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Rhino 2 versus X2

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Postby Guest » Tue Aug 20, 2002 5:10 am

I read many times the responses of Ken Winner in this forum related to the new Rhino 2. He says that the new kite will be quicker than the old Rhino and more powerfull than the X2 but is not clear if it will be as fast as the X2. Anybody knows if it will be?

Thanks.

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Postby Dwight » Tue Aug 20, 2002 12:10 pm

On 2002-08-20 06:10, Anonymous wrote:
I read many times the responses of Ken Winner in this forum related to the new Rhino 2. He says that the new kite will be quicker than the old Rhino and more powerfull than the X2 but is not clear if it will be as fast as the X2. Anybody knows if it will be?

Thanks.
I don't think it will be.

I say this because of Ken's reply to my question about whether it would be a "steady puller". He talks about building prototypes with huge range and poor pull, and huge pull with poor range. Finding that sweet spot that provides both is important. He talked about chosing to make the Rhino 2 a stronger puller than say the x2.

I think the closer you go to the fast top end of kite design, the more foil like kites get. (Please no complaints from Flysurfer owners. I've only flown Concept Air's.) What I'm talking about is a kite that creates huge power surges when it swoops across the window and then it looses a lot of power when you edge hard because it shoots too far forward. I have heard one X2 owner say this about the 12m, but not his 16m. So I think the x2 may be close to the limits in this area. I'm guessing the Rhino 2 is farther away from being like this. I hope it is anyway. The original Rhino was clearly not like this. I would be shocked if Ken didn't keep the flight charactistics that made the Rhino so popular.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Dwight on 2002-08-20 13:12 ]</font>

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Postby Guest » Tue Aug 20, 2002 9:00 pm

I watched some of the Stevenson Kite comp a week ago with Adam Finer on a Rhino2 10 and quite a few X2 10s and 12s out. It looks like the Rhino is maybe a touch slower but certainly up to par for amplitude and hang time. If anything Sky Solbach showed off more technical tricks with Adam getting bigger air. You'd really have to try them out to tell for sure and decide which you prefer. Airspeed is only one criteria and not the top one on my list. It didn't make a difference for the comp either.
R!

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Postby Guest » Tue Aug 20, 2002 10:58 pm

I agree that Airspeed is not so important in a 10 or 12m but I'm not so sure in a bigger kite (18-20m). With less wind a quicker kite seems to be more amused.

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Postby Dwight » Wed Aug 21, 2002 12:17 pm

Here is something to think about.

I just heard about one very light weight kiter who loves the x2 and didn't like his Rhino because it was too powerful and didn't fly far enough forward.

It makes me wonder how much rider weight plays into what kites work best for each of us. I'm a heavier rider and I don't like kites that shoot way forward and loose all their power. I like a kite that stays forward, but not so far the power drops way off. I like it to stay fairly stationary and pull like a truck.

I've always wondered if board choice plays into this too. I think a directional rider would prefer a kite that shoots way forward and pulls less hard.

Let's hope we all find our perfect kites in 2003. I did in 2002.

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Postby Sake » Thu Aug 22, 2002 10:19 pm

Dwight,
I think you got a very good point here.
I also think that riders weight plays a big role, apart from personal preference. And apart from using a kite with a fast or slow board. Just look in the North brochure. And once again shows that it's best to test a kite yourself whenever possible.

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Postby aklbob » Thu Aug 22, 2002 10:46 pm

I noticed a big difference between my new X2 12 and my old 8.4 2001 Airblast, the AB used to surge forward in gusts and lose power (I guess this is why the AB range is so amazing), not very steady pulling, and made worse by jellyfishing and this characteristic was fine with a directional, and the AB went way to the edge of the wind window, but it wasn't as good for wakeboard use.
The X2 seems to have the perfect foil, as it sits high upwind, but still pulls very consistently gusts don't affect it. It seems to work well with wakeboards and directionals.

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Postby Sake » Thu Aug 22, 2002 11:19 pm

On 2002-08-22 23:46, aklbob wrote:
the AB used to surge forward in gusts and lose power (I guess this is why the AB range is so amazing), not very steady pulling, and made worse by jellyfishing
The AB2002 8.4' range is huge but flying characteristics are different. Like the way you described the X2(only even better of course :wink: ) So replace "I guess this is" by "this is not".

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sake on 2002-08-23 00:26 ]</font>

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Postby Vangelis » Fri Aug 23, 2002 2:56 am

Dwight,
If you like constant pull and not much forward kite travel try a Skoop. That is the main difference that I have noticed between the 8.5 Skoop and the X2 12m. Jump timing is also a bit different. The Toro 12m wants to go even further forward than the X2.
Just my personal experience with these kites.

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Postby aklbob » Tue Aug 27, 2002 2:26 am

Sake, I haven't tried a 2002 AB, but have looked closely at them, they look identical to the 2001, and the dacron (if it is dacron) is very lightweight, and the top end range of the 2002 is less I am told. Try an X2, they fly very differently to the Airblast, and pull very well when fully sheeted in ie tips flared, and fly completely on the front lines with no jellyfishing, and smooth power.


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