Anyone like the Rbl 07 better than Rbl 08

[liv2surf]

Disclaimer: I am a kook. I don't know anything about kiteboarding equipment (except after I come off the water having had a good session -- but unfortunately I can rarely translate this into a product specification for myself). So, don't listen to what I have to say (and I mean this seriously), only listen (please and answer if you will) to what I am asking. I am trying to figure it out in a limited amount of time by a combination of personal trials and your comments.

I like to ride waves and am very fortunate to get many opportunities to do so. I am not good in any aspect of kiting but go at wave kiting pretty hard nonetheless. http://picasaweb.google.com/2kitesurf/B ... dingShotsI. I want a great kite for waves, for riding waves and getting back outside and upwind. that is it.
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I just had a great wave session this afternoon on my Rbl 07 9m (which I have only had a few months) and had 10 minutes on the Rbl 8 9m. I personally seem to much prefer the Rbl 07 9m. Anyone else out there that loves the Rbl 07 and prefers the "feel" of the Rbl 07 to that of the Rbl 08 in the waves ???

I have flown (demo'ed) the Rbl 08 12m twice (1.5h + 30 min) and 9m once (10-15 min due to wind dying off). I have been trying to get another good demo on the Rbl 08. I actually have a Rbl8 7m on order but love the feel of the Rbl 07 and I hear that the Rbl 08 is flown a different way (virtual wind as opposed to using the bar for power generation) and that makes me nervous since I like the way the Rbl 07 works. I will try to demo again today in legitimate conditions. I am not trying to dis the kite or the brand.

I love the trustworthy, reliable, safe, low maintenance "feel" of my 9m Rbl 07 in the waves. Is there anyone else who prefers the Rbl 07 to the Rbl 08 in the waves. It just matches my style. I find the Rbl 08 harder to fly then the Rbl 07.

[Foxi]

great pics !

I prefer my 08 10m over my 07 10m as I don´t start riding it before getting it in its sweet spot. Thereafter lift and hang and sweetspot itself are better, bar pressure lower.

I did not switch from 07 to 08 in 14m as my local thermal conditions on lakes in the german alps are partly represented by massive lulls where I can work the 07 with much more efficiency. Talking about low end in a more or less constant 10 kts sea breeze is totally different to what I got here with gusts and lulls between approx. 5 and 15-18 kts. 08 is more sensitive in its low end, call it oversheeting or whatsoever and FOR ME AND MY HOMECONDITIONS its inferior to same 07 size as it gets me going later and is more prone to stalls.

[Rimbo]

Come on man!

How the hell can you tell you like the 07 better than the 08 when you only tried it for 10 minutes!!!!!!

You have to have at least a lot of hours in different winds to mak a good comparison. The kite seems a bit different, so you have to get used to it.

Putting this kind of messages on the forum just makes everybody confused...

[Wawando]

Hi,

Change is always hard.

When i tried the Rebel08 a couple of months ago i thought: "shit is going to hit the fan" when North bar-style riders use this kite. The riding style really changed in the lowend. This might be why foxy likes it when the wind stringer, because form there on, "north bar-style" is the same.
The lower wind is where it will require adaptation time. I bet that within 2 or 3 months we will read opposite comments.

I am not saying it is good or bad. For me, i would prefer the feeling i am use to, of course

BUT, the point is that i think it is impossible (or not yet done) to have:
+ High depower
+ Short bar travel
+ Quick turning
+ Huge range
+ Very fast kite turning response with back lines really slack (all depowered).
+ No bridles nor pulleys - super direct kite response
+ More linear kite power delivery (?)

Without having this lighter bar behaviour at the lowend. Am i wrong?

See you!

[Jan:)]

The companies have been trying to sell this "pefect condition" low end for a long while.
Getting low end from riding fast requires constant wind and flat water.


If you ride in chop you will "stop" every few moments and will have to work the kite for getting up to speed. And every time you will loose some upwind ground.

The same for lulls.

"Grunty" kites handle these type of conditions much better.

[terrios666]

Have 3 months time with the 07 12m, and had a nice session this weeked for 6 hours on the 08 12m.

I can't see any reason for sticking with the 07. The 08 Rebel is astonishing at all levels. Where they found the extra low end is beyond me because I was easily boosting 30% higher than the 07 Rebel and had 50% more float. I had the kite on the outer settings and it was still super fast.

Relaunch off the water is also a snap. I could never get comfortable with the 07's behavior for water relaunch, but with 08 its almost idiot proof.

Interesting note is that the throw necessary to punch through a massive gust is less than the 07, noth more. I found my bar input in the mid range to be more moderated than in 07. This makes for a smoother ride.

Next step is to set up a demo of the Royal ERA 12m and make a solid comparison between the two. At my beach, there were tons of North and Cabrinha riders, but not one ERA so its still hard to find a local retailer willing to demo these.

[liv2surf]

Come on man!

How the hell can you tell you like the 07 better than the 08 when you only tried it for 10 minutes!!!!!!

You have to have at least a lot of hours in different winds to mak a good comparison. The kite seems a bit different, so you have to get used to it.

Putting this kind of messages on the forum just makes everybody confused...

I agree with you and was logging on this morning to adjust what I had said.

