couple of questions for fellow reo riders
I ride an 8m first gen reo (pritty sure its 2012) and am about due to upgrade

first question is size I want another 8m as the thing is amazing, but I remember reading somewhere they changed up the sizeing a little along the way so now is the 7 or the 9 equivalent to the 8 ?

2nd question whats the main differences if any to the new reos from the old apart from the bar.

Cheers

If you want the similar power go 1m smaller in size. So 7m.

i agree with plums. they are a little more grunty for their number now.

Agree with the 7 also. I do downwinders on my 2nd gen 7m Reo on the sunny coast and I'm out in under 20 knots comfortably powered. For it's size the 7m has plenty of pull, flys and turns way quick enough to get you out there when the wind is still building. Not sure what the bottom end is whilst still trying to hold ground or get up wind but if your into to downwinders a 7m is good size.

Just to confuse the point.... I'm finding a bit more range in 2015 compared to 2014. Bit of a smoother ride. I've had a 9m up when I should have had a 6m, and the 6m up when I should of been on the nine. There is no way I could have been as comfortable on my 2014 10 & 7m doing the same thing. Both the '14 & '15 have more grunt than the '11 & '12. If its a 2015 you're buying, and you were ever lacking on your old kite, take the same size 8m. If you definetly don't want any more grunt, go a 7m. I'm getting 13/14kn-26kn out of my 9m. 75kg. The nine is a bit of a 1 kite quiver. I'm loving it!

I just got back from a trip, i took an 8m and 12m and whilst a 10m would've been spot on some days, i was fine.

So, I recon they've got pretty wide and user friendly wind range

Select to expand quote

pearl said..
Just to confuse the point.... I'm finding a bit more range in 2015 compared to 2014. Bit of a smoother ride. I've had a 9m up when I should have had a 6m, and the 6m up when I should of been on the nine. There is no way I could have been as comfortable on my 2014 10 & 7m doing the same thing. Both the '14 & '15 have more grunt than the '11 & '12. If its a 2015 you're buying, and you were ever lacking on your old kite, take the same size 8m. If you definetly don't want any more grunt, go a 7m. I'm getting 13/14kn-26kn out of my 9m. 75kg. The nine is a bit of a 1 kite quiver. I'm loving it!

That makes sense to me. The 2014 felt punchy and not that enjoyable compared to my old 2012 Reo. Sure it had increased power and lift. But i lost a little in the waves if you ask me because it wasn't as smooth as the older models. Good to see they have smoothed it out again.

So does this mean I should keep my 2012 model as long as I can or is the new model just out better.

re just looking at the comments what I love about this kite is how smooth and fast it is
im purely a wave rider and am not looking for any boost so is the new model more like the original

If you put plenty of hours on your kites, they are well at the end of there life at three years old. Stretched lines/canopy/material soft/worn-out bar etc.
If you kite once a month, they are probably good for another few years.

The Reo's are great wave kites; have been since the first release in 2011.
Each year they get better and better, but of coarse these are refinements.

Nothing beats the crisp-ness of fresh kites...