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2013 North Dyno 17m

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Created by Puetz > 9 months ago, 17 Sep 2013
Puetz
NT, 2172 posts
17 Sep 2013 10:41AM
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Rider: Weight 120 - 125 kg, Level (intermediate advanced)
Experience: 10 years
Style: Freeriding, Surf, Lazy Cruising
Weather: 10-15 knots
Water Conditions: Small onshore waves with chop and swell out back
Build Quality: 9/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Disclosure: Pay for Gear
Board used: Airush Cypher 5'10" strapless and one front strap

My Comments:

I've been looking for a while for a replacement of my beloved 18m 2011 Dyno which I loved as it had all the performances I wanted from a kite, power and upwind being my favorite bits. I have tried a bunch of other kites and all nice but lacked the most important (to me) parts until I finally came across the 17m 2013 Dyno.

Construction is usual North quality and clearly lightly built kite but has re-enforcements where its needed. Time will tell if it stays togeather under me and my heavy weight but since it doesn't use alot of the light D2 material in the LE like the old 2011 Dyno, should be fine for me. An unusual thing though, the leading edge is dacron for most of the length but the last part from the end strut to tip is the light D2 material. I'd say they are trying to make the tips lighter without loosing the strength so therefore makes it turn quicker. The lighter the kite, the better it will fly but you don't want it too light as it'll break on you. Having only 5 struts was nice pumping up wise and being really skinny, took bugger all to pump up. My old 2011 Dyno was massive compared to the 2013 so even for a big kite was no big deal. The trailing edge has the same double layer canopy material, just like the Ozones in fact. The 2012 Dyno had a 2 inch strip of dacron but this is added weight. Zephyr and Edge has the same double layer canopy material with no dacron layer so I figured if its good enough for them, its good enough for the Dyno.

They have a new pump, really nice and a step up from the old plastic cheapies of old. Nice new guage too so much better than the old ones. Our tropical conditions makes the shaft heat up very quickly so would wear out the seal and gum up the shaft so the new ones seems to have a much better seal and didn't heat up as bad. I would guess this one is going to last longer. I usually have an electic pump but with this new girl, being easy I don't miss the electric pump. Time will tell so we'll see hey!

The kite came with the 2014 bar. First thing I notices was the middle was thicker and I guess its to make the depower rope hole bigger for less wear. The grip is nice too and with less fancy seams, the simple dimples makes it grippy and hopefully less prone to coming unglued and pealing. I even liked the red line across the whole bar to tell you if you have the bar back to front. Not that I change the bar width but it was so easy to click, spin and click back, on the fly adjustment, I did it just to see how easy it was. The 17m likes the wider setting by the way. Will experiment when its windy and I'm on my TT jumping, just to see.

This years Dyno is by far the best Dyno incarnation and although I haven't tried it with a TT as yet, I can feel it will work fine. On my first trial run the wind looked really light so went to grab my Sector but then at the last second decided to take my surfboard instead, just to see if I can push my personal envelope 'how low I can go' with this combination.

From first sweep and park, the immediate feel was it was much faster in the dive and static power developed instantly the moment I stopped the sine and just pulled the bar in. I felt in the same winds I would have to sine a little more had I been using a 19m Edge or the new Zephyr, the kite didn't have pure pull bar and go like the old 2011 Dyno, you still had to sine a little but not as much sining as you would with the Edge or Zephyr, in fact exactly in between the Ozones and old Dyno. There was also more bar feed back compared to the Edge but similar to the Zephyr which I liked alot. Not once did the kite feel like stalling, no matter how low the winds were. My old 2012 Dyno would stall at the drop of a hat and had to be riding fast to stop it from happening.

The next thing I noticed was I was going across the water very fast for the given lowish wind, in fact I had to put my front foot further forward on the board to keep it from bouncing around too much. For some reason I would usually put my front foot in a certain spot, and if riding fast I tuck my toes into the only strap I put on the board but with the 2013 Dyno riding faster, I had to keep the front foot further forward. I found I could ride fast and strapless easier than with other kites. Hard to put into words why.

