Rider: fully keen
Style: Freeriding, Surf, Wake, Freestyle, Race
Weather: 20knts
Build Quality: 11/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Disclosure: shop owner

My Comments:
I had a quick run on the new 2013 north Fuse 12m flown on 4 line set up/
The kite turns quicker compared to the 2012 Fuse.
It is a hybrid freeride kite and i think North has designed an amazing boosting kite. It hangs and boosts crazy good, even better than the 2013 Rebel which is one of the best boosters i have ever jumped.
I found the Fuse really easy to jump- full speed, load and send. Didnt rip me off edge or send me forward- just up and up and higher :)

It turns as quick as the Rebel and is pretty responsive too regardless of the bridal.
In the last years i didnt like that you have to give way more bar input to make it turn nicely.

It also hammers upwind so i will give it a go on the raceboard as well. might be a good option for people that want a freeride kite they can use for racing as well.


I will upload some photos and more feedback after the next session.

I know it's not there surf kite, but does it drift well enough to use in the surf?

... hey intheloop, did you get any bigger sizes in?

... another question, is the Fuse as crisp in the turns and steering as say the Rebel?

Actually, what I really want to find out in specific is, is there any bridle delay or bridle 'feel' if you know what I mean? I know they (bridle kites) all work great and have gotten way better over the years but bridled kites still have that 'feel' especially in the big sizes. Riding Rebels for a while now have spoilt me!

cheers,

Robbie

Have just taken delivery after now regretfully selling 2012 Fuse for hopefully a even better, hotter kite.
All, 6 who flew this 12mtr model in the last week with varying weights, medium to high experience riders with different bar and kite settings in between 12-18 kts has been a disappointment.
We Had 1 day with 20kts + and yes it performed well, with no need for depower/trim was acceptable - similar compared to 2012 but jump heights were still much reduced with Increased bar pressure even on light setting - equivalent to heavy setting on 2012 model. Turn speed in under 18kts has slowed noticeably.
Checked plan view overlaid on 2012 model finding that 2013 fuse with approx 50ml extra in chord length with forward swept extended tips, the new bridle has different attachment points with 1 solid pulley.
The New 9mtr Fuse which was great, we swapped to the 12mtre with 16+kts and again noticed a considerable negative result in power delivery.
Interested in other opinions and evaluation of the 2013 Fuse

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GPukallus said...
Have just taken delivery after now regretfully selling 2012 Fuse for hopefully a even better, hotter kite.
All, 6 who flew this 12mtr model in the last week with varying weights, medium to high experience riders with different bar and kite settings in between 12-18 kts has been a disappointment.
We Had 1 day with 20kts + and yes it performed well, with no need for depower/trim was acceptable - similar compared to 2012 but jump heights were still much reduced with Increased bar pressure even on light setting - equivalent to heavy setting on 2012 model. Turn speed in under 18kts has slowed noticeably.
Checked plan view overlaid on 2012 model finding that 2013 fuse with approx 50ml extra in chord length with forward swept extended tips, the new bridle has different attachment points with 1 solid pulley.
The New 9mtr Fuse which was great, we swapped to the 12mtre with 16+kts and again noticed a considerable negative result in power delivery.
Interested in other opinions and evaluation of the 2013 Fuse

... I sorta felt the same when I got my Dyno 2012 17m, something lost in the pazzaz from the year before. Changed settings back and forth and it just never really got me keen in the kite. In desperation I took the adaptive steering adjustment and put it past the soft setting and moved it up to where just before the pig tail attachment is sewn close to the kite ie making a 'soft plus' setting if you will. Improved the steering and really made the bar soft but also made it easy and comparible to the year before. Down side was it made the kite more 'bow kite feeling', or 'bridal feel'.

Try it and tell us what you reckon!

cheers,

Robbie

I was one of the six riders that day ...and I am generally happy with my 12mtr fuse ,,,.giving the conditions we rode in not fare to put it down ,,the wind sucked ,,, kite jumps well it just needs more Kiter input than before ,,, and the 9mtr is even better ,,,,,,,,the more I ride it the better it gets 😁😳had evo's last year and fuse's the last 2 years before that n rhinos before them ,, so I have had some idea of what I am riding ,,,,, I give it my thumbs up

A number of long time fuse and rebel users like myself, riding rebels and fuses since their origin, would have to say that the new 2013 kites are lame in comparison to past versions. Their safer, softer and many ex Cabrinha riders like them. Me, I won't buy any North kites in 2013, and unless they change and give us that 'balls to the wall' pull and performance that we are used I won't buy one in 2014. Ill have to keep riding my old one till she dies and hope that the North designers or someone else will make a similar kite to the previous rebel designs. North you suck!

