Line materials
| Material | Character | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton | Traditional, soft, cheap. Weaker for its weight and rots if stored damp. | Small paper and plastic kites |
| Nylon | Strong and cheap, but stretchy, so the kite feels bouncy. | Light kites and children's kites |
| Polyester | Little stretch, smooth, durable. A good all-round choice. | Most single-line kites |
| Braided polyethylene (UHMWPE) | Very strong and thin, almost no stretch. Can cut or melt other lines and skin. | Dual-line and large kites |
How strong a line?
Line strength is printed as a breaking strain, often in pounds. It should be well above the most the kite will ever pull, so a gust snaps nothing. As a rough guide:
- Small kites for children and light wind: about 20 to 50 pound line.
- Medium single-line kites in moderate wind: about 50 to 100 pound line.
- Large single-line kites: stronger line, as the kite's maker suggests.
Heavier line than you need adds weight and drag, which makes light-wind flying harder. Too light and it will break, and a kite with a broken line can drift a long way. When in doubt, follow the kite maker's suggestion.
Winders, reels and spools
A simple handle winder, a flat or hoop-shaped piece you wind line around, suits most small and medium kites and costs little. A hoop or reel winds in faster, which helps with long lines. Geared reels suit big kites with strong pull. For dual-line kites, lines usually come on a pair of handles or are fitted to wrist straps.
Wind line on under light, even tension. Line wound on loosely tangles. Line wound on under heavy load can crush a plastic winder.
The lark's head knot
Most kites attach the flying line to a loop on the bridle with a lark's head knot. Tie a small loop in the end of your flying line, then:
- Push your line's loop through the bridle loop.
- Pull the far end of the loop back over itself to form two strands around the bridle loop.
- Tighten by pulling the main line. It grips under load and releases when you push the knot open.
A clip, often called a swivel clip, is quicker to fit and stops the line twisting, but check it is rated for the kite's pull.
Gloves
Wear gloves with any kite that pulls firmly and for walk-down landings. Snug cloth or leather gloves protect against friction burns and line cuts. Bare hands are fine for small kites in light wind, and gloves are a good idea for anyone flying with braided line.
Caring for line and kites
- Dry damp line and kites fully before storing them.
- Store them out of direct sunlight, which weakens line and fades sails.
- Run the first few yards of line through your fingers after each session and cut off any frayed section.
- Check spars for cracks and sails for small tears, and fix them with tape before the next flight.
Line can still conduct electricity, whatever it is made of. Read the power line safety rules before every flight.