Pivot or Bandit?

[matth]

I can't decide between these two kites. Both check all the boxes for me and seem to get nothing but high praise from users and test results.
I don't unhook, ride mostly TT, love to boost(nothing impressive) , I do ride some waves on directional and plan on spending more time in the surf this season..
priorities are....turning speed, bar pressure, top end, boosting,

Any input would be great..

[Dirk]

Hard to decide if you cannot try them both. They are both great and cover everything you are asking. My best kite buddy rides Bandit and I tried them a couple of times, I ride Pivot. They feel different due to different shapes. The Bandit is somewhat more C-shape. The question is what you prefer (or used too, I ride the Pivot since 2015).
When comparing, take a meter less on the Pivot to have similar wind ranges, so 9m Bandit to 8m Pivot (due to difference in shape. The Pivot is a bit more open)

[matth]

How would you rate bar pressure and turning speed on Pivot?

[nikolaygadzhev77]

Go for Pivot I try them all love the 2017 good on waves I use one kite quiver 8 18-26 knots on standard 24m lines and up few more knots on 20m lines the best kite no bar pressure,fast loops amazing I'm using naish base bar is very simple no swivels no clicking parts . Go simple and clean

[Leon van Bergen]

Maybe you should also look at the North / Duotone Evo, covers everything you are asking.

[Dirk]

I’d say light pressure and quick turning. I only do landing loops and you can loop it very quickly. Same in waves.

All Pivot models from 2017 upwards have the Quadtex which is nice. Current model has the new thread on the front tube, so it can be pump very hard.

[matth]

Maybe you should also look at the North / Duotone Evo, covers everything you are asking.

I know, I had 2016s, great kites. I just hear that the Bandit and Pivot are a little more high performance....I'm sure it's by very little, if any at all...

[tautologies]

I can't decide between these two kites. Both check all the boxes for me and seem to get nothing but high praise from users and test results.
I don't unhook, ride mostly TT, love to boost(nothing impressive) , I do ride some waves on directional and plan on spending more time in the surf this season..
priorities are....turning speed, bar pressure, top end, boosting,

Any input would be great..

I only owned the 2 first generations of Bandit, so I can't give a comparison, but I justed to sing along with the rest here that for the riding you are looking, jumping, riding TT and waves the pivot is a perfect choice.
The bar pressure on the pivot is also adjustable. On the medium setting I would rate it good enough to give you feedback, so that you always know where the kite is, but not at all heavy.
The new pivots have skinnier LE and struts, and which makes it feel more responsive and a bit lighter.

[57palawandan]

I've flown both late models, 2016 and 2017 in 10-12 m sizes.
The Pivot was a great kite, but I spent more time on the bandit, it was more forgiving for my wife and I during our learning process.
What I didn't like on the bandit was the small fill valve...I had to pump 2 kites each time we went out...yes I pump my wife kite.
Bandit has now changed that, plus the bar was not single line flag.. of course now it is.
What I didn't like on the pivot was the octopus system, I was told by many certified kite repair guys that it is a bugger to repair the bladder many charge a lot to do it.
I never needed a repair, but I was going overseas for an extended time and if I can't do it it would be hard to find someone to do it soo... we sold the pivots.
I talked to a former designer of cabrinha and slingshot who said the 4x ripstop is just a sales gimic, it adds a lot of weight to the kite and really won't stop a rip if it starts.
If I was going to get a new kite I would get a bandit, I've tried the new bandit and it flew very nice.
Pivots are nice too try them both out.

[tautologies]

I was told by many certified kite repair guys that it is a bugger to repair the bladder many charge a lot to do it.
I never needed a repair, but I was going overseas for an extended time and if I can't do it it would be hard to find someone to do it soo... we sold the pivots.

Yeah this is bullshit. Even the old system was a breeze, and now when they changed the orientation of the zippers it is easy as pie.

I talked to a former designer of cabrinha and slingshot who said the 4x ripstop is just a sales gimic, it adds a lot of weight to the kite and really won't stop a rip if it starts.
Pivots are nice too try them both out.

Obviously, someone from those brands would say that. North changed their material too and touted it. The new ripstop from Naish feels crisper, and make the kite feel new for longer. That said, I can't say for sure if there is a huge difference, but it makes it feel like it is since the kite is crisper for longer. I definitely do not think the material add a lot of weight. Naish did a whole thing with numbers of weights etc. on this and the new LE material if I remember correctly. I guess a lot is relative, but compared to adding sticks in the kite, the material changes in terms of added weight is negligible. Anyhoo...