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1. Why should I buy a KiteRelease? 2. I'm an advanced rider, why do I need a KiteRelease? 3. I've ridden near thunderstorms before and not been lofted. what's the big deal? 4. Can't I just avoid kiting near thunderstorms? 5. I ride with a KiteRelease, can I ride in dangerous conditions safely now? 6. I am a great rider. I can control my kite in the event of a gust front. 7. I fly a bow kite, I don't need a KiteRelease. 8. I only kite in clear blue sky weather. Do I need a KiteRelease? 9. I use a KiteRelease, I'm safe now, right? 10. Are there other dangers I should be concerned about, especially while on the beach? 11. The KiteRelease seems complicated. Is it hard to use? 12. I like to jump and do tricks, won't the KiteRelease release if I try that? 13. I do a lot of unhooked moves. Will the Soft Shackle impede that? 14. It looks like it will be difficult to release the chickenloop when the KiteRelease is locked? 1. Why should I buy a KiteRelease? Kiteboarding is a great sport, but it is also very dangerous--especially while on or near the beach. The KiteRelease when used properly will reduce your risk of being lofted or dragged. Also, the KiteRelease employs a "Soft Shackle" (patent pending) that makes shackling in and out of the hook far easier than other shackle systems on the market. Back 2. I'm an advanced rider, why do I need a KiteRelease? No matter how good you are, if you are hooked in when a powerful wind gust hits, you are in extreme danger. Human reaction time is simply not sufficient in these cases. By the time you recognize the situation and try to activate a manual quick release it is often too late. An automatic release takes human reaction time out of the equation. That being said, you should always try and activate your manual release if you recognize a dangerous situation. When I was an Air Force Pilot we called it "trying to beat the system". If everything works right the KiteRelease will release before you can even try. If not you need to be the manual backup. The KiteRelease is simple and reliable, but when life or limb is possibly at stake you should never take anything for granted. Back 3. I've ridden near thunderstorms before and not been lofted. What's the big deal? Not all thunderstorms produce a powerful gust. However, the gust front out of a thunderstorm can be severe --70 MPH and more. Kiting near any convective activity is like playing Russian Roulette, quite literally. It is a plain fact that many thunderstorms produce very powerful gust fronts, and you can't tell by looking at them if they're packing a punch or not. Big ones tend to have higher odds and little ones tend to be less likely to produce a powerful gust. But not always. I've been flying professionally since 1982 and the worst wind burst I've ever encountered came out of a very small benign looking rain shower that didn't even show up on radar. Had there been a kiteboarder under that thing they most likely would not have survived the experience. Back 4. Can't I just avoid kiting near thunderstorms? You should make every effort to avoid kiting near any convective activity. However, you may miss the approach of severe weather. Convective activity can take the form of embedded thunderstorms, thunderstorms that are hidden in other clouds. Governments around the world have spent billions of dollars to install microburst warning systems around airports. These and other resources are unavailable to Kiters. The first warning you may have might be a severe gust front. Bear in mind that gust fronts can precede a thunderstorm by five miles or more. Additionally, Convective activity is not the only source of dangerous wind conditions. You should also consider the possibility of a control malfunction... Back 5. I ride with a KiteRelease, can I ride in dangerous conditions safely now? Absolutely not. The KiteRelease lessens the odds of being involved in a lofting or dragging accident. However, nothing is foolproof. You should kiteboard sensibly and avoid situations that are dangerous. The KiteRelease is there to offer some protection when you make a mistake or are caught unawares. If the KiteRelease ever releases automatically you should view it as a sobering experience. Ideally, in all your years of riding, the KiteRelease should never release. If it does, ask yourself what you did wrong and avoid the same situation in the future. Also ask yourself what might have happened had you not been using a KiteRelease... Back 6. I am a great rider. I can control my kite in the event of a gust front. You may be a great rider, but if a severe gust