The Snowkite 5th Line: What It Is and What It Does
If you are starting out in snowkiting, you may have noticed that some bars carry a 5th line, unlike most modern kitesurf bars.
So what is the snowkite 5th line actually for? Is it really essential?
The answer is simple: the 5th line mainly improves safety and makes the kite easier to handle on snow.
Here is why riders value it so much.
What is a 5th line?
As the name suggests, a bar fitted with a 5th line has one extra line attached to the centre of the kite.
Unlike the four main lines, which are what you steer with, this fifth line comes into play mainly during safety releases and relaunches.
Not every kite is built to work with a 5th line. The system is used above all on certain foil kites made for snowkiting.
Stronger safety
The main job of the 5th line is to kill the power of the kite quickly.
If something goes wrong, the rider pulls the quick release. The kite is then held by that fifth line alone, which strips it of almost all of its pull.
On snow, where a kite can easily keep sliding or be picked up by a gust, that extra layer of safety is genuinely welcome.
Easier relaunching
Snow offers less resistance than water.
A kite lying on the ground can slide, pivot or flip over differently depending on the state of the snowpack.
The 5th line makes it easier to reposition the kite before relaunching it.
The rider keeps more control, even when conditions turn awkward.
Why is it more useful on snow than on water?
In kitesurfing, a kite that drops on the water generally stays where it is until you relaunch it.
On snow, the situation is different.
A gust can set the kite off again unexpectedly, or drag it several metres across the surface.
The 5th line lets you control those moments and secure the kite while it is on the ground.
It is one of the reasons so many snowkiters favour it, and one of the first things kitesurfers notice when they move onto snow.
Is it compulsory?
No.
You can perfectly well snowkite with a four line bar.
Plenty of riders do use their kitesurf equipment for their first sessions.
For regular riding, though, many choose a bar fitted with a 5th line, for the extra level of safety and the more comfortable handling it gives.
Do all brands use a 5th line?
No.
Every manufacturer develops its own safety system.
Some kites are designed to work exclusively with four lines, while others are built specifically around a 5th line.
So before you modify your equipment, it is essential to follow the manufacturer recommendations.
A kite designed for four lines must never be flown with an improvised 5th line.
Should you choose a bar with a 5th line?
If you are discovering snowkiting, it is not a must.
If you plan to ride regularly with a foil kite, on the other hand, a bar fitted with a 5th line is an excellent choice. It pairs naturally with the kite sizes most riders end up flying.
It makes the kite easier to handle on the ground, improves safety when you release and brings more peace of mind in mountain conditions that can change fast.
That is exactly why Snowkite Sensation uses and recommends this type of equipment on its trips, and stocks bars compatible with kites made for snow.
In short
The 5th line makes your kite neither faster nor more powerful.
Its job is to raise the level of safety and to make the kite simpler to use on snow.
For a first taste of the sport, a standard bar does the job perfectly. Our complete guide to snowkiting covers everything else you need before your first session.
But if you take up snowkiting properly, you will quickly understand why so many experienced riders never want to go without it again.
Further reading
If you want more information about using your kitesurf gear on snow, you can read our article Can You Use Kitesurf Gear for Snowkiting?
If you want more information about the safety of the sport in general, you can read our article Is Snowkiting Dangerous?