Rapture 12m - Unbelievable!!

I received my new 12m Rapture direct from HK to my home at the Gold Coast in Australia.

Let me say to all those of you who have been waiting as long as I have, that the wait is DEFINATELY worth it.

The winds here have been very gusty, 20 to 30 Knots for the past few days. Due to the many suggestions on the WindWing Forum concerning the “tricky” nature of the new generation kite I was very reticent to launch it in such high winds.

I have been kiting for only 8 months and would classify myself as a novice. I bought a quiver of Best kites – 9m, 11m, 13,5m, and 16.5m and constructed my own boards 125 x 39, 130 x 39, 135 x 39, 140 x 39 and 15 x 39 using my own designs of hollow plywood.

I noticed the posts indicating a new style of kite being released and decided to accept the challenge, ordering a 12m Rapture and 50cm CC Bar in Feb this year.

My kite is serial number 016 and is extremely well constructed of very high quality material.

When I pumped it up on the beach this afternoon there were may Oooohs and Aaahhhs at the unusual profile and the beastly good looks.

The wind had backed off to about 20 knots so I launched using the maximum depower setup on the pigtails.

With the kite overhead I was being slightly lofted (I am 72 kg) but could easily control this by sheeting out. Dropping the kite to about 45 degrees it moved to the edge of the window and was easily held stationary in that position by sheeting and steering control. (one handed !!)

I bit the bullet and headed out just as the next front came through.

AMAZING - Took off like a scared rabbit, dug in the rear foot and shot upwind. Gusts were 25 to 30 knots (checked on our local weather station graphs tonight) but I was never at any risk due to the incredible depowering available.

The best way I can describe the feeling is as though you now have the option of a throttle control in your hands. I had the CC Bar set to the least friction setting (CL rope through only one of the pulleys) and could simply control my speed with one hand on the bar just like a throttle. It didn’t matter how hard the gust was, just sheet out, kite moves to the edge of the window and you just go further upwind.

The other guys were out on rigs between 9 and 12m and were just getting “tea bagged” dragging their bums in the water and crashing all over the place. I could simply ride through the middle of the mayhem one handed basically choosing my direction and speed at will.

This kite will have enormous range for me. I can just tell from today that it will replace my other kites from 9 to 13.5m and may even give me similar performance to a 15m.

I had some initial difficulty with the transitions due to the very big depowering range of the bar. I tended to err on the side of caution and when turning the kite and was often sheeted out a little too far. This slows the kite’s turning speed due to the lengthened rear lines and requires a quick reaction to power up and turn the kite back up from its’ dive. Too much power and up you go. Crashed the first few times but eventually learned how to glide gently back down to the water. This kite will give very long airtime. More like a glider than a kite.

I had absolutely no difficulty conducting a standard water relaunch. The kite just taxis to the edge of the window while depowered. Powered it up when it started bobbing and away it went again. I didn’t have the opportunity to try a reverse relaunch as it was much too windy IMO.

My sincere congratulations to the R& D team. I am sure that this design is the breakthrough that we have all been looking for, especially when coupled with the amazing CC Bar.

There will now be plenty of orders from the Gold Coast I am sure.

Can’t wait until tomorrow arvie.

Regards - Fitzy - Gold Coast - OZ

Hey Fitzy,
Sounds good, I think I want one already. How much $ did it end up delivered, with tax and everything?

Hey Fitzy good review. Is the rapture setup anything like the new RRD wave-type with the 5th line? I think this kite has a pully setup so that when you sheet out the 5th line pulls the leeding edge down and this gives the kite total de-power. You can also take the kite low across the power during transitions.
JG from SOS uses one of these and is frothing!

Hi, i would be very interested to know what made you swap from Best and any perfromance differnce. I was thinking of getting a quiver of best kites.

Any info much appreciated

Hey BONDO

I usually ride at a small beach at the southern end of Marine Parade Labrador (Just near Loders Creek) I should be there Sat and Sunday arvo wind willing. I ride at Shearwater if the tide is right and the wind not too strong. Its very choppy at Shearwater in a southerly as the wind has plenty of broadwater to work on before it reaches there. Tide runs pretty fast there and on the weekends there is a lot of boat traffic.

Guess you should wear booties up at Wello. Lots of "foreign objects" on the bottom. Those types of cuts can put you out for a fair while. I always wear them since I smashed a few oysters with my feet.

