Got a whole range of conditions in today on my 2nd run of the Dice 10m. It was the kite's maiden voyage since I came full circle and bought one from the company that scored me a rippin' demo of it a few weeks ago, Ocean Air in Avon. We had 20mph gusting to 30+mph. We had a light wind chunk of time (13-15mph) and everything in-between. One thing I can say about the Dice is it is very stable in high wind. I'm scratching my head how a kite pumped up to the factory 6psi can be so true in the air. It just doesn't feel as rigid as my Rally and Revs and Zephyr when I pump them up to 8psi. But yet it performs splendidly. With the fast flow inflation you are on the water in minutes with this kite. Simply put there is a fun factor with this kite. Long live the 3-strut design I think...
In the nukin' stuff I rigged it on the "hard" bar pressure setting for slower turning. I also rigged the bar for the narrower width between the steering lines for slower turning. Even though I was overpowered for most of the time the Dice stayed stable and I felt very comfortable. When I had the 20mph base wind strength the kite was dialed in. When the wind surged to 30mph I simply depowered it and rode it high in the air. Send the kite in this wind and up you go quickly. It reminds me of Dimitri's Screamer the way it shoots upwards when you send it.
I'm not saying this is the best thing since sliced bread but the Dice has a niche that few kites have. I can be critical of my own kites as well, the North Quad bar is not perfect. The plastic bar ends are cheap feeling and don't release easily when you pinch them to change to the wider setting. Visually I don't like the slack red line. It seems North could do something to get that line to stay taught no matter what the depower setting is. Maybe a bungee of sorts below the bar to pull it tight. It's the wind that blows it loose and slack. The whole velcro trim rope thing is inefficient IMO because who has time to depower, futz with dangling rope and velcro it while it's nukin'???
I'm still up in the air as to having a non-pulley direct connection to the kite - ala the Rally. But is this bridle and pulley the reason the kite is dynamic and seemingly "ebbing and flowing" with the wind instead of rigidly reacting to it???
So there was a lull for a half hour when the wind crapped out. My friend's were coming in on their 10's so I came in and rigged the kite on the outermost setting - "soft" bar pressure - fastest turning. I then changed the bar ends for the wider setting and maxed the turning quickness. I grabbed my 5'7" x 22" wide Fish twin keel and had a totally zen session surfing the large waves that had accumulated from a day of 20-30+mph wind. At times I was sine waving the kite and at times I was parked and perfect on this large flat board. It does not have "low end" compared to my Rally but it has quickness and lightness to make up for it.
I can talk about drift and jumping ability in one kite but it's more the fact that I did 15-30mph today on this kite and had fun!