I am totally amazed at the people I see out kiting with no safety gear. I always make anyone joining us on our adventures where protective gear to ride my kites.
I know the city is having a winter festival and asked us about a demo. He did state in the meeting he had watched some kiter's on You Tube and why didn't they have helmets on and if we did which I assured him we all do.
I figure he was watching some Flexi videos with team riders and they had no helmets on.
It is the old problem with if we don't do it ourselves they will make laws to cover it as its what they do.
I just can't believe that the manufactures don't recognize this issue is a big one.

I watched a video of team flexi riders jumping 15-20 feet high an landboards with no helmet. I don't care how good you are, things can go wrong that high and you're dead or drooling in a bed for the rest of your life. Just stupid to not wear at least a helmet. I guess I'm getting old (and wiser).

I agree totally Bob, team riders pimping a company who covers their kites and paper work with warning. Then allow their team riders to go without gear is just wrong.
We get a lot of interest from the younger kids and then they find out about the cheap Pansh and all hell brakes loose.
Safety gear at work and play is a must lets promote our sport in a positive manner and hopefully everyone goes home safe.

Yesterday I was doing some static flying at an abandoned air field near my house with my profoil 2.5. On my second flight after a breather I relaunched and had my lines tangled up. I was doing a reverse relaunch when a stray gust of 30 mph took me right off my feet and deposited me on the asphalt runway about 15 away. End result: KO. I ended up with a golf ball sized lump on my head, a mild concussion, A LOT of missing skin, and what I'm pretty sure is at least one cracked rib. The moral of story is for all of us newbies to really respect what these things can do. I didn't even have time to let go of the handles. Just yank and now I'm looking at the sky and wondering if I am going to need an ambulance. (Yeah I was by myself too. Shame on me.) BTW what is the best way to get blood stains out of a kite sail?:saint:

I always wear a 661 suit, full leg pads and a helmet. I have even been looking at a neck protector for the big flips in the buggy. This is my second set of 661 gear, wiped out so bad I tore one arm completely off and left a little skin on the playa, but walked away. Always, no exceptions, like Hellboy said it happens fast.

Sadly this type of problem doesn't just plague this sport but many. My background includes tournament paintball (pro players on a field with markers ready to go and no masks on,) and RC helicopters (sponsored pilots flying inverted so close to themselves that a mistake or mechanical failure would be devastating if not lethal.) Ignorance can be very dangerous. I agree with wolf- If we don't watch ourselves then big brother will eventually step in and do it for us.

I am a big proponent of pads... besides the more mods I wear, the less I know that I will get hurt. The less I know I'll get hurt, the harder I push the envelope. The harder I push, the more fun I have.

More pads= More fun.

It doesnt take much to clean your clock when you fall right on your head. Trust me... Ive done it.

I agree, set an example for the young ones and wear protection. My son likes to skateboard and always complains when I make him wear his gear, "the other guys arent wearing helmets"

We have a rule at our house that if you are on wheels it isn't up for discussion. We seem to discuss it about once a week though.

I don't like using helmets and padding -- but it's holding me back! I fly most often in pretty gentle winds and big kites on soft sand.

I go a size smaller (usually) if the sand is hard-pack, I had one really good day last summer on hard-pack oregon beaches and steady 12-15 knot wind, and towards the end of my session started sending it a bit on the blade (static jumping), ended up collecting a few bruises from bad landings and limping for a week afterwards.

If the wind is gusty and strong enough to make me worried I'll often get out my symphony 2.7 two-line and whip it around for a while to get to know the wind b4 deciding which of the bigger 4-lines to dig out of my bag, as I'll be wanting to size the kite for the gusts.

I like beamerbob's rule -- but can't help noticing the lack of a helmet in his avatar.

Safety is more about recognizing and managing the risks than about wearing the protection gear. Accidents don't happen because one thing goes wrong, there's usually a number of decisions that lead to an accident, and simply wearing gear doesn't make one immune any more than always flying gentle onshore breezes on soft sand (altho that sure does feel safe... :dunno: ). I fell one time from at least ten feet up onto soft sand and walked away from it... I reckon I've been lucky so far...