Wind Dummy

The landed cost of the 12m Rapture was AUD $1600.00 including CC Bar, Lines, Bag and Pump and Fedex Charges. Delivery was by Fedex so I got jammed for $259.00 delivery and GST. I would specify US Post if I was ordering another from there as I have had plenty of items sent that way previously and never been charged any taxes. Cheaper freight rates as well.

ADS

The CC Bar rocks. It is a four line unit with a very simple pulley system that gives you several feet of depower with only a small amount of bar movement. Just great for those gusts we have been getting lately. You can set the bar up to have minimal resistance (easy depower) or alternatively maximum resistance so that you just push the bar to your preferred power setting and ride. Just like Cruise Control (thats where the CC comes from I guess)

The bar also has a very good safety release that is easily activated and also the safety leash attaches to an inbuilt spinning ring which prevents it from wrapping around your lines while spinning in a transition.

Doogle

I decided on buying a Rapture after reading the new specs on the WindWing web site. It sounded like the sort of kite improvement that is long overdue IMO.

I have been very happy with my BEST quiver. 9,11,13.5 and 16.5 Yargas. They have served me well while learning and are sentational value for money. The Rapture is just a new attempt to take design a step further IMO.

I am 72Kg and ride mostly a 140 and 125 board although I have other sizes available.

Hope this info helps you all.

Fitzy - Gold Coast

quote:

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Originally posted by Doogle

Hi, i would be very interested to know what made you swap from Best and any perfromance differnce. I was thinking of getting a quiver of best kites.

Any info much appreciated

---

Best kite's prices have dropped to the 342 deal levels but now you don't have to buy 3 kites. You cannot go wrong with the 30 day money back (even if your dog eats it) satisfaction guarantee.
If you fit a 5th line kit to Best kites you have a simpler and safer system, that costs a lot less. And your money stays in Australia and helps an Australia owned family business stay afloat. Best is also part owned by an Australian.

Reverse launch systems - well try it in winds that would have you comfortably powered on that size kite, its not good for your health. Otherwise all kites would have it, Wipika Airblasts came out with that several years ago.

CC Bar - lots of bits to get sand in, and the cruise function, and the feel that it has at the bar will not suit everyone. The extra depower available is not really practical, if you are that overpowered you would be better off coming in and changing down a size and using the kite in its designed wind range. The depower bridle is similar to the effect of a 5th line.

One of the reasons Best has been so successful is the network of retailers that back up the product, ask anyone that has needed help with a Best kite in Oz, 99% of times its just a straight out replacement, from the large amount of stock I hold here.

I'm not saying that WW are not OK 05 era kites, the one that I have seen looked well made and flew fine, just trying to inject some reality into the hype surrounding the bar/control system and remind everyone that if we all bought online, the sport and the industry would be in jeopardy.

Cya and Goodwinds

Steve McCormack
www.kitepower.com.au

Hey Laurie

if this is not blatant advertising from Kitepower and Hurrah what is?

blatant advertising
Some of it is for sure - but its all good IMO.
Where else can you get info on new stuff
Any outside info is better than (or at least a valuable add-on to) the direct promotional gumff - even if it is only a short distance away at times .
As I see it there are 3 sorts of gear reviews on the forum:
Known shop posts - biased to own brands obviously (thats their job) but they know too much BS & you just wont listen to them or buy from them - for very long anyhow - so its good 'professional' advise.
Pretend independents - usually pretty easy to spot but it too is usually good quality info as long as you allow for the promo-bias.
Truly independent reviews. These are great. Im sure everyone loves reading these ones BUT they come from amateur kiters of varying skill level who, whilst offering 'honest' feedback its coming from a background of limited experience.
Just means that all need to be evaluated carefully but my 2c worth is :
Bring it on - from all 1/4's I reckon.
In the end, it all makes for a more informed choice.
(2nd edition - my 1st try was confusing ??)

agree wholeheartedly with the concept of these open forums, as they are an important source of information not only on new gear but also for the sharing of experience and tips.

I wrote my review of the new Rapture to share my experience and stated my lack of experience as a kiter. This is important as it gives those with similar proficiency a guide when considering a particular piece of equipment.

I too have been a customer of Steve at Kitepower having bought four kites, Bars, Fins, Footpads, Retractable leashes and Harnesses from him. The most recent purchase was only a few weeks ago. His service is prompt and I am glad to be able to support Australian retailers.

