Haven't written a review for a while (haven't felt the need to and quote frankly couldn't be stuffed) but I really felt the below should be shared.
Well to be frank I think North have really missed a trick here marketing it as a pure race kite. This is an incredible advanced freeride kite as well in my opinion. It's hard to get REALLY excited after 15 seasons about a wing having flown so many since the two line foil days, but honestly I cannot wait to get back on this wing. It's the 13m I'm talking about but I would assume the 15m would have similar characteristics and I want one! Obviously it has incredible wind range. At 74kg I have had it out from 10/11 knots (cranking! upwind on a 44 wide TT - so NOT a race board) all the way to 23/25 which is beyond it's specified wind range...not a problem.
The canopy is so damn light (you cannot help notice it when you pick it up either in the bag or inflated) it just performs in the light (relatively) stuff without hesitation.It's predominantly a race kite, but it's stability is something to behold. You can place this kite in any part of the window, you have full control of this. On that light day mentioned, with some slight trim, I was hooking into the micro loop, leaning out and the kite would just sit in the perfect position to crank upwind...obviously as it picked up speed, I would unhook from the micro hook and slot it behind the stopper only a couple of inches up. This kite at this size is almost impossible to back stall. So stable and so intuitive.
The next thing is really hard to describe, but it must have something to do with that voodoo bridalling and the attachment points on the struts (and how they interplay with the wing geometry obviously). When jumping this kite it is almost like you have the choice of multiple kite feel options. What I mean is you can sheet out, send 'bow' kite type jumping...or if you wish, crank it from low down with power to give what feels very much like a C kite jumping feel. It won't stall on you like most high aspect race kites...in-fact it LOVES IT! The more WANG the better! This has me scratching my head every time I take it out.
As I am always aiming for maximum hangtime I tend to use half way between a C and high aspect bow technique..and it loves it. It's not just me...another veteran of 14 seasons got on it the other day and his first comment when he got in was...I'll be stuffed you can make this kite feel like an old C kite (he rides dices but used to fly all the older C kites, fuels etc) ...jumping wise I mean only...it won't slack out for you...lol
The bar pressure (although very nice even on the hard setting) increases as you pull in (no surprise), this offers great tactile feel, static grunt control (to load against) but more importantly... what you have is exquisite bar pressure and line load control. I tend to use the gust, let the throw out, then pull it back to this perfect load point, where the kite has immense power and yet you are not putting it too far back in the window...then SEND!! And wack...even on a 13m you get appreciable vertical lift, the aspect takes hold and you go long as well. Perfect for my board offs, but so much fun just to boost big and go long with a simple grab to stabilise the body position.
This tactile feel also allows you to jump big and long without requiring the board and kite speed your normally need on a high aspect race kite. This is what I also mean about it's C kite load and send, or another view would be the jumping ease of a lower aspect kite...it is not as technical as you would predict. Although with good technique you will get the best out of it.
So there is this unique bar pressure feel built within this wing, and you can adjust this on the fly before you send depending on wind, water conditions and the board you are using.In those light conditions I had a lot of time to inspect the wing at work. Those voodoo bridal attachments etc seem to make the leading edge turn as one..there is little crappy wing tip shear going on. Sure the initial pull puts pressure on the wingtip through the back lines, but then the front and back lines then connect and turn the wing in perfect synchronization. This creates a superb mechanical feel. And it gives you complete control of HOW you want the kite to turn, how much power and how quick.
The thing is, although it offers incredible tactile par pressure feel, let the bar out, the pressure drops off the kite and it screams around the window allowing you to point into the wind at ungodly angles even for an LEI. Even with large jumps and the downwind travel, one tack and you are back at your mark and most of the time beyond it.It's got aspect...so the hang-time is superb, nothing new here...but what you get with this wing, that I haven't found on other race kites, is the kite trajectory is very predictable, the decent is very predictable, there is none of this need to concentrate on your bar throw...or as with other wings, they suddenly fly precariously overhead. .
..and just to mangle with your mind even more...I have had this kite in the waves on a TT...It works just fine, because you have this control of where you want it placed in the window. It's no wave kite obviously, but it WORKS just fine if you know what you are doing and are not focused on tight wave riding, which let's face it you should be on a SB anyway. Honestly I could bang on for hours about this wing...and again I think North are missing a market here...this is an incredible advanced freeride kite! In my humble opinion of course...
Thanks to damo at WA Surf (Mandurah) for putting me in the dog house yet again at home...
ps have you seen the forecast next week...we are on!!!
eppo
> 9 months ago, 6 Dec 2014
