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Rider feedback please - Rebel 2018 on 4 and 5 vs 2017

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apollo4000
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Re: Rider feedback please - Rebel 2018 on 4 and 5 vs 2017

Postby apollo4000 » Wed Sep 20, 2017 7:11 am

pikovsg wrote:
Mon Sep 18, 2017 5:00 am
Finally rode and compared for two full days on the new 2018 and my 2016 Rebels 12 and 9 at OBX. (as well as a 2018 Neo). Being used to the 2016 Rebel, I was quite disappointed at first and thought the 5 line Rebel's "I'm going to grab you by the back of your shirt and throw you up in the sky" feeling was gone. Even posted on the Woo session about it.

BUT.

It takes more than one day to get familiar with new timings on the 4 lines. After the second day, I was jumping higher (yes, higher), landing softer, going significantly higher upwind and was able to fly the 12 in high 20s without a problem. Liked it so much, in fact, that I'm fully switching over to 2018. Everything is better, smoother, but still raw if you put it on the blue setting. Only one downside - the 2016 typography on the Rebel was way better.

I thought the 2016 was the best year for the 5 line Rebel, 2017 was not as good. 2018 4 line rocks. Haters - try it out for 2-3 FULL days on the click bar and then post. An hour session on the kites will not do either kite justice.
Thank you for your feedback. That’s great news. I have two on order but they’re so popular I’m having to wait ages! Happy kiting

apollo4000
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Re: Rider feedback please - Rebel 2018 on 4 and 5 vs 2017

Postby apollo4000 » Wed Sep 20, 2017 7:13 am

matth wrote:
Mon Sep 18, 2017 3:34 pm
My buddy who is a regular on the Woo leaderboards just switched over to 2018 from 2017 Rebels and loves them. He actually posted his new personal best the other day of 48 feet. He also said the kite is noticeable faster and still has that Rebel feel..
Good to hear, thanks

apollo4000
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Re: Rider feedback please - Rebel 2018 on 4 and 5 vs 2017

Postby apollo4000 » Wed Sep 20, 2017 7:15 am

PullStrings wrote:
Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:42 am
pikovsg wrote:
Mon Sep 18, 2017 5:00 am
I thought the 2016 was the best year for the 5 line Rebel, 2017 was not as good.
Hey rookie..it's too bad you were not kiting in 2011....that was the best performing Rebel year and the best looking also...i'm still riding the heck out of my 5 kites quiver
Have fun with your new toys
Good to hear. 2011 aren’t available so we go with the new toys and the benefits of 6 years of development. I hope to be as “marketing resistant” as you this time next year. 🤞😀

Happy kiting

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Re: Rider feedback please - Rebel 2018 on 4 and 5 vs 2017

Postby apollo4000 » Wed Sep 20, 2017 7:21 am

Teabageppo wrote:
Tue Sep 19, 2017 5:14 am
Nah, 2011 was a good year but really raw in power delivery.

Righto some interesting feedback on the rebel changes. Looking forward to trying them back to back.
Hope to hear your feedback great sage 🤙👍 - I’m especially keen to know whether the 5th line has any benefits; is it now just a depower feature or does it still serve a purpose to make the kite more stable in gusty winds. E.g. would you add the 5th line for more challenging gusty conditions and leave it off when more steady wind conditions?

Cheers

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Re: Rider feedback please - Rebel 2018 on 4 and 5 vs 2017

Postby lindseym » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:46 am

pikovsg wrote:
Mon Sep 18, 2017 5:00 am
I thought the 2016 was the best year for the 5 line Rebel, 2017 was not as good. 2018 4 line rocks. Haters - try it out for 2-3 FULL days on the click bar and then post. An hour session on the kites will not do either kite justice.
Solid review - thx. Just out of curiosity, how does the 16 Rebel perform in comparison to the 17 Rebel ? How would you say the 16 model is better ?

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Re: Rider feedback please - Rebel 2018 on 4 and 5 vs 2017

Postby pikovsg » Tue Sep 26, 2017 5:30 am

lindseym wrote:
Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:46 am
pikovsg wrote:
Mon Sep 18, 2017 5:00 am
I thought the 2016 was the best year for the 5 line Rebel, 2017 was not as good. 2018 4 line rocks. Haters - try it out for 2-3 FULL days on the click bar and then post. An hour session on the kites will not do either kite justice.
Solid review - thx. Just out of curiosity, how does the 16 Rebel perform in comparison to the 17 Rebel ? How would you say the 16 model is better ?
My personal opinion, but the 2016 seems more exciting with more pull up than the 2017. The pull of the 2017 seems more gradual. Turning is a taaad faster on the 2017 though.

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Re: Rider feedback please - Rebel 2018 on 4 and 5 vs 2017

Postby apollo4000 » Sun Feb 25, 2018 10:10 am

I’ve heard similar so have kept a few 2016 Rebels and got a couple of 2018 kites. Will keep me happy for a while. 2017 Evo on its way for fun. Just need to avoid all forms of North or Blade marketing for the next few years.

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Re: Rider feedback please - Rebel 2018 on 4 and 5 vs 2017

Postby COOP » Sun Mar 18, 2018 4:28 am

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 :roll:

Anyways nice kite but not a Rebel. So don't believe the hype it's a new look Fuse.

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Re: Rider feedback please - Rebel 2018 on 4 and 5 vs 2017

Postby COOP » Sun Mar 18, 2018 1:23 pm

OK this arvo was in a bit better wind. Had 18kts to play in, gusts to 20. 3hr sesh.
Backroll kiteloop transitions with more height and power was good. DS with loop also good. Jumps nice as I was expecting after yesterday. Very vertical jumps with nice float, so I liked that part. The kite is rock solid in the sky, flies very nice.
The things I lose to previous Rebels is that great throw and that direct feel which is unique. Being a bridled kite now I suspect that was always going to be the case, it just reminds me of the old Fuses.
Got some triple backrolls in but I had no idea where the kite was. Just looked at the bar and steered 1/2 way through the 3rd rotation, just guessed my timing as the bar pressure was giving me no feedback of where the kite was. Same thing with all doubles, front rolls, etc the bar pressure is too soft making the kite have a very vague feeling and very hard to time them or adjust mid rotation.
So still a big disappointment in that area.
I missed that throw on the Rebel where you can just dump the power, great when over committing in a rotation, jump and in over powered conditions. The new Rebel definitely doesn't cut it in that area.
So yeah it's a good Freeride kite and user friendly. Well built of course and very solid in the air.
Will stick with my old Rebels and wait to see if the 2nd or 3rd gen 4line Rebels have better bar pressure/feedback. A big loss imo.

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Re: Rider feedback please - Rebel 2018 on 4 and 5 vs 2017

Postby PullStrings » Sun Mar 18, 2018 5:46 pm

COOP wrote:
Sun Mar 18, 2018 1:23 pm
Will stick with my old Rebels and wait to see if the 2nd or 3rd gen 4line Rebels have better bar pressure/feedback. A big loss imo.
Yes !
I'm still on my 2011 Rebs...got 5 sizes...don't even dick around putting the 5 lines on & off....got bar & lines on all of them...just like the ram airs i used to fly


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