quote:

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Originally posted by poor relative

Depends on how fat you are....whats your weight>?

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not too fat - 80kg

Hey, join the club, I was at Leghton too.

True, the rebel looked gay but not as gay as the dude who dropped his kite in the pack of kids learning to surf, hey?

quote:

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not too fat - 80kg

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Ten would be ok.....but a 12 would be ideal.

I regret gay kiting yesterday my ankle is again the size of a kn cricket ball, and very sore. Looks like i'm off the water for a while yet.

does it boost big air??
Im looking for a kite, and all sounds good..
stable in air,
great for riding surf,
easy relaunch,
but its gotta go big.
Im looking at say a 14m. im 90 kgs and kite in anything from 10 -25 kts. Would those who have used one think the 14 would be a fair call?

Sloth

It boosts big, all the new Rebels have more grunt low end like hanging on a rocket, they are super stable and can hold **** loads of wind in complete comfort, my mate today was on his 12m in 28 - 29 knots at times and totally comfortable. I was on the 2008 10m and jumped as big as I ever have and just hang there. Others were on 9m and I took another mates 9m out.

Seriously these kites are the sauce man, my reputation on it, I don't ride them for nothin, try one and see.

Relaunch is better with the 2008 as well. You have to bring them around to the window, they dont reverse launch or anything like that.

Dazza

Dazza,
can i ask what you and your mate weigh. Trying to get my head around sizing.
Im used to c kite sizes and am muddled.
Have you kited them in ligher winds?
10m in 28 kts sounds good. My winds here that would be a v heavy day for summer and normal for winter

I am 68 kg and am riding the 2008 Rebel 10m from 14 - 15 knots up to 30 knots with comfort, it will take more than that as even I, traditionally a small kite rider can take the Rebel 12m to 28 knots in comfort.

Today my mate riding the 12m is about 76 kg but the other mate on the Rebel 12m is 100 kg in 22 - 23 knots after it dropped off. I think that if you are talking over 20 knots regular wind, Go Rebel 12m, but regular under 20 knots go 14m.

Easy peasy

as a 68 kg rider now 2008 Rebel 10 is all I need so in good winds you will be fine, but then the new 14 turns faster so if you like big air and holding it down, might as well have the extra canopy.

Hope that helps a bit

try the 12m you'll be smokin

Daz

Dazza
Thanks heaps
muchos gracious
very helpful.
I currently ride a fuel 19m and 15m, so i dont mind the extra canopy.
14 m soulds the go
thanks again
sloth

PS: Didn't want to repeat myself, but my thoughts on the Rebel are on the "Rebel vs Helix" topic...
I generally agree with everything Daz wrote, so it makes it easy!

Sloth the 14m boosts big air ...end of story. Me...95kg+ no problem getting high. I ride 145 nobile 138 underground and soon a 135 nobile my 07 14m rebel is awsome. Just remember no to throw her back to far i.e operate between 11:00 and 1:00 and you will be pleasantly surprised at how much boost you have.

quote:

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Originally posted by em

PS: Didn't want to repeat myself, but my thoughts on the Rebel are on the "Rebel vs Helix" topic...
I generally agree with everything Daz wrote, so it makes it easy!

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Thanks for the rap em, nice to know that I have something sensible to say

Daz

I'd lurv to try the 08 but then i'd only want one, have to stick with my 07, hasnt let me down yet. Rebel rules

Flew my new 08 12m Rebel for the first time today. Blue with a pink leading edge and struts. Odd... not standard 08 colors, must an extra special one... Up until now I owned an 07 14/9 Rebel quiver. A bit difficult to fairly compare the 12 to the old 14, and even more difficult to compare to my 9. I guess I won't bother with any 07 vs. 08 performance comparisons...

Initial impression was that kite construction is a bit more beefed up from last year. Aramid (spelling?) bumper strips (for lack of a better description) along cambatten pockets, round covers over the end of pockets to prevent lines from snagging, and some extra reinforcement patches here and there. A couple of big black ones near the wing tips that I don't think were on the 07's. Might be wrong... Bag is the same and I am currently using my 07 bar until the new bar arrives in a few weeks. Also comes with a couple of funny looking bungee cords running off the rear kite pigtails to assist with relaunch.

Kite flew very well right out of the bag with rear lines on second knot (bar end). No fiddling around. Very stable and quite grunty. I am 70kg, the wind was blowing approx. 20 knots, gusting a bit higher, and I was trucking along comfortably with plenty of depower still up my sleeve. Bar pressure not heavy, but certainly not as light as some of the bridle type kites I have tried lately. I would place pressure in a "medium" category but this could be debated. Anyways... not too light, not too heavy.

