No worries
I guess if i had paid a fortune for a kite that was no better than other much cheaper kites , Id also want to vindicate myself.
Switch.
At least they have worked out how to make an effective kite that only uses 4 lines.
Not bad kites for the price.
Select to expand quoteSaffer said...Mask said...
EPPo
You often come back with how many years you have been kiting and how much experience you have. Thats great, but it doesnt mean that everyone else knows nothing about kites.
No just you it seems.
The fifth line is more than a safety feature. It is under tension and is a big reason for its rigidity and direct feel due to the need for no pulleys. Try and fly a rebel without a fifth, you almost can't.
The fuse is a four line rebel and yet it needs to be pumped very hard to fly similar( although it actually is a little different in concept anyhow), heard the new fuses don't need to pumped as hard.
I agree with mask on one thing, I'm not convinced with the fifth line in the surf, things can go wrong, but the fifth plays a big part in the kites performance and it does kill the kite completely when activated ( which has saved the kite once on land and once in the ocean already). A four line is still under tension when the mini fifth is activated and in those two incidents I mentioned would have ripped it apart.
Then again I find it hard to believe a decent rider would drop this kite in the surf, I have ridden as far as I could under this thing, with lines as loose as masks reasoning, and the kites just sits there until you catch up and get tension back on. Surprises me every time.
We do need to be aware of marketing hype still and the cheaper brands and designs keep the top guys like north on their toes and keeps them conscious of price differentials. Think of the best story, they came out cheap as chips, as the quality improved so did price. Now I would consider them a solid middle ( and in some models middle to upper ) range and the price reflects this.
You get what you pay for.
3 blaah blaah blaah pages now?? This is supposed to be a 'review' thread. Where's the review? It's obvious to all, it was started to pimp a brand 
FFS agree to disagree and let it die. It's going nowhere apart from the pimping. I'm sure I'm not the only one getting sick of seeing this at the top of the pile all the time..
It's not even got the substance the old seat vs waist chestnut has.
Handbags at 10 paces ladies... or live and let live! 
Agreed, last post on this. Each to their own. Was an interesting discussion though, but yes, time to let this one go.
Well I guess this little subject got a whole lot more feedback than I expected and a whole lot more ancillary arguments. To all, thanks for the comments good and bad. Was interesting to get all of the different opinions and allegiances along the way. I have in fact bought myself a North Rebel 9M kite. Had it for nearly 2 weeks. It looks absolutely fantastic hanging on the wall in my shed just waiting for a day when the wind will actually blow.
Snowy - Over and out
scuzi,
uno momento
it not blow yestarday, no
and the day before yestarday, no
mamma mia
So much energy being spent on brand names, mabe the same energy could go into analysing your own techniques. After you have turned your kite to sit it deeper in the window and initiated your bottom turn theres 2 ways to ride, use your kite to pull you down the line or kill the power and use the wave to do the same thing. To be good in all conditions you have to master both. Subtlety, timing and reading the wave down the line is the key, both when hooked in or unhooking.
Spending more time analysing what your doing with the kite rather than what brand youre on will make you a much better rider. Cross on is probably the hardest wind direction to master.
Noise Vs rebel: The actual thread.
Noise: better suited for unhooking and unstrapped riding on a board more suited to what you actually ride in the surf. They are grunty for their size, have smooth turning and are as fast as they need to be without pulling you off your board through the wind window, excellent drift. If you want to push your riding youll drop you kite a lot and a 4 line kite with a strong canopy will keep you on the water. If you are riding a 5'10 with straps or smaller a rebel would be better suited. Very good construction and the bar is second to none.
Rebel: Very direct handling due to the tensioned 5th line, fast across the wind window and suit strapped riders who arent from a surf background and ride a smaller strapped surfboard who use the power of the kite rather than the wave. Unstrapped you have to massage the turns with the bar pressure to keep from losing your line especially when doing hard bottom turn, the key to any trick.
Rebels dont drift well, they lose all their power and will not behave. Unhooking, terrible. They fall out of the sky when trying to drift and are too fast when you turn the kite. 5th line in surf will end in tears.Canopy construction excellent. Bar and lines ordinary, If you have some twists in your front lines dont expect the 5th line safety to activate.
Apples Vs oranges.
^^^ Good post dave,
I use my 6m noise with my 6'3 epoxy fish that i normally surf on. Much prefer to feel the wave pushing me along than the kite pulling, and smaller surfboards just die in the arse too easily in the perth slop, may as well be on my twin tip if i have to stay powered up the whole time.
nice post Dave,
don't normally enjoy the bible bashing crap you post 
putting you on the spot
for perth slash & hack !!!!!!!!!!
which would you ride ????????????????????????
Fair summation dave, I agree with what you have said from my time on these two kites, except the rebel drifts better than you have made out - having had one for a year now. I cannot seem to drop this out of the sky, more so the 2012 than the 2011. But i agree with the basic concept of drift potential.
I get the feeling you quite like the Rebel Eppo, not sure what gives me that idea
I have only had couple of flys of the BWS and haven't tried the latest Rebel (will have to hit you up sometime Walks) but from what I have heard, seen and read I think Dave's assessment is pretty good.
From an outsider that is quite happy flying another brand I reckon if I was going for an all rounder I would go the Rebel but if I was going for a true wave riding kite I would go the BWS but then again as I said earlier I haven't tried the latest Rebel so what would I know.......yep gotta put it on my to try list.
Select to expand quotetightlines said...
I get the feeling you quite like the Rebel Eppo, not sure what gives me that idea
I have only had couple of flys of the BWS and haven't tried the latest Rebel (will have to hit you up sometime Walks) but from what I have heard, seen and read I think Dave's assessment is pretty good.
From an outsider that is quite happy flying another brand I reckon if I was going for an all rounder I would go the Rebel but if I was going for a true wave riding kite I would go the BWS but then again as I said earlier I haven't tried the latest Rebel so what would I know.......yep gotta put it on my to try list.
Which is why the more informed of participants said these two kite SHOULD NOT BE COMPARED. This is like the chicken and egg paradox! I agree with you mask, at least for the first time.
Yes I said last post, but daves summary was very good don't you think - and I know dave and I know he knows what he is talking about what he knows....lol
I know snowy has made his choice, but I really think we need to discuss this more.
