G'day all, long time lurker first time poster.

So I have had an interesting time looking for replacement bladders for my kites and am wondering if anyone has any insights on pricing differences in Aus compared to OS.

I have a couple of older kites (2), but due to lifestyle over the last 5+ years I haven't been able to go kiting, circumstances have recently changed and I'm looking to get back into it.
Pumped up the kites on the weekend to see how they'd go and found that basically most of the bladders wouldn't hold pressure.
The kites canopies are in really good crinkly-nick still and the lines/bridles are still very good, so I have opted to replace all the bladders as I can't be bothered spending the time to look for leaks and fix them.

That was a lot longer of an intro than I planned...anyway I have priced up a full set of bladders for each kite and this is what I've found:

- First found a supplier overseas (not China). Reputable business. They make the bladders to suit the model of kite(s) you need and ship to Aus. They are sent ready to fit to your kite. Beautiful.

- Found a supplier in Aus. Reputable business/product. The product is generic, many sizes available to suit. However you have to purchase all the valves etc seperately and essentially 'make' the bladders yourself.

OK, so both options sound ok, pros and cons as you know. So I priced up each option and was very surprised. Well not really I guess knowing pricing in Aus.

So.
The first option - purchase from OS, two sets of kite bladders (one set multipoint inflate, one set ez-inflate) comes to a bit over $500 - including shipping ($120.00).
The second option - purchase from Aus, two sets of bladders and valves etc , comes to a bit over $1000 - 'free' shipping.

I think you can see where I'm going with this; why would anyone purchase from Aus for double the price and still have to make the bladders themselves when you can source from OS and get the ready to go kit??
I'm pretty handy and do love making things, but for double the price, plus my time, compared to the ready made gear? Forget it.

Why is pricing for these things so prohibitive in Aus?
Does anyone know if ready-made bladders are available in Aus for similar pricing to OS?

Cheers,
GB

GB,

Not a bad post to be honest and I think we all appreciate a good clear intro.

Those prices do not surprise me.

I've had many customers ask me where they can get entire bladder sets for kite X and Y, and to be honest I've told them - no where. Not original bladder kits anyway. Original brands of course "can get bladders" but only for the most recent and released kites, that are being made literally now - this year.

I've not been able to source entire bladder kits (valves inc) for kites older than 2019 frankly, and the only other supplier that has bladders, but as you said - you'd have to build them with stick on valves, etc is FixMyKite.com.au.

I've ordered bladders from Joel at FixMyKite and they've been 100% perfect. But of course I've had to build the bladders to the customer's kite size and shape. Yes they are pricey, especially if you're after a single complete set, but I found the valves are even more expensive when you multiply the amount of valves you need.... and if the kite is that old and been used a lot, new tube connectors and clips would not go astray in that order as well.

In short, yeah it's frustrating for both my clients and myself alike, that the kite is "crispy" and looking new, but buying an entire bladder kit is practically making the entire kite value worthless and yeah I've had people say thanks - no thanks and have either given me the kite or thrown it in the bin. For a sport that's supposed to be "environmentally" friendly, the cost of these things makes that claim seem worthless.

So I repair the bladders. I have not come across a single bladder that cannot be repaired professionally and with the same valves, re-glued in place. I've even perfected the job so much now that I say to my customers, you can practically can leave the kite inside a hot 60 degree car and they won't de-laminate again. The only way to remove the bladder after my repairs, is to cut it out! And for the cost of the repair, it makes the job worthwhile for myself and my customers.

I recommend you look at getting them repaired by a reputable repairer and be done with it. You'll fly your kite and give it new lease on life.

I hope this will make your decision easier. Good luck.
Lofty

What are the kites ????

