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RPM size to go with 12m Rally ?

Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 4:39 pm
by letsgoflyakite
I am going to change my kite sizes. I am on the lookout for a 12m rally, to replace my 10m Rally. So I plan to have a 12M Rally and a RPM in a smaller size, that will work as a pair rather than stretching the range. So a 9m or 8m RPM ? Rally and RPM are so different power wise, I'm looking for someone who has experience of both. (my 10m Rally had more low down power than equivalent RPM but a good range) I do not want to go to extremes on the high end, 8 RPM seems to have a great range, but don't want to have to stretch limits of 12m Rally. I have a choice of 8 or 9 rpm, so need to chose. Thanks !

Re: RPM size to go with 12m Rally ?

Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:40 pm
by magic%20Ed
9 m rpm, I have a 12 & 8 Rally and use the 8 when a friend uses the RPM 9.

Re: RPM size to go with 12m Rally ?

Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 6:20 pm
by letsgoflyakite
magic%20Ed wrote:9 m rpm, I have a 12 & 8 Rally and use the 8 when a friend uses the RPM 9.
Cheers for that Ed. What made you go for a small rally, I thought the rpm s were a bit better in small sizes, and rally in larger ? I like my 10 rally, but it sits a bit odd with other kite sizes if you only have two kites.

Re: RPM size to go with 12m Rally ?

Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 7:52 pm
by superpak101
For what it's worth, I flew a 8m and 12m 2012 Rally for a season and it served me well for wind conditions ranging from 12 knots to around 30 knots and maybe even a little bit over that. I weigh a 165 lbs.

I eventually sold the 12m Rally for a 2013 12m RPM and ended up missing the Rally a lot.

The Rally is better for hooked in riding. The RPM is better for unhooked.

Hope that helps a bit....

Re: RPM size to go with 12m Rally ?

Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:05 pm
by letsgoflyakite
superpak101 wrote:For what it's worth, I flew a 8m and 12m 2012 Rally for a season and it served me well for wind conditions ranging from 12 knots to around 30 knots and maybe even a little bit over that. I weigh a 165 lbs.

I eventually sold the 12m Rally for a 2013 12m RPM and ended up missing the Rally a lot.

The Rally is better for hooked in riding. The RPM is better for unhooked.

Hope that helps a bit....

Thanks, l ride hooked, thats why I got a 10 Rally . But I could do with two kites for a wider range. I thought rpm in smaller size 8 or 9 might be more suitable for stronger winds, and Delta/Rally 12 for light moderate winds ?

Re: RPM size to go with 12m Rally ?

Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:30 pm
by knotwindy
i've flown RPM and Rally's and it seems to me it is not about stronger or lighter winds. the RPM's will give more slack unhooked and a better loop. the 2014 Rally's do almost everything else beter, small or large sizes. Better relaunch, drift, upwind, depower, waves and float hooked-in And the 2014's ride bigger than the 2012's..so a 2012 10 is a 2014 9 wind range.
the Rally is not as "cool" of course!

So, 12 Rally and 9 for best match in winds under 27-28 for 165 lbs.
12 and 8 to stretch the upper range but there will be a gap where the 12 is a little to big and the 8 is a little to small. Depends on your weight and most common wind strength.
IMO, YMMV

Re: RPM size to go with 12m Rally ?

Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 7:41 am
by magic%20Ed
95% of the time I ride surfboards, had a Rally 9 2013 as well, but just a bit to slow in the waves. For waves the 8 & 6 provide me with a 18 (16 with the right current) to 40 knots range (with different boards, me being 95 kg), the 12 is the light wind alternative, starting around 10 knots on an alaia (with the right current even with 8 knots).

Unhooking with the Rally is doable, the RPM is better suited for this, but if you really want to use the kite for unhooking: take a fuel!

Re: RPM size to go with 12m Rally ?

Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 11:45 am
by MikeYQM
Im a Slingshot dealer in Canada. My recomendations are: if you want to unhook or kiteloop heavily, go RPM 8m. The 8 RPM has a nice 4-5 knot overlap with the 12 Rally where the 9 has a little too much for my taste. It sits deeper in the window to improve freestyle ability but sacrificing upwind ability.

If you want a more all around kite that charges upwind, drifts like mad and still unhooks & loops reasonably well, go for the 8m Rally. The 8 Rally is a perfect match for a 12 Rally. The 9 seems to be a less efficient size with noticably smaller range than the 8m. For years I rode a 12/8 Rally mix and only went to a 14/10/7 mix this year with great results.

Re: RPM size to go with 12m Rally ?

Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 11:45 am
by MikeYQM
Im a Slingshot dealer in Canada. My recomendations are: if you want to unhook or kiteloop heavily, go RPM 8m. The 8 RPM has a nice 4-5 knot overlap with the 12 Rally where the 9 has a little too much for my taste. It sits deeper in the window to improve freestyle ability but sacrificing upwind ability.

If you want a more all around kite that charges upwind, drifts like mad and still unhooks & loops reasonably well, go for the 8m Rally. The 8 Rally is a perfect match for a 12 Rally. The 9 seems to be a less efficient size with noticably smaller range than the 8m. For years I rode a 12/8 Rally mix and only went to a 14/10/7 mix this year with great results.

Re: RPM size to go with 12m Rally ?

Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 5:42 pm
by markchatwin
My experience with Rally's has been this. BTW I'm 5'8"/165lbs...

2013 14m Rally - just flew yesterday: Slow turner, huge, heavy bar (23") with long lines (27m), sweet park and ride when wind was up, slow and hard to turn when wind was light, prefer my 17m Ozone Zephyr to this... I probably would fly on 20" bar with 23m lines for quicker reaction. Only had an attachment point 8 inches or so up the wingtip so not tuneable.

2013 12m Rally - in good winds this kite was nice for surfing and free riding. Coming off of '09 Revs this kite was a revelation. Really nice flyer, smooth and even.

2014 12m Rally - slightly more powerful than the 2013 and equal to my 13m Rev this kite is all I need before the Zephyr. Great lofty jumps with nice hang time. Good in waves, certainly better than my Revs but not a wave specific kite (better pure wave kites out there). Multiple attachment points. I used the outer attachment for least bar pressure and found the bar pressure to be medium to med high depending on wind. But again very smooth sheeting in and out.

2 kite quiver for me would be 12, 9m.
3 kite quiver would be 12, 9, 6m
4 kite quiver would be 12, 10, 8, 6m

I know they cost more but I would hold out for the 2014's because they have a better bar (QR is better, depower rope is slightly easier to pull), have multiple attachment points and offer more grunt. This way a 12m is a nice manageable kite with great wind range without the need for slower 14m.