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2020 DICE - Designer Interview with Ralf Grösel

Duotone Kiteboarding Dice Range 2020

Last year Dice creator, Ralf Grösel, redefined the design in order to improve looping and boosting abilities, especially within the smaller sizes. The outcome was an incredible performer and exciting ride prepped for hardcore conditions and ready to go big.

Duotone Kite Designer Ralf Groesel

Ralf, what was your vision for 2020?

The starting point for the development of the 2020 Duotone Dice was in Cape Town, South Africa. I knew that the foundations of the design already delivered powerful, snappy, predictable and versatile characteristics to the Dice, but I wanted to take it to the next level. Drawing on the Red Bull King of the Air event and the needs of Duotone Team rider Lasse Walker, my vision was to enhance its extreme performance throughout all of its parameters.

How did you achieve this and how does it translate into performance?

For the first time ever, I removed the pulley within the kite bridles. This small change has a big impact on handling and in-flight characteristics. The biggest benefit is the more compact Leading Edge frame which can carry more energy during the take off sequence resulting in much higher jumps.

Once airborne, the Dice is then able to complete extreme and horizontal loops with constant pull throughout.

Working with and gaining the feedback from big air rider Lasse, created a solid starting point for my design development.

Were there any challenges you had to overcome?

Kites that include pullies within the main bridles generally work differently to those with a fixed bridle geometry. Since I had removed the pulley from the bridle, the challenge was implementing all the advantages of a fixed bridle setup without affecting the Dice’s character, feeling and target behaviours. It involved a lot of tweaking.

What are the main design and performance updates for this year’s model?

Besides the fixed bridle, the Dice is equipped with the new Trailing Edge wave pattern which is lighter, reduces flutter marks but remains as strong as the previous Dacron reinforcement.

In addition, the applied and newly developed 70 g Ripstop material has similar stretch and aging characteristics compared to the Trinity TX material. The reason for these updates is to have a more harmonious transition between these two materials.

I also adjusted the Trailing Edge tension to fit the new material specifications, and made the profile more efficient in terms of upwind abilities and jumping performance.

Who will enjoy the 2020 DICE?

The general target group for the new Dice has not changed in comparison to its predecessor. Every rider looking for a playful and intuitive kite-loop machine with excellent unhooked attributes, as well as experienced kiters who like to steer a kite in waves must try the 2020 Dice.

Which line lengths do you recommend?

I highly recommend using a short Click Bar with 22 m lines from sizes 5 m2 to 11 m2, anything above 24 m.

Duotone Kiteboarding Dice 2020 Action shot Matchu Lopes
Duotone Kiteboarding Dice 2020 Action shot Reno Romeu
Duotone Kiteboarding Dice 2020 yellow Action shot Reno Romeu

What tips do you have for the different settings?

The Dice maintains its 3 highly versatile pigtails, positioned at the tip, which influence the steering and general in-flight characteristics.

Use the SOFT pigtail setting for ultimate drifting abilities and fast, responsive steering when wave riding.

Use the HARD setting for unhooked performance and vertical acceleration in kite loops.

For anything in-between, use the STANDARD factory setting.

2020 Dice in a nutshell.

Sporty and intuitive, the Dice remains the best option for Freestyle / Wakestyle, Freestyle / Wave and mega-loop tricks. The 2020 model brings in extreme big air performance and show stopping mega-loops thanks to its compact outline, structural stiffness and new fixed bridle geometry. Get ready to send it.