I just flew the Dyno 18 2015 back to back with the 2011 18m
both on 27m line length in around 18 knots,
The 2015 18m jumps plenty high for me.( 10-15 M+) but it is a much faster kite and the landing speed is much higher then the old 2011, and if you try and leave the kite up high, like you can with the 2011 you will drop and impact.
And as always with the 2011 18m you can just lock the bar and leave it. The 2015 needs input through out the jump for the best landing. And on my 2015 15m or 18m I can spend tons of time in the air and travel 60 meters down wind easily but without a helo loop before landing the entrance speed is for big kids...
The 2011 has more bar pressure
The 2011 has much less high end.
The 2011 lands softer with almost a hands off option
The 2015 is super bad ass in all its newness....the bar feel is super neat, and compares to the mechanical feel you get from foil kites. I have flown the Chrono in 15 and 18, and flysurfer 21 also. and the Dyno does not make the same forward speed as these kites in under 10-12 knots
I had no problems doing airstyle tricks on the 2015 18, or 15. surface tricks,slides are even easier since the kite is quick, And I tend to use the narrow bar setting on the 2015 kites but run the bar wide for the 2011.
On a formula board, the 2015 is amazing, and including Ozone edges, I have not felt as fast on any other pump up kite, the trimming is great and you can get by with out a race bar and be comfortable with just stock rigging, which is sweet if you like to ride several boards, or keep one kite inflated, and ride variable winds.
Here I may ride race board or nugget for the first and last hour of a several hour session as the wind builds and fades. But switch to directional, or twintip as the day builds. The 2015 kite is for sure better then the 2011 for this type of riding, not only does it have a amazing high end, but it is almost to playful to be a "race" only kite. Last year I almost always flew the Dynos (13-18) on race rigging, but this year I have been leaving my race rigging in the bag often on formula gear. And when everyone shows up to ride 12m I just grab a twin tip and ride airsyle for a little while. which I did not enjoy as much on last years Dynos, or I was changing bars out, while having a break.
The 2015 is for sure the best evolution of the Dyno to date. It is smooth fast and sure footed. the kite reacts just as expected and only losses its shape when un usably over powered.
The feed back I have gotten from demoing the 2015 dynos 15 and 18 has been all positive, except for the lack of one pump, which with this new bridle to strut connection seems even more necessary to me? 10 PSI for the struts and 8 for the leading edge.
If I was a airstyle only rider then the 2011 would be my go to kite, as a mater of fact if I am only planning on riding airstyle that is what I pump, but any other day the 2015 Dyno is in the air, so I can ride how ever I would like, sure the kite may not drift down a wave like the juice, but it does some many things well that I am very very pleased.
Robbie did I miss any of your questions that have not been answered?
There is indeed a four line warning, and a difference in flying characteristics on four or five lines. I almost always fly the five line set when lit up, so I can use the fifth line safety, But I fly it on four lines with out problems.