Packing a Kite - A Better Way?

[Dan]

I got a new Minigem in the mail today and after ogling it for a bit, needed to put it away to get back to work. I had the hardest time trying to roll it up. Aside from breaking down the leading edges, I usually do it as VOL posted in this thread (bring LEs and spine together, pull sail out behind, and roll the sail up with standoffs and bridle inside):

http://kitelife.com/forum/index.php?showto...ost&p=13306

When I tried to do this with the Minigem, I found that the sail wouldn't really lay flat because of the heavy reenforement around the standoffs and the two standoffs made it nearly impossible to roll up the sail. Right now I have it very loosely rolled up in it's bag, but I'm afraid to put it in my Prism roll-up bag for fear of a standoff puncturing the sail or something.

So, I figure there has to be a better way. I was talking with Lam (Sea Devil) recently and he was trying to describe to me how he packs his kites up. It sounded different from the above procedure, like he doesn't bring the leading edges and spine together and pull the sail out behind or something. From what I could picture from the description, it also sounded like he avoids rolling the standoffs into the sail, but I'm trying to figure out how you would do that. If you roll the sail at all, it seems you would wind up with the standoffs inside it at some point.

Anyway, so I'm open to all ideas on packing up your kite.

Thanks!

~Dan

[Spence Watson]

I have a Quantum Prism, and what I do is break down the LE's, fold them in, then roll each LE in towards the spine. It'll end up looking like a scroll or something. Then I out the spars between the two rolls, and use the little velcrow strap thing to hold it tight and shove it in the bag.

[Dorsal]

I never roll up a kite from the spine outward, because the tees always get in the way. Nor do I usually fold up the leading edge rods or loosen the tension on them.

After removing the upper and lower spreaders, I hold the kite sideways by the spine, bring the LE rods up parallel to it, then, after tucking the standoffs and the bridle inside the sail, roll or fold the sail from the outer edges toward the spine, with the spreaders rolled up inside, like a scroll. I don't usually have the Velcro thingies, so I don't usually use them, but sometimes I'll use a rubber band around the center tee.

I just stick the kite into the sleeve, tail first. That way, I align the standoffs and such as I insert the kite, and they always come out of the sleeve without hanging up on anything.

Of course if I need to get the length down smaller then I'll break down the LE's first, but the rest of the procedure is the same.

[Aerochic]

I never roll up a kite from the spine outward, because the tees always get in the way. Nor do I usually fold up the leading edge rods or loosen the tension on them.

After removing the upper and lower spreaders, I hold the kite sideways by the spine, bring the LE rods up parallel to it, then, after tucking the standoffs and the bridle inside the sail, roll or fold the sail from the outer edges toward the spine, with the spreaders rolled up inside, like a scroll. I don't usually have the Velcro thingies, so I don't usually use them, but sometimes I'll use a rubber band around the center tee.

I just stick the kite into the sleeve, tail first. That way, I align the standoffs and such as I insert the kite, and they always come out of the sleeve without hanging up on anything.

Of course if I need to get the length down smaller then I'll break down the LE's first, but the rest of the procedure is the same.

I agree with this method and just wanted to add that I never roll my stunt kite. I always fold it. There appears to be no swift way of doing this unfortunately.

[Dan]

Dorsal,

That's the way I do it as well. Just described it badly in my first post. I'm having the hardest time doing that with my Minigem. Those two standoffs just seem to refuse to be rolled up in the sail.

~Dan

[Spence Watson]

I never roll up a kite from the spine outward, because the tees always get in the way. Nor do I usually fold up the leading edge rods or loosen the tension on them.

After removing the upper and lower spreaders, I hold the kite sideways by the spine, bring the LE rods up parallel to it, then, after tucking the standoffs and the bridle inside the sail, roll or fold the sail from the outer edges toward the spine, with the spreaders rolled up inside, like a scroll. I don't usually have the Velcro thingies, so I don't usually use them, but sometimes I'll use a rubber band around the center tee.

I just stick the kite into the sleeve, tail first. That way, I align the standoffs and such as I insert the kite, and they always come out of the sleeve without hanging up on anything.

Of course if I need to get the length down smaller then I'll break down the LE's first, but the rest of the procedure is the same.

On mine, it has a small bag that the kite will only fit in if the LE is folded. I think it's like that with many Prismm kites.