Safety Release Systems

Noone should buy a kite if it doesn’t come with a working safety release system. Depending on the type of kite and control device kitesurfers currently use, you must choose from a great number of safety release systems:

2 Line inflatable safety release system:

The safety release system for a 2 line inflatable makes one line about 1 kite span longer than the other line. This is in order for you to be able to disable the kite when you stop holding the control bar. The 2 line inflatable safety release system allows a kitesurfer to retrieve the control bar by having a safety leash attaching to your left wrist or harness.

4 Line inflatable safety release system:

The 4 line inflatable kite safety system and the 2 line inflatable safety release system are pretty much alike. In this case, the safety release system makes one line about 1 kite span longer than all the rest. This is one of the front line or one of the back line, so that it disables the kite if you do not hold the control bar anymore. Just like the 2 line inflatable safety release system, the 4 line inflatable kite safety system has a leash to attach to the kitesurfer’s left wrist or harness, so that he may retrieve the control bar.

In order to "unspin" the lines easily after a spin jump, some kiters use a a "spin leash" for a 4 line inflatable. This is what modern kitesurfers do, as in the past years, the spinning leash systems made the kiters permanently remain attached to the chicken loop, even when not in the water. You should try a Swivel Bar currently on the market, because it is a modern spinning leash system that does not make you permanently attached to the chicken loop.

2 Line foil safety release system:

I cannot think of another way to disable a 2 line foil than to land it on the side of the wind window or to dump it in the water.

3 Line foil safety releasy system:

The 3 line foil safety releasy system consists of a velcro tape wrist or harness band that can be simply attached to the center leader lines on the bar. You can pass the safety release line through the harness loop to make it a "spin safety leash" only if you have a safety leash attached to your harness, thus being able to spin the bar in order to untangle the line.

4 Line foil safety release system:

This safety release system is also a velcro tape wrist or harness band to be attached to the kiter’s left wrist or harness. There are two lines from the wrist or harness band, usually a 500 lb. kite line. The 4 line foil safety release system works like this: the kitesurfer attaches one of the lines, the one around 1’6”, to the same spot on the left brake leader line as the left brake line, and the other one, around 4’ to the same spot on the right brake leader line as the right brake line. If he wishes to disable the kite, he simply drops the handles and that is it!