Evo: 2021 vs 2022 flying characteristics (comparing to 2013 model for reference)

[dpublic]

Hi,

I'm pretty advanced after 9 years of kiting (Evo->Dice->Vegas+Neo). After 4 years I'm selling my Vegases and planning to switch to Evo for a more one-quiver all-around kite setup (I realized I won't be the next Hadlow in the process and don't need the ultra-high slack on the lines for all the crazy stuff they shown on the promotional videos ).
I didn't like 2nd/3rd generation Dices - after riding these for 2 years, for me they had very weak performance in every department from hooked to unhooked and were not good at literally anything. I rode Evos back with the 2013 model and progressed to non-HP unhook wakestyle tricks on it and it was good enough and lots of fun.

How much 2022 model differs from 2021 (or even 2013-ish if someone can make that comparison)? I read that they changed shape and aspect ratio on 2022 and this got me worried. For me it looks like they tried to do a "weak Rebel" out of Evo and hence the question: is 2022 still a nice all-arounder with some potential to have now-and-then some stupid fun unhooked or this is indeed a "weak Rebel" which would be a catastrophe (last time I tested Rebel it was a dominant hooked-only-through-the-zentih-jumps-only one-dimensional kite). Now, I know that talented people can do almost any style/trick on any gear but for me, mere mortal, I'm really looking for a gear that at least not make things difficult for me. All the advertising noise and nonsense videos only makes things worse. I literally have no way to test 2022 Evo myself before pulling the trigger, hence looking for your opinion.

Actually I'm so pissed at Duotone marketing blurb that I would be happy to switch to another brand, but in Duotone gears I understand the actual non-marketing differences between models, so for me it is a smaller chance for another bad purchase as Dice definitely was for me back then.

Please advise...

[Blackened]

The 2013 is not comparable. They redesigned it from the ground up in 2018 making it a 3-struter do it all kite rather than mainly a boosting kite.

I haven't flown the 21 or 22.

[dpublic]

Ok thanks! So my main question should be TLDRed to: if they claim that 2022 was "tamed" and made "more accessible" vs the 2021 version (which was a good construction) does it mean that it was castrated and is now a entry level kite for moving the lawn only? What about wakestyle. kiteloops, boosting and air time?

[Havre]

Difficult to answer. A friend of mine got Dice - Evo - Rebel. I have mostly borrowed his Rebel and I don't do unhooked so I can't help you much, but I'm curious if you didn't like the Dice and you don't want a Rebel - if the Evo was to lean towards either of them what would you prefer?

My impression is that the Evo is slightly more towards the Rebel and a kite like the Enduro is slightly more towards the Dice (obviously a simplification). All big brands got these "do it all" kites - so shouldn't be difficult to identify. North Reach is another etc.

[SolarSet]

Ok thanks! So my main question should be TLDRed to: if they claim that 2022 was "tamed" and made "more accessible" vs the 2021 version (which was a good construction) does it mean that it was castrated and is now a entry level kite for moving the lawn only? What about wakestyle. kiteloops, boosting and air time?

No it’s not made to compete with Rebel, spoken to guy who switched from ‘21 to ‘22 and he said that tips seems more swept back in ‘22 I have this model in 8/10/13m but didn’t fly it yet and it’s my first 3 strut kite, coming from XR6 I would have distorted comparison.

I would not buy Evo ‘21 as they were many quality complains for DT in their 2021 line speaking to riders who teach on DT 2021 was the worst they ever had I have no idea of 2022 would be better but I do hope they pay more attention to quality.

[dpublic]

Difficult to answer. A friend of mine got Dice - Evo - Rebel. I have mostly borrowed his Rebel and I don't do unhooked so I can't help you much, but I'm curious if you didn't like the Dice and you don't want a Rebel - if the Evo was to lean towards either of them what would you prefer?

My impression is that the Evo is slightly more towards the Rebel and a kite like the Enduro is slightly more towards the Dice (obviously a simplification). All big brands got these "do it all" kites - so shouldn't be difficult to identify. North Reach is another etc.

I always thought that Rebel was a one-trick-pony (jump high through the zenith by just pulling your bar, no intelligent/active flying required), similar to the XR. That's why I prefered Evo->Dice->Vegas path to be able to do different styles hooked/unhooked. But my main problem with the Dice was its low power delivery - even with a very active flying towards the front to dampen the landing the kite was never able to catch me properly with bigger jumps. The same technique on a Vegas (pulling hard to the front, even without a heli-loop) resulted in a very nice and soft landing.
That saying I'm giving up on Vegas, because it basically "blocked" my progress after several(hundreds) of hard landings. I mean I LOVE it, but it's too demanding for situations/tricks that I was able to do on Evo without such punishment Shame on me but I'm so "blocked" that the only things I do on the Vegas recently are... jumps-through-the-zenith and late-ish kiteloops And it's a profanation (I love the yank, my knees don't love the landings with the 10m+ jumps - yeah I know... heli-loop... but every other kid on an XR or Rebel just pull their bar without thinking and have butter-smooth landings ).

On a side note: in the other thread one of the posters bring interesting observation: that both 2021 and 2022 have a very thin (less reinforced than in pre-2020) trailing edge which tends to break given time.

[SolarSet]

Rebel and other big air kite are kinda one trick pony yet it is a trick that majority of riders only do with is trying to jump high, I know riders who jump 16m+ yet they don't know how to do backroll(!!!) Every sessions is about beating their or friends Woo record and if battery runs out of they forget their Woo than session is shit, I have been there too.

I wouldn't agree that Rebel/XR has butter-smooth landings as default because if you jump high on these they tend to backstall often without active flying as they sit further on the edge on window where more allround kites are deeper in WW and would always stay in front of you. When I tested Reeding Supermodel and North Reach I had impression that these provided more smooth landing than my XR at expenses of me traveling more down wind.

[cor]

Ok thanks! So my main question should be TLDRed to: if they claim that 2022 was "tamed" and made "more accessible" vs the 2021 version (which was a good construction) does it mean that it was castrated and is now a entry level kite for moving the lawn only? What about wakestyle. kiteloops, boosting and air time?

Not sure about the normal Evo, but I do own a 9m EVO SLS 2021 and a 7m Evo SLS 2022. The "tame" from the 2022 to 2021 is really minor and it´s by no means just an entry level kite or "castrated"... Actually, I bought the EVOs for improving my kiteloops and it was a good decision so far. Boosting is really easy on the EVOs, although a Rebel is even easier if you just want to jump high. The smaller 7m however always requires you to heli loop from big jumps because it won´t catch you as well as a Rebel.

[purdyd]

I’ve had the evo sls kites for about a year. The material penta tx seems slicker and I think has held up as lest cosmetically better than the old leading edge material.

I did have a hole in one of the bladders that was repaired.

[purdyd]

I have 6m evo 2022 which is replacing my 6m evo 2020

I’ve only had it out once but I was pleasantly surprised how nimble it felt riding waves but wasn’t flying too fast.

It is 200 grams lighter than the 2020 my experience is the light weight is really helping the upstroke on kites.