I am looking to replace my larger kite with a 13m 2012 North Rebel.
I've never flown a Rebel.
People are saying that the wind range of the rebel is impressive.
I'm 92 kg and ride a 140cm twin tip. What real world wind range do people reckon I'd comfortably get with this combo?

tks dafish!

BTW: By 'comfortably' I mean not making like the ABC symbol at the low end or using your nose as an extra skeg at the top end. i.e. the useable, fun windrange....

tks saffer.
Yeah, going to demo one but unlikely that I'll get the opportunity to test the wind range during one session.
Lots of hype about the rebel. Justified?

Funny that, I'm going the other way: the kite I'm replacing is a 2010 Argo 11. It's been a good kite but almost tore the entire wingtip off the other day. Repairable I think but using it as an excuse to buy a new toy. Needed a proper 17-18 kts to get going on the argo hence going to 13m in the Rebel so can capitalise a little more on lighter winds we've been having here in the past couple years.

adrenal said...

tks saffer.
Yeah, going to demo one but unlikely that I'll get the opportunity to test the wind range during one session.
Lots of hype about the rebel. Justified?

Hype justified in this case. Outstanding low end, really good top end. Best build quality I've seen on any of the 2012 kites.

adrenal said...

Rooboy said...

Adrenal, im 92kgs and ride a 140cm TT and a surfboard, this year im running with a 8m and 11m Rebel. Ive moved over from Vegas' so have downgraded my kite sizes. Havent had 2 many sessions on my 11m but am expecting to b up and running comfortably on that in 15knots on both the twinnie and surfboard. The low end on the 8m surprises the hell out of me the first time i rode it. Didnt even expect to get up and riding as it was barely white capping yet i could still get up and riding and even try a few tricks.

Ive been riding North for nearly 6 years now and have never had a problem with them at all. I upgrade every 2 seasons generally but have had no issues with the bar, lines or kites. Not sure if this helps but i dont think ur going to be dissapointed.

Huh, we're the same apples. So you reckon 15 kts on the 11m?
Mmmm all this talk of great bottm end is making me reconsider whether I should go the 12 instead of 13 because the other consideration is that I recently picked up a 2nd hand 2011 Switchy 9m and I want to make sure that there's a nice overlap between the two kites. Only flown the switchy once so not tested the useable wind range for my weight/board yet.

All a bit speculative really.

But my feeling based on all the usual anacdotal stuff is to stick to 13m since it will get me going in lighter airs and due to claimed wind range and controllability at higher end will see me nicely into the transition with the Switchy.... comments...?

Bare in mind he has a surfboard so that increases his low end. I guess it depends on how much low end you want, but I've had a 13/9 combo before and the overlap is fine.

My personal perspective with weighing 92 is to go the 13m instead of the 12m. We've had a light summer last year and this year is looking to be pretty much the same. You can always switch down to your 9m but you can't go any bigger if the wind is too light.

Must be heaps of us out there at 92kg! Me too!

I have a 12m 2012 Rebel and its by far my favourite kite. It gives me a 5-7 knot overlap with my 10m CORE XR nicely.

I looked at the 13m, but it has the same lower end wind as the 12m. (claimed 12 knots on North webpage)

The 12 gets me going in 13-15 knots on a 137cm board. My 13.5m Kahoona - which has a reputation as a very grunty kite - is no better at the lower range than the 12m rebel.

I guess like most kites, the rebel needs some apparent wind built up before you will really get going, but then it goes upwind in 13 knots ok.

If I were you I'd be more concerned about the top end, where you may get overpowered a bit too early with the 13m.

Captash,
Thanks for your comments. Being overpowered too early was one of the main reasons I asked my original question about the wind range of the Rebel. Because based on what I'd heard, the Rebels wind range is pretty generous so theoretically I could go a bit bigger and retain some control at the top end....

Had a look at the North page - yeah you are right, same bottom end of 12kts for both 12 and 13m??? If you were to base your choice solely on published data, you'd go the 12 every time since same bottom end but extra couple knots at the top! WTF?

Psychologically, I guess I'm more concerned with being in control at the upper end (because you can DIE!) than picking up a couple knots at the other end.

Now I want a whole weekend of sessions on this thing before I commit.

adrenal said...

Captash,
Thanks for your comments. Being overpowered too early was one of the main reasons I asked my original question about the wind range of the Rebel. Because based on what I'd heard, the Rebels wind range is pretty generous so theoretically I could go a bit bigger and retain some control at the top end....