Hi mate. Replacements are available and don't get them from some rogue repairer that 'makes repalacements'. I'm constantly fixing their poor jobs. Send me a pm with the make, model and year of your kite and I'll send you a quote for supply only and supply and fit for new bladders with welded valves.
Cheers Ry
The Sail Doctor

Select to expand quote

Cornishryan said..
Hi mate. Replacements are available and don't get them from some rogue repairer that 'makes repalacements'. I'm constantly fixing their poor jobs. Send me a pm with the make, model and year of your kite and I'll send you a quote for supply only and supply and fit for new bladders with welded valves.
Cheers Ry
The Sail Doctor

Do you get off at patronising other repairers?
Does it make you cream in your pants thinking you are the only one..and gods gift to the kiting world?
How about mick (kitefix) you patronised him even though he was going through chemo until about a year and a half ago but still has to have checks..
Have you got round to patronising Neil (holdtheline) yet who is in a wheelchair now yet ??

If you do it cheaper for him then that's brilliant and that's the way to go....and i hope you do.. .. as that sounds like a ridiculous price for bladders!!

Anyway green barrells I have six boxes of bladder blanks you can have for free ! But no idea of what kite it is..so probably can't help you hopefully the sail doctor can help you for a smaller price..
Or ''one of the other rogue repairers'

Lol

Anyway...yeeeah Australia does seem to want more for the same thing sorry about that..and from what I heard fixmykite is pretty good



Goodluck with it all
And no offence intended by the way to the 'rogue repairer'xx

Share the love!... ...

Hi GreenBarrels,

Manufacturing quality custom bladders requires some precision work and lots of volume to make this operation profitable. There is not enough demand in Australia for this and the cost of labour here is too high.

Overseas bladder manufacturers such as Dr. Tuba in Slovenia are specialists in what they do and the cost of labour there is much cheaper compared to Australia.

I wouldn't bother trying to find bladders locally, especially not for that price.

We've had nothing but great service and high quality products from Dr. Tuba. In my opinion, the quality of their bladders and vavlves exceeds the ones from the original manufacturer. The value for money is great even considering shipping fees, transaction fees, exchange rate, etc. They make the bladders custom with valves welded on (much better as Ryan pointed out), it takes them only 24-48H to do this, then shipped via DHL (10 days max in my experience).

I hope this helps.

Christian - KiteBud

Select to expand quote

NorthernKitesAUS said..
GB,

Not a bad post to be honest and I think we all appreciate a good clear intro.

Those prices do not surprise me.

I've had many customers ask me where they can get entire bladder sets for kite X and Y, and to be honest I've told them - no where. Not original bladder kits anyway. Original brands of course "can get bladders" but only for the most recent and released kites, that are being made literally now - this year.

I've not been able to source entire bladder kits (valves inc) for kites older than 2019 frankly, and the only other supplier that has bladders, but as you said - you'd have to build them with stick on valves, etc is FixMyKite.com.au.

I've ordered bladders from Joel at FixMyKite and they've been 100% perfect. But of course I've had to build the bladders to the customer's kite size and shape. Yes they are pricey, especially if you're after a single complete set, but I found the valves are even more expensive when you multiply the amount of valves you need.... and if the kite is that old and been used a lot, new tube connectors and clips would not go astray in that order as well.

In short, yeah it's frustrating for both my clients and myself alike, that the kite is "crispy" and looking new, but buying an entire bladder kit is practically making the entire kite value worthless and yeah I've had people say thanks - no thanks and have either given me the kite or thrown it in the bin. For a sport that's supposed to be "environmentally" friendly, the cost of these things makes that claim seem worthless.

So I repair the bladders. I have not come across a single bladder that cannot be repaired professionally and with the same valves, re-glued in place. I've even perfected the job so much now that I say to my customers, you can practically can leave the kite inside a hot 60 degree car and they won't de-laminate again. The only way to remove the bladder after my repairs, is to cut it out! And for the cost of the repair, it makes the job worthwhile for myself and my customers.

I recommend you look at getting them repaired by a reputable repairer and be done with it. You'll fly your kite and give it new lease on life.

