An idea I shared on Kite forum..
The problem is not new or old hook - just ask the guys about ones that break in the first 6 months to a year.
The problem is WHEN ?
To solve this I just cut an old piece of 3mm leader line and tied a knot - behind my dakine bar and around my complete mystic bar pad...
Now I have piece of mind, it can break whenever the hell these silly name badge engineers sell us crap "New fangdangled" equipment...
and not cost me my life or hospitalisation
This in no way excuses the sh**ty design - it's 2022 !
We now have very secure bar and strap pad, set-ups that keep the hook very stable - increasing the 90 degree vertical shear force by lose of flex.
This can also save you money, if your hook doesn't break
I have the exact same mod on my mystic spreader bar.
I truly don't understand why they don't make the hooks out of 10 or 12 mm bar.
The extra cost and weight would be absolutely minuscule but save a lot of us having to buy new spreader bars every season.