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North Neo 2014

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Adam-north
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Re: North Neo 2014

Postby Adam-north » Sun Feb 23, 2014 8:02 am

Westozzy/Dan at North

I am 90 kg and my current setup is neo12(2013) and Dice 9 with a pro 6.2 and a nugget

Do you recommend a dice 7 or a neo 6 to complete my setup ?

Thanks

Westozzy
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Re: North Neo 2014

Postby Westozzy » Sun Feb 23, 2014 9:15 am

Nice quiver man...my mate is 85kg, he runs a 12 / 9 / 6 dice quiver (with a custom board and a nugget) The 6 is surprisingly powerful in that you can move it to generate power. I know they say your small sized kites should start having only 2m gaps, but he really glad he got the six and not the 7. As the power in the wind when you are getting into the early to late twenties really increases.

If the neo I would honestly to say the 5m.... But you better try it first.

Adam-north
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Re: North Neo 2014

Postby Adam-north » Sun Feb 23, 2014 11:59 am

Thanks mate

hced
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Re: North Neo 2014

Postby hced » Tue Feb 25, 2014 9:56 pm

Interesting thread, given Neo 2014 low end, how is it. for hooked in jumping?

currenly have the 2011 Evos which i like for the allround, but really missing the drift ability in waves. Tried Evo 2014 even if it was in gusty conditions didnt see it turning as my Evo 2011, the upwind ability was amazing on 2014 Evos but believe it become to much like the Rebel for my taste. Given Dice (what I read) poor low end, doubt that is an option for me

So would Neo work for boosting and some looping with its lowend this year?

Westozzy
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Re: North Neo 2014

Postby Westozzy » Tue Feb 25, 2014 11:40 pm

Yeh it actually gives you a nice freeride boost for sure. Takes you up quite well...I think dan described it really early on in the piece. It's no jumper though, but okay. Looping....well it's got no C in it and for looping you really need C in a kite if ya serious about it accelerating around and catching you.

Dice doesn't have a bad low end, you have to learn how to fly a c kite!!! Or remind yourself like I had to after coming off bows of various incarnations for so many years. Repeat the dice does not have a bad low end.

hced
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Re: North Neo 2014

Postby hced » Tue Feb 25, 2014 11:50 pm

Thx
Need to get my hands on à Dice to demo

Westozzy
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Re: North Neo 2014

Postby Westozzy » Wed Feb 26, 2014 10:04 am

Yeh the neo did boost okay for a wave kite, still think the dice is better if you load, send and pop like you should on a C based kite. Plus it loops like a dream, and gives enough of a kick. Not the full c rip ya guts out yank but enough to know you better get it right..and the loop power is consistent like a c kite and in the end that's what you are after, predictable power throughout the move. At the top end the dice likes you to redirect directly downwind and then the hang time is surprisingly good. At its low end though the hang time is pretty naf. This is when you crank out the low water level freestyle stuff or wave ride.

But as they say it is a c based kite so if ya on a 8m rebel, its a 9m dice...not sure about the older evos, never rated them much although some crew do. They had a damn good low end that's for sure but were hopeless near their top. The delta kicked in...same with the new neo to. Disguise it all you want the new neo has it's basis firmly grounded in a delta profile and flies as such.

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Re: North Neo 2014

Postby andrea75 » Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:51 pm

robclaisse wrote:I've had the chance to fly the NEO 9 & 7 over the past 3 weeks (4 line shorter bar, 22m lines), so thought I'd give you a few of my thoughts. (I'm not personally sponsored by North but they have lend me the kites to use in the series of wave riding instructional videos that I am currently making, of which they are supporting).

I'm 102kg (225lbs) and riding a 6'2" North Pro Series surfboard (awesome board!). I;m out in Cape Town so the wind here is particular strong and punchy, so worth bearing mind. I also flew Rebels for the past two years (11/9/7/5).

I've only really used the 9m in light onshore conditions, probably 12-15 knots. For me this would normally be an underwhelming session on a 11m Rebel but I can honestly say I had some really fun session on the 9m Neo. Its bottom end is incredible, I was probably the heaviest guy on the water but compared to other guys on 9/10m/surfboards, I was able to get going and park the kite and charge upwind whilst others were having to fly the kite constantly. The kite turns really well, in such light wind and it never back stalled or lose responsiveness (something I've found with Rebel on the low end). For me this can easily be my biggest kite and I think it will be really fun in light cross-shore down the line weather.