Bar pressure is less than my old 2011 Dyno and similar to the Ozones which is a great thing when your feeling in a lazy cruisey mode. Being a direct feel like the Zephyr it was easy to feel without looking to know where the kite is and I could concentrate on looking for little waves to slash. Its not C kite directness but for a big light wind kite, it was good enough for me to forget I was on a big kite,,,,, very similar to the Zephyr actually. I find the Edge a little disconnected and only felt normal once your riding fast.

Power and upwind is clearly this kites forte. I would say it has the best upwind of any kite I have ever used in my kiting career,,, by far. When I flew the kite on the beach I parked it at 12, and to test if the kite would back down in really light winds, I pulled the bar all the way in, and bugga me the kite went forward not back. I thought the thing would over fly and hindenburg but it didn't. I had to stand side ways to see where it sat and check out the angle and man this thing flew sooooo far forward without falling, in fact I was sure it flew past the zenith and yet just sat there. Until I get a picture I can't say for sure but it looked like it from the pilots view, past the zenith. Anyway, it really flys forward so its the reason why you can charge upwind on this kite and just as important to me, doesn't stall when you pull the bar all the way in.

Power development gets better the faster you ride but not as dependant on speed as the Edge. The old Dyno 2011 you could ride super slow or super fast and power was more or less the same so the old Dyno suited TT as well as directionals having heaps of static pull. But the 2013 Dyno is inbetween and has just enough static pull that people like my missus who doesn't want massive power but also like to ride slower, still have plenty available. Sine a few times and get a heap of board speed with apparent wind and it starts to really pull, but again, not too much. Being heavy I don't mind being over loaded but alot of others don't. The bar felt lighter the more board speed I got which was similar to the old Dyno.

I ended up playing in the waves and although not as quick to turn as the new Zephyr, was close and coupled with the nice direct feel, the kite is really playful, not the full on race kite I was imagining before I actually used it. There was a guy out on a 17m Edge with a TT and I did a couple of tacks with him to see the differences in speed and maybe because I was on a directional, but I had heaps more speed on him on a reach or downwind and similar upwind, but to put it in perspective he is at least 50kg lighter than me too. If I used this kite on my big Sector V3 66, I felt like I would get warp speed for sure, it is a race kite after all.

I did a couple of size comparisons with a new Zephyr and even though they both have 17m written on them, the Dyno is clearly bigger. I will compare it with the 19m Edge later when I can but I would say the Dyno is closer to 18m in size. Doesn't matter what it says I suppose but I'm happy and its a great light wind kite and being agile, it's lots of fun too. I haven't tested the jumps yet or if it folds on me in hard turns/loading so I will test when I can.

Its a damn good kite so far and more time will tell if its the best kite for me so I'll come back and report again later but, so far so good!













cheers for now,

Robbie


eppo
WA, 9372 posts
17 Sep 2013 11:18AM
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Ah finnally! Gopod to hear robbie ya found ya poison.

Yeh it does seem bigger or longer than the zephyr...the zeph seems to have a deeper chord from the back but not the front.

This is the 2013 right? Their isnt a 2014 as yet hey?

Puetz
NT, 2172 posts
17 Sep 2013 2:01PM
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... they call this one the 2013/2014 Dyno!

Its pretty plain looking but I like the plain look too!

The feel of the kite is so different to the older Dyno's, and the wow factor was like how you felt about the Dice, nothing wrong with the old ones, just that the new one is better!!!

I haven't found any short comings yet but I also haven't used it in stronger winds so it might have something un-towards there, dunno yet!

One things for sure, it is much more powerful than the Zephyr but feels bigger too, similar to the 19m Edge with more bar feedback and its a very good light wind kite that is fun too, what more could you ask for hey!

cheers,

Robbie

eppo
WA, 9372 posts
17 Sep 2013 1:07PM
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Well that's what you were after hey, a 19m edge power source with more feedback and the ability to provide static grunt when needed.

