Hi Gassy, you'll find that there are now a heap of good production 5th line bars that enable you to ride unhooked and attempt handle-passes, while still allowing for mistakes and safe leashing out. The 5th line comes into its own here, as you can mess up your move (more often than not), let go of the bar and the kite drops safely to the water without the death pull of a suicide leash (this is a leash attached directly from the chicken loop to the handle on the back of your harness of a standard 4-line bar). My personal favourite is the Naish Shift System - ergonomic bar, famously good Naish lines, easy to use covered leash and effective and easy 5th line/relaunch opperation. Now, it is possible to build your own pretty easily, but it is best to use a tried and tested model as your blueprint. I use the Naish bar on all my non-Naish kites. I'm not saying that 5th line is the only way to go or that it is the best way to kite, but it has enormouse advantages when riding unhooked and then into handle-passes. Any more questions, fire way - cheers, Nat
I use the gaastra bar for all unhooked stuff, just having it go to suicide. Unless your kiting upwind of rocks or something big and hard, suicides not bad anyway. It hardly pulls you at all. If your keen to get the 5th system though, Gaastra have brought out a new 5th dimension system that should just fit to your old bar (I'm guessing you've got an 04 or 05 kite). Longreef should have these setups soon. See ya.
For a safe release during power moves 5th line for sure. Set up your unhooked bar with 5 lines.
The Wipika CLS bar is awesome. Release is smoother and less pulling than other 5 line systems I have used.
Relaunch is the fastest.Think it is the 'adjustable stopper balls' CLS has low friction, also a clear view through the bar.5th line doesnt pinch between depower loop and the bar when unhooked.
Think the bars are real cheap now too.Dunno website was down last time I tried.
I think the Naish Shift 5th line is the best all round. The Wipika is probably better but the leash is not nearly as good as the naish. Gaastra is cheap but the 5th line doesn't go through the bar so it's not a spinning system if you're unhooking. North looks the same as the naish but I'm not sure about the leash. If I were to get one it would be the naish,modified with one those wipika stopper balls, but I just go suicide anyway.
quote:Unless your kiting upwind of rocks or something big and hard, suicides not bad anyway. It hardly pulls you at all.
Jeff2231 I don't know what wind you kite in but my suicide pulls like ****!
Is it just me or do other people find the bar end options available to kiters to be rather confusing ? Prob just a semi-newbie issue but still... maybe im just the sort that needs a diagram and someone shouting in my ear wiv a big megaphone
Hey Steve, I´ve been using an old naish leash, just wrapped around my chicken loop with the pin attached to my harness. Now I´m using one of the Wipika leashes which is much better IMO. It´s really simple but works like a charm. Otherwise you can just set up an old releasable chicken loop attached to the rope behind your harness (the one that allows your suicide to slide from left to right), then have it leading up to the loop on your bar. That way you´ve got an emergency release close by if something happens.
Howley, I only ride in under 15 knots. I´m not hardcore enough.
Couldn't find you anywhere so I couldn't tell ya. I washed it real good too.