I hope this will make your decision easier. Good luck.
Lofty

G'day Lofty,

Thanks for the very informative reply, much appreciated.
Regarding repairing, I'm quite capable of doing it myself, but with the age of the kites I anticipate the bladders themselves may be a bit old anyway and may be a short time of service before springing leaks in other parts. Possibly, I'm not sure.
I'm a bit of an old fashioned stickler, if I am capable of fixing things myself I'm less likely to get it done by others :)
I'm pretty much going for convenience and would feel more confident in a new set. I also haven't seen the EZ valves for my kite available for sale in Aus either, so that's a factor too.Cheers though, I'm sure many people will find your info useful for sure :)

Select to expand quote

SaveTheWhales said..
What are the kites ????

Well I wasn't going to say cause I know I'll get the ole rundown from people saying to get rid of them, the safety systems are outdated and unsafe, they're crap kites etc
But I love them and have never had issues with them at all, flown them many times over the years (though not as much as I would have liked).
And as I mentioned, the canopies and bridles etc are in great condition, I always looked after them.

Anyway, long answer short...they are 2010 Best Waroos. 11m and 7m.
Make of that what you will

If the bladders are still stretchy & not the ancient orange plastic ones just get some valves & glue 'em on. Bladders seem to last for ages (still have a 2010 kite going strong). 15g tube of stormsure will be enough for 8 valves (6 one pump + inflate & deflate). Stick on valves are great in a pinch but I've had a couple delam from their tear aid base after a while.

Doesn't take long to check bladder, first spots to inspect are where the kite is repeatedly folded when packing up & the internal fold in the wingtips where sand tends to accumulate. Then put a length of PVC pipe between the backs of two chairs with the bladder accordion folded underneath. Slide bladder over the top while stretching apart every few inches. Setting up a light behind it can help. If patching any large damage & this is obvious but I've almost forgotten, put some baking paper/ bladder offcut inside so you don't glue it to itself.



Baking paper inside the bladder, scuff up valve base with sand paper & clean with metho, masking tape on wood cut out, aerogard cap with weight overnight. Arrows indicate the direction.

After putting the valves on pump up (not hard) before putting back in kite & see if it stays up. Any small pinholes can be patched with tear-aid. You'll want to get a sheet of that anyway if you're getting into kiting. Exercise tubing for the hose (from a physio/ chiropractor) & clips can be found at home brew shops. Then prepare yourself for the nightmare that is reinserting a LE bladder without twists.

Price of these valves is a real shame, as Lofty mentioned it's sending a lot of older kites that are still in decent condition to landfill. Bit of a ramble there sorry but I don't post on here much, hope it helps.
Enjoy it GreenBarrels, such an amazing sport, cheers.

Select to expand quote

Cornishryan said..
Hi mate. Replacements are available and don't get them from some rogue repairer that 'makes repalacements'. I'm constantly fixing their poor jobs. Send me a pm with the make, model and year of your kite and I'll send you a quote for supply only and supply and fit for new bladders with welded valves.
Cheers Ry
The Sail Doctor

G'day Sail Doc.
Thanks for the advice. I have looked at reputable suppliers, so all good there.
I'm not sure the price I've found from other's suggestions, especially cbulota - Dr Tuba seems the go, here could be beaten in Aus.
If it can be I'd be more than happy to grab them from you.
Cheers :)

Select to expand quote

timmybuddhadude said..

Cornishryan said..
Hi mate. Replacements are available and don't get them from some rogue repairer that 'makes repalacements'. I'm constantly fixing their poor jobs. Send me a pm with the make, model and year of your kite and I'll send you a quote for supply only and supply and fit for new bladders with welded valves.
Cheers Ry
The Sail Doctor

Do you get off at patronising other repairers?
Does it make you cream in your pants thinking you are the only one..and gods gift to the kiting world?
How about mick (kitefix) you patronised him even though he was going through chemo until about a year and a half ago but still has to have checks..
Have you got round to patronising Neil (holdtheline) yet who is in a wheelchair now yet ??

