Rebel D/LAB 2026 - Behind the Design

Sky Solbach:

The two main improvements we made on the Rebel D/LAB for 2026 are quicker steering and a more vertical takeoff. The quicker steering is obviously great for double loops. It allows you to get the kite into a more extreme position and also get it out of that extreme position quickly if you need to catch yourself for the landing. 

The vertical takeoff is really helpful, not only for pro riders, giving them a really consistent takeoff so the kite is sitting above their heads. When they pull the trigger, they know the kite is in the perfect position. But also for less experienced riders, it actually makes the kite easier to jump, because you’re getting a more predictable, more reliable takeoff. You can be confident the kite is really sitting overhead when you pull the trigger.

The way we were able to increase the steering speed was through a couple of different changes, and the steering speed and vertical takeoff are interconnected. The main change you’ll notice is a shorter chord length. That’s a fancy way of saying we made the struts shorter, so the kite is narrower and longer. That narrower profile allows the kite to shoot forward in the window quicker, giving it a sleeker, faster profile so it can fly forward and get vertically above your head before you take off.

At the same time, the ratio between the length of the center strut and the width of the tip changed. You now have a wider wing tip, which gives you more ability to steer the kite quicker. You can feel the wingtips more and there’s more power out in the wingtips. Combined with the new D-Tx material, which is more flexible than Aluula Gold, this really lends itself to quicker steering, because I was able to manipulate the kite more when steering.

All of those changes, combined with the wingtip to center strut ratio, the more flexible material, and the fact that we removed the pulley from the front bridle system, give you a more direct feeling through the kite. That also helps with steering initiation.

In addition, we removed the V on the back line pigtail, so now it’s a direct connection further back on the wingtip. This allows you to manipulate the wingtip more and gives you quicker steering. All of these changes together give you quicker steering and a more vertical takeoff.

The Rebel D/LAB is our premium high-performance Big Air kite. It gives you the highest performance in the most extreme conditions. It’s a kite you can ride really powered up, handles a lot of wind, a lot of power, has great hang time, and really easy boosting. I would say it’s the easiest kite in our range to consistently jump high and offer long hang time.

It’s great for pro riders because it has all the performance they’re looking for in extreme Big Air, but also for any rider who wants a kite that’s really easy to jump and offers accessible performance. The Rebel in general is the easiest kite to jump – you simply steer it over your head, sheet in, and get a really clean, easy takeoff every time with a lot of hang time. If you’re looking for a kite that’s intuitive and easy to jump, the Rebel D/LAB is the one.