Hi,
I'm new here and need your help for making my decisions for changing my kite range.
I started kiting early in 2011 and bought a 2011 cabrinha switchblade range 9, 12, 14.
Regretably my kites have to pull 105kg/231lbs. For me the 12 works fine from 18 to 28 knots. The 9 is fine from 24 to 35 and a little further. The 9 is ok, the 12 is realy nice but the 14 is special. The 14 has a lot more bar preassure than the 12, but the performance is just slightly better. With my F-One TX4 136 it is nearly impossible for me to go upwind under 16 knots. It is realy hard for me to work this balky kite in light wind conditions between 12 and 18.
So I thought abaut selling my 14 and taking the cons of a realy huge kite like the slow turning and the high bar preassure but getting real power out of it.
The North Dyno looks very interesting! But wich one to choose. Has somebody ridden the 2011 18 and the 2012 17?
I am not looking for the dyno as an ultra lightwind kite to be used with a huge door under 10 knots. I want to have fun between 12 and 18 with my TX. I want to enjoy the amazing feel of hangtime below 20 knots.

1) Is there a big difference between the 18 2011 and the 17 2012?
2) Is it important to use these kites in 5 line setup?
3) Did anybody rode both SB 14 and Dyno 17/18 in comparison and can explain to me how much more bar preassure I have to expect?
4) With my SB 14 downloops are nothing special. How about the dyno? Is it hard to loop this huge kite?
5) Do you think it is ok to ride the kite till 18 knots where my 12 begins to work?
6) Is there any good reason for paying the high price of the new 2013 bar system?
7) I read about lazy relaunch ability. Is that an issue over 12 knots?

Thx for any help, impressions and tips.

I tried the Dyno 17 and 18. I am the hugest fan of the 18 on the planet...

The 17 turns faster, is more "cosy". The 18 is like a sportscar, a bit heavier feel, slower, but awesome lift and hangtime (that's why I prefer it).

Relaunch with 5th line no problem...I can get it up pretty fast for such size.

Remember, big tube kites...heavier bar feeling for sure. Flysurfers are softer.

Me with 93 kg, 128 board no problem to ride the Dynos to 20+ knots.

And this is what you can do with the 18...

https://vimeo.com/44102311

nice riding though I turned the sounds off (that weird voice telling me what it is about).

It is pretty cool that you are making a whole new sub strata in kiteboarding (much better name than old school

You are rocking the hell out of the sliding

you have no idea what slides are about to come...

Own a 17 dyno, works perfect with the 12, I'm 170lb and had it out in 15 knots and it was fun as hell, nowhere near overpowered

1) Is there a big difference between the 18 2011 and the 17 2012?
haven't ridden the 18, heard it was a beast.
2) Is it important to use these kites in 5 line setup?
No doesn't matter has 4 or 5 line setting 5th line is not loaded.
3) Did anybody rode both SB 14 and Dyno 17/18 in comparison and can explain to me how much more bar preassure I have to expect?
Didn't notice bar pressure to be a concern on 17m rode the kite ALL day without any fatigue
4) With my SB 14 downloops are nothing special. How about the dyno? Is it hard to loop this huge kite?
Loops suck dick on 17m REALLY slow
5) Do you think it is ok to ride the kite till 18 knots where my 12 begins to work? YES I'm 170 lbs and this is the same gap I fill 17m it fits perfectly, the 17 is still fun as hell (and not overpowering) once it's time to switch to the 12. (about 14 knots for me)
6) Is there any good reason for paying the high price of the new 2013 bar system?
the depower cleat is a fair bit nicer, and the bar won't chew through your depower line.
You WILL need a north bar though (Y location)

7) I read about lazy relaunch ability. Is that an issue over 12 knots? Kite is REALLY hard to crash and came up without issue. never considered relaunch an issue.

I ride the 18m with raceboard from 8-13 knots and twintip from 10-16 knots. Haven't tried the 17m. I am much lighter, 165 lbs. My next smallest kite is a 11.5m I ride from about 12 -25 knots and that jump is fine for me.

To add to some of the answers:

4 line or 5 line? I like the 5 line for relaunch in <10 knots of wind. Also 5 line is nice when the wind picks up and you have to land this monster of a kite. For me, I get really overpowered in anything over 15-16 knots, but I'm pretty light. So if you're riding in 10+ knots and you're a bigger guy, the 5th line probably isn't necessary. The kite will relaunch fine and it will take a lot more wind for you to become so overpowered you want to release to the 5th.

Loops? Depends on what you want to do. I like doing backroll kiteloops on my Dyno 18m and loop it all the time on my raceboard when going downwind. Also do downloop transitions out of jumps. It's definitely not a tight fast loop like a small C-kite. It generates A TON of power when you loop it.

Bar pressure? I like bar pressure to be on the light side and the Dyno is perfect for me. Definitely more than a flysurfer, but no where near as heavy as the Switchblades. I can't stand the heavy bar pressure of the switchblades, but that's a personal preference.

Thank you for all these answers!
To sumarize all this information:

You all like your Dynos.

The 17 is a little smoother and faster while the 18 can give me a bit more hangtime.

The Dynos are flying well with 4 or 5 lines. The 5th makes them more secure when powered.

It seems to be possible, that the dyno has no extra bar preassure - this would be totaly amazing. Hard to believe this.

With all your knowledge in mind, I realy think about buying the 18 with a 24m 5th bar. But I am still concerned about destroying the kite with the 5th when it is wrapped around the kite after crashes while try new stuff.. I never had a five line kite before.

if you can still get the 18...

if you go hooked you won't drop the kite that often...pretty stable up there!

Thanks again for your help!
2 weeks ago I got my brand new 18 with 5-line Bar.
Couldn't test it with my TX yet but had a realy nice sunny session in light wind conditions with a 158cm door. Riding with a smile in light wind, impossible for me with my switchblades.
In this conditions, bar preassure is not as high as with the switchblade 12!!!
The dyno turns slow (what a surprise) but is reacting more precise on steering inputs - amazing!!!

what's amazing with the 18 is, that at the end it gives you an extra hang...this extra hang makes me land many tricks, which I would crash with my 16...just today...catches me after a tough trick landed first time. Thx 18