If you do it cheaper for him then that's brilliant and that's the way to go....and i hope you do.. .. as that sounds like a ridiculous price for bladders!!

Anyway green barrells I have six boxes of bladder blanks you can have for free ! But no idea of what kite it is..so probably can't help you hopefully the sail doctor can help you for a smaller price..
Or ''one of the other rogue repairers'

Lol

Anyway...yeeeah Australia does seem to want more for the same thing sorry about that..and from what I heard fixmykite is pretty good



Goodluck with it all
And no offence intended by the way to the 'rogue repairer'xx

Share the love!... ...

Yeah for sure, Aus has the highest prices for everything, for the reasons you mention.
Fix My Kite was definitely one of the suppliers I was looking at. I'd certainly use them for smaller orders as I have before, but for a full set, the cost is very prohibitive. Plus they don't have the ez valves the same as original for my kites. I like to go original as much as possible.
I really appreciate the offer on the blanks.
Cheers :)

Select to expand quote

cbulota said..
Hi GreenBarrels,

Manufacturing quality custom bladders requires some precision work and lots of volume to make this operation profitable. There is not enough demand in Australia for this and the cost of labour here is too high.

Overseas bladder manufacturers such as Dr. Tuba in Slovenia are specialists in what they do and the cost of labour there is much cheaper compared to Australia.

I wouldn't bother trying to find bladders locally, especially not for that price.

We've had nothing but great service and high quality products from Dr. Tuba. In my opinion, the quality of their bladders and vavlves exceeds the ones from the original manufacturer. The value for money is great even considering shipping fees, transaction fees, exchange rate, etc. They make the bladders custom with valves welded on (much better as Ryan pointed out), it takes them only 24-48H to do this, then shipped via DHL (10 days max in my experience).

I hope this helps.

Christian - KiteBud

G'day cbulota,
I definitely understand the reason the prices are they way they are in Aus. If pricing was only a little more in Aus I'd definitely go local.
I wasn't aware of Dr Tuba, they look even better than what I was looking at pricewise, though they only supply the EZ pump bladders, which is great for my 7m, but the 11m is multi point (I know right? go figure ).

Anyway, long story short, I was looking at Airtime.com, FixMyKite.au, but Dr Tuba seems the go for my 7m anyway.
Thanks heaps for the recommendation

Since I can get back on the water with the 7m, I may look at repairing the 11m, but I'll see how my motivation and time goes.

Edit: actually Dr Tuba does do the 11m multipoint bladders. It was under a different pic. Happy days!

Select to expand quote

LucienSanchez said..
If the bladders are still stretchy & not the ancient orange plastic ones just get some valves & glue 'em on. Bladders seem to last for ages (still have a 2010 kite going strong). 15g tube of stormsure will be enough for 8 valves (6 one pump + inflate & deflate). Stick on valves are great in a pinch but I've had a couple delam from their tear aid base after a while.

Doesn't take long to check bladder, first spots to inspect are where the kite is repeatedly folded when packing up & the internal fold in the wingtips where sand tends to accumulate. Then put a length of PVC pipe between the backs of two chairs with the bladder accordion folded underneath. Slide bladder over the top while stretching apart every few inches. Setting up a light behind it can help. If patching any large damage & this is obvious but I've almost forgotten, put some baking paper/ bladder offcut inside so you don't glue it to itself.



Baking paper inside the bladder, scuff up valve base with sand paper & clean with metho, masking tape on wood cut out, aerogard cap with weight overnight. Arrows indicate the direction.

After putting the valves on pump up (not hard) before putting back in kite & see if it stays up. Any small pinholes can be patched with tear-aid. You'll want to get a sheet of that anyway if you're getting into kiting. Exercise tubing for the hose (from a physio/ chiropractor) & clips can be found at home brew shops. Then prepare yourself for the nightmare that is reinserting a LE bladder without twists.

