Safety TIp: Breaking spreader bars

[Tighe]

In the last year there have been three incidences of broken spreader bars. All were Dakine, one was a pivot, the other two fixed. In one incidence it broke in the middle of a jump and the rider fell out of the sky...luckily into the water. Such an incidence on Ice could be a lot worse.

Be careful jumping too high over thinner snow covered surfaces.
Consider a carabiner backup. With the new Chicken loops you should be able to still flag your kite if needed.
Check your spreader bar for stress cracks often
ride safe.

[Matt V]

Anybody ever seen or heard of an Ozone "Access" SB spreader bar breaking? I have seen lots of windsurfing spreader bars break somewhere along the rod that makes up the hook. Kind of scares me that this could happen to me even on good deep snow.

[Al C]

I've snapped the hook off of a Dakine Hammerhead pivoting bar after a year and a half of use, switched to their fixed hook version hoping to sideskirt the issue and snapped that in a year and a half as well. Now I stick with the fixed hook version and replace the bar on an annual basis whether it needs it or not,haven't had any problems in the last two years.

Spreader bars are a very high stress part, the hook welds in particular. It's no surprise that they have a finite lifespan.

[Tighe]

one other quick note on this.

I've noticed some riders attach their leashes to the spreader bar hook. In the case of a broken spreader bar, you most likely would loose your kite as well, and potentially risk the safety of others downwind if you kite took off unmanned. If you prefer a front leash attachment, you might consider going to the back bar part of the spreader bar not the thinner, potentially breaking, hook part. May need to add a short section of line around the thick bar.

ride safe.