Kiteforum.com

So I got my hands on a 7m Dice today, 20-25 knots small waves.

It felt like a dedicated wave kite, good for strapless. Feeling similar to the RRD whatchamacallit wave kite (shape is reminiscent too).

The Dice excelled in EVERYTHING except power. It's like the designer decided to sacrifice one thing to excel in all others. Great drift, turns extremely well and predictably in any part of the window even when depowered. Good depower BTW. Good upwind and speed in the flats.
On the wave face it really shines, I was on North Whip and after 2 waves I was able to just 'think' the kite in the right position, and when I misjudged the wave I could easily put the kite where I needed it in no time. Easier and better than the Rebel.

The flipside - my jumps were about 3ft high. When you send the kite, kinda nothing happens. My regular kite for the day was Rebel 2012 8m and I was jumping 15-20ft by just pulling the trigger. In terms of grunt, the 7m Dice felt much less powerful than the 8m rebel, I would guess closer to a 6m Rebel. But at 20Kn (and 200lb) I had no problem planing and going upwind on the Whip 5.6.

So if you are willing to jump low in exchange of phenomenal performance in everything else this kite is gold! Great for directional and / or strapless riding since jumping is not really on the agenda anyway.

DICE sounds great but I thought based on other reviews and North's own classification that it would have better jumping ability than what you experienced.

I wonder if th 7M was 2 sizes too small for your weight in 20knts. (The 7M barely starts working at 19knts)

I guess demoing is the only way to really see if its a fit.

Were the jumps you describe on your strapless board also? Sent or just popping off a wave?

We rode the 9 and 12 in some good winds coming off rebels and edges and I would say it jumps better than what you are making out. We were getting some decent air and glide. You are also comparing a 7m canopy to a much higher aspect 8m rebel. Its like comparing a 7m to 9m in the same conditions. Of course the higher aspect rebel will jump higher and have more power in the same winds?

But for everything else is is far superior to the rebel and the edge of course.

Comparing a rebel with the dice is like comparing the edge with a bastard child of the C4 and the Reo (which in my humble opininion would have been better than rooting the old Catalyst and C4 together)....

My 9m edge would have smoked a 10 reo, 10 C4 and even the new cat (10m) for power, bottom end and jumping ability.

Also I will tell you I was riding the 9m in 13-14 knots on my light wind TT one day and unhooking and just staying upwind...it has bottom end if you know how to use it.

Also had the 9m in 25 knots and band it's got bucket loads when you need it and cranks upwind it you know how to develop apparent wind.

Davesails - I was strapped on the Whip 5.6 and trying some sent jumps on flat water just for shits and giggles. I was having so much fun on the wave face anyway.

mkNY - I was very well powered on the 8m Rebel 2012 with depower trim line pulled almost all the way in, and on the 7m Dice I had the depower all the way out. Yes it sounds about right 7M Dice starts working above 19-20kn. For me 20 Kn is perfect power on the 8m Rebel, and I can scoot around on my 5M Rebel at 20Kn... at 25-35 I get some really good jumps and glide on the 5m Rebel.

Anyway for sure with a lot more wind or a much bigger size jumps would be higher....

sarc wrote:Davesails - I was strapped on the Whip 5.6 and trying some sent jumps on flat water just for shits and giggles. I was having so much fun on the wave face anyway.

mkNY - I was very well powered on the 8m Rebel 2012 with depower trim line pulled almost all the way in, and on the 7m Dice I had the depower all the way out. Yes it sounds about right 7M Dice starts working above 19-20kn. For me 20 Kn is perfect power on the 8m Rebel, and I can scoot around on my 5M Rebel at 20Kn... at 25-35 I get some really good jumps and glide on the 5m Rebel.

Anyway for sure with a lot more wind or a much bigger size jumps would be higher....

The rebel is a flat kite, of course it is going to have WAY more power!

I don't ride a 7m C until it is a solid 30 knots, no point.

Review gels well with Leepasty review a KSP rider,very few kites jump as well as rebel,rebel prob a better all rounder,dice better wave only kite,got to try,dice looks so like vegas,TONY

4 kiters, demo dice, all all rounder freeriders. 7 kites on order. All have ridden rebels, edges a Wainmans, catalysts and C4s oh and vegases.

Rebel an all rounder, nope. Lets see you unhook this puppy properly.

Does it boost in the right winds, yep.

Is it a kite just for the waves, nope.

Ride one then comment hey.

Thanks for the review Westozzy. Do you have any size recommendations v the rebel? I have flown 9 and 11 rebels since 2007 and never really liked the 10s and 12s. I am getting the sense i might need to size up in order to keep the same wind ranges. Have you any experience on the 9, 10, 11 and 12 and can you offer any feedback?

Thanks!

I'm lit in 20+knts on my 8M EVO (72kg on a TT).

Would this translate to a 8M or 9M DICE ?


Anyone know of a way to demo North gear around NYC