Price of these valves is a real shame, as Lofty mentioned it's sending a lot of older kites that are still in decent condition to landfill. Bit of a ramble there sorry but I don't post on here much, hope it helps.
Enjoy it GreenBarrels, such an amazing sport, cheers.

G'day LucienSanchez (any relation to Rick? )
Thanks for the repair advice, very much appreciated.
I have had the 11m LE bladder out before a fair few years ago for a valve delam and couple of pin holes, so yeah, they are very fun to put back in.
Great info on the hose and clips!
Cheers :)

Thanks everyone for the info and advice, I'm sure many more here than just me are finding it useful.
Feel free to keep posting info if you have it.
Cheers!

Select to expand quote

GreenBarrels said..

cbulota said..
Hi GreenBarrels,

Manufacturing quality custom bladders requires some precision work and lots of volume to make this operation profitable. There is not enough demand in Australia for this and the cost of labour here is too high.

Overseas bladder manufacturers such as Dr. Tuba in Slovenia are specialists in what they do and the cost of labour there is much cheaper compared to Australia.

I wouldn't bother trying to find bladders locally, especially not for that price.

We've had nothing but great service and high quality products from Dr. Tuba. In my opinion, the quality of their bladders and vavlves exceeds the ones from the original manufacturer. The value for money is great even considering shipping fees, transaction fees, exchange rate, etc. They make the bladders custom with valves welded on (much better as Ryan pointed out), it takes them only 24-48H to do this, then shipped via DHL (10 days max in my experience).

I hope this helps.

Christian - KiteBud

G'day cbulota,
I definitely understand the reason the prices are they way they are in Aus. If pricing was only a little more in Aus I'd definitely go local.
I wasn't aware of Dr Tuba, they look even better than what I was looking at pricewise, though they only supply the EZ pump bladders, which is great for my 7m, but the 11m is multi point (I know right? go figure ).

Anyway, long story short, I was looking at Airtime.com, FixMyKite.au, but Dr Tuba seems the go for my 7m anyway.
Thanks heaps for the recommendation

Since I can get back on the water with the 7m, I may look at repairing the 11m, but I'll see how my motivation and time goes.

Edit: actually Dr Tuba does do the 11m multipoint bladders. It was under a different pic. Happy days!

Airtime is in the USA, so the prices displayed on their website are in $USD. Shipping is also more expensive (compared to Dr Tuba) since it has to travel further. The total price for all bladders delivered is actually over $800 AUD not $500 AUD

With Dr.Tuba it would cost you less than $600 AUD total ($370 Euros) including delivery, transaction fees, etc.

We can order those for you and Ryan aka The Sail Doctor can do that as well.

To order from Dr.Tuba you need to create an account.

There is also Wanikou (France) www.wanikou.com/en Their prices are usually in between Dr Tuba and Airtime

Hope this helps

Christian

Select to expand quote

cbulota said..

GreenBarrels said..

cbulota said..
Hi GreenBarrels,

Manufacturing quality custom bladders requires some precision work and lots of volume to make this operation profitable. There is not enough demand in Australia for this and the cost of labour here is too high.

Overseas bladder manufacturers such as Dr. Tuba in Slovenia are specialists in what they do and the cost of labour there is much cheaper compared to Australia.

I wouldn't bother trying to find bladders locally, especially not for that price.

We've had nothing but great service and high quality products from Dr. Tuba. In my opinion, the quality of their bladders and vavlves exceeds the ones from the original manufacturer. The value for money is great even considering shipping fees, transaction fees, exchange rate, etc. They make the bladders custom with valves welded on (much better as Ryan pointed out), it takes them only 24-48H to do this, then shipped via DHL (10 days max in my experience).

I hope this helps.

Christian - KiteBud

G'day cbulota,
I definitely understand the reason the prices are they way they are in Aus. If pricing was only a little more in Aus I'd definitely go local.
I wasn't aware of Dr Tuba, they look even better than what I was looking at pricewise, though they only supply the EZ pump bladders, which is great for my 7m, but the 11m is multi point (I know right? go figure ).

