ATTITUDE REBEL 5.2M 2015 TEST REVIEW REPORT
ATTITUDE REBEL 5.2M 2015 TEST REVIEW REPORT
OVERVIEW
New to the scene, Attitude have arrived with amazing prices and an impressive construction standard that’s certain to make a lot of people happy. The Rebel sits alongside the AllStar wave/freestyle 4-batten and the Source crossover that we tested in the July issue. Attitude also have the RPM no-cam Freerace (tested in April issue) and the Hornet 3-cam ‘freeslam’ model.
BRAND CLAIM
‘A super versatile reformist wave sail, with an even balance between handling, power and on/off control during wave riding. Its wide range of trim settings allow it to function comfortably in both onshore and side shore wave sailing. The Rebel comes with well-defined settings to excel in all these conditions, and has a neutral to slightly soft feeling through the hands. The Rebel will fuel the desire and motivate the senses. From weekend warriors to pro sailors, onshore to offshore, knee high to double mast, the Rebel will not hold back wherever your Ho’okipa is.’ (Sic.)
PERFORMANCE
After a rip-roaring entry to the market with the first two Attitude sails we tested, we were eager to try the Rebel that promises wide wind range and boasts the impressive construction standard Attitude have set already. In the first, lighter-wind sessions we felt it to be highly manoevrable and physically light, with a nice tight skin tension and ‘short’ throw-about feel. (Although all the sails in this selection were just a few cm. within each other luff-length-wise.) Despite opting for a fuller marginal conditions set, we felt it was better nearer the flatter, recommended setting and a finer foil entry. As the wind increased the team opinion split. Some experienced some more unsettling behaviour as the chuck-about nature had the C of E shifting slightly, so we tried it on a wide range of different boards, both from our test selection and some old favourite ‘benchmarks’. We also tried a constant curve mast that settled it down a little and also experimented with a flexier #4 batten to soften up the draft. Both worked and the batten change was even better once back on the supplied soft-top mast with added lift in performance and low-end. Overall the get-up-and-go is positive, but half of us wanted to see a softer profile and a little more exhaust towards the leech as they felt the power is held in the sail and is harder to convert into efficient, usable drive and narrowed the wind range somewhat – something Attitude reckon is the prime feature of the sail. For the record, it was the taller, thinner sailors with better power-to-weight ratio who preferred the handling, while both the stockier and taller, heavier testers wanted something more settled, less subtle and direct. Overall this is a superbly priced and built sail that we’d recommend you go and demo for yourself – this is a brand that will definitely take off.
THE VERDICT
Light and manoevrable, this efficient fine-entry foil promises great build quality, value and wind range.
Other boards in this test: