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North 2012

For 2012 North is offering an extensive line of five kites, eight twin tips, five surfboards, and three specialty boards. Highlights for 2012 include new Adaptive Wingtips on the kites (except the Vegas), a track system on the twin tips, and new surfboard construction. North’s Dan Schwarz filled us in on the changes on the 2012 North line.

At first glance, the 2012 North kite line looks like a refined version of the 2011 line. Is this the case or are there any large changes that we missed?

Actually it’s a pretty mixed bag. We did some small refinements and we also made some major overhauls. If you really wanted to sum it up simply, I’d say that the response to our entire 2011 lineup was overwhelmingly positive, and so we improved as much as we could without compromising the core elements that attracted people to last year’s gear.

Photo courtesy North Kiteboarding

What are some of the specific improvements over the 2011 line?

Besides the usual subtle tweaks to all sizes of all of our kites, we have added a new feature to all of our kites (other than the Vegas). The new Adaptive Wingtips allow you to tune the feeling and turning speed of each kite easily. It’s like having two kites in one.

Are the Rebel and the Fuse still similar flying kites? Why would a rider choose one kite over the other?

Want More? Get the rest plus info on 2012 gear from 18 more brands in the TKB 2012 Buyer’s Guide.

Choose your version of the 2012 Buyer’s Guide below. You can get a .pdf file for you to view on the device of your choice or you can also download the Buyer’s Guide directly to your mobile device through The Kiteboarder App.