Anyway, long story short, I was looking at Airtime.com, FixMyKite.au, but Dr Tuba seems the go for my 7m anyway.
Thanks heaps for the recommendation

Since I can get back on the water with the 7m, I may look at repairing the 11m, but I'll see how my motivation and time goes.

Edit: actually Dr Tuba does do the 11m multipoint bladders. It was under a different pic. Happy days!

Airtime is in the USA, so the prices displayed on their website are in $USD. Shipping is also more expensive (compared to Dr Tuba) since it has to travel further. The total price for all bladders delivered is actually over $800 AUD not $500 AUD

With Dr.Tuba it would cost you less than $600 AUD total ($370 Euros) including delivery, transaction fees, etc.

We can order those for you and Ryan aka The Sail Doctor can do that as well.

To order from Dr.Tuba you need to create an account.

There is also Wanikou (France) www.wanikou.com/en Their prices are usually in between Dr Tuba and Airtime

Hope this helps

Christian

Thanks Christian,
I did work out later (and asked them to confirm the currency displayed) that Airtime displays USD.
Still though, cheaper than buying all the bits in Aus and putting it all together myself.

However once I saw Dr Tuba do supply both multi-point and EZ pump bladders, I put in an order with them a little earlier this morning.
Great pricing! Two sets for $485 AUD inc shipping

Super-stoked! I cannot wait for them to arrive!
Thanks again for the recommendation

Try Wanikou Kite Parts in France. I've used them for bladders and lines. Great service and reasonable price.

Select to expand quote

GreenBarrels said..

SaveTheWhales said..
What are the kites ????

Well I wasn't going to say cause I know I'll get the ole rundown from people saying to get rid of them, the safety systems are outdated and unsafe, they're crap kites etc
But I love them and have never had issues with them at all, flown them many times over the years (though not as much as I would have liked).
And as I mentioned, the canopies and bridles etc are in great condition, I always looked after them.

Anyway, long answer short...they are 2010 Best Waroos. 11m and 7m.
Make of that what you will

Haa yeah Oldie but goodies, I had a 13m red Waroo that everyone said was pink and a 9m Yarga kite.
Both great fun and learnt alot on them
I've got a Dr Tuba bladder set arriving tomorrow, 1 week delivery.. for my 12m Flite...

Select to expand quote

GreenBarrels said..

Cornishryan said..
Hi mate. Replacements are available and don't get them from some rogue repairer that 'makes repalacements'. I'm constantly fixing their poor jobs. Send me a pm with the make, model and year of your kite and I'll send you a quote for supply only and supply and fit for new bladders with welded valves.
Cheers Ry
The Sail Doctor

G'day Sail Doc.
Thanks for the advice. I have looked at reputable suppliers, so all good there.
I'm not sure the price I've found from other's suggestions, especially cbulota - Dr Tuba seems the go, here could be beaten in Aus.
If it can be I'd be more than happy to grab them from you.
Cheers :)

Absolutely. Doc tuba is exactly who I would have ordered through - I'm one of only a few Australian resellers for them. They work out cheaper than DIY bladders, and are almost certainly cheaper and more reliable than getting one made up elsewhere.
Pleased you were able to get your kites back up and running - its amazing how many of my customers are choosing this option on older kites at the moment but I guess it's significantly cheaper than buying new if you don't wanna go down that route.

Ry
The Sail Doctor

Select to expand quote

Cornishryan said..

Absolutely. Doc tuba is exactly who I would have ordered through - I'm one of only a few Australian resellers for them. They work out cheaper than DIY bladders, and are almost certainly cheaper and more reliable than getting one made up elsewhere.
Pleased you were able to get your kites back up and running - its amazing how many of my customers are choosing this option on older kites at the moment but I guess it's significantly cheaper than buying new if you don't wanna go down that route.

