Cvaradero wrote:Ok, we must be talking about a different Rise here.
1. Didn't loop great (although the 2010 looped pretty well)
2. Didn't relaunch well at all
3. Didn't power through turns very well.
Really? Are you kidding me? Sorry Ghost but I can't agree with you on this, I have had in my quiver the 10m rise for a while, since 2009 the Rise it has been a kite that relaunch super easy, fast and with no trouble whatsoever, I don't know with year you had or what settings you were using on your Rise, but I can tell you different from my experience. Every year I try back to back different kites brands and the Rise is always one of top 3. ch
I should have perhaps qualified my statements. I have ridden the Rise every year since 2007. Each year I have a full quiver. Each year the kite has become better. 2007-2008 was a big improvement, 2008-09 was incremental, 2009 -2010 was huge, I wrote on here at the time that it was like a 30% improvement.
The thing I like about Ocean Rodeo as a company is that they are an engineering company that makes kites, as opposed to a lifestyle company that makes kites. Each year they take a scientific approach to their lineup, and make the necessary tweaks. Their lineup improves each year. I have never seen it go backwards (like you see with other kite companies). Since 2006 (first time I tried an OR kite) their kites have been better each and every year.
I should also say that I am a Rise junkie. It's the only kite I have owned the past 3 years. I'm pretty much convinced it's the best kite ever produced. I have over 250 sessions on a Rise 6,8,10 or 12. So, I wasn't trying to disrespect the kite, but you have to admit that where the kite is almost 'perfect' it has a few things that you wish were better...
My comments are meant for a very experienced Rise rider, someone who has been riding them for 2,3,4 years. If you are a beginner or intermediate rider (Rise or otherwise) you probably won't notice any of these things. These are subtle things that you begin to notice over time as you become one with the kite
1. Looping. The 2010 Rise loops very well, especially for an SLE, that was one of the huge improvements from 2009, but it still doesn't loop as well as a more C-shaped kite. It's kind of the same problem as the not coming out of turns powered, it doesn't make it back to the zenith with full power, this is really just an SLE thing, the Venturi on the Rise really made this kite Loop very well for an SLE, in fact I called it a 'looping machine' after switching from 09 to 10, but as I get more experienced Looping I want more! I have 2 sessions on the Razor now and the Razor is a LOOPING machine. You come out of the loops more powered going downwind, just feels more consistent and powered.
2. As much as I love the kite, I never felt like any of the RISE kites relaunched super easily. I guess It's just me maybe I'm missing a trick that others have figured out. They seem to take a particular style to launch, kind of bring it up on one edge, then reverse it quickly and hope it rolls over, then work it all the way across the wind window. Sometimes you can pull center lines and hot launch it, sometimes you need to work at it. I have noticed the new bridle attachment on the Razor (also on this year's Rise) cures that problem, I dropped the kite yesterday and it rolled right over on it's back and then streaked out to the edge of the wind window, brilliant tweak on the bridle, very subtle yet ingenious and effective.
3. The Rise, and most SLE, power through the turns until you come out the other side and then there is a bit of as 'stall' as you turn back upwind. If you have ever ridden an SS Fuel or a North Vegas (2006 model), when you power through a turn you come out full speed in the other direction, this was harder to do on the RISE, you have to sine wave the kite or head down wind a bit to pick up speed coming out of the turn. Again, I love the kite, it's nothing terrible, just a small thing that could be nicer.
All that said, I still feel like the 2010 RISE was just about the perfect kite, the best one I have ever flown. I'm getting some 2011 Razors and keeping a couple of 2010 Rises in my quiver, probably going to have:
8 and 10 meter Razor
7 and 10 meter Rise
So I can mix it up.