Which kite bar do I need for my kite?
For every type and brand of kite there is kitebar or control bar available. If you buy a new kite you can add the best bar that kite. You want to start at selecting the kite you want and want a bar that fits the kite. More about information which Kite should i choose There are a few thinks you need to know about the kite bar:
- 4 Lines Bar
- 5 Lines bar
- Safety
- Line length
- Width of the bar
4 Lines kite Bar
The four-line kite bar is the most common bar, using a total of 4 lines to power and steer the kite.
Steering lines: 2
Power lines: 2
Mostly uses on bow and hybrid kite with a bridle on the power lines.
Basic characteristics:
- Easy self-relaunch
- Easy in control
- Harder relaunch in low wind
- Good downwind draft
- Slow turns
5 Lines Kite bar
The five-line kite bar using a total of 5 lines to power and steer the kite.
Steering lines: 2
Power lines: 3
Mostly uses C kites and hybrid kite without a bridle on the power lines.
Basic characteristics:
- Easy relaunch in low wind
- Direct feel in the kite
- More slack in lines after pop
- Stable while unhooking
- Super-fast turns
4 lines bar on the left and 5 lines on the right.
Line length
does line length matter? Yes is does! The lines of the most kite vary between 15 and 27 meters. But what is the difference, and most important what length do i need for my kite?
Short kite lines
all line length under the 15 meters is considered short. The shorter the lines, the smaller your wind window is becoming, here for there the power pull will be less. Not because the wind is always less strong near the ground, but the kite less time in the power-zone to build op speed and power. The steering of a kite with short lines will be more direct. This is the main reason to use shorter lines.
Short lines are best suited for hard winds and smaller kites. Also, some kite surf school train with kites whit shorter or extreme short lines (< 10m) This for avoid hard crashes of the material and danger of hitting someone
Long kite lines
All lines above 22 meters are considered long. The longer the kite lines are, the bigger your wind window is and the more power you can produce. The steering of the kite with longer lines will be slower and less direct. Here for longer lines are best suited for bigger kites and most used in lower wind conditions.
Check out all about the right kite size
Most common line length
There is no best line length, but the most common length are the lines between the 20 and 24 meter. The reason is that you can use 1 bar for bigger and smaller kites and have the best overall options.
Always check your lines before heading out, make sure all lines have the same length and are not damaged.
Learning to kitesurf?
Want to know more about learning to kitesurf? make sure to check out our full guide on “how to kitesurf” This will give you in depth info on all the kitesurf topics when you begin kitesurfing.
Kite surf bar zise and width
The bar for kite surfing can vary in width, so why is that and what kite bar size do I need?
Smaller kite bar (<45 cm) are more fit for the smaller kites. This is because the tips of a smaller kite are closer together and can steer directly with a smaller kite bar.
The wide bars (50+cm) are more fit for the bigger kites, and most of the time fitted with longer lines.
Conclusion: the kite bar size is mainly based on the size of the kite you are using.
A kite bar what is what?
- Steering line
- Line extension
- Powerline
- Splitter
- Depower
- Depower cord
- The bar tip
- Chicken loop
Safety leash on the bar
There are a few ways to connect your safety leash to your bar. Depending on the brand and type of bar you are using.
- Under the Quick release.
- On one of the steering lines
- True your chicken loop (Suicide mode)
- beside your chicken loop
- Full Suicide mode We DONT recommend this!
The best kite bar
All the different brand and types of kite require different stats, think of number of lines, line length, splitter and kite bar size. To get the best kite bar for your kite, we recommend to use the kitebar from the same brand and designed for the type of kite you are using.
