Bladder puncture from overpacking kite

caps · Since 23 Dec 2010 343 Posts Obsessed

Any one ever get a hole in their kite bladder from overpacking a kite (i.e. compression bag)? Trying to squeeze all I can into carry on bags.

Nak · Fri Apr 27, 12 8:27 am

Shouldn't be a problem. I've traveled quite a bit with my kites in vacuum bags; never had a problem. Do be careful that you don't have foreign objects mixed in with the kite. Also, make sure you get ALL of the sand out of the kite before vacuum packing a kite. I don't think it would puncture a bladder, but it will put a LOT of wear on your kite.

caps · Since 23 Dec 2010 343 Posts Obsessed

Thanks, Nak.

What concerns me are the one-pump clamps for each strut possibly puncturing a bladder under compression. Compression versus vacuum may be more the issue. It would be a bummer to travel to a some sweet wind and find a leaking kite. Good to know you haven't run into it. Common sense should rule.

bustingbladder · Since 12 Jul 2006 386 Posts Seattle Obsessed

Travled a ton with compression bags. Nak's on it! Make sure you take the time to de-sand those baby's before you start the process. Get it all out! Just be sure to remove them from the compression bag once you arrive from flying. Lastly, take great care not letting sand fly into the bladder each time you inflate and deflate/ roll up and put kite away. Give that sandy pump a couple good pumps before hooking it up to nipple for inflation. I've done kite repairs many times and found tons of sand in the leading edge bladder. Once you compress all that sand thats inside the LE bladder, you just might end up with what you have going on now. Sand in LE bladder plus compression bag = dull kiter. Hope that helps and good luck!