| .: How To Kite Buggy - Essential Gear. |
Essential Gear
Helmet
A helmet is an essential piece of equipment for the prospective buggier. Hopefully, as with all safety equipment, you never want to be in a position where you'll need to use it. Unfortunately, that time will come.
The back axle hitting you in the back of the head as you flip the buggy hurts. You will flip your buggy. Wear a helmet.
The full face versions are perfect. Do not use a cycle helmet, they are not designed for Buggying, they do not protect the right places and more importantly you will look stupid.
Kite Ground Stake
A ground stake is the next thing you need to get. This is used to secure your kite while it is on the ground. This is useful while you are setting up, or just having a rest.
Your handles should have loops on the opposite side to where the brake lines are attached. Put the stake through these loops and make sure that it is secure.
When these loops are staked out, the brakes are applied to the kite. The kite will usually sit on the ground. If it flaps around or tries to take off, you will need to adjust how you are staking it out or weight the bottom of the kite (the trailing edge) with small rounded stones or sand.
Make sure you peg out the loops on the brakes.
Harness
When Buggying a harness is an essential piece of equipment, however on your initial attempts to get going a harness should not be used. Only when you have become comfortable traveling in the buggy should you use a harness.
The harness typically fits around the pilots waist, and allows a strop line which connects to the two handles to loop around a wheel. This takes the pull of the kite and allows you to buggy for hours without having tired arms.
Always try a harness on before you buy it. If possible try it under load, get the person in the shop to pull against it to simulate having a kite attached. A harness which is comfortable can be completely uncomfortable when there is a kite attached. The cheap Quadrifoil harness is known as the "ball crusher" !! You may want to think hard before you buy this one…
Harness from Dakine or Maui Magic are very good. Ideally choose a seat harness which has the wheel on the spreader bar. These are designed specifically for Buggying. The harness with the hook on the spreader is really designed for boarding and surfing.
Using a harness which has a hook abrades the strop line as you steer the kite. A strop line only breaks when under load, this usually means when you're flying. When it breaks it will catch you unaware and 99.9% of the time this will mean the kite is ripped from your hands and will drift off down the beach in one huge tangle. Look after your strop lines and use a wheel harness. If you choose the right type now it will save you lots of broken strop lines in the future.
The most important feature when purchasing a new harness is to make sure that the straps which are used for adjusting the fit are secure under load. There's nothing worse than the clasps coming undone and have the harness slide up under load !!
Water Proofs
If you buggy on the beach then water proofs are highly recommended. Even though the tide is out, there is generally lots of water and wet sand around. Getting wet can be uncomfortable. Water proofs can be anything from a simple jacket to a full dry suit. Ultimately this is your choice however they come highly recommended.
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