Stoked, you've been searching a while now.

Have fun man.

SaltySinus
VIC, 960 posts
17 Sep 2013 4:12PM
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Does anyone know when the Zephyr 2014 is due out? Given the hype of the 2013 model, I assume the 2014 gives the rider the ability to teleport or some such?

eddiemorgs
QLD, 390 posts
17 Sep 2013 8:19PM
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Big fella is happy. Had a great kite today with him and there is no doubt in his feedback about it. It's looking good

Puetz
NT, 2172 posts
19 Sep 2013 12:28PM
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... yeah, happy for sure and for a race kite, it was a lot of fun in the waves too (ok little ones but still,,,, waves).

What I really like about the Dyno is I don't have to try hard to head back upwind,,, much like the Zephyr/Edge there but a couple of tacks and your back,,, I used to call my Sector "the Jetski",,, could go anywhere from well upwind to way downwind, goes anywhere anytime and I feel the Dyno is like that, gives me freedom to go anywhere easily.

I imagine using this kite with a race board you'd be going insanely fast too!!!!

cheers,

Robbie

14Toeside
27 posts
20 Oct 2013 12:16AM
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Robbie,

How are doing on your Dyno 17? Still stoked?

14

castill0jf
VIC, 563 posts
20 Oct 2013 8:59AM
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how is the relaunching of the kite from the water?

kitcho207
NSW, 861 posts
20 Oct 2013 10:18AM
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Just like a golf...

Puetz
NT, 2172 posts
22 Nov 2013 1:21PM
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Select to expand quote
castill0jf said..
how is the relaunching of the kite from the water?


... relaunches like a typical high aspect race kite and would be a real pain in the arse if it isn't used with a 5th line.

Like old school kites of yesteryear, you got to roll them over before you pull one steering line and either you go old school and swim at it or pull the center line and off it goes. When the wind picks up it gets easier but still, not easy like a lower aspect kite but then again, no harder than normal.

cheers,

Robbie

Puetz
NT, 2172 posts
8 Jan 2014 12:50PM
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... little update for anyone interested ...

My missus kept taking my Dyno so I got her one for Christmas so now the family has 2!!

North recommends that 27m line are standard but I figured that my missus wanted a little more manouverability over power so I suggested that she use her 24m lines and says it works great. I prefered the longer lines and like the little extra time it takes for the kite to reach the edge of the window where as she like it to get there quicker so can park the kite sooner rather then later.

From her perspective, she wanted a kite that would park and pull but not like a truck (ie down wind), it had to drive upwind and she finds this in spades with the Dyno. She demo'd the Zephyr back to back with the Dyno and although the Zeph was quick just didn't have the park power she wanted. She also noticed that as the wind picks up the bar gets lighter which she really liked.

I tried the kite on soft bar settings and the kite was a little quicker to turn but I personally liked it better on the so called hard setting as it gives the best bar feedback. A friend of mine who also got a Dyno likes the soft settings but he is a lighter guy too and we figured that since he was a lot lighter needed a little bit of help in turning speed. Either way the kite was still good.

cheers,

Robbie

cauncy
WA, 8407 posts
8 Jan 2014 2:58PM
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I feel robbed, that dyno looks massively bigger than my 17 zeph

Drewm
VIC, 159 posts
8 Jan 2014 7:25PM
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We have used the 17 Dyno's for some freestyle action lately here in Perth when the seabreeze isn't quite happening. Works a treat

Puetz
NT, 2172 posts
9 Jan 2014 2:42PM
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^^^^ +1

My son who loves doing the flicky flicky stuff, loves the Dyno for light wind unhooking too. Who'd a thought a race kite would do that hey??? Although it ain't no Vegas (which he loves dearly), reckons it behaves very very similar, no adjusting the trim strap, just unhook and go.

