Review North Neo 2014

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Riding type: Freeride/Wave
Year: 2014
Brand: North kiteboarding
Size: 04m, 05m, 06m, 07m, 08m, 09m, 10m, 11m, 12m
Type: SLE
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Kite

3 strut SLE kite

Designers goals (manufacturer text)

The Neo is the dedicated wave-freeride kite in the line up, aimed at the rider who values quality waves and needs a kite to perform. Airton Cozzolino chooses the Neo for his demanding style of competitive wave riding on the KSP World Tour. His influence was essential to improve the wave characteristic without loosing the good freeride abilities. This year the Neo comes with a floating strut and the structure of the kite is a little softer to enable the Neo to absorb gusts, giving a smoother power development and allowing the rider even more control on the wave. The struts have also been moved further towards the outside of the kite, this has shifted the centre of gravity allowing the kite to sit further back in the window. This enables the kite to drift down the line incredibly well, allowing you to park the kite and ride the wave without having to worry about it stalling. Additionally it is responsible for an easy and fast relaunch. The Neo is extremely responsive to rider input on the bar, making it easy to manoeuvre on the wave. The lightweight construction makes the kite very lively in the air, but also means there is even less chance of the kite dropping back in the window as you race down the line.

If you like riding waves, but don´t want to miss comfort freeriding, the Neo is the kite for you.

The Neo is the dedicated wave-freeride kite in the line up, aimed at the rider who values quality waves and needs a kite to perform. Airton Cozzolino chooses the Neo for his demanding style of competitive wave riding on the KSP World Tour. His influence was essential to improve the wave characteristic without loosing the good freeride abilities. This year the Neo comes with a floating strut and the structure of the kite is a little softer to enable the Neo to absorb gusts, giving a smoother power development and allowing the rider even more control on the wave. The struts have also been moved further towards the outside of the kite, this has shifted the centre of gravity allowing the kite to sit further back in the window. This enables the kite to drift down the line incredibly well, allowing you to park the kite and ride the wave without having to worry about it stalling. Additionally it is responsible for an easy and fast relaunch. The Neo is extremely responsive to rider input on the bar, making it easy to manoeuvre on the wave. The lightweight construction makes the kite very lively in the air, but also means there is even less chance of the kite dropping back in the window as you race down the line.

If you like riding waves, but don´t want to miss comfort freeriding, the Neo is the kite for you. - See more at: http://www.northkites.com/products/kites/neo/#sthash.JoO8eQqw.dpuf

Bar

Movie kite

Details:

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

Kiteboard review North Neo 2014 9m

Test conditions

Wind: 12 -20 knots
Water: small waves - lake
Board: Twintip 140x40
Bar setup: 22m lines

Detail Pictures

leading edge North 2014 NEO (blue) vs EVOsmall canopy panels North neo 2014 kitebattens trailer edge North neo 2014

Most prominent Characteristics

+ safety system
+ drift
+ kiterelaunch
+ low end
+ kite feedback
+ stability

- pretty strong in its high end (wave & beginner/allrounder)
- through the bar you can feel the pigtail friction on the leading edge

Conclusion

The North Neo is a freeride/wave kite with a compact and rigid 3 strut frame. This rigid form with deeper placement in the wind window is what defines the new Neo. It gives the Neo more low end power, better drift and good feedback on the edge of the wind window. It's a wave kite but also good for beginners if you take the Neo in its low end. In its high end beginners or strapless wave riders have to change to a smaller size. That shifts the best usable windrange of the Neo a bit to the low end. So test also a size smaller before you buy the Neo.

More about the North Neo 2014: Kitefinder test North Neo vs North Evo


All North Neo Characteristics

Basics

Windrange

Limited Wide

Great low end, pretty strong in it's high end

Total depower

Still pressure Total depower

Kite stability

Unstable Stable

very stable

Kite re-launch

Difficult Easy

just pull at one steering line

Safety system

Difficult Easy

4 and 5 line. 5 line most save, except in the waves than the 4 line is safer (tanglement)

Oldskool

High-end

Small range Large range

small high end range for beginner and straples wave riders

Lift

Gradual Explosive

Gradual power building, in it's high end more strong but still gradual

Glide phase

Short Long

Low-end

Small range Large range

Wave

Turning circle

Large radius Small radius

Reaction to steering action

Slow Fast

Feedback at edge of wind window

Minimal Great

Drift

Poor Good

great drift

Race

Kiteposition in wind-window

Middle Edge

Going upwind

Hard Easy

in it's higher wind range the Neo gets powerful and is harder to go upwind. Low end and a surfboard its easy

There are 2 reviews on this product:

North Neo 2014 06m
Name:
stefarius 
Riding style:
allround  
Personal page:
Water conditions:
small-waves  
Tested Wind Conditions:
From 22 knots up to 32
Number of test sessions:
Kite size:
06m 
Most remarkable characteristics:
kite reaction
 
SlowQuick
drift
 
HardSoft
high end
 
Small rangeLarge range
kite stability
 
UnstableStable
kite feedback
 
MinimalGreat
up wind
 
HardEasy
user friendly
 
PoorGreat
total depower
 
Some pressureTotal depower
windrange
 
LimitedWide
boost
 
SoftStrong
bar pressure
 
HeavyLight
kitefinder.com - 15.04.2014 at 00:23 hour
Comments:
Stable, drift, feedback and fast. This new Neo is compact & rigid through the whole serie! That gives this 6m Neo a bit of a hard kite feel. You have soft wave kites like the Cabrinha Drifter, but if you like your kite feel hard, reactive and with a great drift. You have to try the 6m North Neo. 
5 kudos - +

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North Neo 2014 09m
Name:
Stefarius 
Weight:
91 
Riding style:
allround, wave, big-air  
Years of experience:
+10 
Personal page:
Water conditions:
flat, chop  
Tested Wind Conditions:
From 10 knots up to 20
Number of test sessions:
Kite size:
09m 
Most remarkable characteristics:
safety system
 
DifficultEasy
drift
 
HardSoft
kite relaunch
 
DifficultEasy
low end
 
Small rangeLarge range
kite feedback
 
MinimalGreat
slack line steering
 
SlowQuick
user friendly
 
PoorGreat
kite reaction
 
SlowQuick
total depower
 
Some pressureTotal depower
boost
 
SoftStrong
bar pressure
 
HeavyLight
high end
 
Small rangeLarge range
up wind
 
HardEasy
lift
 
GradualExplosive
kitefinder.com - 04.02.2014 at 09:37 hour
Comments:
The Neo really changed when you compare it with the Neo 2013. This new Neo is more compact, direct and stronger than the 2013 model. Great low end great for beginners but in its high end a kite for intermediate/experienced riders. Why? Well because of that new extra power this kite generates. 
10 kudos - +

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