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Which Rev? (1, 1.5, 2, or B)


John146

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I'm wondering if someone can give a brief description about the different Revs. I have a Supersonic and I'm interested in another but I'm not sure which I should look at. I've seen discussions about the Rev 1, Rev 2, 1.5, 1.5 SLE, the Sedgwick, and the B.

I'm wondering about the pros and cons for each type.

Can someone help? Or are there key words I can search on to find topics that might show the differences?

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Any new/updated information on this subject? 1st post was 2007, last was 2009..

New models, etc?

I have been flying quad line power kites since August. Flew dual line before that. HOOOKED good and proper and looking to expand the quiver with a Rev for the lighter days that the Open cell foils will not fly. My local flying spot the winds are usually from 2mph-8mph. So I need an initial package that will fly in almost nothing. My 8m open cell will fly 4-5mph up.

Sounds like a 1.5 is a great all around starter? It looks like there is SLE version, and SUL version of the sail, as well as spars (2,3,4 wrap)?

Would a SLE standard sail with 2 wrap bar fly as low as 2mph? If that requires a 1.5 SUL sail what are that sails limits for top end wind? Beach trips are higher wind, not 100% sure the avg wind but I would guess it is 10-15mph typically and some days higher...

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A B series full sail would be best, for the initial investment. It comes with 3 wrap and 2 wrap frame sets, a great training video with John B himself, and is plenty tough for a beginner.

Sounds like you are flying at Kitehenge, also known as Chambers Creek Central Meadow. Do not expect low wind flying to be easy with a Rev, you will need a bit of time on the handles and maybe some help from an experienced flier before it "clicks". A good learning wind would be at least 5mph, and not much more than 15mph. Flying on a 2mph breeze is not impossible, and can be done with ease by a experienced flier with a kite that has been tuned for those conditions. A B series full sail (I have one and fly light wind with it) is a very capable kite for light winds.

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A B series full sail would be best, for the initial investment. It comes with 3 wrap and 2 wrap frame sets, a great training video with John B himself, and is plenty tough for a beginner.

Sounds like you are flying at Kitehenge, also known as Chambers Creek Central Meadow. Do not expect low wind flying to be easy with a Rev, you will need a bit of time on the handles and maybe some help from an experienced flier before it "clicks". A good learning wind would be at least 5mph, and not much more than 15mph. Flying on a 2mph breeze is not impossible, and can be done with ease by a experienced flier with a kite that has been tuned for those conditions. A B series full sail (I have one and fly light wind with it) is a very capable kite for light winds.

Yup you got my flight location exactly. Never heard of it called Kitehenge though! It is a popular local spot though, many weekday evenings there were 2-3 of us out flying.

Would a SUL sail and 2 wrap fly much better in those low winds? How about an EXP, they are 2oz lighter than the sle, and on par with the B for weight? I have a couple kids and a wife I want to get going as well and they have no real kite experience, so the tamer exp may be a good 1st option?(and much more in my price range)

Baring that does anyone have a used "B" they would part with? A new rtf is gonna be out of my range for a while!

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It is not how light the sail is, it is a matter of where the weight is on the kite, and the abilities of the flier. The EXP is not "tamer", it is a Rev that is made with less expensive materials, and, IMHO, is not as precise as a B series.

Kitehenge is my main field where I fly, we should meet up sometime. I haven't had the time to go recently, lots of thing to do on my plate. I am sure that you can find a used 1.5B by posting in "open Topic", there are plenty of fliers here that could part with a old kite.

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It is not how light the sail is, it is a matter of where the weight is on the kite, and the abilities of the flier. The EXP is not "tamer", it is a Rev that is made with less expensive materials, and, IMHO, is not as precise as a B series.

Kitehenge is my main field where I fly, we should meet up sometime. I haven't had the time to go recently, lots of thing to do on my plate. I am sure that you can find a used 1.5B by posting in "open Topic", there are plenty of fliers here that could part with a old kite.

Sounds good. I can bring my bag of power kites you can try if you have not done that before. Though they will not be nimble like a Rev they will make you know you are harnessing the wind!

Is it just me or has the wind been TERRIBLE the last few months? I have not been able to get in the air since the 1st week of Dec!

I live very close to you based on member map, are there any spots out our way that are flyable, maybe on short lines? It's just so hilly, not sure if there is any clean spots in the new commercial area behind Boeing?

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I'm a bit of a noob... :blushing: What's a Rev II? Has it been discontinued?

Or is it the smaller B2 (JohnBarresi 2)?

I've not been able to find anything on the current Revkites product line-up other than the B2.

No problem!

The B2 is a scaled down REV 1.5 B series to about the size of a REV II.

