NORTH REBEL 2012 9m & 11m

Dazza gets his new Rebel :-)

I have not got any photos yet but check out:

I have flow the 9m and then the 11m on different days. I flew the 9m demo from Onboard a month back but reserved my comments until I had flown the 11m once it arrived as I needed to confirm the initial feelings I had on the first run.

What's new, check the video and you will see what the difference is as far as construction and features, dual position tip pigtail, different cut and shape in the wing tips for better aerodynamics.

BUT what does this mean when you and I ride it? I Love my 2011 kites and was considering the upgrade before I tested the 9m in 20 knot winds, as soon as I put this kite in the air it felt different, not different from the true rebel feel, but on the beach immediate taking it into the sky you can feel something, or rather 'nothing' there was no flutter, bump, wobble at all, now rebels are smooth, since 2009 onwards the smoothness of the rebels is without question, but this new feeling cannot be described easily as it takes it to another level, put simply once I started flying it, in very gusty north winds (our north winds are very gusty) this kite truly felt like I was on a tow line pulling perfect 18 knots.

This is the immediate striking feeling that keeps on giving the whole session, no flutter, just pure oil, One review stated that 'it might sound funny but you can't hear this kite' well its true, it was quite a staggering feeling to eliminate totally what I have been used to with many different kites over the years having flown many (not just Rebels).

I have ridden rebels from the beginning 2007 and stuck with them purely because they just keep getting better and better, this year I could not think how they can improve on 2011, but they have and its striking. The 2011 kite is super and I still love it, to me its now about taking a great kite and making it greater, as rather than having to fix things with improvement, they have just made it better, silky smooth, clean and crisp.

the power for the kite is perfectly even though the whole stroke, the power gradually increases as it goes into the power band and gradually dissipates coming out of it. this is what you want, no spike, no jolts and no weird dull spots which so many kites have (I'm sorry but they do).

For guys like me I want a kite that I can dump speed and power instantly, the Rebel is the ultimate kite for this, when you don't want power let it out in a short bar throw, that's still all there for you, but pull that bar in and feel the smooth power again. For free ride and wave ridding it cannot be beaten.
The big point here is that making a kite with stability and extremely quick depower but with meaty low end grunt is not easy, that's why so many kites have power left in them after the bar throw is out, its the easiest way to keep a kite stable, but you can't ride waves like that, you can't progress when you are over powered and the bar is fully out and the kite is still pulling you, you can't compete well if your kite is a handful.

With the new stronger bar feel option on the pigtails (see video) and the regular stopper system on the centre rope, combined with the unique chicken loop option (freestyle suicide BUT with complete safety release option still active) freestylers can twirl till their heart is content, feeling more confident than ever as the wind is evened out and smoother giving confidence to throw moves at will.

since 2010 the kite has become a butterfly in light winds, it stays in the air in the lightest of windows, my 11m session confirmed all my feelings in 20knots plus wind but at the end of the session the wind dropped out suddenly to 3-5 knots and I was way out the back (with my new kite,... ahhh) I stepped off the board and hit the water to body drag and keep the kite in the air, hit by a couple of waves I thought that was the end of it as the kite headed down in NO wind, then a puff of a few knots and it stayed up, I kept it up there in apparently no wind until I got past the reef and then a few more knots and I could down wind on the board until I was back safe. Thanks Rebel, better than an hour swim.

Kite world mag: Recently voted by Kiteworld magazine as 'The most complete all-round, fun free-ride kite we've ridden."

I am not hyping this kite, I can buy and ride any kite I want to, I ride rebels as they are more than ever, the best kite ever made, they are the Rolls Royce, Toyota Lancruiser of the kite world and you will never be disappointed with them. Mke no mistake, you get what you pay for, and with Rebels you get the best. North have 2 full time kite R&D specialists, they design test and design again, North do not outsource to the cheapest kite manufacturers but have their own North factory in Sri Lanka.

