Review North Dice 2014

« Return to search results
Riding type: Freeride/New School
Year: 2014
Brand: North kiteboarding
Size: 04m, 05m, 06m, 07m, 08m, 09m, 10m, 11m, 12m, 13m
Type: SLE
Share:
Buy: Buy Now

Kite

New freestyle/wave kite in the North 2014 serie

Designers goals

The Dice is a brand new kite for 2014, aimed at the rider wanting a do it all machine with C-Shape flying characteristics. Airton Cozzolino and Tom Court are using the Dice this year, showing you just how versatile it is. Happy performing wakestyle, freestyle or in the waves – the kite entertains on all levels. It is based around a C-Shape profile, using a lightweight three strut construction.
The kite feels lively in your hands, very direct and predictable in the air. The bar feedback is instinctive and riders find the kite easy to fly right out of the bag. Kiteloops are really easy with the Dice, and it is great fun to ride in the waves or flat water.

If you want a kite that will give you the maximum amount of fun in any conditions, choose the Dice, responsive, fast and great fun!

Features

  • Direct and fast turning
  • Easy jumping ability
  • Surprising unhooked performance
  • Great drift abilities for wave riding
  • Massive depower

Wind range

wind range north dice

Bar

Kite movie

Details:

Riding type: Freeride/New School
Year: 2014
Brand: North kiteboarding
Size: 04m, 05m, 06m, 07m, 08m, 09m, 10m, 11m, 12m, 13m
Type: SLE
One pump: Yes
Bridles: Yes
Number of struts: 3
Colours: Various
Line length: 19m, 22m, 24m, 27m, 32m
Bar length: 40cm-45cm
Bar: 4 and 5 lines
Depower: Clamcleat
Safety: Push
Swivel: Yes
Variable bar length: Yes
Oh shit handles: No

Kitereview North Dice 6m 2014

Test conditions

Wind: 20-32 knots
Water: medium waves
Board: 5'10 wave board
Kite set up: Easy & hard setting
Bar set up: 21m lines

Pictures

North Dice settingTrailing edge

Wind: 20-32 knots

Water: small & medium waves

Board: 5'10 wave board

Kite set up: Turning +      Bar pressure - (see picture)

Bar set up: 24m line 2013 bar (new 2014 bar not available)

- See more at: http://www.kitefinder.com/en/kites/1309/f-one-bandit-7-2014#tests

Wind: 20-32 knots

Water: small & medium waves

Board: 5'10 wave board

Kite set up: Turning +      Bar pressure - (see picture)

Bar set up: 24m line 2013 bar (new 2014 bar not available)

- See more at: http://www.kitefinder.com/en/kites/1309/f-one-bandit-7-2014#tests

Conclusion

North made with the Dice a combination freestyle/wave kite. You really feel that in the 6m Dice. Change the setting and you get a other kite. The hard setting is freestyle, soft setting is for waveriding. Choose in stormy conditions the soft setting for the best storm performance. Riding waves? We preferred the soft setting!

 

Basics

Windrange

Limited Wide

Great high end, especially on the easy setting. Less low end

Kite stability

Unstable Stable

Safety system

Difficult Easy

Oldskool

Low-end

Small range Large range

Lift

Gradual Explosive

On the hard setting, les lift on the soft setting

High-end

Small range Large range

Wave

Drift

Poor Good

Feedback at edge of wind window

Minimal Great

Steering with low line tension

Not so good Good

Reaction to steering action

Slow Fast

Turning circle

Large radius Small radius

Race

Going upwind

Hard Easy

There are 6 reviews on this product:

North Dice 2014 08m
Name:
Thijs Vunderink 
Weight:
82 
Riding style:
allround, wave, big-air  
Years of experience:
11 
Personal page:
Water conditions:
small-waves, big-waves  
Tested Wind Conditions:
From 12 knots up to 23
Number of test sessions:
Kite size:
08m 
Most remarkable characteristics:
windrange
 
