RRD obsession 2012 and 2013....

[BillyGoatGruff]

I currently have 2012 (12m & 10.5M), 2013 (9m) and 2014 (7m) RRD Obsessions:

2012 - Direct and fast turning, good at getting height on jumps but not great float compared to 2013 & 2014. Very good unhooked but a bit twitchy fast on some handle passes. Overall quite a "C" kite direct type of feel and good range. This kite is very similar to 2011 but much better jumping height and glide.

The BIG change I feel is between 2012 and 2013:

2013 = Definitely slower turning than the 2012 and way way more float in the jumps. Essentially the 2013 onwards became really lofty jumping kites similar to the old hypertype jumps. Slower turning than the 2012 for sure and more steady unhooked. 2013 does not become "twitchy" unhooked so it better for unhooked rotations where a fast twithy kite can easily drift high. Bar pressure is lighter than 2012. All bar pressure on the obsessions is average 5 to 6/10 (10 being old "C" like the rhino or vegas and 1 being an Ozone kite)

2014 - Is basically the 2013 with different colours, save money and get the 2013. I can't tell any difference.

I would say 2012 = Fast, punchy and powerful kite
2013 & 2014 = slower and much more orientated to big air and float, edging towards the ozone edge and Epic screamer.

[dzincha]

Thank you for detailed answer.
Are you riding them with rrd global bar? Does it have safety on 2 front lines?
I ride 2012 and 2011 obsesions with north trust bar 2014(safety on 2 front lines). Hadn't need to use safety till now, only once had beach drag while helped to launch another kite. QR opened automatically and kite sitted on LE securelly.
How about upwind compared 2013 and 2012 and position in wind window?

[BillyGoatGruff]

I fly them on the 2012 global bar (V4 bar). Yes they are a double front line flag out system.

All the obsessions go upwind well I think and have a decent range. If I had to pick then the 2013 & 2014 probably go up wind a bit better, but really nothing in it. The 2012 and 2013 really felt very different at first but you soon dial in and a mixted bag of obsessions is fine. 2012 sits a slight bit deeper in the window and expalins why it is a little more grunty.

The RRD global bar changed from 2010/11 to 2012 onwards. The older 2010 global bar (V3) had different line lenghts and a single line flag out. The 2012 onwards all fly fine on the V4, V5 & V6 bars, but fly rubbish on a 2010 bar (V3).

[cichenlùp]

I currently have 2012 (12m & 10.5M), 2013 (9m) and 2014 (7m) RRD Obsessions:

2012 - Direct and fast turning, good at getting height on jumps but not great float compared to 2013 & 2014. Very good unhooked but a bit twitchy fast on some handle passes. Overall quite a "C" kite direct type of feel and good range. This kite is very similar to 2011 but much better jumping height and glide.

The BIG change I feel is between 2012 and 2013:

2013 = Definitely slower turning than the 2012 and way way more float in the jumps. Essentially the 2013 onwards became really lofty jumping kites similar to the old hypertype jumps. Slower turning than the 2012 for sure and more steady unhooked. 2013 does not become "twitchy" unhooked so it better for unhooked rotations where a fast twithy kite can easily drift high. Bar pressure is lighter than 2012. All bar pressure on the obsessions is average 5 to 6/10 (10 being old "C" like the rhino or vegas and 1 being an Ozone kite)

2014 - Is basically the 2013 with different colours, save money and get the 2013. I can't tell any difference.

I would say 2012 = Fast, punchy and powerful kite
2013 & 2014 = slower and much more orientated to big air and float, edging towards the ozone edge and Epic screamer.

More or less is what I think, BUT I felt much more difference between 2011 - 2012 than 2012 - 2013. I really didn't like my 2011 12m, I decided to sell it because I found it to be too slow.

@dzincha: IMHO none Obsessions sits really deep in the window, let's say halfway between the edge (old Advance Kaiman, the first Switch Nitro) and more wave dedicated kites. Still good at riding upwind, not really perfect for wave riding

[cichenlùp]

@dzincha: IMHO none Obsessions sits really deep in the window, let's say halfway between the edge (old Advance Kaiman, the first Switch Nitro) and more wave dedicated kites. Still good at riding upwind, not really perfect for wave riding[/quote]

I have to add that I've been riding Obsessions from 2009 up to 2013 ... I know that kites quite good, but I'm not a wave rider, it's only my 2c and I'm eager to read more on Obs behaviour in waves from more experienced wave kiters...

[dzincha]

I had 6m 2012 - didn't like that it fluttered a lot in turns. Upwind maybe was better than 7m,2011. But jumping is much better on 7m, than 6m.
10.5m, 2012 jumps great. Have heard that comparing 2010 to 2012, 2012 lifts better.
Now wondering maybe to switch 7m2,2011 to 2013. If 2013 lifts better.
How is upper range of 7m,2013? Is it overpowered in 30kn? Does it fly well when depovered?

[BillyGoatGruff]

I have owned all the obsessions from 2009,10,11,12,13 & 14.
The 2013 and 2014 have much higher top end than previous years. The older 2009 and 2010 were a real had full in 35mph+ winds but the newer ones are much better behaved.
I have flown my 7m (2014) in 40 to 48mph (82kg on a 134cm Shinn Monk) and it was super lit but manageable. The kite was distorting a bit in the high gusts but generally stable and not surging forward too much. There are better storm wind kites out there for sure.

[cabsb]

Owned '13, '14, and '15 Obsessions and currently fly '14 and '15 models
Agree with most that's been said here already, I did find that the '13 Obsessions distorted more in their upper wind range than the '14 so much so that I could fly my 12m 2014 Obsession in the same wind as my 10.5 2013 Obsession
The 2015 are pretty much the same as the 2014, they are supposed to be faster turning due to flatter wing tips but I only have a 9m in it so its pretty quick in that size in any year. One nice thing about the 2015 model is the over sized steel pulleys that make it a lot easier to remove and rinse the bridle and avoid wear - apart from that its the same kite

[dzincha]

Thanks for replies.
Hopefully if they imroved top end, they didn't loosed low end for 2013.
By the way, how much psi you inflate for 7m2? For me 9psi still feels softish, about 11-12 seems fine.

[BillyGoatGruff]

funny you should ask.
I always pumped my obsessions up nice and hard with a normal hand pump, good ping sound and hard to fold the wing tip. Then one day my 10.5m just blew apart mid air. I took it up with RRD who said it was over pumped and all RRD OBSESSIONS should only ever be 5.5 PSI maximum. My 2013 & 2014 manual says maximum 5.5 PSI, which is nothing and risks ripping the kite in half. I think this is bullshit again from RRD and covering their ass to stop most warranties.