Kite review: 14m North Rebel
Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 2:05 pm
Kite size: 14m
Bar: stock North Bar
Boards: Amundson TT 130X39, and Amundson Directional 5í5î
Rider weight: 220# (without wetsuit), I am a North Regional Rider
Before I give you the review, some background on me will be helpful. I am a pretty hard core ìCî kite lover. I love how the power feels, and love to control kite power with my board. Iíve tried many bow/hybrid kites, and felt that they felt too ìsoft/mushyî. Before trying this kite, I had a strong bias against SLE kites. I currently ride a quiver of North Vegas 2006 kites, 7/10/12/16, and love freestyle and waves. Waves are my passion. People whose opinions I value flew this kite and were not fans.
Kite reviews are also very ìperception basedî because they describe how I feel while flying the kite. As you read this, remember this is 1 guyís opinion.
The Rebel is Northís version of an SLE kite. Ken Winner will explain to you why itís not an SLEÖÖNo bridle. this kite has the 5th line, which attaches in two points on the kite, comes down to a Y on the flying lines.
Construction: itís a North kite, itís really solid. Great attention to detail. Good bag. Folding is easy, as there are no battens. Big dump valve to let air our quickly when you have to leaveÖ.Packs up into a small backpack size bag, easy for transport and for small trunks. Sweet for traveling. Stores well with struts inflated. No one or two pump system: you have to pump each strut then the leading edge. Pump that comes with kite has a nice gauge and the kite has a point where to attach the pump. North moved this so that when you pump, the kite stays firmly attached. This is a nice touch, keeps the kite on the ground while you inflate.
Bar: A whole bunch of improvements from 2006. Bar is longer. The lines are 25m, 2m shorter then 2006. The lines are color coded and have a material in them which aids in untangling (tested both in Sherman and Berkley; a tangle that would have taken me over 1 hour in both places took 15 minutes!!!!). The micro loop is thicker then last year, should last longer. The cleat is improved and has ZERO slippage: well done!!! There is a plastic on the rope which you can use as a stopper, and if you apply enough pressure it gives. Nice touch for those coming over from C kites and want power at the stopper.
In the Air: I flew the kite first day without doing any adjustments to the bar. There was way too much throw for my arm length/flying preference, and to get good power I had to ride in the micro loop. Not a fan of this set up. In this mode, the kite felt really soft, kite loops did not create much power, turning was ok, but not fast enough for my taste. This was my past experience with most SLE kites.
I adjusted the throw (reduced) and the length of the rear lines (reduced quite a bit). The difference was quite largeÖ..It was like someone gave me a new kite!. The low end got much better. I could still control the top end using the sheeting strap (days when I flew the kite have been on the light side, 14-22mph). I was flying the kite on days when others were on 12/14/17m kites. I was doing just fine on the 14, could have handled a lot more wind. I was on the twin tip at first. Solid upwind ability. The kite can be flown close to the edge of the window, and this helps you get upwind without using the board much. If you choose, you can create more power by having the kite sit deeper in the window, and truck upwind using your board shaper/fins. Or a combination of the two. In the same wind I switched to my directional and the kite got quite a bit more peppy and responsive as the board carried much more speed then the TT. I was impressed with how well the kite turned considering that I was underpowered and did not have much board speed on my TT.
Freestyle: hooked in moves are really easy with the kite, as it generates power in a very steady flow. When you do a kite loop, you donít get that insane yank which you get with a Vegas kite. It still pulls, just a bit less. If you are learning new moves, this is a great benefit. You get feedback without the heavy punishment ñ some will say this is cheating. If you point that bar, like in a fishing pole type move, it comes around really quick. When hooked in, you can control how much power turns generate by how much you sheet in/out and how much of the trim strap you have pulled down.
Unhooked riding: with the right set up ñ where you attach to the leaders (there are multiple places to attach) and sheeting strap (how much you pull it down, how you have the throw set up), this kite is really good for unhooked riding. Itís stable in the sky and does not react too much or too little to bar input. Really good for one handed board grabs etc. Good for all power moves ñ predictable and steady. A bit less intense then the Vegas on the powered moves. For a 40 year old guy with some old injuries, this is not a bad thing. If you want full on manloops, a Vegas is the kite for you. If you want kiteloops with some ìpaddingî check out this kite.
