probably a bit late but really miss not having any extra straps on the bags for holding the pump,
ive always found these a big help carrying a twintip and a surfboard

+1

pump + board will be very nice

YES!!!  Extra straps would have been nice.  I had to make some myself.

My 2 cents:

- have the bag slightly taller and narrower ( so that a kite rolled up and folded in half fits nicely)
- have the bag open from the top not the side, ie zips down 2 long sides and 1 sort so the kite can slide in from the top.
- have a stretching membrane between the inside of the bag and the flap to prevent the kite getting caught in the zipper.
- add velcro straps for pump on the side and board on the front.
- keep the side pocket for bar and lines but make it slightly bigger.

cheers

Extra straps sounds like a good idea! Thanks for the hint.

Avi player

two types of straps in the bags would be very help full one is the longer one and other is shorter , so that you we can easily carry bags stuffs

Use better zippers. The ones on my 2011 bag get stuck all the time.

Yes i agree all your suggestions really help.

What I like about my OR bags:

- comfortable to carry
- big enough I don’t have to spend a huge amount of time folding my kites uber small
- have lasted through lots of trips
- stack pretty well for efficient car/truck packing
- mesh venting for main compartment & bar

What I would like to see changed/added:

- zippers very hard to use after a while [top loading with a lid & straps would be easier to use]
- board and pump straps would be nice

safe riding,

Vik
http://www.thelazyrando.com

These are all great ideas, but even better still would be a kite boarder specific cart.

I ended up getting a dolly you can fold, but it’s pivot point makes it more work to push, and the smaller size wheels make it more challenging to push through soft sand. It also takes up a lot of room in my trunk.

Maybe most people don’t have to walk too far when kiting, not sure on the stats, but I sometimes have to walk 2.3 klm to get to where I need to go to kite. I sometimes just bring cold lunch and drinks, but that still means a small cooler, 2-3 kites, board and towels. I have also been known to bring a little BBQ that I can fit and tie onto the cart to cook something hot for my breaks.

I have also seen carts for kids and mountain bikes used, but I don`t see them working as good with all the stuff I bring.

windseeker - 02 April 2012 08:46 AM

These are all great ideas, but even better still would be a kite boarder specific cart.

There are lots of beach carts you could mod:

https://www.google.com/search?q=beach+cart&hl=en&safe=off&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=1Mt5T9asCdHciQKWzcyoBQ&sqi=2&ved=0CGEQsAQ&biw=2439&bih=1659

safe riding,

Vik
http://www.thelazyrando.com

Thanks fir the link Vik.

I have been looking but this is the only one that comes even close to being a good all around solution.

http://www.beachmall.com/product/FD001/Beach-Carts—Foldit-Collapsible-Beach—Utility-Cart-from-Beach-Mall.html

it folds nice is the main thing, you need those big wheels to cut through the soft sand, but having them fold like that is rare. The handle is too low at it`s max length as I`m pretty tall, and the body isn`t long enough.

my rig now has the same size wheels all the other ones use and they will not cut through soft sand..Not always an issue but I get hit with it for sections in both spots I can currently go to…

thanks for the tip though…maybe I can come up with a mod for mine

windseeker - 02 April 2012 09:12 AM

thanks for the tip though…maybe I can come up with a mod for mine

Not for kiteboarding, but I’ve made lots of carts/sleds out of PVC pipe from Home Depot. It’s cheap, strong, repairable and easy to work with. You can attach axles/wheel pretty easily and build as big a platform as you need for your gear. You can attach a box or lash down points, etc…

safe riding,

Vik
http://www.thelazyrando.com

Hi Guys!!

Thanks so much for the feedback on the bags.

Vic, I agree the zippers can get jammed a bit. I find this is often the case where the zipper rounds the corner to the new edge of the bag. However, we chose those zippers because there is no metal in them so any exposure to salty water won’t cause them to jam and rust / corrode like other zippers can in a marine environment.

We also used to have bags with straps for pumps and boards on them and we moved away from those as the bags looked really sloppy when all the straps were not in use. We’ve discussed back and forth the merits of adding the straps again and have decided that simple, clean lines are best as most riders don’t have a significant hike down to the beach they ride at and certainly if they do, the bags are big enough to fit your pump and harness inside, leaving only your board to carry.

Please keep the suggestions coming though guys, we meet weekly for RnD discussions and I take all your comments to the table. We can’t act on all of the suggestions made but we always take rider feedback seriously.

John Z - OR

The zippers seem fine when the bags are new, but end up being kind of wavy after a while, like the bacon neck from the t-shirt commercials.  This is what makes the zippers jam up.  The only thing I can think that is causing this is that the bag material shrinks a bit after getting damp multiple times, so there’s too much zipper for the shrunken size.  Maybe make sure that the material you’re making the bags out of doesn’t shrink or is pre-shrunk.