Naish Dash

[tautologies]

1. Smooth, more hangtime definitely.
2. Disagree about that. The kite feels light and it's technical.Compared to the Torch constant grunt could be misleading - def. better low end. Recently another test has been circulating around, they say the opposite...
3. Easier. Less punchy though.
4. According to me, absolutely.
Although it depends what is on the other end of the lines.
134 board is little smallish according to me.
L.

OP, this is great. I have limited experience with the new one, but plenty on last years model. The kite can handle the wind range you are describing, but you will be lit.
Personally these days, I think the kite is a tad more aggressive then what I prefer so I ride Pivot and Slash.
Btw one really underrated ability of the Dash is its handling of on shore wave riding. The kite likes to be ridden actively and it responds really well to bar input so in on shore wave riding it is stellar. My unhooking is so pathetic these days I will not even compare the dash to the pivot I'll leave that to people who actually can do a KGB.
The jumping feels to me like the dash is more aggressive, but the pivot when lit can really hold its own. Hangtime on pivot seems better. More pull in loops on the dash. Dash is faster for sure. Both are very predictable, but margins are slimmer on the dash..stuff happens faster on the dash..

[Ludmil]

Thanks Ludmil - Have you tried the Pivot ? How does the Dash compare boosting to the pivot ?

No,I haven't .Pivot is not exactly my type of kite.
My comparison is how it feels compared to Torch...
The only thing that I don't like about Dash is that, there is no available ATB option of 50 bar. I prefer smaller bar for smaller sizes. The kite is sweet unhooked, hence needs such option as well or Torch type trim if you ask me.
L.

[b-kite]

Hey tautologies, can you compare v2 and v3 Dash?

[BillyGoatGruff]

Interested to know how much better jumping it is compared to the Torch. It looks quite like a Torch until you get to the wing tips. I imagine the height would be the same, but the Torch definitely lacks hang time . Why was Kevin or Jessie not riding this kite last year at King of the air ? Will the Torch even carry on now ?.. interesting the direction Naish is going in.

[tautologies]

Interested to know how much better jumping it is compared to the Torch. It looks quite like a Torch until you get to the wing tips. I imagine the height would be the same, but the Torch definitely lacks hang time . Why was Kevin or Jessie not riding this kite last year at King of the air ? Will the Torch even carry on now ?.. interesting the direction Naish is going in.

The Dash footprint is the torch. I personally think that the dash is not as extreme as the torch, and the torch gives advantages in the extreme looping compared to the pivot and dash but the pivot get the jumping and hang....the dash would be similar in feel to jumping the torch but way more forgiving and less extreme..so my guess is that the advantage of a more forgiving kite is not up weighing the change of kite. For the pivot and Langeree it did.

[Ludmil]

Yes, exactly. With the Dash you can approach the trick with higher speed and the things are more in control (for mortals like me) because it's not that explosive. The Torch's pop & slack, explosive boosting are second to none, but it requires more skills and commitment, rewarding but sometimes with unexpected and painful outcome either. Overall, Dash a C kite for the masses but with high performance freeride qualities.

[BillyGoatGruff]

Thanks for the replies. I see there is no current 2020 Torch in Naish's line up.... Could they phase the Torch out now The Slingshot fuel used to be very popular, but hardly anyone buys a new fuel now.

[Ludmil]

Thanks for the replies. I see there is no current 2020 Torch in Naish's line up.... Could they phase the Torch out now The Slingshot fuel used to be very popular, but hardly anyone buys a new fuel now.

It is supposed to be like that. Torch is having a different phasing and they launch it in the end of the year September/ October. Dash is launched mid year, thus 2020.
Why care who buys what? Slingshot are pushing their RPM (maybe some day they will rebrand it) as point of difference instead...
Torch is the best in class C kite and looks they will continue selling it.
I think choosing which just depends how good you are and what you want to do. If you're seasoned rider unhooking from time to time, I highly recommend Dash.
I used to ride Torch for many years and still love this kite veeery much but I need to be careful with my knees nowadays .
L.

[b-kite]

Anybody tried the 2019/2020 Dash?

[SurfboY]

Just wanted to bring this back up.. I read that the Naish Dash is very reactive. Can anymore compare it with the Naish Torch? Is it similar or even more reactive? We read so much about the Pivot, but not about the Dash. It drives me crazy because I was all in for the Dash.

I really can't choose between the Pivot or Dash.. Naish has made it very complicated. I've been riding Torches for a decade and still love them, but I enjoy more Big Air/hooked-in tricks/kiteloops now, and less unhooked tricks. I don't do waveriding.

I'm thinking about getting a 6 or 7m² just for 30+knots, and keep my 8+10 Torches for now. I know I should test them, but that's really hard here. I can test the Duotone Dice soon though (which is also an option, as Naish has gotten me totally confused).