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Kite to replace my Best TS 12m

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bengreen123
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Kite to replace my Best TS 12m

Postby bengreen123 » Tue May 04, 2021 2:53 am

Hey guys, my trusted Best TS 12M ripped today and it's time for a replacement. I have been a Best guy from when they started around 20 years ago and really love these kites. However it's time for a change and I haven't kept up on the newer kites or brands, so I need some help. My style is hooked in big air and all around play. I like the light feel with massive boost and big range and not into the grunty types (Crossbows etc..).

Appreciate any advice, thanks

Kees
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Re: Kite to replace my Best TS 12M

Postby Kees » Tue May 04, 2021 2:59 am

I’ve just replaced my 2014/2015 best TS with Naish Pivots, very happy I did, much better kites in every way

bengreen123
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Re: Kite to replace my Best TS 12M

Postby bengreen123 » Tue May 04, 2021 3:39 am

Kees wrote:
Tue May 04, 2021 2:59 am
I’ve just replaced my 2014/2015 best TS with Naish Pivots, very happy I did, much better kites in every way
Looks solid, what's the difference between the Pivot and Pivot LE?

bengreen123
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Re: Kite to replace my Best TS 12M

Postby bengreen123 » Tue May 04, 2021 3:43 am

NM figured it out, LE = Limited Edition and I guess it's just the cool skull design and they are also out of stock

Da Yoda
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Re: Kite to replace my Best TS 12M

Postby Da Yoda » Tue May 04, 2021 5:40 am

Why not another TS? Perfect timing for the review.
https://www.wetestkites.com/2021/05/02/ ... come-back/

bengreen123
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Re: Kite to replace my Best TS 12M

Postby bengreen123 » Tue May 04, 2021 6:18 am

Da Yoda wrote:
Tue May 04, 2021 5:40 am
Why not another TS? Perfect timing for the review.
https://www.wetestkites.com/2021/05/02/ ... come-back/
Yeah maybe...

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Re: Kite to replace my Best TS 12M

Postby Kristan » Tue May 04, 2021 11:33 am

Eleveight RS. If I got it correct people behind Eleveight are the same who worked at Best.
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bengreen123 (Tue May 04, 2021 3:57 pm)
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Sun
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Re: Kite to replace my Best TS 12M

Postby Sun » Tue May 04, 2021 4:44 pm

I flew the TS for years, coming from Waroos. Kept upgrading through the years, then I finally retired my TS quiver (2016 12m and 2017 9m and 7m) for a set of 2018 Dice kites after flying the Dice in Cape Town. I also had a chance to fly a 12m Eleveight FS v1 before buying the Dice.

The Eleveight FS is the spiritual successor of the TS. Same designer, same 5 strut canopy. Get them if you want minimal changes. The RS replaced the Roca, which I also own and does not feel like the TS.

However, I felt like the Dice felt like the world’s best (Ha ha) TS. Flew the same way, but depowered better and handles gusts so much better. The TS had a tendency to jellyfish from time to time. The Dice is rock solid. Plus, especially for the 12m, having the lighter 3 strut Dice felt like a good move.

Here is a lengthy post regarding Dice Vs Evo that may be helpful:
Sun wrote:
Mon Apr 19, 2021 4:25 pm
brighamj wrote:
Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:46 pm
Would you mind elaborating a bit? I fly Evos now and have been considering adding a smaller Dice to my mix. Thanks!
As rStorms has indicated, the Dice feels very different from the Evo. Before I get too far in to this, let me start by saying this is an opinion and a personal bias. I prefer the way the Dice feels, so my description will highlight the aspects that I prefer. Some people may well prefer the Evo.

The Dice feels incredibly solid in the sky, and the turning feels extremely precise. I think this is primarily because it turns around a wingtip and pulls through the turn. That is, as you provide a steering input the Dice sweeps though an arc that rotates around the inside wingtip. This provides clear and direct feedback about the position in the sky, and it makes turning the kite feel more engaging. You will want to fly the kite. The kite probably pulls harder through the turns because the Dice sits deeper in the wind window. This in turn makes it more stable, as kites that sit deeper in the window are less likely to front stall and tend to drift well instead of overfly.

The Evo, while not a bad kite, feels less precise to me. Primary this is because it turns differently. While the Dice rotates around a wingtip, the Evo pivots about the center strut. Turning is less a sweep through the window and more pointing the kite in a new direction. Technically this makes the Evo turn faster, since you simply point it in a new direction and off it goes. The Dice has to spend time arcing through the air. Evo also sits a bit further forward in the window, so as you turn it the kite feels less powerful. But the Evo will pull you upwind better than the Dice.

Basically, to me the Dice feels like a kite that I want to fly. It encourages and rewards input. The Evo is a more relaxed and efficient kite. It will absolutely suit a rider that parks the kite and rides along. Probably works better for “pure” surfboard riding where all you want is a kite to tow you in and disappear while riding the wave, since the Evo can redirect more quickly without pulling you off your chosen line. Evo will also get you upwind faster to hit the waves again.

I love the Dice. But I can see why people love Evos as well.
rStorms wrote:
Mon Apr 19, 2021 4:02 pm
I was thinking smaller kites for wave/foil and bigger kites for twin tips. Also I am sharing the kites with my gf, so sometimes it might happen that I ride the 8m in Waves and she goes with the 10m with a Twintip. But I am pretty torn between the Neo SLS and the Dice, especially because I wont have a change in the near future to fly a NEO as there are no test events.
It think that having a consistent size difference is easier to navigate than jumping between models, and I also think that having a consistently behaving kite does wonders for progression. It always takes some time to adjust to a different kite. Don’t forget though that in years past North/Duotone really stressed the Dice as a Freestyle/Surf kite. While the marketing has changed a little over the years to stress the Big Air side, the Dice has not changed as much. Dice was and is still a good wave kite for powered, carving riding. I truly believe you will prefer the Dice to the Neo. If you starting riding surfboard and foil boards exclusively, then drop the Dice. But with 70% TT, keep the Dice.

I say this because you like the way the Dice flies. The Neo may be the better foil/surf kite, but that is not what you will be using it for primarily, and the Neo feels more like the Evo than the Dice.
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bengreen123 (Wed May 05, 2021 3:29 pm)
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GetHighOrDieTrying
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Re: Kite to replace my Best TS 12M

Postby GetHighOrDieTrying » Wed May 05, 2021 12:12 am

bengreen123 wrote:
Tue May 04, 2021 2:53 am
My style is hooked in big air and all around play. I like the light feel with massive boost and big range and not into the grunty types (Crossbows etc..).
if this is what you are looking for there is no way around the Ozone Edge v10. the LEI kite with the highest aspect ratio that will allow you to boost nice high and floaty jumps. keep in mind it's a special animal and might need some time to gettin used to but once you dialed in on it there is no competition.

duotones evo and rebel are great but less wind range and more grunty imo. core xr6 also good allrounder but less direct feeling and less float imo. they all are bit less performance oriented than the edge so it depends on how radical do you want to kite.

enjoy the ride!

SMJ
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Re: Kite to replace my Best TS 12m

Postby SMJ » Wed May 05, 2021 12:44 am

Demo a Core XR if you can. The XR7's should be out very soon. If you need proof of the XR's big air capabilities check out the WOO leader board.


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