Canopy looks solid in the sky and feels solid while riding. No flutter, no on/off, jerking, twitchiness, etc. Can't comment on what it does during kiteloops, etc., can't do them... yet. The kite is very easy to boost and I felt jumps were bigger than what I have done in the past (ok, just one 07/08 comparison). Hangtime seems much the same (that's two comparisons...). Floaty enough to satisfy. I would be tempted to call this new kite a "Rhibel" , as it does appear to be a bit of a cross between the 07 Rebel and Rhino. Steering is awesome, fast, direct, but easily controlled.

What else... upwind no problem, downwind riding the crest off little waves chasing the kite... ditto. Obvious that the kite is very much at home meandering thru the surf. Too bad we don't have more of it up here

I dumped the kite twice, typical leading edge down crash and it popped up in seconds by pulling on a rear line. It will be interesting to give those bungees a real test when things go really wrong and the kite and lines are all messed up.

Overall first impression... very very positive. Yes, the kite and I are still very much in the honeymoon stage but I can quite comfortably state it is the most enjoyable kite I have flown over the past couple of years and I have been fortunate to have owned/borrowed/demo'ed quite a few now. I guess if I had to change anything about the kite I would reduce bar pressure a little bit. I have grown to appreciate how easy some of the newer kites out there are on your arms, and I'm not getting any younger.

hey buschy

Although you dont want to do a comparison of 07 to 08 i was wondering what the new 12m power was compared to the 14m

I have been reading that people who used to fly the 14m will now love the 12m for its extra power (and faster turning), is this true?

I have an 07 14m at the moment, love the kite but would much prefer to be flying a 12m instead.

Im weighing in at 90kgs

Cheers

Couldn't really make an accurate comparison yesterday. I'll let you know once we get a crap wind day and I try to take it out in 10/11 knots (bottom end of my 14m). Hoping I can still go out but have the performance advantage of quicker steering. etc.

Omega, I was talking to a guy here on Sunday who was demoing an 08 10m. He said it has as much power as his 07 12m.

Hey Omega, had a crap wind day and took the Rebel 12 out. Basically the same lower end as the 07 14. Perhaps marginally different but splitting hairs. Approx. 11 knots. What I did notice is that it perks up right away when the odd bullet passed thru. Instant speed and performance. The 14 took more time to wake up. Very happy with kite.

Does the 08 rebel have a bigger wind range than the 07 or does it sacrifice some top end wind range to gain more low down power

Thanks for the info slack and buschy

I love my 07 14m, i just find that in those lighter days it would just be so slow to turn and you couldnt get that much power out of it.

Now to try and not take a jailhouse pounding on selling my old gear and get some new ones.

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Originally posted by kevinwd1

Does the 08 rebel have a bigger wind range than the 07 or does it sacrifice some top end wind range to gain more low down power

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Kev,
the added grunt on the Rebel 08 low end does not make it lose any of its depower at its top end...

Em

Does the rebel come with the 2008 bar yet.

Bars are meant to be coming any time now...

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Originally posted by WINDSURFnSNOW

quote:

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Originally posted by kevinwd1

Does the 08 rebel have a bigger wind range than the 07 or does it sacrifice some top end wind range to gain more low down power

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Kev,
the added grunt on the Rebel 08 low end does not make it lose any of its depower at its top end...

Em

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Correct, infact I might suggest that they have a little more top end in them. From my testing of the 2008 10m it was steadier in the top end wind (I know - if that is possible), the difference being that as it has a deeper foil you can feel a little extra force that the canopy has on it from this I think.

It is fine and depowered but you can just feel this little extra force of the kite wanting to get back to business, if you know what I mean. It feels good

How are you rigging yours Dazz, as is or have you tweaked?

PR I actually set the 10m up by moving the steering lines in (shorter) one knot only. this seems to provide a better bottom end lighter wind option, and gives it a driven C kite feel, It is like the old days of feeling the grunt in the kite with the bar out a bit.
This seems to be a combination of lighter bar pressure and more power in the canopy. the difference being when you let the bar out further the power drops out in typical Rebel style.
On a high wind day probably factory setting would be better if you want cruise 07 Rebel feel. but I must say I really got used to the super extra grunt.
I tried it on both rear and forward pigtails but actually preferred the forward (more bow feel) with the shorter steering lines. as that way I had the power and drive of a C kite but with the ability to let all the power out for the wave ride in by pulling in the vario cleat and letting the bar out.

