RRD Type8 12m review....

[coleman]

I had a chance to get two great sessions in on my new type 8 and here is a quick review.

First off I am in no way affiliated with any shop or brand....I buy all my gear slightly used. I got this kite slightly used with bar and lines for $700.

I have ridden waroos and 05 fuels. I got this kite to replace my 14m waroo which, despite what people may say, is a seriously shitty kite.

First I will start with the bar:
well, I really dont know if it is for me or not and here's why: i have never seen such a complicated cluttered easier to get tangled bar and lines than this one. I am sure that the next time I use it it will be smoother to set up with less hassels. so on the ground the bar sucks, but when flying the kite it turns out to be pretty great. the double depower function works great and towards the end of the depower on the chicken loop line, the fifth line tension engauges and the kite depowers about 80% which is plenty for me. also this bar has a bit of resistance to it when depowering so the bar kind of floats in the middle with no pressure making one handed riding very comfy, but in order to engauge the double depower you have to push the bar from you... I like this feeling.

Construction of the kite looks like they left off some extra reinforcments to keep weight off. Stitching looks good though and I havent heard of these kites just coming apart so I would say the build quality is good, but not bomber.

In the air the type 8 is VERY fast turning....I tried the 12m 2007 vegas and the rrd is noticably faster. This kite compared to the vegas looks like it is a lower aspect design when flying it. I would say the rrd turns as fast as my 9m waroo.
Upwind on this kite is very easy. As good as my waroo. I was in 16-25knts and 25knts seems to be the high end for me with the 12m. I weigh 150lbs.
This kite really shines for me when in the surf or carving big powered turns. It turns so fast and the lower aspect really holds lots of power through turns. Way better for this than my waroo or even the vegas. With the vegas when you fly at the kite while surfing a wave it stalls a bit, but the type 8 resists it much better and pulls downwind a bit. I like that a lot.
Jumping this kite took me a day to get used to. Because the bar pressure is very low with the type wave bar it is difficult to feel where the kite is when jumping. I had the kite fly back across the window lifting me 20ft without me expecting it. Like I said it turns very very fast and without lots of bar feedback it takes some getting used to. I feel like with a standard 5th line bar setup I would get more feedback from the kite. I will try it next time.
I didnt get great hangtime but I dont really care about floating down. I like shooting up, so this kite is great because it really rips you off the water.
This kite is already making me a better rider. The waroo's make it TOO easy! I noticed, especially in transitions how I am usually relying on the kite's depower to keep the transition smooth. With the type 8 I have to harmonize body position, weight distribution, and timing to have a good powered transition and when done correctly feels better than ever. I am not into tricks yet, only the way things feel and with this kite kiting feels better than ever so I am pretty stoked on that.

I bought this kite without trying it first, only based on what I read about it. Everything I read about this kite matches up with my experience of it. It is a real treat to fly. I can say that this kite is undoubtedly more fun to fly that a 12m vegas or waroo. Cant wait to get a 9m!

Coleman

[un-hooked]

I agree with most of what you said except i ditched the bar- hated it, infact i almost sold my kites based on how they felt with the rrd bar
im now flying mine on the 07 north bar but i had to add 4" pig tails to the front leaders 2" pigtail to the 5th line and put a knot in the rear leaders as close to the kite as i could to get it flying well but ive noticed it pinches the front of the kite together a bit when depowered due to the y on the north bar so im on the look out for a better bar
i havnt got the jumping dialed yet - not getting much height but find it very floaty on the way down, but i also need to add that this kite love to be looped and you get a huge horizontal pull more than any other kite ive tried

if you crash the kite hard the dump valve seems to open a bit aswell and the kite slowly looses pressure which is a pain - the velcro that holds it shut is too long

but all in all its a realy good kite, it can be unexpectedly vicious at times but this keeps the adrenaline flowwing

[coleman]

unhooked,
Yep, unexpectedly viscous. I found that to be pretty true even though I havent gotten to looping it yet. I am still waiting for a lower wind day to try some f16's. But definitely i am having more fun on this than bows....like I said its just too easy with those things....kind of boring.
I was thinking about using the slingshot setup with the trimmable fifth line. I have a machine bar and lines from 05 and will probably try that first but it sounds kind of complicated to get the thing setup properly.

Are all the lines on the rrd bar equal length???? If so I would think tuning it would only require the right 5th line length.

thanks
Coleman

[j1finnn1]

I have the 12 and the 9, and I converted one of the bars to a 5th line. I think the front pigtails on the 12 are too short, like maybe a production error, because when switching from one kite to the other, I have to let the front lines out two knot lengths. Also, the 5th line needs different settings on the 12 than the 9.

As far as bar pressure, the 12 definitely gets more bar pressure with a regular 5th bar, I've actually been leaving the 5th line tighter than usual when riding powered up to reduce it. Been thinking about coming up with a Cleatable 5th line setup to tune it on the fly.

It's a fun kite though. Get the timing down and it jumps very nicely. Also, the 9 is AMAZING.

[whitecap]

I have had a bunch of sessions on the 12 and 9 at this point. Upfront - we get a local rider deal on the kites, due to my 14 year old kid, Alex, ripping - more than anything I do...I went to rrd for the type 6, then zh and type wave, then type 7s last year with the wave bar.

