Bladder Repair

Wing Bladder Repair

OEM kite bladder replacements can be very expensive and quite often for older wings replacement bladders are no longer available. Aftermarket replacement bladders with stick on valves are an option but over time these stick on valves tend to de-laminate, especially in hot climates. A wing bladder repair is almost always the best option. Since bladder material will not deteriorate over time and a professional repair will be as strong as the original bladder it perfectly makes sense to repair a damaged bladder and to reduce our carbon footprint/waste. We have PU films available in different thicknesses and apply several different bladder repair options. Depending on the size of the bladder damage we either replace the affected area with a new film using one of our welders. For very small punctures we apply self adhesive patches or small stickers.

Heat Seal

We repair large damages with the help of a new TPU film piece. We remove the damaged area and add a new section using an induction heat sealer. Our heat sealers are featuring a 5mm wide seam, can be adjusted to accommodate all bladder thicknesses and create a seam as strong as the kite factory.

Patch

We use self-adhesive patches, imported from the USA, for smaller damages that do not require the original bladder material to be removed. Despite this “quick fix” the repair is extremely durable and long lasting. Unfortunately it only can be used if there is no excessive TPU stretch present.

Pin Holes

Slow leaks or pin holes usually can be repaired as long as the kite did not end up in a gorse bush . Finding the approximate location is easy but once the bladder is removed locating small damages can be very difficult, time intensive, not always successful and very frustrating for our staff. Anyhow, we will give it a go.

Wing centre strut bladders are usually very large compared to kite bladders. Unfortunately, if not secured at the tips close to the leading edge, the bladder can get dislodged during packing your wing and when uninflated. This can cause a sudden and totally unexpected blowout the next time you pump your wing. After the bladder repair, we weld attachment points to your bladder and fasten the tips securely avoiding a similiar scenario.

We test all our repaired bladders for leaks before we ship them back to you. In case of a large blow out please let us know if there were any leaks before the incident in your bladder! It is very frustrating to remove a freshly installed wing bladder after a repair in order to patch additional and previous unknown damages.

We always recommend sending the wing with the damaged bladder. Usually, small holes only can be detected with the bladder installed and pumped at high pressure. So please send your wing with the damaged bladder installed.