dracop wrote: ↑Fri Sep 24, 2021 6:16 am
Totally disagree with the above. The 2021 Dice crushes the Orbit on low end. 2021 onwards the designer took alot of materials off the Dice and it improved the low end alot. I've been impressed how low I can ride the Dice in terms of wind speed. Note that I am uncertain if there will be a Durability issue for taking off so much material. I can ride my 10m Dice into the teens and still make it back to the beach easily (weigh 214 lbs in ocean environment).
The Orbit is great in high winds as is the Dice.
Have not yet tried the Dice 2022 SLS but if it does actually fly farther out in the wind window, its going to improve the low end even more.
The Orbit only does one thing nicer than the Dice and thats doing powered kiteloops. The Orbit is more technique driven and requires more skill than the Dice.
All of my fellow instructors can make the Dice work for them whereas I seem to be the only one who can make the Orbit perform, to the point I jump higher than lighter weight riders weighing 100lbs less than me in the same wind on The same kite. The Orbit strongly rewards pro grade technique whereas the Dice is not so picky. Its pickier than a Rebel or XR, but you do not need to be a superhero to get the Dice to work. You do for the Orbit - most riders will believe the Orbit is a soft pulling kite with good high end because they dont have the technique to activate its power.
The GTS/Orbit/Dice are all KOTA targeted kites which involves two key elements: power to jump high and how it loops. The Orbit and Dice both loop great, as a heavier weight rider I want as much power to get high enough to do proper megaloops. I can jump 15+m without a megaloop but its hard getting enough height for a competition stytle megaloop to the horizon off these kite unless the wind is nuking strong way past 35 kts. This makes it hard to practice megaloops due to availability of such wind conditions. So improving the power level of the kite ala the Dice SLS while keeping its loopabilitytis a winning formula imo!
I haven't ridden the Dice since 2020, but I didn't think it changed that much in 2021. Happy to admit I could be wrong with the Dice low end vs Orbit, but I can also ride my 2020 10m in 18/19kn at 100kg and a 137x41 board. It's boring as shit and I have to work to stay upwind, but it goes. It admittedly doesn't become fun until ~25kn.
I disagree with Orbit being harder to loop. It's the easiest kite I've ever looped and not aggressive at all. Unless they changed it, the Dice was super aggressive and if done incorrectly - painful. While admittedly awkward at first, the Orbit is just "pull the bar" and the kite does the rest. You don't even need to sheet out a huge amount to get the kite to climb.
I do agree the Orbit needs decent technique to jump well, but as you said, once you get to the load/pop stage it's fine and a standard requirement of anything not named Rebel or XR (etc). I normally consider this basic intermediate riding, but my definition of intermediate may be off. The Dice was also in this category, unless they made it more pull and go in the last year.
That said, looking at Aaron's 34m on a 9m SLS - pretty fucking epic. The structural stability of the SLS must be insane. My 9m Orbit, even pumped to 11-12PSI wouldn't hold shape well enough to handle that much power. The wingtips would instantly fold on takeoff.