front hits while you are hooked in to an old fashioned spreader bar, you are in deep trouble. Pilots with years of experience and millions of dollars in training, flying sophisticated aircraft with huge amounts of thrust available know that they may not survive an encounter with a severe gust. All too many aircraft have been thrown to the ground and destroyed by the hand of mother nature. No matter how good you are, 180 pound Kiteboarders are far more vulnerable than 500,000 pound jet aircraft. In a very severe gust, even the KiteRelease releasing the kite may not be enough to avoid injury. Even a flagged out kite could drag you if the wind is strong enough. But your odds will be better if you use a KiteRelease. Back 7. I fly a bow kite, I don't need a KiteRelease. Bow kites definitely seem to be better at absorbing gusts than C kites. Normal gusts. A severe gust will have almost the same impact on a bow kite as it will on a C kite. That is a simple fact. Also, bow kites are at least as likely to suffer a control malfunction as C kites. Back 8. I only kite in clear blue sky weather. Do I need a KiteRelease? Without a doubt. In all the years you ever kite, is it at all possible that you will ever be caught off guard? Even just once? A control malfunction can cause you serious problems... How many times over the next thirty years would a KiteRelease have to save your life to be worthwhile? Back 9. I use a KiteRelease, I'm safe now, right? A KiteRelease, properly used, reduces your risk of being lofted or dragged. It does not make these events impossible, just far less likely. Also, there are other ways to get hurt while kiting. You are never "Safe" while engaging in any activity. It's all a matter of risk management. The lower the risk, the lower your odds are of getting hurt. You can die getting out of the bathtub--it happens--but the odds are low enough that you surely aren't afraid to take a bath. Kiteboarding is certainly more hazardous than getting out of the tub, but is it worth the risk to you? Obviously you've decided that the answer is yes if you're a kiteboarder. The question is, wouldn't you rather reduce unnecessary risks? There exists only one "Safety Device": your own brain. Reduce your risk where you can and enjoy life. Back 10. Are there other dangers I should be concerned about, especially while on the beach? Absolutely. You need to be well informed and well skilled in controlling your kite. obey all kite safety rules. keep the area downwind of you well clear. A released kite floating to the ground still presents a hazard to those downwind of you. The kite lines can be particularly dangerous. DON'T launch your kite if the possibility exists that it could become entangled, or otherwise prove to be a hazard, with anyone or anything in the kite's path. When in doubt, DON'T LAUNCH! This is not, nor is it meant to be, a complete list of kite safety rules. Please, research safety well before attempting to launch or use a kite. ALWAYS get lessons before attempting to kiteboard! Back 11. The Kite Release seems complicated. Is it hard to use? Not at all. It's really very simple. Set the release to launch to launch your kite. Set the release to ride when you put on your board in the water. Set the KiteRelease to Locked when you want to jump or maneuver aggressively. Set the KiteRelease to Launch anytime you feel that you need an extra margin of risk reduction. Set the KiteRelease to Launch when you're approaching the shore. Shackling in and out is VERY easy using the Patent Pending Soft Shackle. All in all, once you use it you'll see just how easy it is to use. Back 12. I like to jump and do tricks; won't the KiteRelease release if I try that? Simply set the KiteRelease to Locked prior to jumping. You can just leave it there till you're ready to come in, or until you feel you need an extra margin of risk reduction. Back 13. I do a lot of unhooked moves. Will the Soft Shackle impede that? Possibly. It depends on your style. The KiteRelease comes with several different tensions of Soft Shackle. You can change the tension in just a few moments while on shore. (Allen wrench required). If you don't like it at all it is easily removed. Back 14. It looks like it will be difficult to release the chickenloop when the KiteRelease is locked? Not at all. Manual release is always available, and you can always just pull the chickenloop out of the hook. The video "Using The KiteRelease" shows just how easy it is to shackle in and out with the Soft Shackle. The Soft Shackle tension can easily be adjusted to rider preference. Back
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