Rider: 130kg, kiting 1 year, good self launch/and and some boost/pop
Style: Freeriding, aiming for surf
Weather: sunny and a bit gusty NNE 10-20 knots(95% 15knots +/-5)
Build Quality: 10/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Disclosure: not affiliated anywhere
My Comments:
My experience covers 5 kits so far, including the one I used for lessons.
After reading reviews I pre ordered a North NEO 12m, and a north trust bar 4 line. I got it Saturday.
Onboxing
Very nice with a ribbon around it.
Easy to read instructions, and confidence was very high, after first rig.
Looks nice sitting on the beach.
First run.
Got a 2.5 hr session today.
First launch and run, it felt so light, I actually had trouble commiting to the harness it felt so light.
Plenty of power when i drive it, and it stalls nicewithout falling in a lull.
Let go of the bar and it difts to the edge of the window, on the water,and just waits, awesome.
So i tried releasing the chicken loop, and it just moves to the side of the windows and waits.
Zero power. Single line flag out works well..
Anyway after about an hour i felt like i had it dialed in and went for some speed runs over the seaweed beds, and it was my skill holding it back at 20 knots, it had more, i didn't.
With the confidence, i tried some boosts. they went well, until i stuffed up.
Let go of the bar, and the kite goes to the edge of the window.
Always not far downwind.
The area was so shallow, i didn't try any upwind body drags, but i have great confidence. it would sit so high on the edge of the window, i dont expect a problem.
If your starting out and want a forgiving kite, you can do worse than this.
PS this is my first kite review, because i liked it so much.
Its easy to fly and really forgiving.
This kite makes you look better than you are 
Thanks to Damo and jaysails, for his help selecting.
Again I'm not getting anything for any of the promo, i just think its a good result.
Select to expand quoteFoS said..
Rider: 130kg, kiting 1 year, good self launch/and and some boost/pop
Style: Freeriding, aiming for surf
Weather: sunny and a bit gusty NNE 10-20 knots(95% 15knots +/-5)
Build Quality: 10/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Disclosure: not affiliated anywhere
My Comments:
My experience covers 5 kits so far, including the one I used for lessons.
After reading reviews I pre ordered a North NEO 12m, and a north trust bar 4 line. I got it Saturday.
Onboxing
Very nice with a ribbon around it.
Easy to read instructions, and confidence was very high, after first rig.
Looks nice sitting on the beach.
First run.
Got a 2.5 hr session today.
First launch and run, it felt so light, I actually had trouble commiting to the harness it felt so light.
Plenty of power when i drive it, and it stalls nicewithout falling in a lull.
Let go of the bar and it difts to the edge of the window, on the water,and just waits, awesome.
So i tried releasing the chicken loop, and it just moves to the side of the windows and waits.
Zero power. Single line flag out works well..
Anyway after about an hour i felt like i had it dialed in and went for some speed runs over the seaweed beds, and it was my skill holding it back at 20 knots, it had more, i didn't.
With the confidence, i tried some boosts. they went well, until i stuffed up.
Let go of the bar, and the kite goes to the edge of the window.
Always not far downwind.
The area was so shallow, i didn't try any upwind body drags, but i have great confidence. it would sit so high on the edge of the window, i dont expect a problem.
If your starting out and want a forgiving kite, you can do worse than this.
PS this is my first kite review, because i liked it so much.
Its easy to fly and really forgiving.
This kite makes you look better than you are
Thanks to Damo and jaysails, for his help selecting.
Again I'm not getting anything for any of the promo, i just think its a good result.
... nice one dude! Reviews from the heart sharing the stoke are the best reviews!
Out of interest, where did you kite?
cheers,
Robbie :)
Thats in southern tas, on the south east, there is a nautical mile across the inland bay area with a large channel.
Besides a few areas its all less than shoulder deep.
... ah ok, cool,,,, I know the spot, I think I kited there twice myself last year Christmas eve and day, loved it, had fun! 
awesome review dude, and perfect timing considering i just received 2 North Neos (8m and 11m) and a quad trust bar today! I had done my research and read reviews but hearing your positive experience just makes me feel even better about my purchase.
Im a 95kg 1st season newbie that has been out half a dozen times since early November with 2nd hand Cabrinhas. Had some great fun in these few outings so ive decided to get all new gear and make this my sport for the summer that ill invest all of my energy into.
Cant get out until Thursday which feels like an eternity away, but Xmas has come early so i can wait :D
Select to expand quote
Puetz said..
... ah ok, cool,,,, I know the spot, I think I kited there twice myself last year Christmas eve and day, loved it, had fun!
hi puetz
given he mentioned the shallow water, I think he was talking about the inner bay side, south of where you were kiting (see above). I remember seeing some guys kiting there one falls fest. great spot hey.
Pretty cool review FoS,
doesn't come across as anything other than someone loving their new toy. Good stuff.
DM
Select to expand quotemazdon said..
Puetz said..
... ah ok, cool,,,, I know the spot, I think I kited there twice myself last year Christmas eve and day, loved it, had fun!
hi puetz
given he mentioned the shallow water, I think he was talking about the inner bay side, south of where you were kiting (see above). I remember seeing some guys kiting there one falls fest. great spot hey.
... sorry FoS for the slight highjacking,,,,, how do you get to the end bit, road??, the mouth better?? See red arrow, is that where your talking??
Select to expand quotePuetz said..
... sorry FoS for the slight highjacking,,,,, how do you get to the end bit, road??, the mouth better?? See red arrow, is that where your talking??
Hi all.
I was on the inside, on the main dirt road there is a carpark near the cemetery, with a little spit that i rig up on for kiteboarding.
Windsurfing i go from the same spot.
There is a track that goes to where your arrow points, but its very rough and makes things in the van bounce around
The wind on sunday was the same direction as your arrow, so the dead onshore didn't seem fun for the first time with this kite.
However this weekend might be a beach session.
Maybe Carlton or Park on Saturday ?
Pictures beat words, please ignore the altitude, i didn't do a 30m boost and the tide didn't drop that far
... ahh ok, on the inside, cool.
Missus and I drove past the lagoon and I stopped at some point to look at the water and thought, this place would be twin tip flicky flicky paradise with heaps of room and plenty of clean wind to boot. Nice.
cheers,
Robbie 