Dazza




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Mate's got a new 2012 12m, 2nd time out split in half, reckons there was a floor in the material where the rip started, Ummm is North quality slipping?? His Dealer is going to replace it no drama. Anyone else had similar dramas? By the way I dont ride Rebels but last tme I did I liked the 2011 12m Rebel Give me the $ to buy one and I would good allrounder, so I have no affiliation to any brand I currently own 3 brands of kite

eppo, can you clarify what your concerns are with the fifth line? I've been on five line rebels since I started kiting so I know no difference but i would be keen to understand what the concerns are with five line kites. I know what the positives are but keen to learn of the negatives

if you've flown nothing else, keep it that way
when the early day 5 liners inverted, rolled in the waves etc....
problems
you cannot beat the direct feel from kite to bar with a 5 liner which means faster everthing, brain to hand no pulleys or bridels, and for what ever reason(ask the designers) the old school probs off 5th line catching don't seem to happen, spent the last 3 years on torch & rebel would i go back to a 4 liner, when a better allround kite than the rebel comes out,,,imo,,,,,,,,,,,,, maybe.

Nah, I looove the 2012 rebel man, never flown a better kite - for my allround style, bit of everything, except gay wake style (nah i just don't have the balls to try),.

I have talked to crew who fly both a lot and I trust their opinion, so I know the differences between the two, they are more different than people think.

The fifth line thing is in my own imagination, I will get over it.

But if I'm up there (love to soon), be awesome to catch up with ya for a kite and beer mate, I know you like the rebels, let me know what you think of the new fuses.

5th vs 4 is an interesting argument, I flew the new Evo on the weekend, 9m in 20-25 knots and really loved it, it was at the Demo day and the water was flat (many people commented that I got lost) but I got to try the new North Whip 5'6" and where there is ocean and wind there are waves (albeit 1 ft)

The evo is another great kite and the bridle is so simple having one pully on one simple line set up, as soon as you put the kite in the air you can feel the slight difference from the Rebel, it does have a softer return feedback, still turns quick and I could ride it immediately without having to get used to it. If I was a wake boy riding at Largs I could easilly go Evo, but I,m not, and riding waves I need a kite that instantly depowers to zip, the evo is for when I want a bit of left over grunt in my big double S bend - thingy (the one no one has ever seen me do). also if I am trying slamming moves (in my dreams) and my kite is going to be in the water a lot then Evo has the 4 lines, but the only real issue between them in the water is when you are doing moves that go wrong and you end up with massive slack in your lines and the kite rolls. but even then I have had an older Rebel roll through the 5th and relauch it to get back in okay.

5th line direct feel is awesome, but remember the new Rebel has a second setting for more bow feel, and one of my mates rode it on the demo day and said he felt that it was not that much different from his switchy in depower stroke, I have to ride it in the second setting to feel the difference as if there is such a large difference with these 2 settings then Rebel just has another advantage.

For wave riding really we see kites both 4 line and 5th line go down and get trashed, they are not coming up after that, 4th or 5th, if they are then its small waves. a lot of kites get washed up on the beach here after a beating.

hes the advantage for me with 5th line, If I have to hit the safety, that kite is going to flag out to one line with no spiralling. Hovering a few feet over the water or face down in the water.

remember that Rebels on 5 lines have a different relaunch method than a 4 line kite and that is not a defective design, its intentional in the 5 line set up, the new rebel if relaunched properly will basically turn around itself and line up, but if you fight it then it won't. All you have to do is hold one steering line in and wait a second, don't panic and try something else, give it a second, it will come around and edge up, if it does not in that first couple of seconds, then grab the other line and it will, then relaunch per normal.
The other hint is as soon as you feel you have put the kite down, in that instant BUTT check in the water, don't keep riding or worse keep going towards it, then you get slack lines, hit the water fast and hard with your butt and keep the line tight, then it will relaunch really fast.

bit of a ramble

with any kite in surf, keep it in the air, that's my advice