North 12M Vegas 06 Review

Pablito · Post by **Pablito** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:33 pm

I have been kiting for less than two years, I weigh 175 lbs., and before I bought this kite I could boost pretty well, turn toeside, and was learning backrolls. I bought this kite (or should I say I'll be buying it for a while) and I don't have an affiliation with North.

Tonight I was out on this kite at Sherman from 6 until 8 pm; if you look at the graph you will see it was gusting to almost 30 for the second hour I was out. Kiters much better than me were out on 10s; I saw bigger guys than me on 12s who were totally overpowered when I was still sheeted out about halfway. Reliable sources will confirm this.

So anyway, this kite has amazing range. At the start of the session, in light winds for a 12, I was cutting across other kiters paths, zooming upwind. In the heaviest winds, I was definitely on the verge of ovepowered, but I never pulled the sheet strap in completely. And even at 3/4 sheeted, the kite still had beautiful steering control.

But I wasn't just holding my edge out there. Since I have gotten this kite (2 weeks) I have been improving at everything I know how to do. But today, in the light winds at the start, I tried and landed my first slightly powered rotations. On any of my other kites, I might have done something like this until I got really powered, then given up for the day. This kite gives me so much confidence that I just kept going as the wind picked up, kept doing my rotations and landing most of them. On a few bigger boosts, I kept going and finished 720s, not sticking them, but landing on my board with both feet.

And of course, with a 12M kite in 10M wind, I was able to huck -- and land -- some pretty sizeable air. Again, this can be confirmed by other kiters, much better than I am, who were out on the water at the same time. The ones who weren't already riding Vegas's (there were two others out on the water when I came in) came up to me when I landed -- astonished to see that it was a 12 and not a 10 -- and ask me questions about it.

The coolest thing about this kite for me is how mellow it is, even at the top end of its range. It doesn't act differently when it's sheeted in all the way or out all the way. It does exactly what you want it to, not what it wants to do, and you can always tell by feel where it is in the air and what it is doing. It is extremely forgiving, yet very responsive. I have a sneaking suspicion that all my improvement this year will be due to this kite as much as to my skills.

The other kites I own are a 10M RRD Type Wave 05 and a 14M Windwing Rage II. My last 12 was a 2003 Airush Lift. The day I demoed this kite I also demoed a Waroo 12.

http://www.ikitesurf.com/windAndWhere.i ... iteID=1427

Sander · Post by **Sander** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 11:16 pm

Sounds like a great kite. 5th line?

I'm sure your skills are growing more than you realize tho.

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 8:09 am

i feel that way about my north vegas too!

Pablito · Post by **Pablito** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 9:48 am

I think all Norths have fifth line now. I've only dropped the kite a few times, and only had to use the fifth line once. The spinning system on the fifth line seems to work great, although you do eventually have to unwind the fifth from around the front lines by hand.

So Charlie, was the loop on the Vegas?

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 9:55 am

OH-YAAA it was on the vegas all right.
the vegas dose help with the confdence thing,
and flys so SWEET
like you, i dont think ive used the fifth line, but iam sure it works!
its just the kite is so well behaved it just gets it self back up in the air with a little
twist of the bar and a litte sheeting.

panzerfaust · Post by **panzerfaust** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 11:05 am

I have to confirm everything Pablito is saying. The kite gives you precision and confidence. I've been kiting probably just as long as Pablito has been and started trying kiteloops with very little success. When I first baught the kite Jeff at KWS was out of stock and let me use his demo until my kite was in. I was landing kiteloops with backspins the second day out. This is really an amazing kite. Also, the range is just incredible. Low end, unbelievable. One of the times I got Jeffs demo and before I pumped it up I asked if he had a surfboard because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stay upwind. I was out on a 12m with my North Dragon M and shadowing Yuri on his 12m STD and the Glid.

I can't attest to the high end of this kite as I haven't had a chance to fly it in hight wind.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 6:21 pm

I have a simple word to describe my best sessions
"Frolic" :)
If I come off the water and feel like I have been froliking with the wind and water I'm blissed.

Since I've added my North Vegas 14 to the quiver I have had nothing but frolic sessions on that kite!

It is everything that a SLE purports to be - but for real / no extra strings or pulleys attached - Huge Range; Depowers easily; Parks in the sky and awaits the next flying instructions; Turns on a dime; Bar with Powerlock and swivel and safety system that makes sense.

I've been on it in as low as 13 up to gusts over 30 Yesterday (steady 25+) and have had a great time. What I'm most impressed with is the consistency of the power range of the kite. There is no power spike as you pull in the bar. Its justs steady increasing power as you pull in and decreasing power as you ease out. It is completely possible to feather your turns and power. If you are chasing a wave pull in if you are need to let it catch you ease out a bit - awesome. This with power strap all the way in or all the way out - doesn't matter - it behaves remarkably similar in all conditions. I've flown the KWS 12 demo kite and it was exactly the same. What I have heard from others is that the flying characteristics are sustained throughout the range of sizes.

When you look at the kite you can see all the technological advances factored in. Battens on the wing tips actually create foils as you turn while the leading edge remains stable because of battens aligned with the laminar flow. In my mind its the direction that future kite design will be going.

Don Bogardus · Post by **Don Bogardus** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 6:34 pm

Have rode my 06, Vegas 12m twice so far, (once at 11pm w/ strobe
attached to center strut!), even in the dark, it handled like an extension
of my body, grabbing power so quickly, light air was easier to to stay
powered in!. I am itching to see what the high end is going to be like!

liv2kitesurf · Post by **liv2kitesurf** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 8:54 am

I just received my 12m Vegas 06 Thursday (which I was waiting quite a while for) and am itching to use it. I took it down to the beach yesterday (at 3rd) but had to revert to the 16m Vegas '06. I also have the 9m Vegas which is also a great kite (which I have had out a lot).

l2ks

northgrl · Post by **northgrl** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 8:07 pm

i have two vegas 06' for sale if anyone is interested.
one 9 one 12m, both in awsome condition,
ellabella2992@yahoo.com
AWSOME kites.
for ever.
and ever.
cheers,
ella

BayAreaKiteboarding.com

North 12M Vegas 06 Review

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