I've used the 7m several times in a variety of conditions - cross/cross-on 20-30 knots with waist to overhead high waves. This kite took me a little longer to get used too as I was so used to the feel of my rebels and this is a very different kite. With the rebel I would generally be sheeting the kite in a lot to maintain power/trim & keep the kite responsive to turn - doing this instinctively on the Neo was not such a great idea as it just generated way too my much pull. But once I got comfortable with allow the kite to be sheeted out (where it will still steer well) I really started to like the kite. It drifts incredibly well, again like the 9m I couldn't get it to stall - coming out of a backside turn the lines would go completely lack and the kite would just sit there nicely and casually drift back in to position. Its definitely helped me to start surfing the wave more rather than relying on the power of the kite to pull me out of my turns.

The hardness thing to get used too was going out on smaller kites than normal, for a big guy going out on a 7m when others who are obviously 30-40kg lighter than you are riding bigger kites is kind of strange. But its just a change of mindset and actually works great as you get a small kite that turns better - we all want to be a smaller kite for wave riding so this works well.

The downsides to the kites are that it feels like the wind range of the kite is slightly smaller than say the Rebel, but then the rebel has always had a particularly big wind range and great top end. When your powered up they definitely don't go upwind quite as well as the rebel, but again the Rebel is probably one of the best kites for cracking up wind on a surfboard. They aren't terrible upwind just not exception. And less of a downside but more something to get used too - these kites do generate some serious power, if you sheet them in quickly. This can catch you out so you need to be gentle with the bar sometimes but I've also found it to be amazing when you need some power to get you out of tricky situation or when you stuck on the inside and the wind is light and flukey.

Overall, I was not sure about the kites when I first used them but after a few sessions, I now don't want to use my Rebels and am excited about how the Neo's are helping me to improve my wave riding.

hello so having already tried the neo north kite, you think weighing 78 kg and using a whip 5.8 in 2013 to go with 13 nodes is sufficient a new 10-2014? Also the 7 size is fast sailing? In addition to that you've tried setting the soft or hard? Greetings and thanks Andrea and excuse me for my english :D

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Re: North Neo 2014

Postby hced » Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:00 pm

Finally got the chance to try NEO 2014 (size 9) and Dice (11). 85kg, 80% wave, 20 old school, most of the time only ride wind generated waves, in short prioritizing pure wave capabilities from 18 knots and up, below 18 knots freeride.

I fully agree with all statement in this thread when it comes to description and capabilities of each kite.
The Dice has way to bad low-end for my taste and compared to Neo not fast enough in the waves.
Prioritizing wave capabilities Neo is a fanstastic kite, in the high-end the bar feedback is little bit to much, on the other hand it has everything else you would like from a wave perspective and personally I would rather have some more low-end and sacrificing the heavy bar stroke.
Will probably go for Neo 9 and 7 or 6.

Said that, Dice is not a bad kite, just not my cup of tea.

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Re: North Neo 2014

Postby Da Yoda » Wed Apr 16, 2014 11:44 pm

hced wrote:Finally got the chance to try NEO 2014 (size 9) and Dice (11). 85kg, 80% wave, 20 old school, most of the time only ride wind generated waves, in short prioritizing pure wave capabilities from 18 knots and up, below 18 knots freeride.

I fully agree with all statement in this thread when it comes to description and capabilities of each kite.
The Dice has way to bad low-end for my taste and compared to Neo not fast enough in the waves.
Prioritizing wave capabilities Neo is a fanstastic kite, in the high-end the bar feedback is little bit to much, on the other hand it has everything else you would like from a wave perspective and personally I would rather have some more low-end and sacrificing the heavy bar stroke.
Will probably go for Neo 9 and 7 or 6.

Said that, Dice is not a bad kite, just not my cup of tea.
+1.
I was at the Pismo Kite Expo this last weekend. I got to demo the 2014 12m Dice and Neo.
Hced summed it up perfectly... my experience was exactly the same. Several others were saying the same thing. North is spot-on about the ability to downsize. I think an 11m Neo would be closer to the 12m Dice in power. I will very likely add a new Neo to my quiver. Awesome kite for my various styles of riding. :thumb:


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