LimitedWide
kite stability
 
UnstableStable
bar pressure
 
HeavyLight
drift
 
HardSoft
high end
 
Small rangeLarge range
kite relaunch
 
DifficultEasy
up wind
 
HardEasy
slack line steering
 
SlowQuick
kitefinder.com - 04.12.2013 at 16:56 hour
Comments:
Hectic, gusty wind and waves, when I took the 8 out on a session. Floating through the windgaps on the surfboard, the Dice steadily provides forward drive to keep going. Probably because of the deep profile, it seems to be a easy going little freerider, just like it is designed to be. As I ride strapless, the lift wasn't tested, but the drifting isn't that advanced. Strong gusts and a deep bottom-turn easily needed kite- and downloops to keep the kite in front of me, instead of easily drifting along while steering up and down. As all North kites, the Dice looks very durable and after some heavy washing machines it came out unharmed and was restarted in a split second.  
9 kudos - +

Replys to this review

Be the first one to reply, leave a comment!
Submit your reply Make your own review
North Dice 2014 09m
Name:
Thijs Vunderink 
Weight:
82 
Riding style:
allround  
Years of experience:
11 
Personal page:
Water conditions:
flat, chop  
Tested Wind Conditions:
From 16 knots up to 22
Number of test sessions:
Kite size:
09m 
Most remarkable characteristics:
safety system
 
DifficultEasy
kite feedback
 
MinimalGreat
high end
 
Small rangeLarge range
user friendly
 
PoorGreat
windrange
 
LimitedWide
kite reaction
 
SlowQuick
up wind
 
HardEasy
lift
 
GradualExplosive
bar pressure
 
HeavyLight
kite stability
 
UnstableStable
glide phase
 
ShortLong
slack line steering
 
SlowQuick
kitefinder.com - 24.11.2013 at 15:05 hour
Comments:
The Dice is a very easy to ride kite, but it doesn't excel in anything. It's the perfect freerider, as North says. Not the enormous lift, the Rebel has, definitely not the boost and aggressive steering the Vegas provides and unfortunately not the stability of the Evo. But is seems a good addition to the North collection, that covers a gap between the Evo and Vegas with an easy to fly C-shape in the freeriders range. 
3 kudos - +

Replys to this review

Be the first one to reply, leave a comment!
Submit your reply Make your own review
North Dice 2014 06m
Name:
Ruben Versluis 
Weight:
76 
Riding style:
allround  
Years of experience:
11 
Personal page:
Water conditions:
big-waves  
Tested Wind Conditions:
From 30 knots up to 45
Number of test sessions:
Kite size:
06m 
Most remarkable characteristics:
user friendly
 
PoorGreat
kite reaction
 
SlowQuick
high end
 
Small rangeLarge range
slack line steering
 
SlowQuick
kite feedback
 
MinimalGreat
windrange
 
LimitedWide
kite stability
 
UnstableStable
up wind
 
HardEasy
bar pressure
 
HeavyLight
kitefinder.com - 24.10.2013 at 17:32 hour
Comments:
Windy condtions (storm) kitesetting halfway changed on the pigtails. North have the option: easy and hard setting. First the kite was ridden by hard setting and later on we changed it to the easy setting. Less bar pressure and easier to handle in these storm conditions. Easy going allround kite with lots of depower. 
2 kudos - +

Replys to this review

Be the first one to reply, leave a comment!
Submit your reply Make your own review
North Dice 2014 07m
Name:
Bram 
Weight:
80 
Riding style:
allround, wave, race  
Years of experience:
13 
Personal page:
Water conditions:
small-waves  
Tested Wind Conditions:
From 16 knots up to 30
Number of test sessions:
+5 
Kite size:
07m 
Most remarkable characteristics:
user friendly
 
