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I got a chance to finally ride with the 7m GTS3 and new Sensor Bar 2. I had used the bar a couple times down in Hatteras with my North Dice 10m (bar crosses over quite nicely, just change pig tails)…

Anyhow I think this company has the potential to be at the top. What I believe is holding them back is their bar and their Quick Release. The kite is a work of art IMO. Such quality, beefiness, the fabric, the bridal lines, pulleys. Everything is so classy. Yeh I suppose they could take more chances with graphics but you know it's a Core when you see it…

The GTS3 7m performed brilliantly in winds from 20-35mph. For a 3-strut to ride so stable is amazing to me. I have read reviews of lack of low end and yes you can tell at the lower end there is a weakness say in comparison to a similar sized Rally but at the high end so much confidence is inspired by good gust handling. Great drift, good jumps, nice and vertical. Not the longest hang time but certainly fun...

Here's all the things not happening with the bar. Some yellow dye from the floats bled onto anything white. This happened in the 3 weeks between the Hatteras trip and today. Maybe the bar was packed in the bar bag slightly wet but the bag allows for air to pass through. Still I get bleeding. None of my other bars have done this. Ozone, North, Slingshot.

I have messed with the variable line lengths going from 24m to 22m. Just need to take the extensions off. SInce Core has a neat loop through loop system rather than knots you can't get them off without spending 15 minutes with a small needle-like tool poking at the tight loop to loop. You can do it but you're likely not because of the time you will spend and potential for creating a burr in the line by poking at it. I prefer having 2 different bars with North. Just get the regular Sensor bar with fixed 24m lines. However I'm glad I had 22m today. It was nukin' and I was riding strapless in waves… Would have liked the 20m lines today… This bar allows for that but what a pain…

The sheeting out is not as smooth as it could be because of the way the 2 lines come through separate places… North is smoother. Also the bar ends are too "pointy" and the floats are cheesy. Depower above the bar works great! I love how there is no swivel taking up space below the bar. I love how the bar rides close to your hips as opposed to North where you have a 2" swivel taking up space below the bar… Core's bar unswivels with a clever simple thing below the bar and lines unswivel by simply sheeting in. Nothing takes up much space - maybe 3/4 inch...

The bar is so light. So don't get the "Pro" bar unless you want the black tec lines… The shape of the bar is boring. It should taper like Norths or Naish. A straight bar is just no fun. I also don't see how that bar can work for the bigger kites. It's a pretty small bar…

I have several riders come look at my Core stuff and say, "I won't buy Core because of the rotary release" - and even though I got no problem releasing it I can see their point. It's one of those things where sometimes it's better to follow the pack...

I just flipped through their website, and I sincerely hope Core gear is not as bad as their marketing BS... that's on the verge of comical.

@Marc: I own 3 Core (4 now with the new XR4 11 that arrived yesterday ), so I have a good feedback about these kites. Quality is absolutely at the top: my old 11, 5 years, is like new, I switched to the XR4 just because I wanted a new kite. I hope it is really different, otherwise I wasted my money. About the QR, I agree with you: it works perfectly but it should be better to follow the pack, muscle memory is very important. You're also right about the extensions: a very tidy system but it takes too much time to add or remove. About the size of the bar, I owned an XR 17 that I then replaced with an XR2 15: absolutely no problem, the kite reacts quickly and you're in perfect control, no need for a bigger bar IMO. Can't report for the moment about the pro bar. I received it yesterday, the lines are really impressive, very thin but very stiff, sooo different from every other line out there. The price was 100 euro more than the standard one, so I decided to give myself a treat.
I'm going for sure to test it neck and neck with the standard Sensor bar, will report asap!

I first bought a Core bar in 2012 to use with various kites. I really liked it. So much so, then in 2013 I bought a XR2 Lw 17. Really happy with the kite and use it a lot. 60% of my sessions.
Then I bought Xr3 12m and the 2014 Bar with twist release.
I still like the bar, but preferred the pull-pull depower on the previous bar. I've used the twist release when a guy flew into my lines, no problems at all.I like that it's really small and light.
I can't say the muscle memory is any advantage because during 13 years kiteboarding I've only released like 5 times....
I have 2012 Rally 8 m that is very similar feeling kite.

I appreciate Cores incremental design approach , and using the same graphics and colors. It means they are building on strengths and building on foundation of knowledge . They are not wasting my money on graphics. The product line is pretty simple too, which means they are thinking efficiently.

Many of you are irritated by marketing speek. I look beyond it, it's expected. But perhaps they could tone it down. It would be more genuine and they could use the resources to make better product. instead of better marketing.

A word of caution about the old sensor bar - it has a tendency to break in to 2 pieces mid-flight.
We had 2 cases of that happening within the last 2 months. That's a lot considering that only 4-5 people are riding CORE kites here.. Core did replace the broken bar with a new titanium reinforced Sensor2 version.. Still it's kind of scary as this would be the last piece of equipment you would consider when it comes to failing...

Nice kites...not worth what they ask for them.

His first born and his dog.

alamos_kiter wrote:I just flipped through their website, and I sincerely hope Core gear is not as bad as their marketing BS... that's on the verge of comical.

I work for other brands, but a few weeks ago i had some time on the Core kites. And i was impressed by the kite. I already knew their quality is really good.
It wasnt the newest generation but still newer then my own kites.

The kites fly very good, jump well and suprisingly long airtime. Only think i didnt like was the lack of steeringpresure. For me personally i didnt feel the kite at all when steering but at some level i was getting used to it for jumping. And the steering was just to different from my own kites.

The Gear is really good, give it a try. Personally i prefer my own kites alot more but i was overall very impressed by Core.

Good review. I have a 12/10/8 GTs3 w/ sensor pro. I have had many brands (north not being one but i always like the look of their gear). I think all the things you do not like about their bar are the things i like. I like that its simple and clean. Im not into bells and whistles on bars i just want it to work! The QR has good points if you ask me. There is a lot to be said for folowing the pack but this is a different story. Its gonna work and wont accidently open if you bump it like i see happen too often with other brands. I will say this... If you want to adjust the bar to 47cm you need a needle nose plier after you use it a few times. The knot is a bugger to grab; but if you just get it started with a plier its good to go. I also had to upgrade to the bigger loop/stick set, otherwise hooking back in was a pain.

markchatwin wrote: new Sensor Bar 2.

What I believe is holding them back is their bar and their Quick Release
.
Some yellow dye from the floats bled onto anything white.

Core has a neat loop through loop system rather than knots you can't get them off without spending 15 minutes with a small needle-like tool poking at the tight loop to loop.What a pain.

The sheeting out is not as smooth as it could be because of the way the 2 lines come through separate place.

The bar ends are too "pointy" and the floats are cheesy.

The shape of the bar is boring. A straight bar is just no fun.

Don't see how that bar can work for the bigger kites. It's a pretty small bar…

Several riders come look at my Core stuff and say, "I won't buy Core because of the rotary release"

The QR is just fine...you don't need memory muscles to activate...just twist the thing when needed

Yellow dye bled... you packed it wet and did not use it for 3 weeks...you surely won't do that again

Takes half that time to remove 4 extensions and no pointy tools is required...weak fingers perhaps

Sheeting in and out is very smooth and turning the bar is the easiest of any bars

Bars ends are just right and so are the floats

Bar is not boring....being straight is fun

52cm bar works great...you should see how i get it to kiteloop easily my Riot XR3 "19"

Several riders come and look at my Core stuff and since i do so well with it they go and buy one