How To: 5th Line Relaunch on the North Trust Element Control Bar

Relaunching Your North Trust 5L Element Control Bar

In this new season, North introduced the 2017 5th Element Trust Bar, a product where safety and control meet performance and reliability. Not only is the 5th Element easy to use, but is also durable with its EVA construction and safe due to the Iron Heart IV safety release.

When it comes to the 5th Element, you'll want to know a thing or two before going out and trying to relaunch. Our main North-tweaker, Aaron Johnson, gives the skinny on this outstanding control bar. Johnson not only loves the 5th Element for its self-landing capabilities, he also enjoys how the bar relaunches in light winds. To the judgement of our other riders, Johnson is willing to forgo 30-seconds of riding to set up his gear. 

So, let's say you're neck deep in the water and the kite is down on the leading edge directly down wind of you, and you don't have enough power to pull the outside lines to flip the kite over.  

If you're hooked and leashed in to your 5th Element, here's what you can do to easily relaunch:

• Simply let go of the bar
• Reach out and separate the 5th line (the red line in the middle of the bar)

• Grab and pull the 5th line until the kite flips onto its back with the leading edge facing towards you. 

• Grab either the right or left outside steering lines to pull and try to feather the kite's wing tip into the air. 

If you're interested in practicing this technique before you're out in deeper waters, Johnson suggests taking your kite out in lighter winds where you can dump your kite in the water or on the beach, preferably where you can have a soft landing. This is the optimum wind and area to practice relaunching your 5th line. Attempt pulling with both the right and left outside steering lines to allow you to get a feeling for your preference when the need strikes. 

Order Your North Gear Today!

And what's Johnson's take on 5th-line systems? To those who are uneasy about the kites, like the North Rebel, that tout a 5th line...simply, get over it. Many people that attempt 5th line systems have grown to love them with a bit of practice. To Johnson, the benefits definitely outweigh any negatives that are found on the 5-line kites.