It doesn’t matter if you are planning a kitesurfing trip or just packing down after a session, you will need to know how to properly roll up your kite and pack the rest of your kite equipment.
Your session is done, you landed your kite, you are battered and all you want is a big meal and a cold one. But your work isn’t done yet, you still have to pack down your kite equipment.
As seen over the past years, kite bags have got smaller and smaller. To properly fold your kite becomes a very important skill to have. It will make your equipment last a few more seasons.
The trick about packing down your kite and equipment is to do it quickly and safely without any damage. It is all about having the right method. And there is a few different ways of doing it.
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The first thing you want to do is to wrap up your lines. You do this so your lines don’t get tangled in animals, people, cars or any potential sharp objects. Wrap your lines around your bar in a figure 8. This makes rolling your lines out a lot faster with less tangles.
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Pro Tip: Take your time with this, if you do a bad job rolling the lines in, next time you go out, it could take half a session untangling them.
After the lines we get to the kite, you want to make sure that the kite is fully deflated and nothing blocking the deflate valve, before rolling up your kite equipment.
Rolling up the kite equipment, step by step:
- Find a good place to pack up, plenty of space and no sharp objects
- Make sure the center of the leading edge is straight into the wind
- Release the air by opening the valve and let the air out of the kite
- Place it on the ground and begin rolling the kite from the one wingtip
- Apply a bit of pressure to the bladder (like emptying toothpaste out the tube)
- Try get the worst sand, dirt or seaweed off the kite as you roll
- Roll up both sides of the kite
- Fold the kite once or twice depending on the size
- Put your kite back in your kite bag
Pro tip: Don’t pack your kite too tightly and only fold your kite once or twice. You should leave it a bit loose in the bag, to avoid any damages to the bladders, valves or the sheet of the kite.
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If you are in a rush, there is a quick way to roll up your kite (not really recommended, but it happens). Leave your lines attached, just rolled them up and leave the struts inflated. Roll the partially deflated kite by the leading edge. Now you can get it to a safe environment.
A kite bag is just as important as the pack down. A good bag that protects your equipment while it moves from car to the beach to the garage. A big bag that can fit your harness, bar, pump and kite is very useful. Then you would have a lot less to carry around.
Always clean down all your kite equipment after each session. harness , bar, everything. It will make your kite equipment last a lot longer.