No question they do fly perfect on factory setting even with the 07 bars. it will be interesting to test the 12m which a mate has coming shortly.

I picked up my 10m yesterday but having to wait til mid sept for the 08 bar, in the mean time I will use my 7m bar.

Just as a testiment to the power of the 08 Rebels I have put my 07 12m into Onboard as all I will need now is a 10m (68kg) so you can bet most crew will only need a 12m and 9m kit down here.

I'll ride the 10m in light winds with my new Freestyle Fish due to arrive in the next 2 weeks and then at 14-15 knots the twinie is lit on the 10m Rebel.

Sweet

quote:

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Originally posted by dazza5172

PR I actually set the 10m up by moving the steering lines in (shorter) one knot only. this seems to provide a better bottom end lighter wind option, and gives it a driven C kite feel, It is like the old days of feeling the grunt in the kite with the bar out a bit.
This seems to be a combination of lighter bar pressure and more power in the canopy. the difference being when you let the bar out further the power drops out in typical Rebel style.
On a high wind day probably factory setting would be better if you want cruise 07 Rebel feel. but I must say I really got used to the super extra grunt.
I tried it on both rear and forward pigtails but actually preferred the forward (more bow feel) with the shorter steering lines. as that way I had the power and drive of a C kite but with the ability to let all the power out for the wave ride in by pulling in the vario cleat and letting the bar out.

No question they do fly perfect on factory setting even with the 07 bars. it will be interesting to test the 12m which a mate has coming shortly.

I picked up my 10m yesterday but having to wait til mid sept for the 08 bar, in the mean time I will use my 7m bar.

Just as a testiment to the power of the 08 Rebels I have put my 07 12m into Onboard as all I will need now is a 10m (68kg) so you can bet most crew will only need a 12m and 9m kit down here.

I'll ride the 10m in light winds with my new Freestyle Fish due to arrive in the next 2 weeks and then at 14-15 knots the twinie is lit on the 10m Rebel.

Sweet

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Hello,
Maybe you answered this before, but how would you compare the turning speed of the Rebel08 10m vs Rebel07 9m?
Thanks!

Just got back from my first powered up session with my 12m Rebel 08.
20 knots + and still haven't touched the depower... Also, still haven't got the kite wet once ever since I bought it (it just doesn't want to go there: doesn't matter how hard I crash...the kite doesn't...), and holy smoke, this little gem jumps well!
A whole depower strap to go and it already jumps like a rocket, can't wait to take it out in 25 +: now that's gonna be jumping... Dazza and other Rebel riders, is it me or it's got more lift than last year's? I had couple of relatively stupidly high jumps this morning, and I wasn't quite lit yet! Seemed to me I was achieving such heights last year in much stronger winds...
I'm amazed how the kite is always where it's supposed to be, it lets me get away with so much mistakes I can be more daring, I only wish I could try those relaunch bungies at last once...
But so far so good... It just gets better each time! Now bring on those 25 knots, I want to see how high I can really jump with this toy!
I've tried a lot of kites these past 6 weeks... A lot of them were excellent, but it still feels like home whenever I jump back on the Rebel. Fast, sensitive, precise, forgiving, powerful and gentle in the same time, fantastic lift, superb depower, unbeatable turning speed, stable, it responds immediately to whatever input I put on the bar which has a very direct feel (it's that feel I like the most: never heavy but extremely lively), I'm unconditionally in love with the 5th line safety system and still think one can't beat a bridle free kite (I love simplicity: everything about this kite is a no brainer, it's life made easy).
This kite is addictive...

Em/PR/08 Rebel Owners,

Bullsh!t.com is sh!tcanning Rebels on kiteforum.

Anyone got any feedback on this, or is Bullsh1t.com full of bullsh!t?

(Although now too late as mine are on order!!!)

I dunno JJd
There will always be those who are disappointed, upset, hormonal or unbalanced.

The REbel 08 IMO is better than 07 in many regards, low end, turning speed, more out of the bag, better relaunch, better hang time ec etc etc
. If it wasn't i would have no hesitation in getting another kite.

However the kite is great, don't worry you will be very happy.

Oh put it in proportion, how many crap reviews Vs Great reviews.

I look forward to it then.

Did they "fly out of the bag" or did you need to play around with the line lengths?

(I am getting the 12 and 9)