Rider: 76,Level (beginner)
Style: Freeriding
Weather: Any knots
Build Quality: 10/10
Satisfaction: 9/10

My Comments:
Hi everyone,
I don't know if I am the only one, but after a couple of hours in the water, because the bar from my Rally is so tough, I get massive blisters all over my hands.

I was thinking to buy some grip that I use for tennis rackets and wrap it around the bar in order to make it more soft.

You think it's a good idea? Has anyone tried this?

Thanks,
Mike

Surely the answer is lubrication!!!

So funny...for a 14 yo that is.

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kitcho207 said...

Surely the answer is lubrication!!!

Loosen your grip .. as a beginner you tend to hold on too hard
until you get more relaxed with your grip wear gloves, that will fix it.

I had this problem with the weights in the gym all the time because
I have office fingers and the gloves take care of it (half ones with open fingers).

Gloves are also good when you crash a lot and have to waterstart your kite many times. Makes it a lot easier to pull the lines.

good luck
gmd

I forgot to mention, that happen with full on water sport gloves.

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gmd said...

Loosen your grip .. as a beginner you tend to hold on too hard
until you get more relaxed with your grip wear gloves, that will fix it.

I had this problem with the weights in the gym all the time because
I have office fingers and the gloves take care of it (half ones with open fingers).

Gloves are also good when you crash a lot and have to waterstart your kite many times. Makes it a lot easier to pull the lines.

good luck
gmd

Jeez your hand sure do wrinkle up afte a couple of hours, i'm guessing they're constantly in the water.

Relax your grip will help. Is this fresh or salt water? Maybe even a barrier cream of some sort to slow the wrinkle/ skin softening factor.

You obviously haven't ridden the Hadlow iD/Pro bar. The thing is brutal (in comparison to the 2010 compstick) because of all the synthetic embossed shapes on the grip -- meant to be great for making those handle-passes (not that I've tried). Dont worry, your hands will callas up and it wont bother you unless your riding for long periods, day after day.

Check out Aaron's hand in the photo below...

I was in salt water.

I'll try the tennis racket grip too, maybe it'll make a difference.

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Mikedobee said...

I forgot to mention, that happen with full on water sport gloves.

gmd said...

Loosen your grip .. as a beginner you tend to hold on too hard
until you get more relaxed with your grip wear gloves, that will fix it.

I had this problem with the weights in the gym all the time because
I have office fingers and the gloves take care of it (half ones with open fingers).

Gloves are also good when you crash a lot and have to waterstart your kite many times. Makes it a lot easier to pull the lines.

good luck
gmd

if i read this right you are saying you wore watersports gloves when this happened... if this is the case then you shouldnt blame the slingy bar as it's probably the gloves.

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Mikedobee said...

Build Quality: 10/10
Satisfaction: 9/10

really ?


you sure you don't want to revise your rating

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Mikedobee said...



Rider: 76,Level (beginner)
Style: Freeriding
Weather: Any knots
Build Quality: 10/10
Satisfaction: 9/10

My Comments:
Hi everyone,
I don't know if I am the only one, but after a couple of hours in the water, because the bar from my Rally is so tough, I get massive blisters all over my hands.

I was thinking to buy some grip that I use for tennis rackets and wrap it around the bar in order to make it more soft.

You think it's a good idea? Has anyone tried this?

Thanks,
Mike

english people have soft hands. Also gloves keep your hands very moist all the time. Making the 'old mans bathtub hands' skin come off.. I have a slingshot bar and have had no problems at all.

It's not the bar.. It's your fancy gloves

Any bar would do that to hands that softened by water. It's like any manual labour, toughen it out the first few months and you'll build calluses. Doing it any other way will just slow this process and prolong your pain!

I can't believe this has been running for almost 7 hours and you've not been told to put a teaspoon of cement in your coffee yet... Cummon old crew, where are ya?





Seriously, looking at the photo, your skin still looks totally wrinkled. How long after water exposure was that taken? Do you have a pre existing condition?

I'd definitely lose the gloves - unless you're after the sun protection benefits of them, in which case fair enough. BUT think what your skin looks like after you take a plaster off - or a kid getting out of the water after waaay too long in there - the same.
Even if you don't get water inside the gloves, (which is near impossible) your skin will sweat and become totally soft.

