POACHER wrote: ↑Wed Sep 12, 2018 4:07 pm
Teabageppo wrote: ↑Mon Sep 10, 2018 9:14 am
POACHER wrote: ↑Mon Aug 20, 2018 7:23 pm
What did the 5th line do that made Rebels so good? I've never tried either variation of them, but I keep hearing guys lament the loss of the 5th line....
I always thought it was just a safety measure for added depower? Did it make the kite jump better somehow?
Anyway.....no real interest in either one, more curiosity than anything.
Not sure if you are just trolling for a response... but hey
Fifth line was loaded, meaning no pulleys were used at all. Created a definite rebel feel. As spaceracer rightly pointed out they are now no better tha. Plenty of other 4 line free ride jumping kites out there, it’s just a run of the mill option now. We hated the 2018, tested the 10 and 13 on quite a few occasions. Can’t see how the 2019 could be any better. But we will see I suppose.
But hey you kiddies enjoy your new toys beauty is the eye of the beholder and indeed the spender I suppose.
Not trolling at all! I was just curious as I looked at Rebels to purchase this spring. And funny you should reply, I ended up buying 2018 Evos.....you were the ONE person that said you didn't like the new EVO. Most other reviews were glowing, so without the chance to demo, I bought a quiver. Two months later - I don't have a quiver of Evos. I actually very much agree with your thoughts on them. Very vague feel at the bar, totally gutless on the low end and very slow turning in the bigger sizes. Now they do jump great, have light bar pressure, and would be an excellent beginner kite. It just wasn't what I was expecting. The no low end was a deal breaker for me as our local winds are very up and down. The lulls will kill you. That kite somewhere where it nukes steady, it's probably pretty good.
P.S. I won't own a high Y kite ever again. Sucks for self landing, drift launching and just having more junk on your lines......pass.
I ride with 5 other crew, between us we use dices, rebel, evos and neos. Not affiliated with north, no kickbacks, its just the kites we prefer. We also ride with a couple of others who use north kites.
between us we have 18/16/14/10 and 8 years kiting experience.
So believe by 2015 north had their lineup totally dialled, 2016/2017 a fantastic years, especially for the evo where they had really maximised the performance.
Alas north obviously have to adapt to what sells and tuned the evo into an allrounder that sits more along the wave riding spectrum, not freeride, freestyle. Probably not a bad foiling kite either now. They just changed its target use.
The rebel...well in my opinion is one major cluster f***...I've said enough about it. How you would take a no bridled, highly direct kite with a loaded fifth ...and throw the baby out with the bath water. Yeh it goes big vertically, but control the air and the overall feel is relatively shithouse. Relatively that is.
Having flown North kites for a number of years etc what I can tell you it does take a couple of generations when a big change occurs to maximise (get the best out the design features). So ya never know...
Each to their own man. But yeh as far as the evos are concerned...."told ya so'...lol
They can't please everyone I suppose. Plus we are getting a little old in the tooth now so I wouldn't listen too hard to what I have to say to be honest.
ps High Y kites are no harder to self land than any other, like everything just takes technique. I'm yet to fly a non high Y I've liked, except maybe the ozone edge. Don't like my kites flying off the front lines without connection to the back and that's what I feel on all low Y kites now.