Hi fellow north riders ( and past and future ones at that ).
Guys I have heard there have been significant changes to the evo in 2013. So much so I know of one retailer in Perth that will resume stocking them.
I'm trying to get a handle on how the evo compares to the rebel and Vegas, it's good and bad points for 2012. This is to give me some bearings whei demo them mid august Why you may ask?
Well I ride the rebel and vegas. Love the boost and power of the rebel, but love the Vegas in the surf hooked and unhooked, and yet I miss the boost of the rebel when on the Vegas.
Where does the delta shape of the evo fit. Hard to find much on it, comparative wise. Been on the other main forum, but nothing really, although th search function on that site give me the sh1ts.
So fire away evo riders and those that have flown the rebel and Vegas as well. Or even If you haven't you may heard stuff on the grapevine.
We will be stocking the Evo again as it was very popular last season.
The Evo fits perfectly in the middle of the Rebel & the Vegas. Good unhooked, loops well, good in the surf, plenty of low end grunt and plenty of boost! The Evo hasn't changed TOO much from last season. Everyone who had the chance to use one last season, loved the kite.
You can run this kite on 4 or 5 lines, with the 5 line option giving a little more depower, and the 4 line option giving a bit more direct feel and turning.
We will be airfreighting in Evo's as soon as they are available. We also have a 6m 2012 left if anyone is after a big wind kite
Get out and demo one as soon as you can, that's really the only way.
Ta for that. Any specific characteristics you noticed. Have heard the power is hard to bleed off on the face of the wave? From what you said would be easier to bleed off than the rebel, is this the case? Look forward to giving this kite a demo. Is the bar pressure greater on the 4 line option then?
How does the 5 line option give more depower?
Are you talking when the QR is pulled?
When you rig in up to a 5 line bar the 5th is slack right?
Yeh the Vegas and Rebel have tensioned 5th's and they are the only dedicated 5 line kites but the rest of the North range are 4 line kites that have 5th line capability via a leader line that tucks away and are not tensioned as far as I know.
"It has 'slightly' more depower as the weight of the 5th line actually pulls the nose down ever so slightly" - Till from North.
We had the kite on both 4 and 5 lines last year and it was a very small difference, very hard to pick but once it's pointed out you can notice it. This is a tiny difference but it is there, promise!
I believe the 2013 will have slightly less bar pressure than the 2012, and the turning is a little quicker in the bigger kites.
If you want a freestyle kite - Vegas
High performance freeride/wave kite - Rebel
If you want a great freeride/freestyle/wave (in that order) kite - Evo
Cheers for that. Might give you a call later to get more specifics from you. Ta mate.
hey did north upgrade or change their bar grip on the 2013 bar?, as i think i would be lucky to get another season out of my 2012 bar at the rate the grip is wearing out. Everyone I know with the 2012 bar is having the same issue. The grip is really comfy but just not made to last 
Apparently they have. The crew that went to Queensland liked the change. Also the depower rope has some harder ' stringer' through the middle to stop wear. Not sure of material. Tthe bar ends are also detachable for easy adjustment. The bar had the most significant changes I have heard. Proof will be in the product I suppose.
Don't forget that this year the depower rope has a stiffer core to prevent it from rapping around the cleat. Also don't forget the Neo is a popular choise for wave riding.
Bar felt REALLY good! The hole in the centre of the bar has changed to reduce wear on the depower line and yes the depower line has a stiffer line running through the core to prevent it wrapping around itself when depower is pulled on.
The bar ends are something special.
Same high quality QR safety. Stiffer lines. Safety line runs through a feeder on the depower cleat to stop the safety line wrapping around the cleat and getting in the way. New cleat design.
The bar has had the most changes this year than it has for a long long time.
this topic has been perfect for me as im thinking of upgrading my 2012 parks to new North kites, could someone plz confirm: is it true that kite canopy and overall build on north is of a higher quality (in terms of durability) over that of Naish? (this is one of my main reasons for change)
other question, am i correct in taking out of this forum that if i am not sure which kite i want between the Vegas and the Rebel (which is my case) then i should go for the Evo which sits in between the 2? (i know it sounds stupid)
thanks for all the tips until now
this topic has been perfect for me as im thinking of upgrading my 2012 parks to new North kites, could someone plz confirm: is it true that kite canopy and overall build on north is of a higher quality (in terms of durability) over that of Naish? (this is one of my main reasons for change)
other question, am i correct in taking out of this forum that if i am not sure which kite i want between the Vegas and the Rebel (which is my case) then i should go for the Evo which sits in between the 2? (i know it sounds stupid)
thanks for all the tips until now
Yep the bar grip has changed, I spent the whole 3 hour test session on kites with the new bars.
