Quick review on North’s 2016 kites and twintips

North is a big brand as in very well known around the world, but also in terms of the amount of different types of hardware. For 2016 North has roughly 8 different kites, 10 twintips and 8 different wave boards. An incredible amount and most of them are redesigned every year. Is this redesign a marketing driven thing or can we pin point some real improvements? To give you an hint; most North quiver is not really changed but tweaked.

We had the chance to ride most of the 2016 equipment for a couple of hours. Below you will find some highlights of the first impressions we had from it. In a further stage we give you more detailed reviews on all main stream kites and twintips.

Jaime

The Jaime has been in the North kiteboarding range for over ten years. We rated the 2015 version as a fast, upwind miracle but a bit stiff. It clearly is faster than the more comfortable (especially on the landings) Team Series but also has less pop. Apart from the graphics hard to judge in one session if the 2016 version really feels different from 2015. However it’s outline for 2016 is definitely changed. It’s wider to make you pop better and your landings easier. According to North the new Jaime is now more a freestyle board with a new Carbon Beam construction, which should give the board a lively and eager feeling on the water.

North 2016 Gambler and Hyperlite POP boots

 

Gambler (on Pop boots from Hyperlite)

A park and wakestyle, very curved and flexible board. To be used on flat water preferably with some kickers and sliders. But it is not an obvious choice for most of us. The Gambler is very slow and won’t go upwind. Unlike we have
seen before with other boards (like the F-one Acid, labelled as new School or the wake-style performance Bucca from Vanhunks) using the Gambler out of its intended usage is a  big no-no. If you use where its meant for this, hit the park on the kite or the cable, the 2016 Gambler has a real nice new feature: The Track System is positioned in one line, so boots can be ridden on both edges. This way the Gambler can be switched and used -in theorey- much longer. The new double concave offers quite good grip so you should easily be able to ride it without fins.

The 2016 POP boots clearly changed a lot from 2015. They seemed changed both in shape (wider nose) and stiffness. Although it is a bit unfair to compare a used (2015) boot to a new boot, it still felt like the 2016 POP boot is harder, not to say less comfortable, on the inside.

Team Series

Team Series bottom differences from 2015

The Team Series board, now at 999,- Euro’s, is part of the top end line of North. We reviewed the 2015 version concluding it, although not being the fastest or at its best going upwind, has a good combination of pop and comfort. The first few sessions we had with the 2016 version of the TS didn’t reveal any major differences. Some details did change, like the shape of the bottom, specifically the bottom side has different channels as in 2015. Something to investigate further when we have a chance to ride the board a bit longer. 

 

 

Vegas

Bridle options Vegas 2016

The non bridled 100% freestyle Vegas is tweaked up a bit from 2015. The Vegas -of course- still needs a fair amount of input and probably has the worst wind range of all North kites, but when used properly in the right conditions (which is not too underpowered) is the most rewarding kite from the North range.

It has almost unlimited setting options, both on the bridles as on the tips (on the contrary for example to the Rebel  which just has one option). Aaron Hadlow gives his explanation on the different settings in a video here. To judge the changes to the 2015 version we need to take the kite out a lot longer, which we certainly hope to do so.

North Dice 2016

Dice

If it was a fish, the Dice would be a dolphin; friendly, playful, fast and everybody likes to touch it. The Dice, 2015, was our favourite North kite. A good cross over kite if you can’t choose, usable for most riding styles and probably the best choice for 90% of the kiters out there. For this reason the Dice will have our first review on the 2016 North kites. And yes, the 2016 version has been improved from 2015. Smoother and a bit more low end.

Rebel

The old time favourite for the numerous freeriders out there. It’s the ultimate jumping machine with exceptional hangtime. The Rebel has it’s own kite category. You hate it or you love it. Although not my favourite type of kite, it’s North’s pinnacle for a long time. And there is a reason for that. The low end of this kite is really incredible and jumping is made very easy. You don’t have to be technically perfect to boost huge airs. Nothing has changed so far in 2016. The pop is amazing and hang-time is like before, crazy. The low-end keeps surprising when everybody is on foil kites or 14+ a rebel 12 does the job. The kite is a bit more technical then others, its doesn’t like that you keep pulling the bar, it needs a little bit of breath before it gives what you expect. The aspect ratio of the 2016 kites have been changed. The smaller sizes in the range now feature a lower aspect ratio while the bigger ones got an higher aspect ratio for higher jumps and better hangtime.

Split point Quad bar

Quad bar

The 2016 Quad bar didn’t change much except for one major detail. The way the front line split and how it works out when using your safety release has been redesigned completely. It now has a metal tube connection where the 2015 version just had 2 rings. We didn’t like this 2-ringed solution North came up with (initially end of 2015 The North Quad bar turned up with a square piece of plastic which damaged the front line). The 2016 split looks much better, but has one disadvantage; The front lines are unequal in length. A small detail which will only be a hassle when replacing one of them; Ordering it at your local shop you should at least give the following information: “Can I have the red front line, 22m, 2016, North Quad bar version please”. For the rest this amazing multi adjustable bar (have a look at the 2016 5th element video which explains also the Quad features) is unchanged from 2015.

Most of the products described here are already for sale. Please note that not all 2016 versions (for example the Evo) are on the market yet.

List prices (for Europe) have gone up from 2015 to 2016 about 10-12%

North Dice 9m 2016 (3rd version)

North Dice 9 meter 2016

Probably the nicest surprise of 2015 was the North Dice with it’s quick response, direct, light, wide wind range and an amazing quick depower on the bar made this truly do it all kite almost everybody’s friend. No wonder we were very curious for it’s offspring. The 2016 Dices were released in the beginning of september and luckily we were already able to get our hands on a 9 meter.