Had Steve been a supplier of the new WindWing I would have certainly considered buying from him but as he wasn’t I searched the Net and came up with the best deal.

The Rapture has given me supreme confidence in being able to effectively control sudden gusts. As I wrote in my post many kiters were struggling on much smaller kites, yet I was able to ride through them at will with only one hand on the bar.

I take the point that if you are overpowered you should come in and change gear. The problem is you have to get in safely.

This Kite and its associated CC Bar enables you to absorb what is thrown at you with safety. That is my prime concern. Safety. I want to be around to improve my skills and be kiting for many years to come.

I ride with a Helmet, Impact Vest and Protective Boots unlike the majority of kiters who are out there in a pair of board shorts. I value my body and especially my brain. At my age it takes a lot longer to heal than it used to.

I tried several hot downwind launches today and was able to perfect the technique fairly quickly. The power of the kite suddenly launching and racing across the window is very easily controlled with the huge sheeting range of the bar and the way the kite is designed.

I decided against the Rage II as I was not comfortable with the extra bridle lines and the fact that both the S.A.F.E. system could not be used contemporaneously. The Rapture on the other hand allows almost 100% depower and the benefit of reverse water launch or hot L.E. upward launch downwind with safety.

A quick shake in the water gets rid of any sand in the two pulleys and I don’t see that as an issue.

I would not recommend the Rapture for a complete newbie. It would be far better for them to buy an old “Dunger” to learn with provided it had the proper safety releases and safety leash. Even better buy a new Best Kite for about the same as you would buy a second hand rig.

They are great kites for the price and have served me very well. My favourite was/is the 11m Yarga.

Hope to see some of you guys on the Gold Coast and as Steve says “Good Winds”

PS It is interesting that my post in relation to the Rapture on Kiteforum was bumped into the review section within a day. The topic had a large number of hits but was quickly placed in the review section where not as many people look. Intersting !!

Regards - Fitzy - Gold Coast

Hey Puppet funny how you can give a "unbiased" review on a Titan but have't flown any thing over a 15 lei. Fitzy gave a report that is true to his word and i haven riden with the guy several times, and he may be fairly new to the sport but this does not show through his riding. My grandfather drove for 79years but that did NOT make him a better driver than someone of less years experience. I guess your up with the top 10 in the world.

guys read what I wrote...I have nothing against independent reviews such as the start of this thread by Fitzy who wrote a pretty good review I think. So Laurie the rules are different if you sponsor the site?

The 'kiteshoppingforum' is fine if that's the stuff you intended to read after logging in to Seabreeze.
But if you are a kiter of average intelligence wishing to conduct some clever banter with like-minded crew.....then topics (ads) like these aren't what you're chasing.
Discussing the merits of 20m brandX over 20m brandY that suit pus wind can be tedious.
BiG kites really put the Gee in danGle.

Good one Fitzy. I'll issue a trusted "goodyear" cheque immediatelly!

Let's not get off track here folks. The seabreeze.com.au forums are all about making great sports better, not about nit picking who prefers which brand - that'll be one debate that's never finished and will change with every new bit of gear you get.. and it's always exciting when you get new gear, because it's generally better than the last bit you had.

I play guitar, and when I started windsurfing in 96, I was really shocked at how hard it was to try gear out .. with a guitar, you walk in the shop and there are a 100 guitars, 20 amps .. and you can try most of them before choosing which one to buy without leaving the shop! With kites, you gotta organise a day with someone down the beach, or borrow a kite (& not damage it), have conditions that suit the gear etc..

For most folks, once you put your money down on a kite, that's your choice for the season, yeah? Not many of us have the opportunity to try each brand and hilight points about it that suit our different styles & needs from it.

Seabreeze.com.au is all about us individually improving, and improving the sport itself. That means "Play the ball, not the man!" Seabreeze is to be used for stress relief only!

Enjoy! .. Lozza

Hey Paulio,
Maybe your grasp of the english language should be questioned.
Please explain your quote; "some old man that finds twin tips".....?????????
Don't follow you man.

Hey Paulio

You should immediately resign yur present position and apply for a top job in the CIB. Your investigative skills are exceptional !!!

See you out there during the week

Fitzy

Dude i was going to apply for your job, but none of us can figure what it is????