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Hi everyone,
just completed my 7th day in kiting. I am able to go down wind but up wind still having some difficulties. I am looking to buy a used gear.

My options are like the title indicate:
North rebel 2011 (12 m) vs Wainman Hawai 2012 (12 m) vs Slingshot Fuel 2012 (11m)

I can get:
the Rebel (with board/bar/harness) for 1100 $
the Wainman(with board/bar/harness) for 1200 $ (might have a patch)
the Fuel (with board/bar/harness) for 900 $

What would u recommend? My gut feeling is to take the Rebel because it is the most versatile and has a very gd reputation. Only drawback is its a 2011 kite..

Thank you for your help and advice

Join the gang my friend!!!!!

The Fuel is a high performance wakestyle/freestyle kite. The newer ones have become more user friendly, but really not a good choice for beginners.

I ride a 2011 11m Rebel that I love. It will work well for a beginner.

Haven't ridden the Waiman, but it would probably be a good choice also.

I am a huge Wainman fan so you know what I'll suggest...yet I would like to add since you are new. I was speaking with a kite school instructor about kites. He said they used to train students on "Brand X" and would get 1 season out of them and they'd need substantail repairs or even replaced. He stated they switched to training students on Rabbits and were getting 3 seasons of new student crashes out of them, and they were still in decent enough shape to re-sale.

I'm not saying Wainmans are indestructable, but I will confess that WH kites are built tough.

Would you be willing to enlighten us on what kind of board you're getting with these prices?

I would state a fair price on a patched 2012 12m Boss w/ bar & lines should be under a grand.

Seaplus

Rebel and the waimens of which I have ridden and owned both are very different kites for different purposes.

What riding are you planning on moving into? Rebels will out boost a wainmen any day in height and glide a product of aspect. Will also out point the wainmen anyday of the week.

But the wainman is a much better all rounder and much better in the waves.

Depends man in what your goals are?

Both are built very well.

Just promise you will not take whatever 12m you buy out over 15 knots for the first many many times you kite. So if you plan to kite in higher winds for godsake get a 7m as well. See last few safety related posts re. beginners with big kites.

sarc wrote:Just promise you will not take whatever 12m you buy out over 15 knots for the first many many times you kite. So if you plan to kite in higher winds for godsake get a 7m as well. See last few safety related posts re. beginners with big kites.

15 knot maximum? For a 12m? I think that's a little overdoing it with the safety (and I tend to err on the safe side). It depends on the size of the rider and the model of the kite, but I think up to 20 knots is plenty safe for a 12m.

North days up to 27 knots for the 12m Rebel, but I agree that would be too much for an average sized beginner.