Looking to upgrade my from ye' old beginner Ozone kit to something a bit more freestyle and modern. I'm getting into unhooking now, so that will be a major factor in my decision. Honestly I feel as though any 4 line bridled C-types from one of the popular brands will do me fine (Ozone C4, Cab Chaos, SS RPM, etc etc), but I want a bar system that is friendly to me f**king up unhooked stuff all the time (ALL THE TIME).

Which of the bar systems will allow an easy (non tangled) relaunch if I drop the bar, while still having a good safety system?

Note: I will most likely be getting something between 2013-2014 models, so I don't think that counts the new Cabrinha bar, or the newest Ozone bar, unless I can buy a new bar for the older kites and there won't be any compatibility issues.

All the big brand bars are pretty good. none are gonna tangle or make it any harder to unhook.

Yeah I agree with glendog...

The release on the new Ozone kites is much better for unhooking than the previous pull release.
You probably already know this, but the new release can be retro-fitted to the old bar.
This part is around $50 or $60.

Well for example, with the old Ozone system, you had to choose between ease of unhooking OR a flag out safety system. You could clip into that centre safety line ring between the chicken loop, and if you dropped the bar while unhooked, the kite would stay in the sky, or slowly just drift down onto the tip. BUT if you got into serious trouble and pull the release, the kite won't flag in that mode.

The systems which look the best (I think the latest Cab and Ozone bar has it now as well), is the one which you can thread the ring through the chicken loop, so that as long as you don't pull the release the kite won't flag. But you can still flag if the situation calls for it. The older Cab system (IDS?) is confusing and not sure if it behaves like the old Ozone, or the threaded ring systems?

You can do that on the LF bars too, but it wears out the flagging line really fast.

Lots of brands use the flag line ring through the chicken loop and works well. some you have the option of attatching your safety to the end of the trim strap/line that fully depowers (de-trims) the kite. That can be a good option at the start as it slows the kite down when tomahawking too. takes a little longer to reset tho.

Flag out connections are only good hooked in.

Under the bar trim like LF and Slingshot save your kites crashing hard in the water, but under the bar trims harder to pull when is nuking.

Im think i might use a fifth and stopper this year.

I would explore using a fifth, but there are some serious waves at my local :(

They pretty much all have that loop thing to hook onto now. Yeh like surfing boy said the only not so good bar was when ozone had a pull release a few years back. If your worried about your kite crashing then dont bother unhooking.

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zarb said..
I would explore using a fifth, but there are some serious waves at my local :(

At the beginning stages of freestyle progression, you'll be served well by a bridled C. A full C kite with 5th line support isn't necessary. The C4, Chaos, or RPM will work extremely well for what you need and will offer you way more range. The RPM will probably be the best for you as you'll get huge range and you won't notice any performs differences until you can consistently do a good deal of handlepasses. Even then Youri won the tour twice on the RPM and Carlos Mario is currently second in the world rankings on the same kite. Clearly doesn't hold you back! The new Slingshot bar is also very very good.

I run the old ozone bar , the depower strap can get tangled when max depower is on .
Used the latest slingshot fuel n bar today and the below bar seemed ok n cleaner .
When ya f up, anything can happen ?

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Drury said..

zarb said..
I would explore using a fifth, but there are some serious waves at my local :(

At the beginning stages of freestyle progression, you'll be served well by a bridled C. A full C kite with 5th line support isn't necessary. The C4, Chaos, or RPM will work extremely well for what you need and will offer you way more range. The RPM will probably be the best for you as you'll get huge range and you won't notice any performs differences until you can consistently do a good deal of handlepasses. Even then Youri won the tour twice on the RPM and Carlos Mario is currently second in the world rankings on the same kite. Clearly doesn't hold you back! The new Slingshot bar is also very very good.

Any problems transferring the new Slingshot bar to the older kites? I'm looking at getting a 9m and 12m 2013 RPM because the price is right.

New bar will work perfectly on the older kites. That said I would get 2014 or newer as the trailing edge wore out extremely fast on the older models. 2014 has much better construction and those wear issues were resolved. 2015 also has an updated bridle which makes the kite feel WAY more C. Demo one if you can because the improvement is very drastic, especially if you're after a C feel. 2014 and on also have much better low end and all around range.

Back in the day when everyone used these bars they all unhooked, so it must have been pretty easy back then

another interesting point- you can change out the chicken loop for a larger one on most bars.will make everything easier when learning to unhook

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tomme said..
another interesting point- you can change out the chicken loop for a larger one on most bars.will make everything easier when learning to unhook

And for some weird reason Slingshot, one of the original and truest wakestyle brands, does not have this option. No idea why they wouldn't. Ozone, Cabrinha, LF, Best, and many others do have this option. I will say however that the Slingshot loop is a reasonable size and doesn't feel tiny like some do.

I haven't used the North Hadlow bar personally, but I had a good look at one a mate was using. IMO best bar I've ever seen. Only problem with this bar is the price!!! I ride Wainman C kites, but I'm thinking of running one of these bars on my kites.



Short bar, with several easy adjustments at the bar. You can ride suicide with an option to connect to the 5th line. So if you release the loop while hook in (accidentally like has happened to me in the past), the kite flags out to the 5th line (so you don't lose the kite). Personally I wouldn't ride a C kite without a 5th line purely for easy relaunch in light winds. But for performance, the North bar is a loaded 5th line. That means no matter how much you depower the kite at the trim handle, the leader and 5th lines don't change in length. So the kite tension on the leading edge remains the same. Better flying. Above bar depower all the way.

nothing wrong with the slingshot bar. actually really like. it good and clean.
recently went to core and don't find it the best for unhooking. has a very small loop, but the main thing is the loop doesn't lock into the bar so it is never lined up to hook back in. all other aspects of the bar are top shelf if you ride hooked.