The Ultimate Wave Kite!! 2013 North Neo review!

[bnthere]

"drift" is definitely not a factor in side offshore conditions, especially 20-30.

[tautologies]

Yep. I've taken it one step further and aimed for the perfect quiver. which involves 5 different kites. each glorious in their purpose and wind range.

For me no one kite type suits all wind ranges.

ha, I know exactly where you are coming from Race, tricks, waves, jumping, etc...all so different.

[TuckerM]

Danny! Stoked on the stoke!
The Neo's are great kites and the Pro Series is probably one of the best "high performance" boards on the market from a kite company.
Since your a young guy wanting to push your progression i would definitely lose the straps now so you can spend your time without the crutch.

Once you do that a great progression is.
1. Go out and learn your tacks and jibes fast in flat water.
2. Learn how to pump aggressively on the water to build speed with the board.
3. aggressive cutbacks
4. Strapless airs with then without grabs
5. then do them off a lip unhooked

once you can really feel a difference between boards, look for a local shaper to work with you on building a board

I'm sure that's a lot to work on for the next little bit. I want to see some strapless vids coming out.

as for trying out "wave" kites

my top 3 in order (zero brand affiliation)

Airush Wave
BWS Noise Pro
North Neo

The wave is so multi-functional when it comes to tuning its rediculous
the unhooked slow setting sits there and drifts so you can really just work the pocket and your board, when you switch over to the fast setting I had a 9m for 2 months and it touched the water twice on that setting even if its gonna tomahawk into the water reach out grab a side of the bar and you can send it back up to the top. just as fast turning as the 7 neo

The noise has the most positive feel Ive found even matching it up against C-Kites. Tuning goes the same for the BWS but it didn't quite have the same unhooked feel, good but a bit too much for me and could wander a little bit, I have weak arms

The neo is solid but the bars a bit too complicated for a surf setup: easily stripped down. Not that many tuning options I like to rather have the proper kite connections on a kite rather than depowering it to slow it down for unhooking. Aside from that if I'm fully powered and trimmed its definitely my favorite for proggresive tricks and kiteloops.

Try them out and lets see you killing it soon

[dannybarnette]

"drift" is definitely not a factor in side offshore conditions, especially 20-30.

If you don't steer the kite and just park it yeah the kite drifts as you ride downwind right at the wave for a second or two. Just the way that I ride the waves in sideoff, not sure of your particular riding style. I have been using the Neo in side-ONshore winds recently and the drift on that kite is quite great!

[dannybarnette]

Yep. I've taken it one step further and aimed for the perfect quiver. which involves 5 different kites. each glorious in their purpose and wind range.

For me no one kite type suits all wind ranges.

Yeah man, I don't think we'll ever be able to only have one kite for all wind ranges, and yes, you do need a couple kites if you want to have top end equipment for all kiting disciplines. The rebel is great for freeride, jumping, race, and even the waves... The vegas would be for freestyle, and the Neo for dedicated wave riders if you wanted to pick 3 kites from North. Glad you have found what works for you though!

[dannybarnette]

[quote="TuckerM"]
I appreciate your advice man! I have practiced my jibing in flatwater and have it down about 8 out of 10 times, learned a tack/jibe the other day, and went out strapless the other day on a gnarley NE side onshore day and I was not stoked on it, I felt that I couldn't go as fast as I wanted to and really nail the lip, it was more of a finesse thing than power and speed (which is the fun part!). I know it was only my first time strapless, but I am going to try it again in side offshore winds where the wave will be cleaner, (onshore winds in Hatteras create nasty huge gnarley choppy waves). There are a lot of guys here that shred strapped in onshore winds. I have not ruled strapless out, but firstly, as a person, I don't want to be shaped by the culture of this world, and I'm not sure if I'll be shaped as a rider, after all, kiteboarding is about having fun! Thanks for your time to write your advice to me, and I will try strapless soon on a sideoff day and see how I like it!
I appreciate you input!

[bnthere]

"drift" is definitely not a factor in side offshore conditions, especially 20-30.

If you don't steer the kite and just park it yeah the kite drifts as you ride downwind right at the wave for a second or two.

right, that is definitely not "drift". that is the kite flying in a straight line with line tension. drift is more like the kite gliding backwards (as in downwind/away from you/in the direction you are traveling) without line tension. which you probably are experiencing in Side Shore and Side Onshore. The angle of the wave vs wind is really the issue though, not so much the wind direction / shore relationship.

or you mean to say riding downwind right at the "kite", cause that would likely involve drift. but that doesnt really happen in Side off, except on big bottom turns.


side off is generally more powered kitesurfing as apposed to downwind drifting. as you move towards shore and ahead of the kite while surfing it sits deeper and deeper downwind, if enough side off angle unhooked surfing is more or less impossible for more than and a turn maybe 2.

not saying the kite doesnt do it, i've never used that one.

[dannybarnette]

"drift" is definitely not a factor in side offshore conditions, especially 20-30.

If you don't steer the kite and just park it yeah the kite drifts as you ride downwind right at the wave for a second or two.

right, that is definitely not "drift". that is the kite flying in a straight line with line tension. drift is more like the kite gliding backwards (as in downwind/away from you/in the direction you are traveling) without line tension. which you probably are experiencing in Side Shore and Side Onshore. The angle of the wave vs wind is really the issue though, not so much the wind direction / shore relationship.

or you mean to say riding downwind right at the "kite", cause that would likely involve drift. but that doesnt really happen in Side off, except on big bottom turns.


side off is generally more powered kitesurfing as apposed to downwind drifting. as you move towards shore and ahead of the kite while surfing it sits deeper and deeper downwind, if enough side off angle unhooked surfing is more or less impossible for more than and a turn maybe 2.

not saying the kite doesnt do it, i've never used that one.

Right, in Side off I don't just ride down the line, I do big bottom turns and try to go as vertical as possible at the lip, and doing so, the kite drifts because I'm riding downwind for a few seconds. Either way, I have ridden the kite since then in Side Onshore conditions and it does have excellent drift in those conditions as well. I don't want to sound arrogant or cocky in any way, but I'm an experienced kiteboarder and I know what drift is. Best way to know for yourself is to get out there and try a NEO for yourself! CHeers!

[windfreak]

Hi mr. dany,super good review,as i was looking for buying a 8 or 9m evo ,to complete my new evo 12m 2013(witch i like a lot)but as a beginner with surboards i might give a try to a neo, maybe a 9m , it doesn t seem to have a good low-end but with your review and some other neo owners comments , it seems to have other good aspects, like ;less pull in the harness,good drift,fast kiteloop,smooth unhook etc..Are you using 22m lines and do you think 9m would be a good size to complete my 12m evo ,i weight about 210 lbs :? thanks .the FREAK :

[bnthere]

well alright then, that sounds better