We were so excited to test the Dice 2016 we took it out the first time the wind did hit the coast. Unfortunately the wind was very light with just 16-17 knots of real on shore wind and big waves compared to the strength of the wind. So we did not expect we could take out the 9 meter, but curiosity killed the cat. Our lightest test kiter decided to give it a try and didn’t come back for at least an hour. Needless to say she liked the 2016 Dice and the kite already had an amazing low end in 2015. After she came back I could not resist to give it a try myself, 25 kilograms heavier then her, and even I could ride the kite in this light weather conditions. The low end is definitely better than last year but what more has been changed?

Test twintip North Team Series 138*41cm 2015

North Team Series 2015

How much better is a twintip that costs approximately a 1000,- euro’s compared to cheaper twintips with similar features? We tested the North Team Series 138*41 cm 2015 to get the answer.

North online board selection tool

North produces a large quiver of kiteboards. With 10 different (in 2015) twintip boards to choose from it’s a good thing they have made an online tool to point you in the right direction. When you set this tool to “100% freestyle” it suggests 3 twintips; The Team Series, the Team Series Hadlow version and the already tried and tested Jaime.

 

Board Review: North Select 133*41 2015

According to the North website their North Select twintip is a 100% freeride board. It is described as a fast, light and responsive board and is build with Textreme Carbon. Out of curiosity we checked what Textreme Carbon actually is. Apparently it is not just a marketing term, but an existing material.
TeXtreme is the trade name of Oxeon’s “spread tow” carbon fiber composite. TeXtreme is different than traditional carbon fiber because the individual fibers are configured like extremely small ribbons, not round strands of carbon as with conventional carbon fiber. The wider, flatter orientation of TeXtreme carbon fiber means the individual carbon fibers nest closer to one another, producing a denser, stiffer, stronger interlace of carbon fibers. Since the carbon fibers are arrayed in closer proximity to each other there is less room for the matrix material, the “glue” that makes carbon fiber solid. Less matrix means more carbon and more carbon means better stiffness and energy management. It also means North can use less carbon fiber to produce an even stronger and lighter board.

Test North Vegas 7m + 9m 2015 on 5th element and wake style bar

Design North Vegas

The North Vegas is a designated “C”-kite. It is one of the last kites that comes without bridles. Even the Slingshot Fuel, a traditional C-kites, from 2015 models on now have bridles. The Vegas has a very specific aim: Freestyle. Its shape, this year for the first time, done by former world champion Aaron Hadlow, has been set to “create a superior kite for our team riders“.

We tested the new Vegas to see how it is any fun riding it “non-freestyled”.

Test Twintip North Jaime 133*40 2015

The North Jamie board is one of the most popular boards of North. The 2015 model is already the 10th edition. It got its name from Tarifa veteran kiter Jaime Herraiz.  The website of Northkiteboarding has sophisticated choose&slide features which pops up “best match” with the Jaime when selecting 25% Freeride and 100% Freestyle. The Jaime, according to the North website, is “The real beauty of the Jaime however is its forgiving nature; it’s one of the easiest boards to ride, yet it is still packed with performance “.

kite test North Dice 2015 vs F-one Bandit 8

After 4 weeks of comparing the F-one Bandit from 2015 (“version 8”) and the North Dice 2015, we have made quite some notes and remarks to fully evaluate the differences. We already made a description why we compare the Bandit and the Dice and what the similarities and differences are on the lines and bridles. This report is mostly  on the performance (see below at “Details that matter”), the most important aspect of a kite. Any differences described here are on details. Both the Dice and the Bandit have much more in common than they have differences. We all felt very happy riding with both kites, whatever the rider or circumstances.

 

 

 

 

Bar and lines Bandit 8 and Dice 2015

Both Bandit and Dice have a 4 line set up. The Dice kite comes with a 5th line (hidden in a pocket on the middle strut) for the kite, which means a 5 line bar could be used on the Dice. The North bar is available in one size only and costs (either 4 or 5 lines) 439,- and you could choose between 4 lengths;19m, 22m, 24m and 27m. For a dice 2015 22m or 24m is recommended. In this test we used 22m lines. According to North a 5th line is added to a better safety, but further is has n’t got any extra functions.

The f-one “Monolith” bar, unchanged from 2014, comes with 21.8m lines. The bar is available in 2 sizes; 45 and 52cm (for 11m and above).

The differences between the North and F-one bars are mainly to be found in the details;

Bridles F-one Bandit 8 vs North Dice 2015

So lets compare the bridle’s;

our assumption is that the way the bridles are set up is quite important to the feel you get from the kite. Let’s say maybe for 40% (and determine the feeling maybe just as much as the shape of the kite)? If we place both kites on to each other, as we did on the picture on the right with 9m’s, it doesnt appear to be so different from the Bandit to the Dice. They both have 4 to 5 connections on the leading edge. But the bandit has 2 pulleys, and the Dice just one on each side.

If we look closer to the pulleys, the North Dice (in blue) pulley doesnt have any moving parts. The pulleys of the bandit does have rolling parts (as the Bandit has had from the beginning).

Is this better? No! From my expierence a bridle line will -in time- be litterly scraped by those wheels, ending up broken, lets say in average use in about 2 tot 3 years. No need to say this means you won’t be able to control the kite any more if it brakes. So a small advice will be to check the bridle lines every now and then and make sure the wheel of the F-one Bandit pulley’s are not clocked with sand or by any other reason….And a small advice to F-one (as this scraping issue must be known by now?!); why not use a pulley without any moving parts….like the North Dice has.

Pulley F-one Bandit 8

Pulley North Dice 2015