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rhinoman said...
I was one of the six riders that day ...and I am generally happy with my 12mtr fuse ,,,.giving the conditions we rode in not fare to put it down ,,the wind sucked ,,, kite jumps well it just needs more Kiter input than before ,,, and the 9mtr is even better ,,,,,,,,the more I ride it the better it gets 😁😳had evo's last year and fuse's the last 2 years before that n rhinos before them ,, so I have had some idea of what I am riding ,,,,, I give it my thumbs up

Even with the bridles being wrong?

Yes now the bridle has been adjusted on the 12mtr it flys more like the old fuse ...went out yesterday after adjusting the bridle to the proper Ken winner specs and it is back ,,, It feels like my 9 quick turning n massive boost ,,,,if you have a 12 mtr I would get the bridle specs checked ??? I know BrisKites have them,,, thanks Jason

... mmmm bridle issues, was wondering why it was all quiet on the northern front! If the 12m had bridles issues is it a chance the other sizes have issues??

No, we checked the other sizes.
Just the first run of 12m kites. It was only a 5min adjustment.

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BrisKites said...
No, we checked the other sizes.
Just the first run of 12m kites. It was only a 5min adjustment.

... cool.

So, have the boys who had troubles done the adjustments, have they tested again? Some of us wanna know!

Big question for me is how about the bigger sizes, I'm sure there are others out there who wanna know too!

... bump ...

Just wondering why its been a bit quiet on the Fuse front? A bit more info would be great (good or bad)??

interested myself on either the 16 or 18 mtr, anyone ridden either sz yet

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Puetz said...
... bump ...

Just wondering why its been a bit quiet on the Fuse front? A bit more info would be great (good or bad)??

Guys seem very happy now with their 12 m fuses , one guys also has a 9 m and loves it , another guy has a 14 m , I've seen him out but haven't talked to him yet..

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Rattlehead said...

Puetz said...
... bump ...

Just wondering why its been a bit quiet on the Fuse front? A bit more info would be great (good or bad)??

Guys seem very happy now with their 12 m fuses , one guys also has a 9 m and loves it , another guy has a 14 m , I've seen him out but haven't talked to him yet..

... when and if you see him again, see if you can get the 14m guy to put his opinions here.

FYI, here is some info I got via Dan-at-North on kitefourm who was quoting Ken Winner:

The 2013 Dyno is significantly different than the 2013 Fuse in design and construction, but both should have tons of low end. I haven't ridden either, but here is Ken Winner's take on comparing and contrasting the two kites in their largest respective size (Ken designs the Fuse and the Dyno, along with the Rebel)...

The Dyno 17 is actually nearly 18 sqm, so the sizes are very close.

The Dyno 17 flies quite wide compared to the Fuse and it's a pound (roughly) lighter than the Fuse.

The Fuse has a bit flatter canopy and narrower arc and since it's heavier doesn't fly quite as well in super-light wind, but I think it jumps a bit better than the Dyno.

Other differences:
-Fuse has single point inflation, Dyno has 6-point inflation
-Fuse has back pigtail bungees
-Fuse has more reinforcements and so has a little tougher build.
-Fuse can be flown on the North 4-line bar. Dyno can be flown 4-line, but not on a North bar (Dyno 5th line is for safety and relaunch).
-Fuse has three bar hardness settings for the back pigtail.

Overall I think the Fuse is good for the guy that rides a twin-tip and wants to do light-air tricks or who wants to ride over-powered and do jumps and tricks. The Dyno is more for the cruiser on a directional who mostly stays on the water and likes a lot of wind range and upwind ability."

Hope that helps, and I hope to have some user reviews once the Fuses land in a couple weeks and the Dynos a couple months thereafter.

-Dan

... interesting !