

SS uses the same material everyone else does. I know Cabrinha uses a different material on their Crossbow IDS leading edges, but everything else i've seen looks the same or very similar in material grade.

What model kite is it? High depower kites like the Turbo all do it eventually...

Rhys Porter said...

That doesn't look to bad. Those lines on the trailing edge happen to most kites after a bit of use. Usually its just the colour gone out of a section and they don't get too much worse. They definately look as though it's from depowering the kite in high winds...

Keep checkin them every now and again, if you can see thru the material, put a patch on it. Otherwise keep on riding - Slingshot make strong kites and use top quality material so you'll be right

Thanks Rhys.
Hope it is only the color but will keep an eye on it. I think I get it. If I depower to much in high winds the trailing edge will flap and can cause the damage. Right?

Is there anything you can put on your kite to keep it nice and crisspy new.???
Like putting polish on your car to seal it from the elements.???

200 hours??? Seriously guys...
I had my kite (will not tell the brand) but the colour was white (it is a valid point u will see) for 3 seasons . I used it and abused it for 4 seasons kiting in extremely sunny location (white and UV - not a good combination) Weather conditions allowed me to kite more than 320 days a year for at least 4 hours a day 4*(320*3)=3840 hours . This baby of mine was still in good shape and if I wouldn't loose it few years ago I would be still riding it.

Kite lifespan...treat your kite well and take it out of the sun whenever u finish riding and it will last and last and last....and last. Your prestretched dynema lines will wear quicker that the canopy on your kite :)))

Common, I am curious where you live, that you can kite 320 days a year? sounds awesome. I live in nsw and I reckon we get about between 150-200 kiteable days a year.