Gear & Cold

monkey1031 · Post by **monkey1031** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:23 am

How cold it too cold for the leading edge bladders? I'd hate to find out the hard way.

-robbie

Stroh · Post by **Stroh** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:36 am

never to cold. I've been out in -45 (windchill) I think like -20 temp.. just limits on what you want to endure yourself.

Jon

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:39 pm

Be careful with your plastic parts. They can get brittle in the really really cold. Also some plastic tubing gets stiff in the cold, repetiitive bending can cause snapping. Kites don't seem to care though. Only thing I've noticed is if I push the inflate hose in really far into the valve on a warm kite ( just out of the van) then it chills as I pump up, it doesn't always completely seal with the plug. Usuallly warm it up a hair gets it to shrink back and make the seal. We're talking really cold though....like today.

chanrider · Post by **chanrider** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 4:58 pm

Just returned from Kite Island and the cold wasn't much of an issue at all. The wind was pretty light, but with a big kite it was enough. The surface is pretty harsh, but with skis it was ok.

The input valve on the TD was definitely loosey goosey from the cold and popping out so I just tried to crank down extra hard with the velcro and it held fine for a one hour sesh which is all I had time for.

The island is so sweet, you are out of the wind completely setting up and just a few steps away is the power source.

I actually overdressed and was sweating too much. I went out with my face exposed at first, woops! My teeth hurt from the cold and my nose was getting really numb. But after covering the exposed skin the sun felt great and it was a very nice day. Only a few guys out at the Island, hopefully some riders made it out to the Green Lake party!

ice_kmauve · Post by **ice_kmauve** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 3:14 am

But what about pumping up an inflatable in the cold?? In below zero temperatures the nipples on the bladder just don't want to hold on to the nozzle on the pump. Nobody's yet convinced me of a good way around that.

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 9:51 am

haven't had that issue Dave, though now that I think of it, when it's been really cold I've been inflating my kite right after taking it out of the warm van, so maybe the valves haven't had time to harden. If you keep your kite in a cold trunk or leave it outside for a bit before inflating I could see how the valves might harden making it difficult to get a good seal.

If you don't have a kite with the one pump system, unfortunately this may not help because by the time you get to the last valve it's gonna have been out in the cold for awhile. Might try warming it up first with a warm metal rod of some sorts or a heat pack.

Cabrinha's got that nice screw on connector which aleviates this issue.

Another issue is the hoses in the cold. They crack easily. I saw Avery had updated his to a more robust hose for winter use. And why on earth are those hoses so long?

ride on