I knocked myself out a few times ice-skating as a kid, I doubt I'd try flying (never had the chance yet tho) on ice without at least a helmet.

There's a lot of mention on this thread about pros riding and flying without kit, operating very close to the limits of their safety like buggy jumping and standing next to upside-down RC helis. I know how safe that can feel -- I've set up a lot of rock climbs while not clipped to any anchors, climbed around tall ship rigging in storms without clipping in, and usually don't wear full safety gear while operating a chainsaw. But then it just takes a little thing going wrong, and I'd be toast, i know...

The older i get the more i'm aware I'm flirting with risk in that kind of situation, and the less fun the flirting gets.

When I start rolling on wheels I'll do it with padding, but not likely all the time.

Setting an example, tho -- that's a big reason to wear safety gear, but also just as big a reason to keep clear of bystanders and the like -- kids are really susceptible to that kind of role modelling. They're just as likely, tho, to follow positive role modelling...

hmmm.

good food for thought here, esp. given the lack of insurance most of us have in north america....

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Originally posted by heliboy50 BTW what is the best way to get blood stains out of a kite sail?:saint:

You don't want to use any detegents. I used a product availble at pet stores called "Nature's Miracle", used for getting pet stains out. It is enzyme based and goes aftert biological stains. It is the only product I've used worthy of using the name "miracle".

Apply full strength and let sit, then rub gently with a soft sponge- never a brush.

I'm no textile chemist, so someone in the know can correct me, but it has not appeared to have harmed the fabric.

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Originally posted by furbowski I like beamerbob's rule -- but can't help noticing the lack of a helmet in his avatar.

Ok, you got me. In defense, the rule is for the kids. I can't trust them to make quality judgments about whether the helmet is necessary or not. (But dad, we are only jumping off of the short roof this time). This was one of those days that I was underpowered with a 7m Blurr, and had been all day. I had my helmet on earlier that day and all day the day before with the same conditions and it seems silly after hours of barely rolling around. There just wasn't anything going on that was going to yank me out of the buggy that day. I know, I should always wear one because you never know, but it was just me, and some sand and about 3-6 mph winds the whole day so I (accurately) made a judgement call. The wind certainly didn't have me on the edge of control or picking me up 20 feet in the air, but again, touche'. ;-)

no worries, BB... :evil: I couldn't resist! :wee:

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Originally posted by furbowski 'Accidents don't happen because one thing goes wrong, there's usually a number of decisions that lead to an accident..."

Absolutely correct. Kite had been sitting staked whilst I was having a smoke and getting the blood back into my hands. Lines had blown across each other. Launched, saw the tangle, didn't land and fix the problem, "oh I can fly out of this..."+huge gust and ka-boom. No body with me on top of it all. No kite killers on possibly contributing to a desire to hold on to the kite instead of chasing it for a half mile I learned a lot of lessons from this and hope that some other newbies like me might read this and think a bit about what they are about to do. That being said, I can't wait to go back out there.

I put my helmet on EVERY time I put a kite up and wish everybody did. Like the safety belt in the car it has become habit.
This way I don't have to think twice about it. Having said that. I only go full pads if I'm pushing it .

What type of helmets do you guys wear? I have a bike helmet, but I'm thinking of using a kayaking helmet.

I wear a good Bell bike helmet. I like Bell because you can get them replaced for a minor handling charge if you send in your whacked helmet with an explanation of what happened (so they can use it for R&D). In the hot Georgia summers a good vented helmet is the only way...

Prices go up with level of certification. CPSC, ANSI, Snell, in about that order of price and protection.

I volunteered in NY City's Central Park for over 15 years and saw a lot of bike and skate injuries, both with and without helmets. The guys with helmets would be sitting there saying "Wow, did you see that?!?" And the guys without helmets were often not talking or moving at all - in several cases we learned that the families had to pull the plug on them days later...