Look, I have been trying as hard as possible to get enough demo time on the Rbl 08... and what I have had has left me wondering if I will end up preferring the Rbl 07. Hey it is hard to demo kites with variable conditions and families and availability of demos etc.

I have demo'ed the Rbl 08 3 time with one legitimate 1.5h trial session of the 12m a couple weeks ago (in powered up conditions) and was pretty favorably impressed. I have made two semi-abortive attempts to try the Rbl 8 12m again (30 min, underpowered) and then the 9m (10 min, wind dying). I was out both these other times and just could not find and feel the magic. So, I have a sense that I may prefer the feel of the Rebel 07 better than 08....and I was soliciting feedback on whether there are others who also may feel this way.

I put the times I was on the Rbl 08 in my post for full transparency. Many here don't indicate their affiliations or experience with equipment.

Albeit, the conditions yesterday when I was on the Rbl 08 were borderline/marginal and I did not feel good about the kite. Then the wind picked up and I go back to the 9m 07 and love it (because the Rbl 08 had left the beach). So, based on my last two lackluster experiences on Rbl 08 (perhaps due to conditions) I have this impression that I may prefer the Rebel 07. And I wanted to hear if there were others who might feel similarly. I do want to make a legitimate trial of the Rbl 08 in 9m or 7m in reasonable conditions and will make another attempt today.

More specifically, I have heard the Rbl 8 has a different riding style where you sine the kite to get power instead of pulling in on the bar. I may prefer to pull in on the bar for a power spike.... and (if this assessment of the differences between 07 and 08 is correct) I am not sure I want to adapt my style since I am pretty happy on the 07 and with my style. what I like about the Rbl 07 in the waves is how low maintenance, how trustworthy, how reliable it is, how I can whip it around hard and not get spanked and not have it fall out of the sky. I am not necessarily looking for tons of power, or hue jumps or a finicky kite. I am looking for the best characteristics of the Rbl 07 with improvements ... but not a paradigm or style shift.

[Wawando]

Come on man!

How the hell can you tell you like the 07 better than the 08 when you only tried it for 10 minutes!!!!!!

You have to have at least a lot of hours in different winds to mak a good comparison. The kite seems a bit different, so you have to get used to it.

Putting this kind of messages on the forum just makes everybody confused...

I agree with you and was logging on this morning to adjust what I had said.

Look, I have been trying as hard as possible to get enough demo time on the Rbl 08... and what I have had has left me wondering if I will end up preferring the Rbl 07. Hey it is hard to demo kites with variable conditions and families and availability of demos etc.

I have demo'ed the Rbl 08 3 time with one legitimate 1.5h trial session of the 12m a couple weeks ago (in powered up conditions) and was pretty favorably impressed. I have made two semi-abortive attempts to try the Rbl 8 12m again (30 min, underpowered) and then the 9m (10 min, wind dying). I was out both these other times and just could not find and feel the magic. So, I have a sense that I may prefer the feel of the Rebel 07 better than 08....and I was soliciting feedback on whether there are others who also may feel this way.

I put the times I was on the Rbl 08 in my post for full transparency. Many here don't indicate their affiliations or experience with equipment.

Albeit, the conditions yesterday when I was on the Rbl 08 were borderline/marginal and I did not feel good about the kite. Then the wind picked up and I go back to the 9m 07 and love it (because the Rbl 08 had left the beach). So, based on my last two lackluster experiences on Rbl 08 (perhaps due to conditions) I have this impression that I may prefer the Rebel 07. And I wanted to hear if there were others who might feel similarly. I do want to make a legitimate trial of the Rbl 08 in 9m or 7m in reasonable conditions and will make another attempt today.

More specifically, I have heard the Rbl 8 has a different riding style where you sine the kite to get power instead of pulling in on the bar. I may prefer to pull in on the bar for a power spike.... and (if this assessment of the differences between 07 and 08 is correct) I am not sure I want to adapt my style since I am pretty happy on the 07 and with my style. what I like about the Rbl 07 in the waves is how low maintenance, how trustworthy, how reliable it is, how I can whip it around hard and not get spanked and not have it fall out of the sky. I am not necessarily looking for tons of power, or hue jumps or a finicky kite. I am looking for the best characteristics of the Rbl 07 with improvements ... but not a paradigm or style shift.

It is easy.
If:
1) You don't need better kite reaction and control at the top of the range (backlines slack)
2) Better lowend at the cost of some adaptation,
Then stick with Rebel07

For me, the 1st point i really didn't like in Rebel07 9m and that is why i kept a high depower C shape on 9m/10m size. Riding the two styles (Torfch and Rebel) had some cost, so i am looking for the "same" design for my two kites for08 and am willing to adapt.
I will have a Rebel08 10m with me for a large test period (it is arriving) so i will be able to give better feedback if it is worth it and how hard it is do keep the "two rebel styles"

I will not change my Rebel07 7m unless the 08 7m is really, really, really, really better OR riding style is very different from 10m to 7m.

See you!

[-wAVe-]

hey live2surf, only you will be able to tell which one you prefer. Both are good kites. I have had more fun on the 9m 07 Rebel than any other kite so I would say it's a hard act to follow. I'm hoping to use the 7m 08 Rebel more this year so the 08 better bottom end makes sense to me. Haven't used the 7m yet but the autumn winds are starting to pick up.

What camera did you use for those pics and how do you trigger the camera?