How to Maintain, Care for and protect your kiteboarding gear & equipment

Salt and sand are the most abrasive substances on earth.
They can destroy anything, including your kite, lines, board and all the parts.

Pre-session: Wipe and/or rinse all sand from your kite, lines, and bar gathered during rigging. Pay special attention to high friction areas like your bar’s center power line, pulleys, quick releases and line connection points. And, always keep your pump clean. A dirty pump will put debris straight into your bladders. A few strong pumps is usually enough to clear the hoses. If not, rinse it.

Post-session: If you’re kite is wet, let it dry before packing. You want to store it as clean as possible. We suggest giving your kite, bar, harness and board a fresh-water bath after every session. Dry thoroughly before storing as wet gear mildews. Doing so will have you riding more and repairing less.

Cool shade, the ultimate anti-ager . . .
Did you know the sun’s UV rays and heat exponentially impact your gear’s life? A kite stored in a hot car for a day can age seals and seems by a year. Even with sunscreen built into kites and boards, UV rays cause material break down. Keep your gear young by storing it in cool shade when you’re not riding.

Proper management avoids costly damage
Topping the “why kites need repair” list: basic handling mistakes. While grounded, you can avoid damage by:

Paying attention. Inspect your launch area before unpacking. Sharp shells, twigs, rocks, thorns and trash cause more holes, tears and breaks than anything else. If you’re in cluttered area, clear things before rigging. Also, lookout for things lines can hang up on. Snagging some reef and cutting a line kills the day.

Being gentle. If you drag and throw gear around, you’re going to pay. Here’s a few tips: Refrain from using rocks to hold down your kite (unless you have them in a protective bag).

When flipping your kite over, avoid dragging wingtips across the ground. If needed, just pinch the leading edge in to prevent dragging.

When carrying kites in light winds, they need help avoiding the ground. Simply running will help keep everything airborne.