Equipment-Control Bar
Kiteboarding Equipment - The Control Bar
First off, control bars have continued to evolve with the main changes being safety systems. You use the control bar to not only steer/power the kite but also to take the physical pull off your arms by being able to hook into your waist harness. Your harness allows your body/waist to handle the power of the kite. The tension though on those lines is substantial and not having a newer control bar with the latest safety features is a MAJOR MISTAKE. Almost every kiter at one point will experience their kite crashing and the lines getting tied up in the water. When that happens sometimes the kite can still be powered up but you cant control it because the lines are wrapped up so you just have to release the bar and sometimes completely separate from the kite. When the kite is power up there is an amazing amount of pull and old bars safety devices might not release correctly under pressure.
Using an inflatable kite control bar (normally with 4 lines, two front lines and two back lines), you can turn the kite to the left by pulling the left end of the bar and turn the kite to the right by pulling the right end of the bar. If the bar is in a neutral position, the kite will continue on its current flight path and fly to the edge of the wind window (left, right, upward or downward edges).
The two back lines (control lines) of the kites are tied to the leader lines at the ends of the bar and the front lines (power lines) are tied to a center leader line. There is some adjustable strap and/or "chicken loop" set up on the center line allowing the kiter to shorten it to adjust the length of the front lines .vs. back lines to adjust the angle of attack of the kite (adjust the power of the kite).
If the twisting of the lines after a spin upsets you, you may want to rig a spin leash that allows you to untwist the lines easily after a spin or get a bar with that feature built in.
Inflatable Depowering System
A 4 line inflatable can be depowered by shortening the front leader line (reducing the Angle of Attack) and powered-up by lengthening the front leader line (increase the Angle of Attack). This shortening and lengthening of the front leader line can be done via a chicken loop or a trim strap. Some even tie the front leader line to their harness (can be released via a quick release mechanism).
For classic inflatable, some kiters even use a 5th line to help relaunching of the kite and also to be used as a safety system line. (But that is always evolving with the new kite designs)
Since the new Flat LEI(leading edge inflatable) can depower much more than the traditional LEI, the new Flat LEI control bar has a much longer trim strap and chicken loop line.
Most new kites nowadays come with bars pre-configured for the size of the kite and also some have unique depowering features on the kite that require the specific control bar from the same manufacturer.
As you evolve as a rider you can play with the bar width and line lengths that you like.
I was going to post a video of control bar basic but the videos are all geared to specific control bars and each manufacturer has their own safety systems which can make the bars different.
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