The grip combined with some of the newer features will put a lot of other brands on the defensive, same as North did with the entity foot straps last season.
The build quality is second to none and IMO better than the Naish's.
North have secured the D2 for at least another 12 months, and yes if your torn between the free-ride ability of the Rebel and the free-style flavour of the Vegas the Evo provides a mid-point and takes the best of both.
Kovi that is exactly what I'm trying to find out, but no banana so far.
No-one it seems can give me a straight answer comparative wise. I'm mean a well measured and knowledgeable comparison anyhow.
...and yes the grip material has changed, but the north retailers would know more.
Yeh seen the colours on the Kiteforum? They better be prototypes!
Hey AKS....you say the Evo is the middle ground....at what cost? There is always a catch. There is always a compromise. I'm starting to wonder if the compromise, has caused crew to stay away from it.
Any full blown Evo riders out there? Hello it there anybody there??? Hellooooooooooo
maybe they dont go out in winter...
WA surf said it was a popular model, well where the bloody hell are ya evo riders?
Cheers Aks
Eppo: I know a team rider who rides Evos and swears by them. She says it all down to north marketing rebel and Vegas so heavily (and not the evo) that has resulted in them
Being more popular..
So Eppo, having demo'd a certain C with 4 lines and found it to tick all your boxes, why would you spend so much time asking if the deficiencies of other kites have been fixed rather than just going with what's already proven? I'm reminded of Siddhartha's words to Govinda when their paths cross as old men:
"What could I say to you that would be of value, except that perhaps you seek too much, that as a result of your seeking you cannot find." Hermann Hesse
Just really enjoy your slant on things djodjo.
Yes C4 right at top at moment but getting all ducks in a row for demo time. I would like to hear some technical feedback about this kite as it may be a demo option. Not crap like it sits in between rebel and Vegas something written by someone with some technical know how. Similar to how you have written about the C4. But so far, nothing.
Only had 1 hr on C4, need a couple more. But yes it did tick all the boxes. But I also do like the north range.
Hi eppo
I ride the EVO,S I was on rebel before for some years 9m and 7m 2008 and 2010 but I change over from 5 lines to 4 lines set up as I got fed up swimming in when I dropped the kite and could not get it up in time before a wave would wash over it + the 5th line did cut the middle strut off the canopy. So I moved to EVO for its quicker relaunch. Better bottom end and to get away from 5th line hassles.
I have 9m 2012 and a 6m 2011 and run two bars 24m line set and 19m line set and ride in waves mostly been very happy with the Evo .
At my local wave spot Wanda on north kites we have 4+ on 2012 rebels 1 on Vegas 2012, 1 on Neo 2012, and my on Evo + all the other brands'
Ah finally!, I will PM you mate, cheers...Want to hear from someone who actually rides them period.
KOVI: North's quality is second to none, new scuff strips that replace the ratty old Kevlar style. High stressed areas of the kite that require extra strength are computer cut, glued and computer sewn. Lines have 15% less stretch, reducing the stretch in the line over 24m by 36cm.
EPPO: The same question was asked to the CEO of North. His answer was If you want to ride waves go with the Neo; If you want to just do Freestyle then go with the Vegas; If you want to ride waves, freestyle and boost then go with the EVO.
On an international scale the Rebel is North's biggest selling kite followed by the EVO.
Yeh I know norths quality is second to none I have both the real and Vegas, so understand them very well.
Will demo the evo, still a little shy of delta DNA, in my experience they don't like the upper end of their wind range. Will suck and see.
Gotta love the new colors. Might have to change my wetty...
Seriously though what planet are they on...
Ah ah ah ah, staying alive, stayin alive.
Just remember if you demo an EVO make sure you go down a size from what you are used to eg if you ride a 10m Rebel or Vegas then go with a 9m Evo. opposite for the Neo, you will need to go up a size to an 11m. Cheers and looking forward to your review.
Expo,
I had '10 and '11 evo's 12/9/7. I preferred the '10's as they didn't have one pump and you could pump the struts up and make the frame totally solid, I really enjoyed them, great low end, really smooth power, great through the turn and lots of range. I understand the '12's are even better and quicker to turn, not that they were slow. I ride strapless in x on conditions, my only issue was at times were their weight in these x on conditions could cause them to drop occasionally, I don't think they would in down the line conditions though. But, that said it wouldn't stop me for getting them again.
They are powerful and was always on a size smaller than everyone else and reckon the 10 eve would match a 12 Vegas, look at the projected areas on the north web site, they are similar to the rebel and greater than Vegas.
For info, I went to Reo's which I liked apart from the fluttering and vibration when depowered (my conditions can be gusty, with a colder, denser wind than you), and went to bandit V's which are brilliant at want I want them to do.
Regards
Mike