Even a beginner pulling like crazy on a bar would not suffer the same with dry skin that was able to breathe (i.e. not wearing gloves).

Seems like you were using full fingered 'closed' gloves? It just seems you've had no drainage/drying at all.

Anyway, my advice is to try without the gloves, and loosen your grip.

^+1

gloves causing your prob

the old school fix for blisters was to piss on em !
also i noticed that a larger diameter bar is harder to hang onto [from mx and sailboarding ]
so gloves or tape may cause less grip [depending on your hand size ]
dont worry we have\will evolved!!

Computer screen.........bed sheet..............wrinkled hands............I'm just saying.........

I am bored so...
Assume you have a harness...?
Assume you have chicken loop attached to hook on same...?
The bulk of your load should be on the harness.

If it is windy and you are getting light on the toes walking up the beach back to base (with the kite in the air) de-power it.
If the bulk of your time is on the water and you are getting blisters from this, try moving your hands from the end to the middle of the bar and back every 30 or so seconds - i.e. break the grip.

My slingy is a few years old (assume the modern bar setup includes a stopper), I use the stopper to set the bar when I want to cruise. Then can use one hand to steer i.e the bar is light to hold on to. Try it.

Your blisters remind me of rowing - at the beginning of the season. Metho' dried out blister, also used formaldehyde fires up the nerve endings with either[}:)]

Realistically - the brand of bar (/kite) has no bearing on that problem. Was going to say more likely a life style issue - got to get out there and be more manual... But I noticed you like to also surf ski, wake board etc etc - both should have toughened you hands - bottom line - relax (specially hands) when kiting.

AP

nobs what do you mean english people have soft hands are you talking from personal exsperience

I used to have North Kites and the bar was softer but I still got blisters on the first day of the season. The Slingshot bar does tend to give me blisters quicker and they last a few sessions more before the hands toughen up.
As some of the previous post's mention it tends to be "office hands, and beginning of the season issues" for me.

I dont wear gloves unless Im kiting every day solid (like on holidays, again due to office work the hands are not up to it) The wrinkled hands will always occur faster if you wear gloves. I have found the half finger gloves are better rather than full gloves as it delays the wrinkles slightly due to the skin being able to breathe a bit.
I know its pretty obvious but .... if I expect to be kiting all day every day, I will use gloves and I tend to take breaks and shorten the sessions. (Take the gloves off in between sessions and let the hands breathe, it seems to work or at least delay the blisters)

The positive: The softer composition/padding on the North bars started to disintegrate after a season and the padding started to peel off (as there is no padding to speak of on the Slingshot bars, this doesnt happen.)

:))))) Alright Sherlock Holmes, you are funny.....but it's definitely from kitesurfing, not from other stuff.

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Addikt said...

Computer screen.........bed sheet..............wrinkled hands............I'm just saying.........

Yeah I do like all the water/snow sports. That actually happened after 8 hours straight in the water with no break. The day before I've also been in the water for another 4-5 hours. However, if I am spending just like a normal person 2-3 hours in the water, everything is fine.

I also found on some review sites other people complaining about the comp stick being a bit hard on your hands.

Thanks for the advice, I'll try to depower more. See how I go.

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AquaPlow said...

I am bored so...
Assume you have a harness...?
Assume you have chicken loop attached to hook on same...?
The bulk of your load should be on the harness.

If it is windy and you are getting light on the toes walking up the beach back to base (with the kite in the air) de-power it.
If the bulk of your time is on the water and you are getting blisters from this, try moving your hands from the end to the middle of the bar and back every 30 or so seconds - i.e. break the grip.

My slingy is a few years old (assume the modern bar setup includes a stopper), I use the stopper to set the bar when I want to cruise. Then can use one hand to steer i.e the bar is light to hold on to. Try it.

Your blisters remind me of rowing - at the beginning of the season. Metho' dried out blister, also used formaldehyde fires up the nerve endings with either[}:)]

Realistically - the brand of bar (/kite) has no bearing on that problem. Was going to say more likely a life style issue - got to get out there and be more manual... But I noticed you like to also surf ski, wake board etc etc - both should have toughened you hands - bottom line - relax (specially hands) when kiting.

