2024 North Navigator Short Throw Kite Control Bar | On-Water Review

Kristen Cooper is back with a look at a new offering from North that shorter riders, women, and kids may find interesting, if not long overdue. The 2024 North Navigator Short Throw bar is out, and Kristen has had a chance to ride it in the Florida Keys. If you have ever had trouble reaching the bar when it's fully sheeted out, this may be worth a look.

Who's It For?

In addition to shorter riders, it's also a nice bar for beginners. It can be frustrating and even intimidating to have to struggle to reach the bar when you let go of it. A session is going to be a lot more fun for both beginner and intermediate riders when you're comfortable with your bar.

Once you reach intermediate to advanced levels and start getting more dialed in with jumping and want to go for higher jumps or more advanced tricks, you might prefer a regular control bar. However, if you're not at that step and you're still learning how to kite, you're learning transitions, and you're just starting to learn jumps, there's definitely nothing wrong with going with the short throw control bar.

Why Else Is It Good?

Another advantage of the short throw bar is that it limits how much you're being pulled forward when you're really powered up. This is nice if you have a bad back or just don't like having to stretch for the bar.

Disadvantages

However, it's also pretty easy to get powered up on the short throw bar. When you're really powered up, sometimes you like to dump the power by sheeting out to let some of that air flow out, but with the short throw bar you're limited on how much you can sheet in and out. Depending on whether you're overpowered or not, that could be a good thing or a bad thing. If you're just powered enough, it could be good because then you don't have that kite pulling you too far forward, but once you get overpowered, it can be a bit hard to manage some of the extra power.

Tips for Jumping

Another thing to note is that the short throw control bar has a different timing. If you are used to a standard throw bar, you'll need to adjust the timing of your jumps and landings, otherwise you'll come down a little hotter than what you're used to. When jumping, you won't be able to load up the kite as much because you're limited on how much you can sheet out before jumping and pulling in.

Bar Size

The regular North bar comes in three different sizes: small, medium and large. The short throw bar only comes in the medium length, which is 45 - 50 cm. Another little difference between the short throw control bar versus a regular control bar is that the short throw has a light grey trim handle so you can easily tell which one is which. The short throw has 10 cm less throw than the regular.

Conclusion

At 5'4, Kristen's arms were never fully extended on the short throw, so anybody taller than that may or may not find that it's the best bar for them. But for women, and especially shorter women who are learning, it can make the process less intimidating and sessions more comfortable and fun.

Shop North Short Throw Bar

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