Can I mix and match bars? Or do they have to be the specific brand to go with the kite?

I like my new Ozone bar and wanted to try using it on my Core xr3 as they are both 4 line kites I didn't think there'd be a problem... But maybe the safety would be less effective or something else?

Anyone else use a different bar on their kite?

I checked out the R3 control bar. It's a 4line bar with equal connecting lines to the core kite. Ozone is the same. You should be ok. Best to check with your local shop though. Having equal lines is not the issue. It's the type of safety systems each bar has. If the Y point is too close to the kite, and the other bar has a lower point, you could drastically alter the kite's performance, especially having the tips of the kite 'pulled in' too much. This could cause the kite to spin out of control. But if both bars have Y points closer to the bar, then it could work. Measure the distances between each bridle point and compare with distances on the core kite. If they are similar then it could work. If there is large differences, then it's not worth the risk.

Cabrihna this year introduced the overdrive bar and said it is backwards compatible with all IDS equipt kites which means right back to 2009.

The point I make here is that the older cab kites have the V quite high and the new bar has it low. The old safety flags on 2 front lines and the new safety flags on 1 front line. So all in all you'd say "not compatible in theory". Cabrihna say "totally compatible".

I tried the new bar on the old kites and it works perfectly. The lower V changed the shape of the kite slightly but the feel was identical. I hit the eject to test the safety and the new bar drops out all residual power and flags quicker and is safer in my opinion.

Long storey short, try the bar on the kite while on the beach at the lower wind range of the kite, tell a mate or fellow kiter what your doing and get him to hold the back of your harness while you try it just in case. Try the eject, see how it flags and drops power and I rekon you won't look back!

Far too much bulls**t that kite companies give us regarding bar compatibility etc.... When if we all just used our physics brains we'd figure out that most equal 4 line bars will work with most kites set up for it! As long as we aren't stupid and we test safeties etc on the beach and are confident with that, we are fine!!!

PS- as mentioned earlier never test alone, even if it works perfectly first time a second set if eyes watching the kite flag out might pick up something that you don't!

Daniel1973 said...
Cabrihna this year introduced the overdrive bar and said it is backwards compatible with all IDS equipt kites which means right back to 2009.

The point I make here is that the older cab kites have the V quite high and the new bar has it low. The old safety flags on 2 front lines and the new safety flags on 1 front line. So all in all you'd say "not compatible in theory". Cabrihna say "totally compatible".

I tried the new bar on the old kites and it works perfectly. The lower V changed the shape of the kite slightly but the feel was identical. I hit the eject to test the safety and the new bar drops out all residual power and flags quicker and is safer in my opinion.

Long storey short, try the bar on the kite while on the beach at the lower wind range of the kite, tell a mate or fellow kiter what your doing and get him to hold the back of your harness while you try it just in case. Try the eject, see how it flags and drops power and I rekon you won't look back!

Far too much bulls**t that kite companies give us regarding bar compatibility etc.... When if we all just used our physics brains we'd figure out that most equal 4 line bars will work with most kites set up for it! As long as we aren't stupid and we test safeties etc on the beach and are confident with that, we are fine!!!

PS- as mentioned earlier never test alone, even if it works perfectly first time a second set if eyes watching the kite flag out might pick up something that you don't!

Gonna try it in 10ish knots just gotta wait for the wind, the two bard look the same it's just the v is different on my ozone bar.

Yeah but some centre line depower systems can be just as bad, if not worse, with the kite still pulling hard in a somewhat twisted or crumbled way. The worst situation I've seen is when the lines wrap around the tips and the kite is hovering upside down, like when you hold it walking the kite to the beach. Once it's like that, it's very difficult to recover and sometimes a self rescue has to be performed.

Here is an example of what can go wrong with 4 line depower systems, the most common...

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/Newbies-Tips-Tricks/4-line-kite-safety/

The best safety systems are on kites with 5th lines, attached to the centre of the kite, which acts like parking the kite when activated. Even the old Cabrinha left hand depower line along the left hand steerer, allows the kite to park, but it's more by chance than by deliberate design. It's a very hit and miss affair. It doesn't always do that.

In relation to different Y height.... For my North Fuses and Evo I use a Switch Contoller 2 (with a low Y) instead of the North bar (with a high Y). I never notice any difference in the flying characteristics of the kites at all. The Switch bar is better in my opinion. The low Y is heaps better for self landing and it can be used universaly... single line flaggging, dual front line flagging, or dedicated 5th line. The build is also better.

Dl33ta said...

snalberski said...
In relation to different Y height.... For my North Fuses and Evo I use a Switch Contoller 2 (with a low Y) instead of the North bar (with a high Y). I never notice any difference in the flying characteristics of the kites at all. The Switch bar is better in my opinion. The low Y is heaps better for self landing and it can be used universaly... single line flaggging, dual front line flagging, or dedicated 5th line. The build is also better.

Does controller 2 allow you to flag out without reaching up to the Y swivel now? Controller 1 was a bit of a death trap in that respect. They must have come a long, long, long, long way in their build techniques to warrant the build statement.

I haven't owned controller 1 but controller 2 doesn't have the 'flag it' at the swivel. It can also be set up with high Y if desired. Build wise I did read controller 1 had some issues but my comparisons are between the controller 2 and the 2013 North quad bar. The quad bar to me seemed over engineered - clip on reversible floats that never clip on or off (easily), self destructing plastic bar centre insert and lifting bar grip. The Switch bar has the same lines, smooth action polished metal bar centre, no lifting grip and a simpler more solid system for the bar ends/bar widthing. The only issue I did have with controller 2 was the original swivel was sticking which they replaced and alls good

Sorry guys, I just want to clarify a couple of things.
Firstly when we talk tech with kite designers and manufactures we call it a "hi or low V" in the front lines.

The hi or low V is not the issue when mixing bars & kites. The important thing to check is how the flag out system works, as some of you mentioned.
A two front line flag out system has a different bridle set up compared to a single front line flag out.

Please remember that, generally speaking, you can run a single front line flag out bar on either bridle set up but you can not run a two front line flag out bar on single front line flag out bridle.

Hope that helps clear up a few things....safe kiting

yep, you can.
Also, Ozone bars r way better than core bars IMO

Any 4line kite that uses equal line length bars will take any other bar of any other equal line length kite.

You only may have to swap over the pig tail ends as Ozone are dicks and use the opposite larks head\knot system to everyone else.

Just change or add them on your ozone kite and bar and then you're good to go with your whole kit.