Hi all,
I'm really leaning towards the Nobile 555 12m for my first kite and to hopefully use for quite some time. Does anyone own one here? What do you think of it?

Thanks

I've been using my 555s in sizes 10, 12 and 14 this summer. The 12 has been the most used. Some flattish water but mostly chop and waves.
I like them, not flashy but solid and reliable, I can see me keeping them for a long time. Got a feeling that they might just become classics. I think they would do you very well as a first kite, and prove good value because you won't be hankering to change after a month or two.

Pros.

Decent quality
Thoughtful design, quite simple (which takes some doing)
Safety good with the mini 5th and the QR that seems reliable and easy to use
No nasty flying habits, decent combination of speed and power
Easy to set up, flies straight out of the bag
Very good in the waves. This pm was out with the 10 in some waves, found myself going in one direction with the kite still pointing in the other, no bother, it sort of backed up, followed me for a bit and then was there in the right place when I finally did turn. Turns pretty well even when the steering lines are slack.
Good lift and float
The bar has finger indents that let you know which is the right way up just by feel, surprisingly useful feature. The bar grip is good
Last but very important, a really good bag!


Cons

The bar is good, but some irritating details could be better, eg the elastics that secure the lines after you have wound them up don't hold tight.
Some of the larksheads don't have those little pull tabs that let you get them undone with cold fingers
Naff writing about "versatile SLE" etc on the wingtips
Not much else really

Anymore info/reviews on the 555?

nope, but in the last week ive seen x6....666's split straight down the middle.

total list running at 7 666's split straight down the middle like speedo's post kite loop

Thats cool then, at least their build quality is no worse than other manufacturers

7 out of however many hundred/thousand sold is pretty good

Good reason to avoid 5 lines rather than to avoid any particular kite make methinks.

No, no no. You just don't seem to get it. Completely out of context.

This is 7 kites on the same beach in the last 2 weeks, with exactly the same failure every time. It's becoming a running joke. 7 x 666.

There are probably 20 Nobile kites here in total, so we have seen a huge failure rate at 1st hand, probably even more than the ancient Best kites they use in the schools. It's amazing.

They must be making them out of papier mache or something.

Every time I see another one break, I will take a picture.

we had in totall 4 warrantie cases on kites in our sale area (germany; netherlands, austria and switzerland)
its a rate way lower than 1 %

i dont know where captain c is living but its hard to believe what you say..

That's what hanging around sweaty bollocks does to you?