Jumping: requires timing adjustment. The yank on the way up does not ìfeelî as intense, but you seem to get just as much altitude. Seems like you spend a lot more time in the air ñ more float. I found this really enjoyable. The other day at Berkeley I got some really big air while being moderately powered during a nice puff. It will be fun to test when Iím juiced. In summary, you go up less violently, but you also come down more softly. You have a lot of control over how long you float by trimming of the kite. Also, I found the kite really predictable and easy to fly while in the air. One jump I over steered the kite, sent it to far forward while still at the apex of my jump. I decided to loop the kite so that it would be at the right place upon landing. I was amazed how well the kite responded to bar input, and I came out of the jump with no problemÖÖI need more time to fine tune my technique on jumping. Iíll update this once I get more time on the kite.
Swell riding: This is where the kite really shines. My Vegas kites are really good at this, as they turn fast and create steady power, but you need to keep the kite lines tensioned, or the kite starts to fall out of the sky pretty quick: it works great for ìfollow the kiteî powered swell/wave riding (like the type that Joani loves to do on the river for those who know my wife). I was SUPER stoked at how fast a 14m kite turned and the smooth power it generated for this type of riding. What I was most fired up about was the fact that when you rode right at the kite (as if going down the line) the kite did a GREAT job of drifting in the wind window until the lines regained some more tension. This will be insane in the waves. Most of this testing/observation took place on my directional board.
I also tested swell riding unhooked ñ to try emulating wave riding unhooked. Set the kite up the right way, and it flies really steady and smooth while riding swells unhooked. The smooth, vs. violent, power which it creates on the up/down swings are really nice and fluid. Works well with swell riding, should work well with waves. Iíll update once I actually get to ride in the waves.
In addition, the other big difference is how you can control the kite power through the turn, while riding in the chicken loop. When you enter the turn, you control the power by sheeting. Sheet out and you are just riding your board (great if you are on a directional board which carries speed well). Sheet in a bit, and you have some power. Sheet in more, and you have full juice. You can do all 3 modes with 1 hand. I mostly tested this with my directional board. This is an awesome performance feature which is really helpful for good wave riding. It reminded me of a friends RRD Type Wave kite. This is really fun for doing powered downloops ñ you can really keep the board speed up and enjoy the smooth power deliveryÖ.the bar acts as your clutch ñ pull in for more juice, let out for less ñ comes in handy when riding a twin tip and connecting turns.
Relaunch: Iíve read some negative comments from people on the speed of relaunch. Let me share my experience. While riding close to a rock wall ñ at Berkeley, trying to get back before the wind dies ñ the wind died. There was zero wind for a few minutes. Kite fell out of the sky, on the bladder down position. I had very little time to relaunch before the kite was going to wind up on the sharp rocks ñ time was of the essence. I pulled on one steering line and waited for a puff. As the puff came, I kept holding the same steering line ñ it was the red one. The kite very rapidly started to come up on the edge of the window. It was a trip. A few seconds later, it just flew off the water, no problem, and I body dragged away from the rocks/seaweed. Not sure why others have had problems ñ you donít need to use the 5th line for relaunch at allÖ..granted this is not extensive testing, but it sure worked well for a 14m on a very light wind relaunch.
I also tested the 5th line, and for safety, nothing comes close. So the same rock wall described above was staring me down as I was trying to again make the point back to the launch. The wind was dying. I was really close to the rocks. I brought the kite low to the water, and let go of the bar. Grabbed the 5th line and walked up to kite. Kite safely retreated before going on rocks. Not sure what I would have done w/out the 5th line.
In summary: really sweet kite that does everything very well. Very good low end ñ have not had wind to test upper limit. You can fly it like an SLE, with lots of throw, or more like a C kite (my preferred method). I will add a few Rebels to my quiver for wave riding, and for learning new freestyle moves.
Again, this is just 1 guys opinion. Donít have to take my word for it. If you are in the bay area, find me on the beach and try it for yourself.
