I found the Triggers to be one of the easiest jumping kites I've flown.
The boost and float is very good, which is what they say in magazine reviews.
The only thing I can pick on with the Triggers is they are pivotal in the turn so they don't pull through the turn the way some kites do, but that just makes them good wave kites.
I moved to Epic kites because they have more balls through the turns and boost far better than most.

I am a Rebel rider 12/10/8/6M....and Core Riot LW XR2 19M
Loaded 5th line....3 lines from bar for a distance of 12.5 meters then 5 lines to 6 lines total at kite

IMO great zero pulleys and zero pulleys system....unique and fantastic

The Core has mini 5th line as they like to call it...about 3.5 metres long above depower cleat
The bridle consist of pulleys and sliders....and works perfectly for that kite's design

Sorry OldBroke about your take about the Rebel not being a great waveriding kite
You kite in the Gulf of Mexico and not where there are actual ocean waves
Your opinion does not carry much weigth IMO

Also you only use a 13M as biggest kite so you must not kite that much IMO

Supa- No need to be sorry.
Texas Gulf waves will wrap your five line kite up exactly the same as your less than world class Florida waves will.
I fly Epic kites now, so my current quiver has no bearing but..
To address your comment about my size choices, at 170 pounds a Renegade 13M LTD does everything needed in light winds down to to about 12-13MPH. In anything less, I enjoy hiking with my dogs or kayaking with my wife, among other things. I know you enjoy your monster kites and I've tried some of the new ones (and owned several of the old ones) and I just don't care about them anymore, but your big Core kites do sound pretty nifty.
My opinion is an opinion, as I said several times, I said a Rebel is a great kite in flat water (where I kite most often) and that a Trigger was a better wave kite, and that assessment is correct....in my opinion.
Magazine reviews of both kites say similar things to what I've said.
Supa-Have you flown the Blade Triggers?
The Rebel is five strut, medium high aspect, sits forward in the window, is not designed specifically for great drift, is slower turning and heavier than three strut medium aspect kites, not super fast in relaunch, does not have a wave specific setting, and is a five line kite, which is a pain when dropped and wrapped up in waves. North advertises other kites for waves and the Neo, Evo and Fuse would be better choices, even by North's descriptions.
In the Epic line up, Screamers are similar in shape and aspect ratio to the Rebels (say all the reviews).
Screamers are not nearly as good in waves as Epic Renegades (designed for waves) and the Renegades are very, very similar to Blade Triggers.
The consensus of kiters in this thread, who have flown or owned both, seems to be that Triggers are better wave kites than Rebels because of their their fast pivotal turning, three strut medium aspect ratio layout, excellent drift, fast relaunch, gentle nature in gusts and four line design.
They also have a wave specific bridle setting.
Kiters take all kinds of kites into all conditions, and if the Rebels do it for you, then you have made a good choice.
No disrespect to you, or your choice of wave kite, there is no wrong choice if it makes you happy.

Just to address this 5-line thing again... 5 line vs 4 line is VERY subjective. I have schools that will only teach on the Rebel because it has 5 lines, and I have schools that will NOT teach on the Rebel for exactly the same reason.

I know people who ride Rebels in the waves specifically because it has 5 lines, which allows you to relaunch more quickly (if you know how to use a 5th line to aid in relaunch) and if your kite is going to get eaten by a wave, you can release to the 5th which allows the kite to lay parallel to the water and significantly decrease the likelihood of it getting torn in half. With a 4 line kite you either have to release it completely or take your chances on the kite holding together.

I also know people who will not ride Rebels in the waves because they fear the 5th line wrap causing chaos.

Personally I generally prefer 5 line kites for safety (I kite mostly in high winds/sketchy launch Gorge situations) and because of the direct-connection positive-feedback feel that you cannot get with a 4-line bridled kite.

I have no problem with someone saying they prefer 4 lines to 5, but to dismiss the Rebel as not being a wave kite because it has 5 lines is, in my opinion (and the opinion of many of the world's top wave kiters) foolish.

As to the original poster, I have no real advice other than to demo both if possible. On the one hand, a new kite is nice and will generally be worth more than a used kite, however they also generally depreciate much more quickly than buying a used kite. I have never heard anything particularly good or bad about Blade kites, other than on internet forums where I take everything with about 100 grains of salt. In fact, I don't know anyone who has actually flown a Trigger, but I can tell you that the Rebel is generally considered a world-class wave/freeride kite that works for everyone from beginners to pros, and I don't think you'll be disappointed with it. The Trigger appears more similar to our Neo, which suits a different style of wave riding than the Rebel. Not better or worse, just different. If you want more details about that, let me know.

I will say this, though: it certainly says either really good things about North or really bad things about Blade that the market price is the same for a year old quadruply-ripped Rebel and a brand new Trigger.