For information and a history of the REV II look here: http://johnnmitchell.com/IntSportKites/rev_history/r2.html

Sometime I will get around to writing more on the B2.

Also take a look at the REVOLUTION web site at: http://www.revkites.com

It should give you most of the information on the present products available.

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The B2 is a scaled down REV 1.5 B series to about the size of a REV II.

For information and a history of the REV II look here: http://johnnmitchell...history/r2.html

Sometime I will get around to writing more on the B2.

What a great site, a wonderful encyclopedic history and evolution of the Rev lines. Certainly feel I know a good deal more now. :) Ty!

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I am very pleased to hear you like it. Thank You!

Really interesting to see how the designs have changed and evolved over time, pinpointing specific eras, some advancing through the years to become classics, others that made brief appearances before falling by the wayside though no less important. Nice that they've been catalogued so the rare ones are not lost in time.

The masterpieces are sublime. Think my favourite has got to be The Dark Lady by Randy Tom. Would go very well in Whitby (England), one of my favourite places to stay, as that's where Bram Stoker was inspired and wrote 'Dracula', and there's a really great goth vibe there.

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Thanks for your prompt replies!

In fact I was looking for the differences between the 1.5 SLE STD and the 1.5 SLE SUL : frame? fabric? wind range? anything else?

I couldn't find on revkites.com and it is quite difficult to find detailed "up-to-date" informations about it on the web...?

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The SUL has been discontinued. Rev no longer produces this model. We have a few SUL's left in stock and you may be able to find some in some other stores but once they are gone, that will be it.

The differences between the standard and the SUL:

Sail Material: Std=Nylon | SUL=Poly

Bridle: Std=normal bridle line | SUL=Spectra

Leading edge material: Std=normal reinforced dacron | SUL=ripstop nylon

Frames are interchangeable but SUL usually comes with 2 wraps. Standard comes with SLE and 3 wrap LE.

Hope that helps.

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The SLE STD and SUL are basically identical, except that the SLE has the Super Leading Edge and 3 wrap verticals, while the SUL is a full two-wrap frame. They share the same sail (ripstop poly). Frankly, I can't recall if a lighter weight bridle is used on the SUL, but I don't believe so. There's absolutely no comparison in wind range -- the SUL with 2s will fly in very light wind, as you'd expect from the name. The SLE will perform much better in higher winds, but is still not a frame choice selected by many people any more (too stiff, not worth the weight, etc.)<br /><br />The advantage to buying the SUL is that if you want, you could always purchase an SLE leading edge and use it in the same kite.<br /><br />The biggest downside to the SUL is, if you're new to the Rev, it's a more fragile frame to be learning on. Not that it can't be done. But it's worth pointing out.

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I have had an SUL for several years now and use it in really light winds! With its lighter LE pocket, 2 wrap frame, spectra bridle, it weighs about as little as you can get away with and still hold up to gusts at times! With skill, you can get this to fly in very low wind conditions, but it doesn't fly itself, you need to have some practice on light winds to enjoy!!

You can put a stronger frame in it, but you also risk stretching the sail out! (My experience!)

It did make an affordable option for light winds over a Zen, but I'm saving my pennies for that one next!!

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The SLE STD and SUL are basically identical, except that the SLE has the Super Leading Edge and 3 wrap verticals, while the SUL is a full two-wrap frame. They share the same sail (ripstop poly). Frankly, I can't recall if a lighter weight bridle is used on the SUL, but I don't believe so. There's absolutely no comparison in wind range -- the SUL with 2s will fly in very light wind, as you'd expect from the name. The SLE will perform much better in higher winds, but is still not a frame choice selected by many people any more (too stiff, not worth the weight, etc.)<br /><br />The advantage to buying the SUL is that if you want, you could always purchase an SLE leading edge and use it in the same kite.<br /><br />The biggest downside to the SUL is, if you're new to the Rev, it's a more fragile frame to be learning on. Not that it can't be done. But it's worth pointing out.

Just as a correction to the above....

The 1.5 SLE is now made of ripstop nylon, not ripstop poly. The 1.5 use to be produced with the ripstop poly sail just like the B-Series but in 2010 Revolution changed the packaging up a little on the 1.5 to include both the SLE leading edge and the standard 3 wrap leading edge and also changed the sail material from poly to ripstop nylon. All of the 1.5 series kites produced since 2010 are made from ripstop nylon with the exception of the SUL which was still produced in the poly. If you have a 1.5 that has a poly sail, it was produced before 2010.

The SUL bridle is a 100% spectra line. The standard 1.5 bridle is spectra core bridle line which is heavier.

*****It is still possible to get a 1.5 SLE sail in poly but it is a custom order and usually includes an upcharge in price. Available colors may also be limited and some color combinations may not be possible.

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