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Re: RPM vs Dice

Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2014 6:26 pm
by consumer
you are gonna be stoked on that 10m dice!

Given how the 2012 RPM's were sized arbitrarily, I am wary of assuming the 10RPM has comparable dimensions to the 10 Dice. If you recall - SS stated that the sizings were based on "how they feel". I am not sure this is still the case with '13/14 SS kites, but I would put my money on the sizing not being objective.

Re: RPM vs Dice

Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 1:15 am
by Westozzy
Let us know how you go. Give it a good half a dozen sessions first, really get a feel for the kites dynamics.

Re: RPM vs Dice

Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 6:43 pm
by plummet
Thanks Dan,

I'll keep those thoughts in mind.

I am really keen on a dice but would like to use it on an ozone bar for several reasons.
I have 3 ozone bars already and am used to the safety system. I like to run the same safety on all kites so I don't have to think about what kite I am flying before I deploy my safety. Plus the additional cost of a bar makes the price too high for me.

I'll see if I can demo the dice again and test the safety on the ozone bar.

Westeppo,
If you get a chance to test the dice on an ozone bar that would be really cool.

Massimo,
I have demo'd the Dice twice. Once back to back with a 2012 10m Ozone C4 in 18-20 knots, I used the north bar on this test.
Once back to back with a 2014 10m Ozone Reo in 23-28 knots, I used the ozone bar on this test.

At 82kg the I think this would be my usable wind range for the kite. 18-28 knots. At 18 knots it was fun and still had some nice lift. I would be able to use it in lower wind but it would be boring for me. I began to reach for the trim at 25-26knots. Boosts were awesome at the top end of the range.

Re: RPM vs Dice

Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 9:41 pm
by Massimo
plummet wrote:Thanks Dan,

Massimo,
I have demo'd the Dice twice. Once back to back with a 2012 10m Ozone C4 in 18-20 knots, I used the north bar on this test.
Once back to back with a 2014 10m Ozone Reo in 23-28 knots, I used the ozone bar on this test.

At 82kg the I think this would be my usable wind range for the kite. 18-28 knots. At 18 knots it was fun and still had some nice lift. I would be able to use it in lower wind but it would be boring for me. I began to reach for the trim at 25-26knots. Boosts were awesome at the top end of the range.
that's great info... thank you very much

I am 86 and I own 2 boards a Radical L 139x43 squared and flat for light wind days and an Influence 137 for the normal/high wind session.

From what you say I can expect 18-30 knots... 18 with the large board to try new stuff without getting smashed too hard and 30 knots at the top end limit for big airs...

at 28 were you still in good control with kite usable and fun or were you feel really at the limit? was it flat water?

I like to be powered up, but with the RPM 10m at 26/30 knots the kite deforms and I always struggled with the bar pushed away as much as I could. While a friend with hid 9m fuse was still in very good control... (unfortunately I do not like how the fuse or the rebel feels on the bar with a too much on/off depower)

if with the dice at 28/30knots it will be at its top-end but still in decent control it would be great.

:)

Re: RPM vs Dice

Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 11:04 pm
by plummet
Massimo wrote:
at 28 were you still in good control with kite usable and fun or were you feel really at the limit? was it flat water?

I like to be powered up, but with the RPM 10m at 26/30 knots the kite deforms and I always struggled with the bar pushed away as much as I could. While a friend with hid 9m fuse was still in very good control... (unfortunately I do not like how the fuse or the rebel feels on the bar with a too much on/off depower)

if with the dice at 28/30knots it will be at its top-end but still in decent control it would be great.

:)
Well max gusts for the sessions way 28. It was a pretty solid 25 for most of the session.

I was riding my mutant 142x42 in shoulder to head high surf. Could I have held it higher? yes indeed. At 25-26 I would run full power and boost off a wave lip on the way out. Then trim and wave ride on the way back in. in complete control. Would I put it up in constant winds higher than 26? no. I'd run my 8m. But I would have no worry flying it on a 20-30 knot day.