Ry
The Sail Doctor

They aren't up and running yet, the bladders arrive next week.
So far the price was great and service was quick with great communication.
I can't wait to get back into it!

P.S. - even though I love my old kites, I'd love to get something new as well, I reckon a 9m would fill the gap in my quiver well. But $$$ are the issue for me and I'm sure a lot of people unfortunately.

When feeding the new bladder into the leading edge or strut. Just feed a flat piece of smooth timber through first, then gently attach the bladder to the stick before drawing the stick back out. No twists!

Select to expand quote

daggy said..
When feeding the new bladder into the leading edge or strut. Just feed a flat piece of smooth timber through first, then gently attach the bladder to the stick before drawing the stick back out. No twists!

Cheers for the advice.

Select to expand quote

daggy said..
When feeding the new bladder into the leading edge or strut. Just feed a flat piece of smooth timber through first, then gently attach the bladder to the stick before drawing the stick back out. No twists!

That's overkill. Never had to do that with any kite. But hey... what ever works.

Select to expand quote

Cornishryan said..
Hi mate. Replacements are available and don't get them from some rogue repairer that 'makes repalacements'.

Really man!? #redthumb x 100

Select to expand quote

daggy said..
When feeding the new bladder into the leading edge or strut. Just feed a flat piece of smooth timber through first, then gently attach the bladder to the stick before drawing the stick back out. No twists!

Def the way to do it. I use a plastic ruler.

Select to expand quote

NorthernKitesAUS said..
GB,

Not a bad post to be honest and I think we all appreciate a good clear intro.

Those prices do not surprise me.

I've had many customers ask me where they can get entire bladder sets for kite X and Y, and to be honest I've told them - no where. Not original bladder kits anyway. Original brands of course "can get bladders" but only for the most recent and released kites, that are being made literally now - this year.

I've not been able to source entire bladder kits (valves inc) for kites older than 2019 frankly, and the only other supplier that has bladders, but as you said - you'd have to build them with stick on valves, etc is FixMyKite.com.au.

I've ordered bladders from Joel at FixMyKite and they've been 100% perfect. But of course I've had to build the bladders to the customer's kite size and shape. Yes they are pricey, especially if you're after a single complete set, but I found the valves are even more expensive when you multiply the amount of valves you need.... and if the kite is that old and been used a lot, new tube connectors and clips would not go astray in that order as well.

In short, yeah it's frustrating for both my clients and myself alike, that the kite is "crispy" and looking new, but buying an entire bladder kit is practically making the entire kite value worthless and yeah I've had people say thanks - no thanks and have either given me the kite or thrown it in the bin. For a sport that's supposed to be "environmentally" friendly, the cost of these things makes that claim seem worthless.

So I repair the bladders. I have not come across a single bladder that cannot be repaired professionally and with the same valves, re-glued in place. I've even perfected the job so much now that I say to my customers, you can practically can leave the kite inside a hot 60 degree car and they won't de-laminate again. The only way to remove the bladder after my repairs, is to cut it out! And for the cost of the repair, it makes the job worthwhile for myself and my customers.

I recommend you look at getting them repaired by a reputable repairer and be done with it. You'll fly your kite and give it new lease on life.

I hope this will make your decision easier. Good luck.
Lofty

There is one brand thats supports all the kites they have ever made with spare bladders, its Ozone of course. New V2 high flow bladders were designed to fit and upgrade all their older kites and the kits come with valves factory welded and all new hoses and clips.
3 strut kites 8m and under $180
3 strut kites 9m and larger $220
5 strut kites 8m and under $240
5 strut kites 9m and larger $270
These are complete kit prices and include a new Boston inflate deflate valve, all hoses and clips.

For older non Ozone kites where the valves have delaminated, they can be glue back on as per the post from LucienSanchez above.

Install LE bladders with a piece of flat "yellow tongue" and never have a twist again. This is actually how they install them in the kite factories I've visited.

Regards
Steve