North Dyno and Juice Initial Reviews

From Kiteforum...

Ok fist I am affiliated with North, and will be "pimping" how much I like North stuff......

So I have had a couple of new big kites from North about a week, and I have flown them numourous times each, and will be sharing the results,

Kites were all flown trading off on the water with several other kiters, contitions ranged from light, 5knots to powered, 20+knots.

So let me mention the 2015 dyno has some of the trickiest bridles ever, there are NO connections to the leading edge, (except the fith line safety). All bridling is behind a (mystery fabric leading edge) it is burley and slippery. The connection points are at the leading edge and strut connections, and between 30 to 60 cm up on the strut, (it is a six strut with no center strut). This means the drag is decreased, and the center of effort is changed, the front lines attach behind the leading edge and change everything!

The bar feel is crisp and has a direct, mechanical feel unlike any other LEI kite out there. The bar pressure is amazing since the distance from the front to rear lines is much shorter, and the canopy is the most stable I and the local kiters have witnessed, if there is lufting, it is only when the bar is slacked and the rider removes all pressure, then this cute little cigar shape section will luft, and the instantly disappear when a couple pounds of pressure is placed on the bar. This bridle system is a total game changer, and gives the Dyno amazing feel, and characteristics. Comparing it to any other LEI is just unfair, The kite is so crisp, reactive and friendly (for a race kite).

Creating power with the Dyno is simple and affective and with the leading edge in front of the connection points it takes a little time to adjust to the timing, it took me about 10 minutes on the 15 for it to blow my mind, it feels more stable then any kite moving in light wind should, and once you are mid powered, the trimming is so crisp and spot on you can not help but imaging logging hours with out the fatigue some race kites induce. The only other kite with a similar bar feel is the Ozone Chrono, we had one out to compare the Dyno and the Juice with. The Dyno feels much more direct, and more familiar to the LEI kiter while the Chrono has its own character in flight, and reguires a attentive kiter familiar with long foil kites, to be affective, once you have got it parked and pulling it is incredibly fast and effective, it and the Elf are in a category of their own when it comes to size, comparison, the 15m Chrono had more pull the the 15m dyno or 15m Juice , when switching from the 18m dyno to the Chrono, there was a noticeable difference in pull with 18m being very easy to sign and make apparent compared to the 15m Chrono, but once up to speed both kites scream, ( I should mention I am 3 month out of ACL surgery and did all testing strapless on surfboards, since I am not cleared to ride straps for 3more months, so I could not ride formula board and really check the points of sail). When riding the Chronofor the first time I newit had 5 degrees of reach on other kites, this new Dyno also drives up wind at insane angles compared to any other kite, and itis so easy to pull through the window, that you need to develop the skill to not penetrate and lose pressure or VMG it is amazing. Try one, it is groundbreaking.

The Juice is no Dyno, and that was the plan, the dynos a hundred percent race kite, it jumps great, goes way, up wind and needs a kiter familiar with race kites to milk every last usable MPH out of it. But not the Juice...this big bad boy is just a simple treat, does it pull.ike a truck for its size, YUP, does it drift down wind while riding waves or lake chop, oh yaaaa, like a dream, does it have the simple Quick pumping Lazy Pump, system...yuuuuppp... Isitmy go to big kite, for all fun sessions...indeed, and here is why...itis just plane fun, the bar pressure is adjustable to three settings and will make it personal to your style, the lightest is direct, and easy, while the hardest setting is similar to other big kite bar pressure. I prefer the middle setting.

I flew the 15m Juice back to back with a 15 dyno, a ozone zephyr,a 15 Chrono, and even a 11m evo to check out the high end. The Chrono was the most powerful, the dyno and zephyr where close, but the 15 juice made more set it and forget it lower end all the other LEI in its category, I can only quess what the 18m does. There where other big kites out most days,generally, 17m friendly kites, I had plenty of power on the 15, and could do lots of fun smaller kite tricks, this kite feels a lot like the Neo, but with some Evo DNA, it loops, it boost, it drifts, it flys great depowered, well over its suggested high end, I was riding North nuggets with a 220 lbs friend, (I am 160lbs) and we were trading the 15 juice and 11m evo back and forth, we both had plenty of power on EVO 11m and were roped in for comfort with the Juice, but never worried, some thing that is important in our high mountain winds, where it may blow from 8-25knots in a 30 second period. The Juice really drives up wind for a wave based shape, I expected it to have
Less up wind performance then big race kites, but it is close, It close reaches amazingly well and will make any light wind kiters day, just a blast, it has a familiar smaller kite bar feel, and turning speed, and is just a smile maker. This will be my go to big kite for 80 % of my light wind days..

I am happy to answer questions, the best I can. I am sure I forgot stuff.

Nice review
Where did you ride these kites, from your previous posts I had thought you were based around Mandurah / Rockingham, not too many mountain lakes around there?

I saw the bit at the top that says "from kiteforum" after i posted that but thanks for sharing anyway

That dyno just looks fast.

... hey Drew, get a chance to try it yet, what do you think?