2014 North Line Up

[Westozzy]

Lots of good information Brian.
Would be great if more dealers provided similar information now and again.

Agreed I thought it was a balanced look at these kites.

[calikites]

Regarding the patch, I asked North and they didn't know but said they would ask the designers. I imagine that it's because it's not necessary with the new valve. I hope this one doesn't come back to bite me but it seems to me that the new valve wont be as abrasive as the older style 9mm inflate with the rigid plastic slide.

Brian

[heinzbush]

thanks, would be great to get some info on this...

just wondering in case they think the patch is not needed anymore, why did they put extra padding around the valve when the kite ships from the factory....
also in 2013: first Rebels no patch, later Rebels with patch...

[Don Lester]

Hey Brian, could you rate ( 1,2, 3, ) the Rebel, Vegas, Dice for freestyle'n with the emphasis on Looping tricks. Include + & - sign if you like..........

[Babel]

thanks, would be great to get some info on this...

just wondering in case they think the patch is not needed anymore, why did they put extra padding around the valve when the kite ships from the factory....
also in 2013: first Rebels no patch, later Rebels with patch...

I imagine that it's because it's not necessary with the new valve. I hope this one doesn't come back to bite me but it seems to me that the new valve wont be as abrasive as the older style 9mm inflate with the rigid plastic slide.

Brian

That is actually quiet weird. What I found even more interesting is that the Dice, which also has the new valve, was designed with the Protection Patch, whereas the Rebel 2014 is not. Rebel is even more expensive...

Anyway, I fear that North will go on with the policy of most big companies: Just keep quiet and wait it out

[calikites]

Still haven't heard about the patch, but I ummm assume they know what they are doing.

  Post subject:  Re: 2014 North Line Up  
Hey Brian, could you rate ( 1,2, 3, ) the Rebel, Vegas, Dice for freestyle'n with the emphasis on Looping tricks. Include + & - sign if you like..........

I don't really understand your +, &, - sign system, but I will try to answer the question to the best of my ability:

All three do it well. The vegas loops the quickest so on the mega loops it catches you the quickest. The Rebel jumps a bit higher than the vegas and loops a bit softer so if you want to go for crowd wow factor the Rebel is the one.(+) As far as the Dice goes I think back to back with the Rebel you will be able to jump it higher but the loop pulls substantially harder so prepare for hot landings.(-) I would like to have a few more powered sessions on the Dice before I write that in stone though. (&) The Dice's are now scheduled to arrive on October 15th.

[Don Lester]

Brian, sorry for the confusion. + & - was lame. Your descriptions were much better.....

Correct me if I'm wrong, your saying : The Vegas loops the quickest and therefore would be the safest, but don't expect it to jump like the Rebel.......

The Rebel loops are slower and a bit more likely to give you hotter landing.........

Are you saying that the Dice jumps better than the Rebel ? And the Dice will give you even hotter landing than the Rebel ?

Thanks

[heinzbush]

Dice jumps better than Rebel???
Not even North thinks that if you look at their ratings/spec sheet on their website...

According to North, Rebels drawbacks are:
- Power Release Delay for Wakestyle
- Kiteloops

Dice's drawbacks are:
- Windrange & Lowend
- Upwind Ability
- Sheet & Go

This makes sense to me and is in line with the shape as well as the "positioning" of the kite as Freestyle/Wave...

[Westozzy]

No the syntax of his sentence may be confusing you. I had to read it twice as well.

He is saying of course the rebel will go bigger but hold onto your hats when looping it. This fits my experience with both kites.


Nothing wrong with the low end of the dice, nothing at all. Takes a different technique to the rebel and indeed the edges I rode after the rebel days.

You have to work it a little before locking off and it needs a little more attention that a higher aspect kite to continue your speed. But it by no means is not an on off affair. It does fly quick towards to edge of the window, then sits back a little. You have to allow it forward and back with small movements using your edge and slight steering movements. Decent static grunt and much better than a rebel and indeed an edge in strong currents...indeed in the surf.

High aspect hooked in freeride boost and go its the rebel. In the surf hooked and unhooked with some potential on the flat as well the dice. Pretty simple really.

Lets get one thing straight right now though. This is a serious wave kite, not a pretend hybrid all rounder that kind of does it, it is as good as any other wave kite I've been on and in some ways better. There is no compromise in the waves. The only comprimise is in the less slackness in the lines that the Vegas gives you for freestyle. in the surf, it rocks. Proper, correct drift. With park and ride as well as fly and follow ability depending on how you sheet and work it.

[calikites]

No the syntax of his sentence may be confusing you. I had to read it twice as well.

He is saying of course the rebel will go bigger but hold onto your hats when looping it. This fits my experience with both kites.


Nothing wrong with the low end of the dice, nothing at all. Takes a different technique to the rebel and indeed the edges I rode after the rebel days.

You have to work it a little before locking off and it needs a little more attention that a higher aspect kite to continue your speed. But it by no means is not an on off affair. It does fly quick towards to edge of the window, then sits back a little. You have to allow it forward and back with small movements using your edge and slight steering movements. Decent static grunt and much better than a rebel and indeed an edge in strong currents...indeed in the surf.

High aspect hooked in freeride boost and go its the rebel. In the surf hooked and unhooked with some potential on the flat as well the dice. Pretty simple really.

Lets get one thing straight right now though. This is a serious wave kite, not a pretend hybrid all rounder that kind of does it, it is as good as any other wave kite I've been on and in some ways better. There is no compromise in the waves. The only comprimise is in the less slackness in the lines that the Vegas gives you for freestyle. in the surf, it rocks. Proper, correct drift. With park and ride as well as fly and follow ability depending on how you sheet and work it.

Thanks I don't english good, and after reading my own review it confused myself. I also hate to say, "what he said" but I think Westozzy said it better than I could have.

I'll give it a shot again:

The Vegas doesn't jump as high as the Rebel but loops solid and fast so it catches you well before you land.

The 2014 Rebel jumps the highest but the arch is bigger. The difference is the Rebel is a little more friendly in the loops as it doesn't rip you sideways as hard but you can still catch yourself. If you mess up with a rebel mega loop you get off way easier than you do with the Vegas.

The Dice is right in-between the two.