-Dan

Blade is a much younger company that just got a USA distributor last November.
Obviously their exposure has a lot of catching up to do, with one of the largest and oldest kite companies, so resale will be what it is, for all the reasons I posted before, so I agree that is a factor.
But who wants a kite with four repairs for the same price as a new kite? (they are both 2012)
I flew both, the Trigger is a better wave kite in my hands, and I'm a kiter of very modest talent.
North describes every kite in their lineup as a wave kite other than the Vegas.
A talented kiter can take any kite.. anywhere, that doesn't make the Rebel design parameters more suitable than the better wave kites out there.
I lost almost nothing when I sold my 2010 or 2012 Triggers. I must be lucky.

Tell you what Mr. Old BROKn

My town's less than world class waves produced the 11 times world surfing champ!!!

We have great waves (that is where he learned)....much better quality than your Gulf pond

In less than 12-13 mph i do not walk dog with wife.....i guess there are cat people and dog people

I kite with my wife in waves on strap surfboards...she has the 17LW and i have the 19 XR2LW

You are missing out on some 9/10/11 mph glassy wave sessions....

Actually the Rebel is a very pivoty kite.....you probably never saw anyone good riding one

What makes Rebel the perfect wave kite is the 30% less bar movement to depower & power up

Means that on a wave the kite sheets out and dumps power to surf wave better than any other kite

It is achieved because the kite acts as if it is flying on much shorter lines because of the high "Y"

The kite swings into depower from a distance of 12.5 meters from the"Y" to the kite on loaded 5th

So basically the kite flies on 25m lines but depower and turns as if on 18m lines.....WOW

It is a dream kite design...+.. the clever back lines wingtip bungies for fast depowered kite turns

By the way the Rebel does drift excellent and is so stable that to drop it has to be on purpose IMO

........................................ ........................................................................................................

Hey James why don't you just look for a 10M Rebel instead of a 11 ?????

10 versus 10 makes more sense....

You will get your low end of 15 on the 2012 10 Rebel and more top end

Find a 10 Reb in great shape without any repairs and you will have a winner

(When you said same price for either one you surely meant "complete" and not kite only...correct)

I came across this review. It's for a 9m Trigger, but I imagine some of you on this thread might be interested to read it as well.

No brand bias. Just a magazine review.
http://www.kiteworldmag.com/2012-kite-tests/blade-trigger-9-and-5m/

I have flown many different kites before I came to North, simply because I dont like their prices. However now I fly Rebels and Neos in Waves, depending on the style I am after. I have one request:

Can anyone show me a picture or a video with a Rebel with technoforce D2 (2011/2012) being damaged/cut by the fifth line??

I drop my rebels quiet frequently in waves and yes, the fifth line does wrap around them sometimes, but it never even slightly damaged the kite. Or is the "Your kite will be cut in half by the fifth line" a myth created by the other companies so consumers wont ask for it and thus, brands dont have to pay royalties to use the patent?

Thanks for posting the review, saves me having to say again...
"Magazine reviews of both kites say similar things to what I've said"

Supa- I am not trying to measure dicks on who has better waves.
What I said was, Texas and Florida do not have world class waves.
I don't care who grew up at your local beach, if you think Florida has world class waves, then you need to travel more.
There are two champion skiers that grew up skiing the little slopes where I grew up, ..so what.
I live four hours from the gulf coast and don't ride waves often, as I said.
But I suggested one kite over another, having ridden both, and assessing James' choice of a beat up Rebel versus a new Trigger, ..still pretty solid advise, I think.
Have you, or Dan at North flown the Trigger?
Dan said he did not, and you did not say you had.
So I am going to assume you are less qualified to compare the two kites than someone who has flown both, no matter if they own a 19M Core kite, or where they live.
My 13M Renegade and the other five kites in my garage don't really define how often I kite.
But running the woods with my awesome Pitbull friends is very good for me physically and mentally and far, far better exercise than kiting in 9mph wind, and at 54 years old, it's a great idea.
I agree with most of your description of the Rebel's flying characteristics and it's a great kite, which I think I mentioned at least once.
Can't agree with "very pivoty", maybe somewhat pivotal with quick to medium turn speed, (compared to all the kites available these days) and it's no matter who is flying it.
Kiteworldmag says "The loop isn't completely pivotal either and does have some drive through the turn." I would say that makes some sense based on the kites shape, aspect ratio and strut count.
Interesting what Babel just posted, he must not be as talented as as you Supa, because he drops his kite regularly like most folks who push their limits....and guess what, it gets wrapped in the fifth line!!!!!!!!!!
.
But all this shit is just splitting hairs, lots of good kites out there these days and there is a great kite out there for everybody.
I was just giving James feedback having flown both kites in question.