Rider: Weight 78kg Level (intermediate/advanced)
Style: Freeriding/Freestyle
Wind 15-30knots

Currently ride a 11m slingshot octane and looking to upgrade to a brand new kite. Iv been looking at the north Dice/Vegas, ozone c4/cat slingshot fuel, airrush lithium/varial and naish ride 2013/2014 kites. Too much of a massive range to choose one.

I want to start unhooking/looping but still want that massive boost and hangtime and a great free ride kite. I want a durable kite that can take a beating where I won't be replacing parts all the time like p-lines, chicken loop ropes and pulleys as what's happened with the octane.

I'm Bit lost with where to go?

What would you reccomend?

Vegas 2013 11m?

The dice would seem like a better bet (between vegas and dice) because it seems like it's more likely to fall into the crossover category of moving to unhooking, but these days, even the C kites are not as rough as they used to be, with the exception of the fuel. I'd also consider the naish park which should also be a good option for moving into unhooking. can't comment on the airush kites. The C4 is a beauty but not everyone's cup of tea.

You're in victoria so you have the chance to demo. I'd be taking advantage of that and trying as many as you can.

Hmmm boosting and hang time, try looking at higher aspect kites that should narrow it down to about a dozen kites lol then top of line most common sellers and that should leave you about 6 kites to demo ;)

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shane75 said...
Hmmm boosting and hang time, try looking at higher aspect kites that should narrow it down to about a dozen kites lol then top of line most common sellers and that should leave you about 6 kites to demo ;)

What do u mean by higher aspect kites?

I'm leaning more towards the dice but its quite pricey and not much is known about it just yet. A lot of people are saying its a wave kite?

Best to get on one then of you can.

The catalyst 2013 falls into the type of kite you are looking for. Ignore the high aspect comment it is not relevant to what you are searching for mate trust me.

Which kite, this is a question that has not correct answer, and the best thing to do is to try as many as you can. Not just try, but spend some time on each to get use to it and see how you get on.
I had a go on a Dice yesterday, and it is definitely a kite that you can use to get good at Freestyle with. Its an easy kite to use. The bar pressure is quite light though, and it does require a very aggressive pop to get enough slack to get a pass in. Loops are gentle and the power comes on progressively. It does fly well unhooked
It depends what you want to do with freestyle. If you want to do big jumps and learn kite loops its perfect to learn on as it is quite gentle. If you want to get into freestyle and learn an air pass, then I don't think you can go past a proper C kite as you will always get more slack.
As Saffer said the Park is also another good kite and apart from the 2014 models, they have a lot of adjustment and you can tune them to sit back more in the window with higher bar pressure and slower turning for getting the pass in, or fly faster and turn quicker if looping is your think.

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eppo said..

Best to get on one then of you can.

The catalyst 2013 falls into the type of kite you are looking for. Ignore the high aspect comment it is not relevant to what you are searching for mate trust me.

check out yo pudlida kta freestyle champion and race champion, on an ozone edge

If your lost a GPS is recommended. Jb hifi and dick smith have an extensive range including garmin, navman and Magellan.

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Frontliner said...
[br]Rider: Weight 78kg Level (intermediate/advanced)
Style: Freeriding/Freestyle
Wind 15-30knots

Currently ride a 11m slingshot octane and looking to upgrade to a brand new kite. Iv been looking at the north Dice/Vegas, ozone c4/cat slingshot fuel, airrush lithium/varial and naish ride 2013/2014 kites. Too much of a massive range to choose one.

I want to start unhooking/looping but still want that massive boost and hangtime and a great free ride kite. I want a durable kite that can take a beating where I won't be replacing parts all the time like p-lines, chicken loop ropes and pulleys as what's happened with the octane.

I'm Bit lost with where to go?

What would you reccomend?

Vegas 2013 11m?

Select to expand quote

NoBS said...
If your lost a GPS is recommended. Jb hifi and dick smith have an extensive range including garmin, navman and Magellan.

Frontliner said...
[br]Rider: Weight 78kg Level (intermediate/advanced)
Style: Freeriding/Freestyle
Wind 15-30knots

Currently ride a 11m slingshot octane and looking to upgrade to a brand new kite. Iv been looking at the north Dice/Vegas, ozone c4/cat slingshot fuel, airrush lithium/varial and naish ride 2013/2014 kites. Too much of a massive range to choose one.

I want to start unhooking/looping but still want that massive boost and hangtime and a great free ride kite. I want a durable kite that can take a beating where I won't be replacing parts all the time like p-lines, chicken loop ropes and pulleys as what's happened with the octane.

I'm Bit lost with where to go?

What would you reccomend?

Vegas 2013 11m?

Haha il be sure to pick one up

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cauncy said..

eppo said..

Best to get on one then of you can.

