Postby dracop » Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:55 pm
The current 2021 design is awesome, I am super pleased with the Dice. Since they are aiming for lighter weight and want a stiffer LE profile, 2022 and 2023 should prob focus on materials like SLS and Aluula. Once the design takes adv of newer fabrics, they can re-optimize the bridle again as the materials will prob offer lighter bridling options and different load distribution given its higher strength (and the opportunity to reduce LE diameter).
I just spent several days riding a 10m 2021 Dice in Hood River, both light (22-28 mph) and strong wind (35 gusting to mid 40s) days. I weigh 217 lbs (99 kg).
The 2021 Dice got rid of the Pulley/Sliders on the bridle - brilliant! The kite is extremely reactive as a result even in Lighter winds it responds quickly. Just as quick as my old Torches used to be with alot better performance, especially in lighter winds. The bridle benefits of better load distribution and adjusting the kite ahtomatically when on the low end. The high end was not capped - the bridle never choked my power surges when I loaded and looped in 45 mph gusts.
They reduced the weight of the kite by reducing stitching and reducing fabric in some areas. The kite even comes with the pigtails off to reduce that amount of weight! Surprisingly this benefited the kite alot especially in wind lulls. As someone who bought the kite for high winds I had not originally NOT been happy with this but it works great in lulls, lighter conditions, and anytime lines go slack (such as a megaloop). Time will tell if there is an endurance penalty for this. Since lighter weight is a having a positive effect, SLS/Aluula will continue to help. The kite really does fly well in light winds mostly as a result of being light in weight.
Kite Dev will be delivering alot of results these next few years!
Was kinda interesting, I was alternating between a 12m 2015 Best TS and the 10m 2021 Dice (I own both kites). The TS was a good kite in its day. The Dice smashes it in terms of design. To the point I only went for the TS if the wind was below 22 mph (20 kts) for the extra size and once in the teens its time to start looking at other models anyways. It shows how far along kite dev has come these last 7 years. Alot of smaller incremental changes but it adds up. Alot of the advancement appears to have been in bridles - coming up with faster, more reactive controls that distribute the load.
Strongest competitor to the Dice atm is the North Orbit, I did enjoy my session on that kite in 30s gusting to 40. The Dice requires less skill than the Orbit so its easier to recommend the Dice. An Intermediate or Advanced rider will like the Dice more. If you use Pro grade technique, the Orbit will respond to an amazing level but Without Pro grade technique, the Orbit is meh. Pro grade technique means means loading, stomping/Pre-load pop, popping off a wave/kicker, and boosting correctly once in mid air while using loops to help generate power and lift to land. So many of my fellow instructors were unable to get the Orbit to work for them because they do not have the full range of big air technique. With that technique the Orbit is awesome; without it, kinda mediocre. So if you are an Intermediate or Advanced rider comparing the two, get the Dice - the Orbit really requires good skills - Orbit was designed for superpros in KOTA and not for intermediate trying to learn big air. It will not be a punishing kite if you lack pro technique (so have no fear!), just not so great performance wise.
The Core GTS I do not care for as much because of the double pulley sliders on it. Especially when throwing loops in strong winds the kite starts fighting you by surging forward and back in the window as the bridle tries to moderate on both the high power and low power side. You can actually see this happen in some of the Core team rider vids and I have experienced it in 40mph winds. The shape of the kite on the GTS is good, that entire bridle needs to be thrown away. The Dice went the correct way by eliminating pulleys/sliders; the GTS went the wrong way with that double system that tries to choke the kite in a loop or strong wind gust. Riders throwing megaloops do not need that upper bound on power from the bridle (it actually interferes and gets in The way). Why would any designer create a bridle that chokes high power on a kite marketed for megaloops is beyond me. Idiotic design choice. Easy to fix if Core gets their act together. The kite is basically a C kite with a bridle, does not need such a complex over engineered bridle.
- These users thanked the author dracop for the post (total 2):
- Mo (Sun Aug 29, 2021 9:42 am) • Gestalt (Mon Sep 06, 2021 1:30 pm)