Well finally got a chance to demo the new Rebel.
11mt with 2017 click bar 24mt lines. On soft setting.
Conditions: 13-15kts on flat water.
89kg give or take a couple of Chicko rolls and beers with 134 Shinn Monk. Kiting since 01 on and off.
Freeride.
Currently have 2016 12mt and 2017 10mt Rebels. I wasn't expecting the same feel as the marketing BS states and yes I was right so no surprises there.
I was very impressed with its low end I held my line at the start of the session which was blowing 13kts and not working the kite to keep my line. With my weight and the Monk.....yep it was impressive. Even tried it out in the chop and still no problems.
Once it started to get to 15kts it was time to throw some tricks. Powered back rolls and front rolls I was surprised with the height with nice float but there was no feel in the bar, in other words bar pressure is too light for me but I'll get back to that later.
Loops well compared to my other Rebels, I enjoyed looping it, a little bit more forgiving than previous models.
Jumps were awesome, that has not been lost. In 15kts flat water doing BO's by throwing the board in the air then catching it and having time putting it back on it definitely has great Rebel jumping qualities with nice float as well.
Doing double rotations to transition I just couldnt feel where the kite was. Front roll to toe side transition I kept loosing where it was. So I didn't even try triples as I wasn't confident as I wasn't getting the feel. This was a big big disappointment.
Now before my Rebels I flew 2011/2013 Fuses 10mt and 12mt and this kite to me flies and jumps like them not like the 5 line Rebels. Even the Fuses had way better bar pressure but this loops better.
So after 4 hrs flying this kite it impressed me with its bottom end especially in our tropical wind, jumps, cutting upwind, loops for tricks and turns are all thumbs up. A big thumbs down for bar pressure, imo they have to work on that especially being a Freeride kite. It just hasn't the North Freeride bar feel. All my kites are set on soft and so were the Fuses so I could feel a big difference.
Really I'm going to compare it to the old Fuses not the 5 line Rebels as they are a different beast.
Would I go out and buy one?? Nope not yet. For me the bar pressure needs to be addressed but everything else I liked.
Hopefully I can give it a go in the top end as we have it for another week.
Hopefully North make up their mind and stick to 4 lines. Screwed me over dropping the Fuse so changed to the Rebel then drop the 5 lines and I'm going to go a redefined Fuse again in the future........jeez
Anyways nice kite but not a Rebel. So don't believe the hype it's a new look Fuse.