Had a look at the North page - yeah you are right, same bottom end of 12kts for both 12 and 13m??? If you were to base your choice solely on published data, you'd go the 12 every time since same bottom end but extra couple knots at the top! WTF?

Psychologically, I guess I'm more concerned with being in control at the upper end (because you can DIE!) than picking up a couple knots at the other end.

Now I want a whole weekend of sessions on this thing before I commit.

The reason they quote 12kn on the bottom end on both kites is most of the ranges are based on a 75kg rider. Most 75kg riders will get going on a grunty 12 in the same conditions as a grunty 13 because once you get over the 10 knot mark, it doesn't take much more for a 75kg rider to get going. Larger kites than 12m only really make sense for heavier riders.

If you didn't have the 9m, you would have valid reasons to be concerned but:

a) You have a 9m if you start getting too powered up.
b) The switchblade's are also very grunty kites so there shouldn't be a big gap
c) Range on the Rebel is pretty decent

If you're really concerned, order the kite with the 20m bar and get a set of 5m extensions. Without the 5m extension, it reduces the power of a 13m down to the same as a 12m so have the best of both worlds although adding and removing the extensions may get annoying and its likely you'll just leave them on. Chances are you'll probably just leave them on permanently and move straight to your 9m when you get overpowered.

Mate I can give you an honest test review of the 13m rebel
I'm 110kg and have flown my 13m2012 rebel from 10-28knt

10-20knt on new Nth spike 156/46 lightwind board
15-28knt on nobile 50-50 141.

At 10 knt its just going through the motions but it was going both ways and beat sitting on beach.
At 25knt i still only had half depower and totally in control,it was ready to spank me if i let it

I also have a 2010 9m rebel that takes me to 35knt, all in all 2 kites and 2 boards is my complete quiver,everyone who has riden my 13m has either ordered one or is about too.
Hope this helps
Richard

RichardM said...

Mate I can give you an honest test review of the 13m rebel
I'm 110kg and have flown my 13m2012 rebel from 10-28knt

10-20knt on new Nth spike 156/46 lightwind board
15-28knt on nobile 50-50 141.

At 10 knt its just going through the motions but it was going both ways and beat sitting on beach.
At 25knt i still only had half depower and totally in control,it was ready to spank me if i let it

I also have a 2010 9m rebel that takes me to 35knt, all in all 2 kites and 2 boards is my complete quiver,everyone who has riden my 13m has either ordered one or is about too.
Hope this helps
Richard

Interesting richard. Thanks for chiming in.
The two board/two kite scenario is what I have planned too. Surfboard under the 13m should take care of those lighter airs.

And thanks orynoco

Cheers

Gotcha. Will make sure is B setting - tks

bennie said...

adrenal said...

Funny that, I'm going the other way: the kite I'm replacing is a 2010 Argo 11. Needed a proper 17-18 kts to get going on the argo hence going to 13m in the Rebel so can capitalise a little more on lighter winds we've been having here in the past couple years.

that seems odd to me. I'm about 82 kg and have the 10m argo and am starting to get pretty powered up by 17kts. Are you sure you had it set up right? was it the 6 strut or 4 strut version?

2010 4 strut with standard 21m lines. Don't forget I've got 10 kgs on you (maybe more because I think I might be closer to 95 than 92). I've got a second bar with 28m lines which gives me a couple extra kts at lower end but it becomes quite a slow turner. Too lazy to fiddle with settings - just left them at default. Do you change settings for lighter airs?

I did fiddle with settings earlier in the piece but that was when I was learning and I wasn't really good enough to discern the difference. So what's you favorite light wind setting?

adrenal said...

I did fiddle with settings earlier in the piece but that was when I was learning and I wasn't really good enough to discern the difference. So what's you favorite light wind setting?

36 AC is my fav, but for a little more grunt you can go 46 BB. 26 AC for normal winds, and 25 AC when it's nuking. It's all explained on the website.

dafish said...

Hey Benny,
I am feeling a little like a simpleton here so can you please explain,(I have asked this question on another thread with no response)
What does 36 AC relate to.
Griffin site has a recommended setting for what I am looking for BB36.
What I can see on the kite is
123
and ABC
These are the different points of attatchments. Where is the 36 component, or on your setting AC. I assumed BB meant B on both sides. I am really rather clueless right now and wouldn't mind experimenting with different settings, especially with drifting.
Thanks
DF

the settings stated above are for the 2010 argo, the 2011 and 2012 models have different settings. BB means both larks head knots on the same attatchment point.