There may not be a lot of movement in some pulley set ups however the difference is that with a pulley, the load on the attachment points for the line that the pulley runs on is always even as the kite tips due to bar input where if the 'v' point in the line was fixed as it would have to be without a pulley, the tension would transfer from one side of this line to the other. If you substitute your sliders for a fixed bridle setup then you will be changing the loading on your LE. I am fairly sure that the designers had a good reason for putting the sliders in there and unless you are prepared to undertake some significant testing then I would leave it be.

Zeeko Krush is pulleyless on the Bridle with one pulley on the depower centre rope of the UDS Bar.
Relaunch is unaffected
no joltiness in gusts.

Bridles are sh1thouse. They came out looking like recycled fishing nets and now they are slowly becoming smaller and simpler each year. Soon they will be banished back to where they came. The bigger they are the more they wobble.

Most of the high performance kites haven't had them which proves they are unnecessary. Keep it simple stupid. If they are a must for crazy, gusty storm days then pullyless, tiny ozone bridles def stand out.

Funny you mentioned hardcore transitions as my bridle lines actually went on a TS 540 transition...

What you have mentioned about gust absorption has made me worry now though! All the same be a good experiment, with not too dire consequences upon failure.

Why use a bridal full stop?
Only kooks need bridals when they are learning. No advantage for intermediate+ standard.

...Long version...

Wind is never a constant force, therefore the kites trim position can not be optimal at all times. Solution add something that adjusts to changing wind (pulleys). Analogy cars have movable suspension to follow uneven road surfaces. Don't 'need' it, but makes things a lot more comfortable.

Also by optimally adjusting to variable winds (light especially), a pulley kite will be able to provide optimal power with less bar pressure.

So do you need it, nope. But if you want the most range and smooth ride then pulleys are the go....

However, when uhooked, it can be more difficult to create 'slack' as the kite quickly adjusts to the slack with pullies.

You can do away with your pulleys as long as you create a fixed point V between the two shared points. Obviously will be far less stable. Bar pressure will get heavier with more trim. *note the last bridle point sets your bar pressure and depower. Get the balance point wrong and you will have no depower. Ie, kite will fly entirely off front lines. So pay close attention to the exact mid point where the pulley most travels. If its too heavy move it back, too light move forward.

Vice versa, if you have an old, unstable early SLE with a fixed bridle, by adding a pulley at the joining points its amazing how good some old kites then fly. **Obviously if you think you can simply add a pulley then fly the kite at the beach, this is not for you..not quite that easy, rear leaders will most likely need lengthening/ balancing etc..Need either programs like surfplan, or trial and error in a safe clear light wind place.

they have had pulleyless bridles for ages. Its called a 5 line kite

Bridles and pulleys has taken kiting from a few hardcore kiting diehards and given it to the white collar worker who can't afford a yacht.

JAKE123 said...

the difficulty with no pulleys lies with:
1 getting the bridle lengths perfect so that the angle of the connection is right to distribute load fairly evenly.
and 2 allowing for the kite to addapt to the variety of loading its subject to.

It's simple, the longer the bridle, the more evenly distributed the load.
However a longer bridle means potentially more tangle (death loop..)
Alternatively you could make the bridle wider (so it extends further to the middle of the LE), but then the kite will pivot turn more, which has it's own advantages and disadvantages.
If you make the bridle short without pulleys, the leading edge has to be thicker so it doesn't bend.

There is no free lunch, getting rid of pulleys will always have it's pros and cons. Only thing you can do is find a balance amongst all those factors to match the preferences of a certain group.

I have always used North Rebels, and these kites have never had a bridle or pulley and they are one of the most popular kites around. I guess if you find something that works for you, then stick by it.