Meanwhile, me on the other end of the scale, not a flicky flicky in me, like using the Dyno in the waves. I know it isn't a wave kite but in small waves combined with a Nugget, its quite capable if you fly it right.

Still loving it,

Robbie

eddiemorgs
QLD, 390 posts
9 Jan 2014 3:59PM
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what Nugget ?

eppo
WA, 9372 posts
9 Jan 2014 7:18PM
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Robbie did tony end up getting a C based kite for his son as well??

Puetz
NT, 2172 posts
10 Jan 2014 9:29AM
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Select to expand quote
eddiemorgs said..
what Nugget ?


... I had to do the Jedi mind trick on Geoff yesterday,,,,, 'you see nothing here',,,,,,, so yeah, what Nugget,,,,,,,,, wasn't me,,,,, must have been someone else!!

Puetz
NT, 2172 posts
10 Jan 2014 9:34AM
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Select to expand quote
eppo said..
Robbie did tony end up getting a C based kite for his son as well??


... nah the bloody stingy old a-hole hasn't

eppo
WA, 9372 posts
10 Jan 2014 9:50AM
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Damn he needs one...

T one
NT, 321 posts
10 Jan 2014 4:24PM
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Then he can sell the Fkn X-box!

how ya doin Epps?

T one
NT, 321 posts
10 Jan 2014 4:26PM
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Those dices do look pretty good tho... for him anyway... i ended up with another BenW kite. much better build than the original, and does exactly what i wanted.... wish they made a 14M tho

eppo
WA, 9372 posts
10 Jan 2014 6:08PM
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Select to expand quote
T one said...
Then he can sell the Fkn X-box!

how ya doin Epps?





Ha ha classic and I agree. Sell the damn mind dulling contraption for sure.

Yeh man going well. Yeh the new BWS is a bloody nice wave kite hey. Totally different to the noise.

MOWIT
67 posts
10 Jan 2014 7:37PM
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Sorry, possibly a silly question, don't know... Have you had a chance to compare the North Dyno vs. the Ozone Edge and maybe the ASV XR or Gaastra Jet?

I would like to get a non sponsored riders' opinion, if possible. It seems saving weight on a one pump system isn't all that's cracked up to be "IF" you're shagged by the time you've pumped up 3 large kites for the day?

Any thoughts

eppo
WA, 9372 posts
10 Jan 2014 11:39PM
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Yep Robbie can help out with the dyno edge comparison for sure. Yeh I'm a bit perplexed on the no one pump on the new dyno, rather have it and have some extra weight to be perfectly honest.

WA Surf
WA, 334 posts
11 Jan 2014 12:40PM
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Eppo,

Dyno is a kite designed for course racing. So weight saving is more important than taking an extra couple of minutes to setup.

Drew

eppo
WA, 9372 posts
11 Jan 2014 1:19PM
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Yeh I get that. Would it make that much difference, really?

WA Surf
WA, 334 posts
11 Jan 2014 1:48PM
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In 6 knots, you want as little weight in the kite as possible! By the time you add reinforcing for one-pump valves on the leading edge and struts, extra valves, hoses, hose clamps, etc.... yeah it does all add up.
Remember the race guys take their floaters off their bars to cut windage, so they're all pretty fanatical about it.

eppo
WA, 9372 posts
11 Jan 2014 5:48PM
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Yeh true true...

cauncy
WA, 8407 posts
11 Jan 2014 8:09PM
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Same with the ozones they really focus on the racers,Would like to see a beefed up edge for those that wanna smash them around, at 25 knts I'm not looking to save weight on a 9 or 10 , I

T one
NT, 321 posts
11 Jan 2014 11:50PM
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Edges are one pump, and last time i looked they were doin ok with the racing
And Cauncy, i hear ya, but am continually amazed at the beatings my edges take and keep comin back for more...



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"2013 North Dyno 17m" started by Puetz