Beginner kite: Core XR5 or Naish Pivot

[SolarSet]

This smashing of new kite, what it is about? When you buy kite gear you should be after course and being able to start/land ride left and right. What sort of smashing of new kite you are talking about? I see guys hitting water with they kite when: a) they are taking first hours b) they are learning new tricks
Other than I'm not sure what is this first kite smashing about? I wouldn't buy second hand kite but go straight to kite I want in future and keep it as long as possible as on selling/buying new gear you lose most money

[tautologies]

Its really fun to get a new kite when you are a beginner! Makes you happy and excited!

YES!!
After x number of years, the feeling of unpacking a new kite or board is still fricking amazing.

[SaltWaterDog]

My comment was directed at bradleygood and I agree with you, it’s not always straight forward buying used gear and yes, there is more risk you’ll get a dud. I’ve had friends get their instructor involved and I’ve helped out a few newbies myself. It’s not complicated, you just have to make sure you check all the right boxes.

Pivot is a great 3-strut option (certainly my favorite Naish kite) and it’ll turn better than the XR. Depends what OP wants. Personally, I enjoy boosting and hooked-in riding the most so 5-strut XR it is. Pivot can’t compete with the XR for airtime and the XR will never deliver wave riding like the Pivot.

I have not ridden the XR, but I'd say the pivot can compete with most kites when it comes to airtime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uYPknhKwog&t=36s

updated link: yeah the youtube link doesn't support https.

Very nice. Not sure I’d consider one of the world’s best using a ramp to get airtime as the true measure of a kites capabilities. But whatever. Not disputing it can boost.

[CaptainCore]

I don't think the comparison is correct, I think the nexus is probably a fairer comparator with a Pivot from what I can gather, with it's more freestyle wave like orientation.

The thing about the XR5 wether you know how to jump or not, send it and it'll rip you off the water with the minimum of fuss about ramps and timing, then it'll float you down pretty easy.

The Nexus on the other hand needs a little timing, skill and ramps to garner the best from it, like most wave kites.

[alford]

@ tautologies. Do you fly the bigger Pivots, 10, 12, 14m and how do you characterize the bar pressure on these sizes? Thanks

[tautologies]

@ tautologies. Do you fly the bigger Pivots, 10, 12, 14m and how do you characterize the bar pressure on these sizes? Thanks

Yes. I have flown the new 11. In the past, I have flown all of them, and 10, 11 and 14 (barely) last year. The bar feel and pressure is similar across sizes IMO. It depends a bit on how you ride and in what conditions. I find the bar pressure to be a good medium. Definitely not super light, definitely lets you know where in the window it is, but not heavy in a way that makes it hard to stay powered.
It probably depends on what kites you compare it to, but one good point is that you can adjust the bar pressure by moving the back line attachments (you have 3 settings available to you). In addition, I usually set up one bar with a movable stopper. I have not done that yet this year, but if I ride a TT in lightwinds I like to use the movable stopper.

[alford]

And do the Pivots have good power for twintip riding?

[Dirk]

They definitely have. Although they do very well in waves they are not specialized wave kites, but freeride/allround kites with a lot of jumping performance. German GleitenTV test format rates them as the 3-strut kite with the most performance, coming close to 5-strut freeride kites (low end, jumping). At the moment I am riding more twin tip than surfboard and they are great.

I have an 11m and I would say bar pressure is medium to light (riding it on the outer setting).
On the right sizing you need to look at what you have ridden before or what else is in the quiver. If it is performance freeride kites like Rebel, XR 5 etc. I would take the same size. If it is C-shape hybrid like Naish Dash, GTS5, Bandit, FX I would take one size smaller for getting the same wind range.

[LL2017]

Thanks for all the advice! One of the main reasons I was leaning towards the XR5 vs Pivot was because where I live, a lot of the time the wind hovers around 15 mph and thought that the Xr5 15m LW would be ideal for those days and then the 12m for the good windy days..the downside with the Naish Pivot is the largest they make is the 14m and didn't think there would be a big difference between the 12m and the 14m compared to the Xr5. I was also given the suggestion to stay within the same brand for kites so wouldn't have to get an extra bar and then would simplify learning with the different size kites if same style. Any input on that?

[Dirk]

If it is from the Naish Range I would pick a big Boxer (one strut kite) for real light wind. That is what I am going to do next year, adding a 14m Boxer above my 11m Pivot