Hey guys im looking to buy my first kite for boarding and ive come accross an 11m north rebel i need some opinions on this one they are asking 600 for the kite complete is this a good deal/ good kite?

MIke

Depends on the condition. If it's "like new" then maybe, but if it's pretty well worn, then no it's probably not a great deal. Go to iKitesurf.com and search their classifieds. I found several 2010 11m that ranged from $495 - $795. Keep in mind, most people offer less. I've never bought a used inflato before and based on how most people I've seen fly / maintain them, I'd be very careful buying one. Be sure to pump it up and leave it pumped up for at least a half an hour. Check to see if any of the struts have gotten any softer. Look very carefully for repairs, and how crispy the fabric is. Most kitesurfers I know have no idea how to care for a kite. If the kite has a lot of sand or mold, faded colors, or unprofessional repairs, walk away. You can often easily tell how well the kite's been taken care of in a couple minutes.

Sorry to ask, but you have taken lessons or are an experienced kiter, right? You can get in a world of hurt real fast with these kites if you don't know what you're doing.

Bigkahuna

Thanks for the quick reply and i will not even be attempting to fly this kite before my lessons at the end of this month. I have heard a few horrow storys from friends about the hurt that can come from these kites so i will be using caution when doing so. I have not seen pictures as of yet this kite is not in my immediate area....

My advice would be to wait at least until after your lesson before buying your kite. The Rebel isn't a bad kite, but hopefully you'll learn some things during your lesson that will enable you to make a better decision regarding your first kite purchase. The best way to evaluate a kite before buying it is to fly it first. Most shops will let you demo a kite before buying one (of course they will need to know that you know what you're doing before handing over a kite to you). Once you start meeting other kiters you'll also get opportunities to try their kites, which will also help you decide what you like and what you don't. I've bought kites without trying them first and instead, based purely on what I read, and 9 out of 10 times it was a mistake.

An 09 Rebel for how much? Seems a little spendy to me. Considering its 2yrs old now. The Rebel is a nice kite, but they made a lot of progress in the design between 2010 and 2011. The 2011s are really nice (i was considering getting a 7m for my high wind kite...).

Definitely wait until after your lesson. Get something cheap (cheaper than that kite) to mess around with as you will be bashing it into the ground a bunch while learning.

Rebels are very nice kites, especially the ones with the 5th line setup. I personally like their safety system better than 75% of LEIs out there. But thats just my personal opinion.

Best of luck!

seems a bit much for 09 . it would have to be completely fresh.

get a lesson see what you are in for and make an experienced judgment about what you want

So now that i know what to do after my lesson what brands and types of kites do you guys recommend looking into and what types of safety systems are best?
Im a newbie so all info you guys provide is much appreciated

Mike

Try every kite you can get your hands on, then make your own decision. Picking a kite based on what you read on the internet, no matter how well intentioned, is a bad idea. Like I said earlier, I've done it myself and 9 out of 10 times it was a costly mistake.

I think two of the biggest mistakes most noobs make are: 1. trying to learn without lessons and 2. buying a kite before knowing what you're doing and before trying it out. Just a couple weeks ago I met a guy who had bought a couple of ancient c-kites on Craigslist for what he tried to convince me was a great deal. Had he waited until after he got his lessons and tried a few kites, he probably would have ended up a lot happier. Instead, he's spent his money on kites that nobody will buy and can't afford to buy what would work for him. Learn from other people's mistakes or be doomed to repeat them.