I'm not sure if most riders are aware but when kite companies develop a new kite they have multiple attachment points for the bridle along the leading edge and get test riders to give feedback on what they did and didn't like and the designers remove all ,or most of the different attachment options and go with what they think is right .I have been fortunate enough to be able to fly one of these kites and try out the different configs .I was amazed at how different a kite can perform in different conditions,styles of riding boards and so on (even after a year of flying the kite and trying some new configs in the new conditions i experienced ) so I pleaded the case for retaining most of these proto attachment points .
I understand the argument that by retaining them the kites LE looks ugly and the different attachments can confuse riders but from my own experience having the different options is great (as long as an explaination accompanies) Surely this can't be too hard .
one of the things that i like about this is that I have found that by reading reviews and trying kites for myself and also watching vids I can see how the bridle config on one particular kite gives it its particular flying characteristics and then try it on the kite that I have that has the multiple attachment points by attaching the bridle to different points .I know some of you might think that what I am into as a loungechair designer is quite nerdy but I reckon that kite companies should consider keeping the multiple LE attachments as a good idea (again it is important to have an accompanying explaination of what to expect with different configs ) and give riders the opportunity to customise their kite more and set it up for conditions on the day or their weight or style or even to suit the board that they are riding .
Sounds good, they probably leave them off because most people won't understand enough about it and might completely bork it and cause carnage. Also because if they give you no options it keeps the feel of the kite more consistent and they don't get people whinging because "the kite doesn't work properly" just because it's not set up right.
I'd like to at least try a kite with more adjustment, I do see a few kites with different attachment points (for both front and back lines) It's just about playing around with settings.
Maybe kite companies could supply retailers with a one off kite each season for its customers to try. i would love to try a kite with more attchment points up and down the leading edge to see what suits me.
There are some kites like the Wainman that have adjustable points on the bridle, most people don't understand them enough to use them. With the wainman kites there was some confusion when they came out to the best settings. So im not 100% convinced that they would be a good idea, a custom option maybe made to order but there would be a considerable extra cost.
Hey Floaty,
The Airush Vapor I came out with infinitely variable tuning and it was a disaster in 98% of cases with people making guesses as to where and how it should be rigged. I saw one or two correctly trimmed (in a whole season) and all the rest were horrid with some ridiculous canopy shapes as a result of people not knowing what they are doing.
Multiple attach points adds weight, creates weak points, creates confusion and like slave says, leaves just one more thing to tangle a bridle or line around. Often a mere movement of a bridle attachment point is not enough, better results will probably also require a lengthening or shortening of the bridle itself which then starts to take it out of the hands of even the more advanced fliers.
Back in the days of thr Airush Halo 2, I spent a few hours moving attach points and then started to shorten and lengthen bridle line lengths and I can tell you I achieved a much better flying kite than was standard after a few hours of tinkering. Much of it was trial and error guided by thoughts on how it should react. Some changes also rendered the kite bordering on dangerously unflyable 
Ozone kites sell really well because their bridles are simple and offer nothing other than the most basic change of rear pigtail position on the tips. They fly perfectly right out of the bag in both settings and thus a consistent experience is achieved for every rider as per the parameters and goals of the designer.
If the 1 or 2% of advanced skill riders who like to tinker with settings want extra pigtail options, they can easily ask a reputable kite repairer to add a few extra attach points. It's not that hard and wont break the bank if you do choose that option.
The negetives by far outweigh the positives.
Keep It Simple, Stupid (KISS)
DM
I prefer no additional attachment points. It's aesthetically cleaner and less stuff to catch dirt and damage and stuff.
Adding extra attachment points with all the associated reinforcement just adds complexity and cost and confusion for the customers.
The kites I have that have had multiple points I have set them how I like them and never changed them. I would prefer the designers and testers did that for me. The only caveat is the testers in particular have to be very good at testing for the market.
I did have surf specific kites in the past and they were good overall. I now ride all Crossbows and they work fine in the surf in the odd times I get down there. If I was a dedicated wave kiter I would get a wave dedicated kite.
Hi guys,
Multi attach points are hardly revolutionary. Many kites come with different settings on their leading edge and /or wingtips which allow the rider multi faceted kite performance with 5 second adjustments. Some even have adjustable bars like North, Airush, Core and in fact many other brands too which allow a customized feel.
With kites, take for instance the Core GTS and XR. They have three bridle positions for bar pressure and three attach points for steering speed. Any combination works and allows very real customising of the feel and performance of the kite. This is not radical new technology.
Core have made the adjustments significant without having the kite become unflyable ie, you can do anything you like so long as the changes are symetrically reproduced on both sides and the kite will be altered quite significantly to suit almost any riders wishes.
However, most people who buy the Cores, set their kites to max speed and lightest bar pressure and never change them. This is no different to kites made to fly fastest and with bar pressure and feel to suit the masses like North, Ozone etc. Even North have different setup configs for the Vegas.
My point is that there can and does already exist, in a good many kites, the ability to change the feel of the kite within a set of workable and safe parameters. Why would you feel the need to push beyond these settings when the kite is already significantly altered in performance to suit almost any riders needs, without going beyond designed specifications?
Most kites are built for the mass market who don't change their settings and want a good flying kite right out of the bag, some design the ability to customize. Choose a brand that best suits your needs.
DM
I think there is a definite niche in the market for those kiters that understand what there doing and like to "tech out" their gear. I include myself in this category. As a self confessed kite addict/nerd, I don't understand the mentality of not wanting multiple customising options, to suit different scenarios. I really enjoy that aspect of kiting.
like North, Airush, Core and in fact many other brands too which allow a customized feel.
In this day and age we have to deal with choice often excessive choice - someone said this is what we wanted but now most do not know what to do with it.
Most people want to be lead as it is safe that way.
The marketing back room gurus know how to play us and most follow the biggest hype.
Its each individuals choice but sadly most do not know how to benefit from this apparent privilege
like North, Airush, Core and in fact many other brands too which allow a customized feel.
Keep it simple. Wainman just had too many options - it contradicted it's suppossed keep things simple principle.
You just want to know what the kite is good for - hook it up and go. max 2 or 3 options/ combinations...
Prototyping can just be all about testing 100 attachmnet points- but leave it to the r and d ers to decide.
Kiting does seem to have become a tech out nerds dream recently - i blame the manufacturers, many of these riders don't have teh first clue what they are on about anyway as they don't have the ability to maybe even benefit - it s a bit of teh psuedo effect i reckon
i think the reaction to this is talk now of 2 line kites, single strut kites and in fact the emergence of probably more non pully bridle c kites in 2011 than in the previous few years.
I reckon they should just add more lines. Sometimes when I fly a 5 line kite I just feel like it would be a lot better if there were points to add say a 6th, 7th or even 8th line, but without the correct attachment points to do it I feel the kite may be damaged.
Don't laugh rowdy I have seen a 7 line bar. With the extra set of front lines you can change the front line attachment points while riding. You could even have a 9 line bar with another extra set of rear lines to have it totally adjustable.