Good winds + waves, Zeev.
Bar: stock North Bar
Boards: Amundson TT 130X39, and Amundson Directional 5í5î
Rider weight: 220# (without wetsuit), I am a North Regional Rider
Before I give you the review, some background on me will be helpful. I am a pretty hard core ìCî kite lover. I love how the power feels, and love to control kite power with my board. Iíve tried many bow/hybrid kites, and felt that they felt too ìsoft/mushyî. Before trying this kite, I had a strong bias against SLE kites. I currently ride a quiver of North Vegas 2006 kites, 7/10/12/16, and love freestyle and waves. Waves are my passion. People whose opinions I value flew this kite and were not fans.
Kite reviews are also very ìperception basedî because they describe how I feel while flying the kite. As you read this, remember this is 1 guyís opinion.
The Rebel is Northís version of an SLE kite. Ken Winner will explain to you why itís not an SLEÖÖNo bridle. this kite has the 5th line, which attaches in two points on the kite, comes down to a Y on the flying lines.
Construction: itís a North kite, itís really solid. Great attention to detail. Good bag. Folding is easy, as there are no battens. Big dump valve to let air our quickly when you have to leaveÖ.Packs up into a small backpack size bag, easy for transport and for small trunks. Sweet for traveling. Stores well with struts inflated. No one or two pump system: you have to pump each strut then the leading edge. Pump that comes with kite has a nice gauge and the kite has a point where to attach the pump. North moved this so that when you pump, the kite stays firmly attached. This is a nice touch, keeps the kite on the ground while you inflate.
Bar: A whole bunch of improvements from 2006. Bar is longer. The lines are 25m, 2m shorter then 2006. The lines are color coded and have a material in them which aids in untangling (tested both in Sherman and Berkley; a tangle that would have taken me over 1 hour in both places took 15 minutes!!!!). The micro loop is thicker then last year, should last longer. The cleat is improved and has ZERO slippage: well done!!! There is a plastic on the rope which you can use as a stopper, and if you apply enough pressure it gives. Nice touch for those coming over from C kites and want power at the stopper.
In the Air: I flew the kite first day without doing any adjustments to the bar. There was way too much throw for my arm length/flying preference, and to get good power I had to ride in the micro loop. Not a fan of this set up. In this mode, the kite felt really soft, kite loops did not create much power, turning was ok, but not fast enough for my taste. This was my past experience with most SLE kites.
I adjusted the throw (reduced) and the length of the rear lines (reduced quite a bit). The difference was quite largeÖ..It was like someone gave me a new kite!. The low end got much better. I could still control the top end using the sheeting strap (days when I flew the kite have been on the light side, 14-22mph). I was flying the kite on days when others were on 12/14/17m kites. I was doing just fine on the 14, could have handled a lot more wind. I was on the twin tip at first. Solid upwind ability. The kite can be flown close to the edge of the window, and this helps you get upwind without using the board much. If you choose, you can create more power by having the kite sit deeper in the window, and truck upwind using your board shaper/fins. Or a combination of the two. In the same wind I switched to my directional and the kite got quite a bit more peppy and responsive as the board carried much more speed then the TT. I was impressed with how well the kite turned considering that I was underpowered and did not have much board speed on my TT.
Freestyle: hooked in moves are really easy with the kite, as it generates power in a very steady flow. When you do a kite loop, you donít get that insane yank which you get with a Vegas kite. It still pulls, just a bit less. If you are learning new moves, this is a great benefit. You get feedback without the heavy punishment ñ some will say this is cheating. If you point that bar, like in a fishing pole type move, it comes around really quick. When hooked in, you can control how much power turns generate by how much you sheet in/out and how much of the trim strap you have pulled down.
Unhooked riding: with the right set up ñ where you attach to the leaders (there are multiple places to attach) and sheeting strap (how much you pull it down, how you have the throw set up), this kite is really good for unhooked riding. Itís stable in the sky and does not react too much or too little to bar input. Really good for one handed board grabs etc. Good for all power moves ñ predictable and steady. A bit less intense then the Vegas on the powered moves. For a 40 year old guy with some old injuries, this is not a bad thing. If you want full on manloops, a Vegas is the kite for you. If you want kiteloops with some ìpaddingî check out this kite.