With the rrd bars, you sorta need to be able to mess with your gear to tune it up correctly. We customized our own wave bars last year to use with the type 7s, and they worked a bunch better than stock. We used better pulleys and spectra....However, when you tune it correctly, the feel on the bar is very nice, and much like Coleman said. Coming from the type wave, I am pretty comfy with the speed, and I think there is great feedback for where the kite is in the window, even with minimal bar pressure. I have a beat up shoulder, so I like being able to one hand the bar and cruise.

I will agree with the horizontal yank on the kite loops. I loved looping the type 7 and type wave, but the type 8 gives you a bit more to think about, since it pulls another 20-30% through the loop. I find the yank up on jumps better than the 7, and as long as you remember to keep the bar sheeted in during the jump, the float is way better as well. Unhooked, the kites have a very nice sweet spot, where you could be oversheeted but the kite will not back up in the window, and the pop seems way better than the type 7. I also like the kite a bunch in the waves, as redirecting your kite before your bottom turn is very quick and smooth, and you can stop the kite as you come up the face, and just let it drift hanging on the fifth line as you get some turns in on the wave...

Something different than the type 6 or wave is how the kite behaves unzipped.....The older rrds got a bit unstable, and overly quick when unzipped - for sure the first type wave. The type 8 is amazing. It is weird - you get the bow kite feeling, where there is a bit more bar pressure, but when fully sheeted out, the kite really dumps a lot of juice. It becomes much more sensitive to the bar sheeting, whereas it is smoother when zipped. However, this was great on the CA coast, when overpowered on the 9 at waddell, as it could suck up the big gusts when unzipped, and still have great manners down the line. Got to jump the 12 a bit under the Golden Gate unzipped, op....and the jumps were pretty fricken large...you get ripped off the water, and stay up as long as you stay sheeted in...

downside is the way the kites came in the US, the bars are set up different for the 9 and 12, as the front line pigtails on the kite were of different lengths. The bars were set up for each kite correctly, but you could not interchange them. This is fixable with new pigtails, and messing with the bar a bit, but I just use one bar for the 9, and the other for the 12. Also, expect to wear through the fifth line leader where it goes through the bar. I am used to this from last year. I use some replacement spectra, and when it starts to fray a bit much, I just pull the line through the stopper, and lengthen it at the other end....I keep a bit of extra line there....Ok - have not ridden the other 07 kites, and I am sure they are all great, but I love the type 8 for waves, unhooked, and looping...

later,

bob

[un-hooked]

I was thinking about using the slingshot setup with the trimmable fifth line

im thinking of trying the slingshot bar myself but it looks a bit cluttered around the loop and ive heard its easy to accidentally release when hooking back in

I have the 12 and the 9, and I converted one of the bars to a 5th line. I think the front pigtails on the 12 are too short, like maybe a production error, because when switching from one kite to the other, I have to let the front lines out two knot lengths. Also, the 5th line needs different settings on the 12 than the 9.

yeah ive had the same issue my 9m is fine but as i said i had to add pigtails to the 12 but if it is the case that the bars are set different for each size that would explain it, i sold one of my bars straight away without opening it
thats ridiculous if the do that - wheres the logic???

i had my 12 out in a bit of a squal yesterday and when i came in and put the meter up it was reading 30knts i was holding it ok but came in incase it picked up more, thats with the zip closed

i tried it on sunday and recon it knocked about a metre of the kite size

ive had mine about 3 months now but also have a quiver of 07 vegas's and im definatly prefering my type 8's at the moment

[Ulrik]

Love the kites, but I am not quite sure about the TDB bar

How about the safetyleash ?,I am fixing it to the suicide ring in the middle of the chicken loop, sometimes it would be nice to attach the leash to the 5 line.
I dont see how that is possible with the TDB bar.
Only way is IMO to attach to the Orange ball on the 5 line above the bar,but that is less than perfect when doing spins etc.

Ps. I too have to adjust line length when switching between 9 and 12 m²

[Nino_fs]

I have a huge type 7 (21m) and don't use it much since I only bought it for the really light wind days when I need to go kiting. It does fly very nicely but I to do not like the bar.

I made some changes which might interest a few of the people here.

First thing is first take the current 5th line leader, untie it and throw it away. Take the shorth 5th line extension off your kite (the one that has the little pouch for it on the leading edge).

Now get some 1/8" spectra that is the length of that line and the 5th line leader combined.

Cut that stupid red ball off your depower line since it gets in the way and only helps cause tangles.

Now run your new long 5th leader throught the bar and pulley the same way as the old one. but instead of connecting to the now removed red stopper ball run it through a small cleat(bought at any sail shop). Put a ball on the end and tie a knot to hold the ball there.

To make a spinning 5th line leash. just take the clip that was used for the old leash system and clip it around your 5th line leader before it passes through the pulley but after it goes through the bar.

Now you can relaunch by grabbing the new thick leader line instead of trying to clinging to the thin flying line. You can use the cleat to set the tension in the 5th to a point you like or to hold in enough 5ht for a relaunch. Also you have a spinning safety. The final benefit is if you ever use the safety instead of the bar going all the way up the line to the kite and making one hell of a mess it just slides up the 5th line leader and stops at jus the right distance.

If I can get the use of a camera I will get some pictures posted.

[whitecap]

that is a heck of a good idea....I would be interested in pics. Changing the length of the fifth line on the fly would be nice, as together with the center line cleat, you could dial the feel of the bar/kite in to suit conditions...

[Nino_fs]

Then I will hunt down a camera and snap some pics as soon as I get home.

It is actually really simple but I am sure that my discription is not very good.

Once you see the pic you will see how easy it is to do. Only took me about 5 minutes.