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North Dice impressions

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wetdog
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Re: North Dice impressions

Postby wetdog » Mon Nov 04, 2013 11:00 pm

Flags on two front lines.

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Re: North Dice impressions

Postby Westozzy » Mon Nov 04, 2013 11:24 pm

Yeh two smallish battens on each side.

Yes you are right, does look like a vagas, infact the swept wing tips are quite deceiving as the overall canopy profile is very very C in arc, and flies as such, the loops really do accelerate all the way through. Unlike most of the 'all rounders' out there which have more of an open C shape.

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Re: North Dice impressions

Postby barrybarryr » Mon Nov 04, 2013 11:46 pm

wetdog wrote:Flags on two front lines.
Why do they flag it onto two front lines? Surely one is a better safety?

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Re: North Dice impressions

Postby Westozzy » Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:23 am

Good question Barry, does anyone know the answer to this? Is it due to the high Y??

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Re: North Dice impressions

Postby wetdog » Tue Nov 05, 2013 10:45 am

Yes, as far as I am aware it is not possible to have a high Y and single front line safety.

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Re: North Dice impressions

Postby knotwindy » Tue Nov 05, 2013 3:29 pm

well, nobody has one but there is no reason you can't do it. Does it matter where the knot/slider point is on the front lines? you can make one yourself easy enough if you think it is better.

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Re: North Dice impressions

Postby Mike27 » Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:59 pm

recoprianto wrote:My goals with the Dice were to have a kite that feels like the Vegas, loops like the Vegas, unhooks like the Vegas, but is much friendlier in the waves. I have had a quiver of Vegas and a quiver of Rebels in the past to get some drift in the waves and a great freestyle kite, but it felt excessive and a waste of space in my shed. I really want an all-in-one that does not compromise freestyle and unhooked.

I have ridden the 8m Dice for 3 sessions now in average wind ranges of 21 – 30 mph in the 4-line mode.

The kite feels 95% like the Vegas to me. Great loops, great unhooked, and much improved for the waves. It does everything I wanted and I am going to probably going to sell all of my 2014 Vegas kites as there is too much overlap and the Dice has the advantage in the waves and is more than sufficient at freestyle / unhooked. I am curious how I will take the 4-line setup as I have been on the 5-line Vegas for years now and really like the 5th for relaunch and flagging out, but I guess simpler is typically better. The only reason I would 2nd guess this is 2 fold.

1. Fewer struts on the Dice…this may allow the canopy to stretch out more quickly which will translate into a less precise kite. I would like to see North add back in the additional struts, but cannot comment for sure until I have ridden the Dice for ½ a season or so. While crispy the kite is very precise and responsive.
2. If I start trying advanced handle passes again, I would probably value the slightly additional slack that I have heard the Vegas can deliver. With that being said, I doubt most amateur kiters will notice as it is hard to properly slack a kite and take full advantage of the additional slack the Vegas would provide. The Dice was slacking plenty for me to throw simple passes like KL3, etc…

I am going to ride the Dice and Vegas back to back next session and will write up a quick update if anything changes.

The bar feels basically the same with small changes here and there. On a side note I saw the 2014 Neo on the beach last Thursday and evidently it is the wave specific kite for North this year. So if that is what you want, then maybe hold out and try them both. I guess as I work through my mid-thirties I am not as worried about the freestyle as I used to be and am willing to compromise a little bit to benefit everything else.

I am a team rider for North, so let that influence your interpretation as you may.
Do you feel any difference in bar between the Vegas 2013 and 2014 ?

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Re: North Dice impressions

Postby recoprianto » Tue Nov 05, 2013 9:15 pm

Mike27 wrote:Do you feel any difference in bar between the Vegas 2013 and 2014 ?
I have not flown the 2014 Vegas yet, but I have heard that the changes were minimal from 2013 to 2014. I am going to fly the Vegas and Dice back to back next session and will report what I find here.

The Dice 2014 feels alot like the Vegas 2013 to me.

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Re: North Dice impressions

Postby bnthere » Tue Nov 05, 2013 9:20 pm

wetdog wrote:Yes, as far as I am aware it is not possible to have a high Y and single front line safety.

that is incorrect, it can and has been done. naish 2010, blade 2012 are examples.

why persist with the high Y is other good question. "inward tension" is BS (it is so they can use a double centerline leash. which probably they, like nearly everyone else already has, will stop doing, eventually)

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Re: North Dice impressions

Postby Westozzy » Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:00 pm

The high Y is needed right for the kites design? Prefer a low Y to be honest without that long mini 5th.


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