The main thing that stuck out for me was the smoothness of this kite. It was soooo smooth. The power deliver, jumping, redirecting. effortless and smoooth it was a real joy to ride. I can remember any flutter through the loops either, again smooth.

It fit like a glove for my riding style. So much so that I boosted off the very first wave on the first run out. It was like I had been flying the kite for years. I then jumped on the reo and didn't enjoy it at all. Which is a real bummer for me as i'm a die hard ozone fan.

Re: RPM vs Dice

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 1:30 am
by Westozzy
My bro is about 83kg on a 136 by 41 was out on a 12m dice in 20 to 25, lit but under control and smiling.

I'm wondering if the high Y on the north bar may help keep the canopy more stable in these higher winds. But the low Y may give it more grunt at the lower end.

At the lower end we move more into unhooked and hooked in low height powered freestyle. Get all you dark slide, back roll back loops, rally's, s bends, general looping etc It's all about getting more technically correct with your load and pop. This then helps you maximise your boost when the wind gets up there. In the right hands it will go big and long. If you don't, look at your ability not the kite. It asks a bit of you, not a great deal but you need to have the basics ticked off well, otherwise it will expose flaws in your riding. Unlike some obvious power monsters that will just drag your ass around. I'm starting to get tired of hearing this kite has a weak bottom end. Nope, you are just weak and don't know how to fly period. Crew are out regularly on bigger TT (not monster doors or anything, just 44 and 46 wide TTs) regularly when crew are on zephyrs. On surfboards 85kg lad is out on his 9 from 16 knots up.

Beauty is, when lit, you can then still hit the waves as aggressively as you like with intuitive ease.

Unlike some kites, this kite just gets better and better as you improve. 6 months on and it is still teaching us lessons!!

Re: RPM vs Dice

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 4:52 am
by CKite
Both are very good Kites. As a beginner or as an advanced rider you can not go wrong with either of them. I prefer the RPM because you know exactly what to expect from the kite at all times. It is an all rounder, flies very well unhooked and the material latest longer than the Norths.

Wind Regards

www.caribbean-kite.com
www.facebook.com/kiteboardingplayadelcarmenmexico

Re: RPM vs Dice

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 9:30 am
by Babel
CKite wrote:I prefer the RPM because ... the material latest longer than the Norths.
You can't be serious! Ever heard of RPM tearing trailing edges?? Ring a bell? It didn't happen on to my own RPM range yet, but those kites are fragile as hell. How annoying is it to always deflate the kite even if you only want to have a 20 minute coffee break. Two friends didn't usually do it and found it funny that I did: Now their trailing edges are broken ;) If its only about durability, I would never fly RPMs.

Re: RPM vs Dice

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:34 am
by Westozzy
Yeh I'm not sure of rpms durability as I've never owned one, but I'm am sure as anything about norths.

Except their bars from the past two years, but it have a feeling this May have been sorted in 2014. We probably get two seasons or so worth in one where we live and the bar, depower line etc are all still sweet. Which is good as it was my biggest concern after spending literally hours trying to change the depower lines on the 2012 bar. Nearly Fck killed me. Stupid piece of engineering that sucker.

Re: RPM vs Dice

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 12:31 pm
by Massimo
Thank you all for this great feedback, I will post some feedback as soon as I can

Babel wrote:
CKite wrote:I prefer the RPM because ... the material latest longer than the Norths.
You can't be serious! Ever heard of RPM tearing trailing edges?? Ring a bell? It didn't happen on to my own RPM range yet, but those kites are fragile as hell. How annoying is it to always deflate the kite even if you only want to have a 20 minute coffee break. Two friends didn't usually do it and found it funny that I did: Now their trailing edges are broken ;) If its only about durability, I would never fly RPMs.
I agree

with the same number of session there is a clear difference in ageing between the RPM (I cannot judge for the other SS kites) and other North kites (e.g. fuse and rebel). However SS seems to have much better lines than north...

:bye: