North Rebel 5th line - any issues?

[JGTR]

No I don't. No affiliation, no pimping from me. i rode north gear (well I have ridden lots of brands and kites over the 14 years) then ozone, but this year went to the dice because ozones catalysts to me isn't up to scratch. The dice does everything much better. No its a fact not an opinion, dice flies much better on 4 lines, we tested this through four riders (who all are on dice kites now) and all agreed. Also had input from other demo riders and team riders as well who I hooked up with on the net.

That's strange as North say the Dice has a slack 5th line??

[icebird]

That's strange as North say the Dice has a slack 5th line??

As Dan pointed out, the location of the Y seems to make a difference.

And to others: just because a 5 line bar is normally loaded, it will not be on a kite where the 4 other connections points are shorter relative to 5th attachment point, obviously.

[sarc]

Location of the Y has a huge impact. I have been making my own 5th line bars for a few years and tried different settings, definitely flies different even with relatively small changes in Y position, I always make sure to keep the same dimensions as the stock North bar and it's all good.

[Babel]

Babel-

Just got word from the design/production guys at North re: the inflate valve protection patch... The angle of the canopy to the LE is such that on the Rebel the canopy does not often touch the valve, so there was no need to put a patch on. The more "C" shaped Dice would have the canopy more often in contact, and therefore chafing against the inflate valve, so they added a patch. It has nothing to do with Ken's wishes or the relative prices of our kites. I haven't heard or seen any chafe issues with that spot but if anyone has, please let me know.

-Dan

Hey Dan!

I was wondering, if North or you still want to stick with the reason, for not giving the Rebel the patch, "because the canopy does not often touch the valve". Since ALL the other 2014 North kites have it, why doesnt North simply admit, that they forgot to put it in?

Cheers!

http://www.bigwindsblog.com/2013/09/27/ ... rth-kites/

[heinzbush]

now look at that! North now hands out "protection patches"!!



https://www.facebook.com/North.Kiteboarding.Deutschland

it says they are available only for customers in Germany!!??

[Babel]

Loving it! Coustomers complain and they fix it. Thats what I am looking for buying premium kites

[gvironda]

Hi Dan and all others rebel expert!
So, what is the final lesson not to wrap the 5th line when the kite falls in waves? keep a lot of tension on one of the back lines?

[Don Lester]

The best solution to prevent a 5th line wrap......... don't let the kite roll in the sky while it's falling.

If you have lost line tension and the kite is falling, as fast as you can grab the depower strap and give the front lines a big jerk. You want to get the leading edge back facing the wind as if it still had line tension. That way, either the kite will start flying again or at least when it hits the water the 5th line will not be wrapped around the kite.........

[dannybarnette]

Too many pages to read through but saw this topic and wanted to give my input. Working at a kiteboarding shop that sells North, I get people that come into the shop all the time and want to tech out about North's best selling kite, the Rebel which flies on 5 lines. I start to tell them about the kite and they get all weary of the 5th line and inverting the kite/getting it wrapped around the kite. First of all, if you are past the beginner stage of learning to kiteboard, you shouldn't really be crashing the kite and riding through the lines or at the kite, (ever once in a blue moon i guess.) Ok, so I ask them what happens when you invert your kite on a 4 line bar, they normally respond that they eject the quick release, self rescue, and swim in... Well what is the difference with a 5 line if you do the same thing with a 4?? Also, 4 or 5 lines, you can let the quick release out and sometimes, if you're lucky , the kite will spin around and untangle the lines and you're good to go!

The 5th element Trust Bar by North paired with the Loaded 5 line North Rebel is in my opinion, (and many others), by far the safest kite out there!

Those are my 2 cents! Good luck making your decision on a new kite!

Cheers,
Danny

[vannibombonato]

Too many pages to read through but saw this topic and wanted to give my input. Working at a kiteboarding shop that sells North, I get people that come into the shop all the time and want to tech out about North's best selling kite, the Rebel which flies on 5 lines. I start to tell them about the kite and they get all weary of the 5th line and inverting the kite/getting it wrapped around the kite. First of all, if you are past the beginner stage of learning to kiteboard, you shouldn't really be crashing the kite and riding through the lines or at the kite, (ever once in a blue moon i guess.) Ok, so I ask them what happens when you invert your kite on a 4 line bar, they normally respond that they eject the quick release, self rescue, and swim in... Well what is the difference with a 5 line if you do the same thing with a 4?? Also, 4 or 5 lines, you can let the quick release out and sometimes, if you're lucky , the kite will spin around and untangle the lines and you're good to go!

The 5th element Trust Bar by North paired with the Loaded 5 line North Rebel is in my opinion, (and many others), by far the safest kite out there!

Those are my 2 cents! Good luck making your decision on a new kite!

Cheers,
Danny

If you never crash your kite it's not because you're good, it's because you're not pushing yourself.

Or, your name is Youri Zoon.