Rider: Weight(85kg) Level (intermediate - advanced)
Style: Freeriding (old schoolish) with powered surfing
Weather: 13-35knots
Board: 158cm Cardboard Wave

Working with AKS on sizing for a probably 2012 rebel kite. Need some advice of rebel riders...especially from WA who know our conditions well.

I mainly kite in Mandurah, south and north of the cut, mainly ocean but when desperate estuary.

The winds around here are always less than perth and rocko, surprisingly so that at times the true 'fill in' won't be as great due to I think the effect of the large estuary. Hence we do get a lot of 17-21 days that would normally be 20-25, not far north of here. And a heap of 14-17 days at start and end of season, a heap, especially with the easterlies!

So I need some bottom end, which rebels give you but know pulleys with direct feel always comes at a price at the top end. Only can afford two kites.

So given the description above, what would you rebel riders suggest - those that know, love and fly the kites, those that really know.

I was thinking 11m and 8m. Say 15-23, swap into 8m up to 30ish. Although some or your reviews point to the 7m having a really good bottom end at say 17,18 knots??

Thoughts please, and this is the kite I am buying, cheers eppo.


So...

ANYONE??

Hey eppo ,i have a mate here that rides rebels,real sure he has a 7 and 11 combo,power output is similar to my Argos so with the wave i would get away with these two kites in 15-35 no worries and i'm 10kg heavier than you,8 would prob give too much overlap,i'm using a 148x43 wave.
Although not 2012 rebels not sure on the year of his.

no replies
its been go'in off up here, 25knts, head high ramps
sounds like your homework has paid of, 8 & 11 sounds like the go to me,
enjoy

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the walks said...

no replies
its been go'in off up here, 25knts, head high ramps
sounds like your homework has paid of, 8 & 11 sounds like the go to me,
enjoy

what frontal or has the south westers started already up there!! You lucky pricks!!

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radman4 said...

Hey eppo ,i have a mate here that rides rebels,real sure he has a 7 and 11 combo,power output is similar to my Argos so with the wave i would get away with these two kites in 15-35 no worries and i'm 10kg heavier than you,8 would prob give too much overlap,i'm using a 148x43 wave.
Although not 2012 rebels not sure on the year of his.

Ha ha what a knob, mine is the 148 not 158 - better change it! Yeh the overlap is the thing I'm trying to get info on. I'm thinking the 7m too, go balls to walls with the 11m at 23-24 knots then crank out the 7m. The low end of these kites (and i've been told by some rebel riders it really is a good low end, unlike what a lot of brands say), you could be going okay by anything above 20 knots anyhow.

Yeh you are onto something radman... Radman why don't more people use the wave? It just baffles me man, such a superb board. Better go and change that size - ha ha ah

I'm a fan of small being predominantly a wave rider
My quiver is 7 and 9.
Does me from 15kn to 30kn
Gonna get me a 5 so i feel comfortable from about 28 plus.

I'm 90kg

Saying that i use my 7 more than my 9
Low end is amazing and the ability for these kites to point up wind is incredible

yeh I would say I'm half and half and enjoy the freeriding aspect. Agree with your sizes if only wave riding.

10 7 Perth, 11 8 for man dooora

Thought you might of got a custom wave mate,there was some talk on the forum a while back of bigger size customs ,wouldnt mind a bigger one as well,i think everyone should have one its the most versatile board i've got ,ride it in anything and always puts a smile on the dial,hope you get sorted with the reb's.

I use the 2011 Rebel 12m, 9m, 7m, & 5m with a 6-4 surfboard and I'm 96kg to 100kg's depending on what I had for dinner/ beers consumed. I use my 9m and 7m Rebels 99% of the time from 15knots to 28 knots, no problem and usually I'm one of the best at getting up wind most days. When I'm on my 9m in 15 knots, most others are on 10m, 11m or 12m kites.

Only use the 12m - by the way a great grunty kite and pretty fast - IMO way better lower end than the 11m which I swapped for the 12m. On super light wind sketchy days from 10 to 15 knots - where its almost to light to kite in waves. Great racing kite in 10 to 20 knots on a wide race board with big fins..

I use the 5m in 28 knots to 35 knots in full on Perth or Up north / down south over the top days - great when super windy - but I over power it alot as I'm pretty heavy. Makes a 30knots day easy kitable and not scary.

Love my Rebels, not perfect, but get's my arse into more than most.


P,S Also do alot of kite racing and the Rebel is one of the better alround- freeride kites than can be competive in this style of kiting. I also buy my own kites, and use Ozone edges for kite racing as I'm a kite slut.

Hi Eppo
I have been using the 11 and 8 rebels for the last 10 months and they do have a fair overlap. Im using a 135 cardboard tempo and can get going on about 15kts with the 11 and it is good to about 25 kts, so you could probably get going in less wind with your board. The 8 can get going in about 20Kts. The 11 works well unhooked but the 8's not so good. The 8 can jump insane when the wind is up. Both great in the waves fast steering, low end power and crank upwind.

Eppo for those winds an 11m 2011 will work really well, for your weight and wind at the 14 - 15 knot mark might be a bit marginal, but 16+ you will be fine. I would also go 7m for when the 11 is starting to get over powered, as a light weight rider I find the 7m excellent as its is full enough in gusts but not too big, for your winds 7m is perfect.

Dazza

Okay I have made a decision and thanks for all the help guys.

I decided to go the 11m/8m combo. After having a good old chat with darren at aks he quite rightly pointed out that if you are only going a two kite quiver you want as much money in the air as possible. I had a GTS 8m, and only used it probably 3 times, just sat there while I cranked up the 10m XR (Great kites core). This makes sense to me and I am expereinced enough and ride powered up hence can take the 11m to near it's limit, so when I change over the 8m will be cranked as well.

Mandurah really does suffer from almost the bunbury blues, will be crankin' at say rocko and you go 30km south and the wind can drop by 5-10 knots. Again it's the effect of the estuary. We see it all summer. The wind cranks in middayish, builds, then backs right off again until reaching a steady state. The large colder estuarine body of water reduced the incoming wind as the air settles back down over the cold water - my theory anyhow that matched my daily/sometimes hourly(when at work ) observation of wind here.

Probably then go a 6m rebel or even the reo when my wife has stopped metaphorically killing as I spend yet more money on this lifestyle. Oh well, love is blindness...

Don't need anymore posts, cheers boys been a great help. Just gotta get my head aorund 5th line kites!! HA HA - I will be posting another question about lunching and landing this kite, appreciate feedback.