PoorGreat
kite stability
 
UnstableStable
kite feedback
 
MinimalGreat
kite reaction
 
SlowQuick
low end
 
Small rangeLarge range
glide phase
 
ShortLong
kitefinder.com - 10.10.2013 at 13:49 hour
Comments:
I tested the Dice in several sizes, the user friendly of this kite is outstanding. Its trustful and easy and direct to steer. I use the Dyno for my racing and freeriding. If I compare the Dice with the Dyno, the Dyno has more kite range upwind, hangtime and depower. The Dice is more a fast playful kite, great fort the waves. I misses the low-end in the Dice, its hard work in its lower windrange to keep upwind and have to steer a lot. With jumping you have to watch your kite positioning. Outer wise you will fall out of the sky like a brick!
Get used to this an it will be a freeride kite with lots of potential in waveriding, jumping and freestyle. I used the 5, 7 and 9m Dices. The 9m has the better hangtime. The 5m has a great and stable high-end. With my 80 kg I would go for the 6m kite next time!
 
2 kudos - +

Replys to this review

Be the first one to reply, leave a comment!
Submit your reply Make your own review
North Dice 2014 08m
Name:
Nanette 
Weight:
50 
Riding style:
allround, big-air, unhooked  
Years of experience:
Personal page:
Water conditions:
flat, chop  
Tested Wind Conditions:
From 16 knots up to 22
Number of test sessions:
Kite size:
08m 
Most remarkable characteristics:
safety system
 
DifficultEasy
kite relaunch
 
DifficultEasy
boost
 
SoftStrong
sweet spot
 
ShortLong
lift
 
GradualExplosive
kite reaction
 
SlowQuick
kite feedback
 
MinimalGreat
bar pressure
 
HeavyLight
windrange
 
LimitedWide
glide phase
 
ShortLong
kitefinder.com - 18.09.2013 at 16:29 hour
Comments:
Meet the friendly freestyle kite! That is what I felt when I first tried the Dice.


I used to ride the North Vegas for the last two years, so I'm comparing my experience with this.
The Dice has got less bar pressure than the Vegas which made me feel more comfortable doing my freestyle tricks. It feels like you can keep riding the kite for longer, also in stronger wind, but with the same easy control.
A new 4 lines kite with a great relaunch as well as great depower. The kites reacts fast, a little bit less slack on the lines during the trick but more speed to continue riding when coming out of the trick.


So the Dice really has the good C-shape characteristics, with more comfort and ease which makes it suitable for a large group of riders.
From freeriders, riding waves, to starting freestyle and pushing it to wakestyle! 
4 kudos - +

Replys to this review

Be the first one to reply, leave a comment!
Submit your reply Make your own review
North Dice 2014 09m
Name:
Stefan Zijlstra 
Weight:
92  
Riding style:
allround, wave, big-air, unhooked  
Years of experience:
Personal page:
Water conditions:
flat, chop  
Tested Wind Conditions:
From 20 knots up to 25
Number of test sessions:
Kite size:
09m 
Most remarkable characteristics:
kite feedback
 
MinimalGreat
boost
 
SoftStrong
total depower
 
Some pressureTotal depower
lift
 
GradualExplosive
user friendly
 
PoorGreat
high end
 
Small rangeLarge range
sweet spot
 
ShortLong
bar pressure
 
HeavyLight
glide phase
 
ShortLong
kitefinder.com - 04.09.2013 at 13:02 hour
Comments:
The first impression for me on the North Dice 2014 was: Plug and Play!
Felt really comfortable and the steering of the kite was very quick. The depower of the kite is comparable with the North Neo 2013, wich is very good for a freestyle kite.

To make a high jump with the Dice, it was difficult to find the right timing. Sometimes i was getting really fast out of the air what resulted in a crash. The kite isn't really made for oldskool so it is not a big deal in my opinion.

I think the kiteloops are comparable with the pull out of a C-kite, but feels a little bit more comfortable because of its good depower. It was a pleasure to make kiteloops with this kite!

Conclusion:
in my opinion a really good job of the North Team, creating a kite for a big group of kiters. An allround kite with a lot of performance in it to make a lot of progression in freestyle/wakestyle and wave. Exactly where he is made for.

 
9 kudos - +

Replys to this review

Be the first one to reply, leave a comment!
Submit your reply Make your own review


Write your own review