Jumping: requires timing adjustment. The yank on the way up does not ìfeelî as intense, but you seem to get just as much altitude. Seems like you spend a lot more time in the air ñ more float. I found this really enjoyable. The other day at Berkeley I got some really big air while being moderately powered during a nice puff. It will be fun to test when Iím juiced. In summary, you go up less violently, but you also come down more softly. You have a lot of control over how long you float by trimming of the kite. Also, I found the kite really predictable and easy to fly while in the air. One jump I over steered the kite, sent it to far forward while still at the apex of my jump. I decided to loop the kite so that it would be at the right place upon landing. I was amazed how well the kite responded to bar input, and I came out of the jump with no problemÖÖI need more time to fine tune my technique on jumping. Iíll update this once I get more time on the kite.
Swell riding: This is where the kite really shines. My Vegas kites are really good at this, as they turn fast and create steady power, but you need to keep the kite lines tensioned, or the kite starts to fall out of the sky pretty quick: it works great for ìfollow the kiteî powered swell/wave riding (like the type that Joani loves to do on the river for those who know my wife). I was SUPER stoked at how fast a 14m kite turned and the smooth power it generated for this type of riding. What I was most fired up about was the fact that when you rode right at the kite (as if going down the line) the kite did a GREAT job of drifting in the wind window until the lines regained some more tension. This will be insane in the waves. Most of this testing/observation took place on my directional board.
I also tested swell riding unhooked ñ to try emulating wave riding unhooked. Set the kite up the right way, and it flies really steady and smooth while riding swells unhooked. The smooth, vs. violent, power which it creates on the up/down swings are really nice and fluid. Works well with swell riding, should work well with waves. Iíll update once I actually get to ride in the waves.
In addition, the other big difference is how you can control the kite power through the turn, while riding in the chicken loop. When you enter the turn, you control the power by sheeting. Sheet out and you are just riding your board (great if you are on a directional board which carries speed well). Sheet in a bit, and you have some power. Sheet in more, and you have full juice. You can do all 3 modes with 1 hand. I mostly tested this with my directional board. This is an awesome performance feature which is really helpful for good wave riding. It reminded me of a friends RRD Type Wave kite. This is really fun for doing powered downloops ñ you can really keep the board speed up and enjoy the smooth power deliveryÖ.the bar acts as your clutch ñ pull in for more juice, let out for less ñ comes in handy when riding a twin tip and connecting turns.
Relaunch: Iíve read some negative comments from people on the speed of relaunch. Let me share my experience. While riding close to a rock wall ñ at Berkeley, trying to get back before the wind dies ñ the wind died. There was zero wind for a few minutes. Kite fell out of the sky, on the bladder down position. I had very little time to relaunch before the kite was going to wind up on the sharp rocks ñ time was of the essence. I pulled on one steering line and waited for a puff. As the puff came, I kept holding the same steering line ñ it was the red one. The kite very rapidly started to come up on the edge of the window. It was a trip. A few seconds later, it just flew off the water, no problem, and I body dragged away from the rocks/seaweed. Not sure why others have had problems ñ you donít need to use the 5th line for relaunch at allÖ..granted this is not extensive testing, but it sure worked well for a 14m on a very light wind relaunch.
I also tested the 5th line, and for safety, nothing comes close. So the same rock wall described above was staring me down as I was trying to again make the point back to the launch. The wind was dying. I was really close to the rocks. I brought the kite low to the water, and let go of the bar. Grabbed the 5th line and walked up to kite. Kite safely retreated before going on rocks. Not sure what I would have done w/out the 5th line.
In summary: really sweet kite that does everything very well. Very good low end ñ have not had wind to test upper limit. You can fly it like an SLE, with lots of throw, or more like a C kite (my preferred method). I will add a few Rebels to my quiver for wave riding, and for learning new freestyle moves.
Again, this is just 1 guys opinion. Donít have to take my word for it. If you are in the bay area, find me on the beach and try it for yourself.
Good winds + waves, Zeev.