Rhino2 20 and AMP 11.9 (16.2):

Wind: about 4.5-5.5 Bft
Bar Lenght: 55cm
Riders Weight: 80 and 2x 90 kgs
Boards Size: 133 + 155

The AMP 11.9 makes a lot of fun to ride. It turns quick and when you want to jump it can be steered back quick and therefore it boosts you out high. The lift is great and the hangtime is good as well.
Looping it in turns no problem.
It depowers good, never had a tough time with gusts.
In the lower windrange (4.5) it still pulls enough to have fun and do nice jumps. Unfortunately we couldn't test the low end at around 4 Bft, which would have been very interesting. We didn't test the relaunch.
The quality looks good, didn't see any problems or week points.
Riding it on the outer attachment points will give you less steering pressure and make the ride very relaxing. If you want more steering forces, just choose the inner attachment points.

The Rhino2 20.0 in these winds is a tough call.
In general the Rhino2 pulls like a machine, very impressive.
But it is fast at its limits and you have to edge very hard all the time.
Keep it low or go downwind if you keep it close to the zenith.
In low winnds it starts early, but the upper windrange is not as good as other kites, but therefore you experience a "wing" when it comes to jumping. With 5 Bft we were so powered up, but it still was possible to turn the kite (for a 20 sqm kite it is unbelieveable fast!!!) and get some high and looooooong air. I never expected a 20 sqm to go so high. And with 20 sqm it is just flying. It is a good practise kite, if you want to learn tricks like rotations you just pull the bar and you float with enough time to make nonsens. It is stable in the air and you can't do much wrong.
In turns you can still loop it,but it takes some time until it is all the way around. The optimal windrange should be about upper 3 to upper 4 Bft.
Also depending on your weight and boardsize.
The quality is good and now you can even take out the battens at the tip, since they are really wide and you can't fold them up small.
We didn't test the restart.

X3 14.0 + Rhino2 14.0

Wind: 4.5-5.5 and 5.5-7 Bft
Bar: 55cm
Riders Weight: 80 and 2x 90 kgs
Boards Size: 133 + 155

In this size the Rhino2 14.0 pulls more like the X3 14.0.
The low end of the R2 is better. We think the X3 has a little bit less power than the X2 14.0. The R2 has a good lift and excellent hangtime.
But it turns slower than the X3 and has more pressure on the bar if you fly both on the outter connection points.
The X3 got a bigger windrange, since we were able to fly it up to 7 Bft and it was still controlable without being on the absolute limit.
I had in comparision the X2 10 and I had tough times while my buddies were havening relaxing fun with the X3 14.0.
The X3 flies more into the window and therefore can be hold in stronger winds. Looping the kite in turns is a lot of fun with the X3.
Lift is like the R2, maybe a bit more, but therefore the R2 has a bit more hangtime, if you jump the same height.
Both qualities are good.
I tested the restart of the X3 and was amazed, how fast I got it up again.
This is a big improvement towards the X2.

A friend also tested the X3 10.0, but according to him he didn't like it so much compared to the X2 10, which has more power, starts earlier and has more lift and hangtime.

Pls note that these are our opinions according to our style, you might think different about it and expereinced it in a different way.

Greets
Toby

We still have problem with all new AMPs we tried! when going in gusty and overpowered conditions it colapses, its a really good kite until... flap, and your fucked :´( heard though that they are still making changes, for example the reduced number of segments in the l.edge.

The solution is to always ride a smaller size, which i defenetly recomend until they solve this problem.


/Jay Conwall

Hmmm,

I've got my 11.9 (16.2) AMP already for a month or 2 now and been out there on an Edge Catman-Pro model while others where very well powered up with an Aero2 12.0 and an other guy with an X3 14.0 did defenitly not have any complaints about power, same for even an other guy with a SS Fuel 13.5.

The AMP remained very controllable, even when fully-depowered and going hard and/or high. I really just love this kite, stable at every place in the window, nice reactive speed (used the cruiser-setting, most outward). I never saw (or at least not yet) any intenetion of the tips moving inwards when fully powered-up. But then again, I do infalte all bladders rock-solid.

I am now doubting if I should not go for a 10.0 m2 in stead of a 10m2 AMP since the 16.2 has such high an high-end. That would eliminate for me the requirement for a third kite.

My boards are a stated before a Edge CatMan Pro model (whoaa, do I love it, ugly drawing, but a perfect weapon for water-and air) and a D'Light Mutant 145cm/38cm for light-winds/wave-riding.

All of my equipment gets a big

GReetz,

S

I had the same Problem with my 11.9 folding when fully depowered. Just got a replacement and seems to be corrected.

As far as the 8.7 just got 2nd replacement kite and this Kite still remains very unstable...really jellyfishing. Has anyone had these same challenges? Any suggestions as to a solution?

Tony

the amp 11.9 and 8.7 both rock. no probs with colapsing . huge wind
range 11.9 has more grunt than 20m X2 and depowers down to
a 12m X2 . Both have heaps of hang time and height in jumps with
controllable and predictive speed and steering making kiteloops ,
boardoffs a breeze.

both sizes are given a 10/10