The catalyst 2013 falls into the type of kite you are looking for. Ignore the high aspect comment it is not relevant to what you are searching for mate trust me.

check out yo pudlida kta freestyle champion and race champion, on an ozone edge

Seriously cauncy, he wants to get INTO freestyle man, be responsible with your suggestions...these guys rely heavily on our advice man.

Any of these kites will blow you away (in a good sense) after the octane (and probably a stretched and threadbare octane at that).

However, for durability and simplicity (no pulleys, 3 struts, and no complicated, weight and cost-adding gimmicks), and the performance criteria you list, a 10m and 8m Catalyst quiver will be perfect. I weigh the same as you and these two kites cover me for the vast majority of Vic conditions.

I've been off the water with an injury for several weeks but will be back out there next week. I'm at Brighton a lot on black, red and white Catalysts. Happy for you to give them a spin.

C kites still go big they just need to be flown!

True nick true and he's only in his second year mate.

If you want to seriously get into unhooking I think the cat is a bit difficult, but it's pretty good at everything else and I haven't flown a 12 yet. Don't get me wrong I do unhook on it, I have just flown other kites that do it a lot better

Yeh fair enough, but I'd say it is not difficult until you really move into some advanced stuff, its a great bridging kite before you move onto a fair dinkum C which I agree is much easier to afford slack l lines.

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eppo said..

cauncy said..

eppo said..

Best to get on one then of you can.

The catalyst 2013 falls into the type of kite you are looking for. Ignore the high aspect comment it is not relevant to what you are searching for mate trust me.

check out yo pudlida kta freestyle champion and race champion, on an ozone edge

Seriously cauncy, he wants to get INTO freestyle man, be responsible with your suggestions...these guys rely heavily on our advice man.

i was being seriouse, yo pud is an ozone rider and could choose any kite he wants, c4 , cat, but he chooses the edge, imo its what suits the rider, no mention here of say the rpm which has been in the hands of the best freestyle rider for a while, or the flexifoil which the 5 time world champ used, so i carnt see the point of pushing someone in a certain direction of kite or brand
personally i dont think the edge or similar kite would be too bad an option for the bloke to use as a stepping stone, i always try my limited freestyle tricks on my zephyr, then when mastered use it on my edges, why?, because it gives you the time
basically this style of kite lets you break it down in stages, imo his demands on what he wants would lead me into different kites like the bandits, the wainmanns, a true c kite might have him going backwards before advancing, hey we all have our different oppinions so i reckon we just bombard him with options,

I reckon you might be up for another grammar/punctuation lesson from Eppo Cauncy haha!

Nice to meet you at Kim's shop Saturday morning.... Maybe see you on the beach at Dongara one Friday when the breeze comes back.

The would go the vegas if you want to get into freestyle and looping.The vegas is what I used to learn kite looping due to its forgivable tight loop.I have tried the dice and it really does have better wave qualities,but It does have slower, wider and when powered more violent loop !.I wouldnt recomend learning how to loop with this kite.The vegas has 5 struts and the dice has 3 struts .The dice tends to flutter alot through the canopy where the vegas is tight with extra batons and struts through the canopy.The dice has fatter leading edge and struts making it alot slower.
The vegas is very quick and is more technical to fly.The vegas is not a powerfull kite which is ideal for unhooking.
One thing with the vegas is its relaunch isnt good,but far superior to a slingshot fuel in that department .The slingshot fuel is more fore crazzy ruben lenton stuff and more hardcore.
I use the vegas for free ride and in the surf and had good elevator boost when its powered,but the hang time is not nearly as good as an ozone edge.I dont do to much newscool unhooked stuff ,but I love the vegas for going massive and rolling and knowing exactly where the kite is and what its doing when I am upside-down 20 meters up in the air.Its a fun kite to fly and although its marketing suggests its for the advanced rider .I think its great for intermediate riders and an underated free ride kite.
North also use extra dracon on there kites and they are so tough.I am still riding on 2011 vegas and its still in good nick.Its taken some beating too in the waves and geting slammed.
I have not flown the other kites you mentioned so I dont know what there like ,but the vegas is has an excellent reputation in the looping department.
The vegas has been running so long now its been perfected where the dice is in its first year .
I would demo all those kites you mentioned because every rider has a different view.

That was the hardest thing to read I have ever seen Diamond. The youth of today need to learn about sentence structure.

Get a fuel. They are great.

Had a few demos organized this weekend but terrible weather and no wind :(
Was Gonna give the varial x/lithium and dice a crack.

Don't think il bother with the dice as it seems like its a wave kite?

Thinking bout lookin into the Vegas 2014 instead

Don't write the Dice off. Demo both that and the Vegas back-to-back if you can. I've been riding the Dice since the end of June - it unhooks very well. Vegas definately better but of course it would as it's designed to do that. But the Dice is much better in the waves. It all comes down to your own personal preferences.

Like everyone says, don't make a decision until you try the kites. Both have their merits and one may suit your style of riding better than the other.

Drew - WA Surf