We bought every version of the Dice for the last 7 years. Why? Because it is big fun to ride. It combines an agile character with a clear direct reaction on input. Howling wind? No problem; It ditches the powers in nanoseconds. No wonder a lot of people like it. But it seems the real development of the kite has stopped. Even with the choice between two versions (SLS or normal) we are not convinced to ride the newest model.
Power
It cuts through the air like a hot knife through butter. Resulting in explosive g-force on takeoff with snappy kiteloops and effortless handling. But the Dice lacks one thing: power. Particularly in low and medium wind. Even the SLS version doesn’t solve that problem. The Dice is just too inefficient to make proper use of its agile character.
That is why it is a must to get a Dice in a SLS version in sizes 9 and above.
To make our point about the lack of power; think about Dice rider Lasse Walker. In KOTA 2021 he complained about the lack of power. While the person who won –Marc Jacobs on a North Orbit– is far from being a light person.
Price
The second reason we didn’t order a 2023 Dice is the ridiculous price tag. A 9m SLS 2023 got 15% more expensive and has broken the 2K Euro barrier. A painful barrier. And what hurts even more: there are very little to no changes compared to the 2022 version (as Lasse explains). Inflation yes. R&D no.
If one kite deserves a rainbow color version it for sure is the Dice.
Podcast
Duotone is not the only brand offering kites with a new material. The question is if the SLS ‘Penta TX‘ is a big step up. Yes it handles quicker. It is a bit more direct and feels stiffer. Riding an 11m did get a whole lot more interesting. But compared to other brands it seems not the biggest step up. Another reason to wonder if an investment in a SLS version is worth it. And how durable is a SLS version? Our worries started with rumors about leaking kites within weeks after the first 2022 SLS versions where sold. After problem free riding during 10 months ourselves it looks like at the most a small problem for some early versions. To enhance things even more negatively for Duotone a podcast tells us that SLS is clearly not the same as Aluula.
Kitesurf365 podcast from September 2022 has the title ‘0-1 + Difference Between Aluula and SLS?’ which doesn’t need much clarification. Sure the podcast is sponsored by Duotone’s biggest competitor North. But does it matter? The word is out and -true or not- it enhanced the questions and hesitations about the SLS version of the Dice.
Bottom line: If you are looking for a kite that is not just 100% aimed at fun the Dice is not your choice. In need to break your WOO record? A more demanding Kite? Or are you heavy? You probably need a five-strut kite. With the new materials they are no longer slow reacting bulky feeling kites as they were in the old days. Which means not only more power but also potential much more fun than they used to be.
List Prices
Duotone Dice (kite only) 9m 2023 EUR 1709,-
Duotone Dice SLS (kite only) 9m 2023 EUR 2039,-
Hi Dave!
Sorry but your headline is maybe wrong. The Dice stopped rolling on top. If you would do a proper test or research, you would come with arguments that this kite is even without changes the best 3 strut kite on the market. By the way Duotone changed the 7 and 8 Dice SLS this year compared to last years model. Anyways fair enough, the customer needs to decide which price he wants to pay. What I can say from my experience is that its worth to invest a bit more money in SLS. If you can afford D/LAB, go for it. That will be the future and I personally hope that the prices are going down. At the end the customer has to decide, but compared to other brands Duotone is offering Original, SLS and D/LAB, so you can decide. The second hand price is 10xxx better than on other kites. So, summarized your review is not on the point, sorry to say. There is not any insight which helps the customer in my opinion.
Hi Nixon,
Yes we are filthy rich now ;). But your point mainly is about howling winds. An Evo Dlab is too expensive for the average rider. But on what ground would you switch from the 2022 tot the 2023 version of the Dice?
Dave
We Test Kites
hi! your arguments about the dice sls are a joke and it seems that somebody is paying you a lot of money to bash duotone kites? the dice sls is by far the best 3 strut kite in terms of agility and turning speed. also really good for loops. kota is based on 5 strut kites with easy loop performance, agressive loops are not counting as in the past. so orbit or rebel sls this year are the weapon of choice. next year it will be the evo dlab as benchmark. saw andrea riding in capetown, he jumps 2m higher than everybody else and he is trying tripple loops already. its a matter of time we see the first tripple loop. anyways, i am a fan of dice sls and its not made to break woo records. you can jump really high but not as much hangtime and lift compared to a rebel sls, orbit, etc. the loops are much more agressive, i really like it. the kite is direct and turns quick, also really nice. so compared to your feedback, if you test a normal kite compared to an sls kite, you feel the difference. north or north sails now is not having sls, so for sure that they are bashing. it would be good to focus on a review which is objective and not based on ….