I find the hardest thing is telling a fellow kiter that he should wear a helmet. I used to carry a universal fit baseball helmet in my trunk and make anyone I was teaching wear it ( when they forgot to bring there own as aske ) . Most often the person would put it on to be polite and then take it off at 1st chance and leave it.

I quit telling people what to wear on a one to one baseis a long time ago. I don't like having then call me a jek under their breath I don't like doing the same when I see them pass on the advice.

What I find funny is BB is NOT the only one I have seen support the idea and yet have an avatar that would suggest the opposite ?

The best thing any of us can do is lead by example !

The person most looked up to in our parks is Dirtslide and I'm happy to say he is almost always fully padded!

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Originally posted by Bladerunner The person most looked up to in our parks is Dirtslide and I'm happy to say he is almost always fully padded!

He only started wearing his helmet all the time once he had the head phones installed. Now you just about have to bounce something off his helmet to get his attention.
S

What a great thread! I can tell you what a hardship in trying to get insurance now days and this thread points us all in the right direction, be safe. Love furbowski statement...........
Originally posted by furbowski
'Accidents don't happen because one thing goes wrong, there's usually a number of decisions that lead to an accident..."
Our presents on the flying field shows others just how safe we are and by watching UTUBES Kite Buggy Crashes it is appalled that we show this to everyone. Do they think insurance, land owners, parks people, etc never look at UTUBE? It is bad enough that some kite surfers get in the news weekly for surviving some bad judgment with an LEI. Most non buggy folks look at the news and associate most power kiting sports together. Just is going to make it hard for all of us down the road if we can’t change and start showing the safe and responsible side of our sport at least once in a while if not all the time.
Just my opinion based on beach closers, park closers, and insurance company views of our sport.

Meetings................Many more meetings!......................aj:eureka:

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He only started wearing his helmet all the time once he had the head phones installed.

That's exactly why I wear mine all the time (one of a few reasons anyway). It also keeps the cold away - the helmet is surprisingly warm in the winter and doesn't get too terribly hot in the summer - which is good as I've yet to find a good audio-installed summer helmet. I have a Giro with Tune-ups installed and a little iPod shuffle clipped to the chin strap near the ear - totally self-contained system and they sound GREAT! For me the helmet is a must. Last winter and all summer I'd slip into the 661 but for some reason I've yet to put it on this winter. I guess now that our snow is starting to harden up and the season is threatening to shut me out of my hopes for Bladerunner's forecasted "breakthrough" winter I better pad up and start pushing things.:singing:

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Originally posted by macboy Quote: I guess now that our snow is starting to harden up and the season is threatening to shut me out of my hopes for Bladerunner's forecasted "breakthrough" winter I better pad up and start pushing things.:singing:

Winter isn't over yet Buddy ! Don't sell yourself short ! You have all the right gear and all the basics down. It's time to throw caution to the wind!

Put on those 661's and Giro helmet for extra security and trust in your equipment !

as i have come to kiting from a downhill mountain biking ive loads of body armour ! 661, fox and roach ! i suppose that will be fine to use with the atb !! it doesnt restrict movement !!

Some in the YouTube and "Jackass" generation are not too acquainted with safety gear. I'd say nearly 90% of all the crazy, amateur kite and skate Youtube stunts don't feature safety gear! It is setting a bad example.

I also can't help but notice how often those pumped-up kite jumping compilations on Youtube DON'T show the actual landings!

I'm just old and scrawny enough to know I break a lot easier than those whippersnappers. :duh: (and I keep in mind that no amount of bodyarmor can prevent breaks from wrongway bends and torques).

Very true lad, but it sure helps with the everyday bumps and bruises.

Guys saftey is required in everything I use special peterlynn helmets that they gave me when they came to my country Kuwait,

WolfWolfee my advice to you search for good protections or you can always use www.flexifoil.com or www.peterlynnkites.co.nz