Ok, guys..here my Impressions after a few testrides
I'love that kite I have tested it in 14,12 and 10 m² in high wind conditions.
My riding level is very good but not
pro-level.
here my impressions on the 12er:
I was able to control the toro 12 in conditions with gust up to 30++ knots
(the other guys were riding 7,5 AR5s, Arx,8 toro, 8 X2..Stutzi was out with a 8,5 Skoop and a few 84er Airblasts )the Airblasts semmed to be a little bit more in control in the extreme gust than me, altrough they had larger boards!!
The depower is good, but you need to edge really hard (you can even keep it powered up in the gusts, just edge really hard)..it is good enough to prevent you from flying away when kite is in the zenit
..
it doesn't depower as much as a Airblast, F-one, Skoop etc..
It jumps pretty high has a good (but not VERY good) hangtime (not as much as a Takoon skoop for example, but still pretty good) it is easy to land soft, the kite offers a really good support in the air and tolerates a few rider misakes without killing you..
Upwind performance if average not the best but OK, better than the Rhinos
It is an allround, freestyle kite....it has a cool feeling on the bar, it is easy to control, learnig new tricks wth it is easy since you can forget about the kite..(waterstart is really easy if you drop it)
if you don't need the last bit of performance and want to have fun on the water go for it..
I think for high jumps you need to ride it overpowered but a friend of mine had a lot of fun with my 12er when I wasn't really powerd up with a 16er Supertype (i was riding a wake he was riding a naish flash pro model direktional)..he was going upwind better that me with the wake and the Supertype
So normally powered it is good beginner/intermediate Kite overpowered it is nice toy for good riders
Now I'm really looking forward for the new rhinos
..
I would have to to have tested the 12 or 10er X2 on that day (but no one likes to give away his kite in totally overpowerd conditions to a guy asking for the kite to find out how big it goes totally overpowered
)
greetings
Buzzy
(i'm not sponsored by north, but work in a shop so I can test em)