AP

You are absolutely right. The Slingy bars are really reliable and never seem to peel off or break. It's definitely because of my skin. I'll try with the half fingers gloves.

Cheers,
Mike

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Flying High said...

I used to have North Kites and the bar was softer but I still got blisters on the first day of the season. The Slingshot bar does tend to give me blisters quicker and they last a few sessions more before the hands toughen up.
As some of the previous post's mention it tends to be "office hands, and beginning of the season issues" for me.

I dont wear gloves unless Im kiting every day solid (like on holidays, again due to office work the hands are not up to it) The wrinkled hands will always occur faster if you wear gloves. I have found the half finger gloves are better rather than full gloves as it delays the wrinkles slightly due to the skin being able to breathe a bit.
I know its pretty obvious but .... if I expect to be kiting all day every day, I will use gloves and I tend to take breaks and shorten the sessions. (Take the gloves off in between sessions and let the hands breathe, it seems to work or at least delay the blisters)

The positive: The softer composition/padding on the North bars started to disintegrate after a season and the padding started to peel off (as there is no padding to speak of on the Slingshot bars, this doesnt happen.)

Lose the gloves, short term pain long term gain.

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Mikedobee said...

You are absolutely right. The Slingy bars are really reliable and never seem to peel off or break. It's definitely because of my skin. I'll try with the half fingers gloves.

Cheers,
Mike

As everyone has been saying, lose the gloves. Why are you wearing them in the first place? Have you come from a water skiing background?

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iRideWainman said...

You obviously haven't ridden the Hadlow iD/Pro bar. The thing is brutal (in comparison to the 2010 compstick) because of all the synthetic embossed shapes on the grip -- meant to be great for making those handle-passes (not that I've tried). Dont worry, your hands will callas up and it wont bother you unless your riding for long periods, day after day.

Check out Aaron's hand in the photo below...

I use this kite and cant say i have any problems with it. Sure its ruff, more so then other kites it has sick grip and as long as your holding on lightly between tricks your hands will be fine.

Not at all water skiing background. I am coming from skiing/snowboarding background (about 11 years) until I moved to Australia and started wakeboarding and kitesurfing.

I am using the gloves because my hands hurt like hell after 15-20 minutes in the water. I reckon I have really ****ty skin that gets weak really fast. And I've already tried without gloves for like 3 straight days and the result was even worst.

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DANEgerous said...

Mikedobee said...

You are absolutely right. The Slingy bars are really reliable and never seem to peel off or break. It's definitely because of my skin. I'll try with the half fingers gloves.

Cheers,
Mike

As everyone has been saying, lose the gloves. Why are you wearing them in the first place? Have you come from a water skiing background?

If ur going the tape option you will find the stuff they sell in bike shops will be more adhesive and more suited to being in water than the stuff they sell you for tennis rackets.


I agree - loose the gloves. Nothin but a PITA (imo).
Only time my hands ever worried me was when I tried them once. Maybe they get better as you get used to them? I dont know. Didnt bother with them again.

When I first used the newer slingy bar (2009/2010) i found it was a lot harder on the hands than the older one. After a while you don't notice it - you will get used to it.

get into the garden and do some work to help toughen up the hands. I have permanent callouses that never seem to go away.

I have never seen such wrinkled hands. agree with all - lose the gloves.

I ride the Rally Too. Awesome kite best I have ever ridden an Ive been riding since 2002.
Never had a problem with the bar but in saying that I have trades hands. Buy looking at your hands your hands are spending to much time soaking in the water. Once you get better your bar should stay out of the water most of the time. good Luck.

Let the callus's build up, Lose the gloves. i think kitepower sells bar wrapping on their website if you really cant handle it

looks like its your gloves that are causing this problem. A bad set will cause the pruning which will in turn lead to open callouses/blisters.
Try a few different types.. it can take a while to find a good pair.
I use some open-finger sailing gloves when i'm using my Slingy bars for long/full-on sessions and don't get any of that pruning, but another pair i have (full finger) tend to leave my hands looking like that if i wear them for too long.
Watch for thickness of the gloves too.. too thick and they will add to the apparent bar diameter of your grip and you'll find your muscles will start to ache prematurely.
Like i say, try a few out if you can.