2017/2018 pivot

[CanadianGringo]

Was looking at buying a 2020 pivot new.
A good deal has come along buy 4 pivots, two from 2017 and two from 2018. These kites were barely used and stored properly. They are in excellent condition.
Aside from the fact it’s ocotopus which I know - are these good kites. Or is the 2020 just way better?

[POACHER]

They are the SAME!
Same bridle, same struts, same design, same Quad-tex. Only inflation type and nozzle changed. *(technically there is a bridle knot for nuker winds on the 2021, but no "game changer")


Only minor refinements, no major changes. I wouldn't be worried about a few year old Pivot if I knew the former owner and/or how it was used.
Pull the trigger.

[Dirk]

These are good kites and the 2020 is not way different or better. The Pivot has not changed much over the last years. I have ridden every year since it’s introduction in 2015. Compared to 2017 they have reduced the heavy dacron reinforcements making the kite a bit lighter. In 2017 they changed to quadruple ripstop instead of single ripstop which was good. IMO all the years since then (and even before) basically ride the same and will give you a lot of fun.

[Hugh2]

Agreed, I have Pivots from 2105 to 2020, and while I Iike the 2020 a lot, I still use the others when appropriate and love them. And as noted, 2017 is the start of quadtex, which is better than 2015/6, although I still enjoy those too.

[CanadianGringo]

Thanks. One of the kites in the quiver being sold has a pin hole sized leak on the wing tip. When I have a closer look I will know if I can use a heat sealer to eliminate the leak.
That said - where do people purchase Naish bladders if needed?

[GregK]

Airtime in Hood River will custom-fabricate a replacement Naish bladder for a 2017 Pivot to factory specs, but be prepared, shipping costs to Canada, plus taxes and customs brokerage will add up to a hefty total.
https://www.airtimekite.com/airtime-kit ... dders.html

[tautologies]

Well, they are not the same. Kite has been refined, and improved, but they are incremental improvements and the kites are for sure still great kites. Can definitely not go wrong with pivots.

On the otherhand...I still do not get why the octo system got a bad rep. I still love it. Super clean. My buddy is still riding his 2009 cults...or whatever the f*** the year was...old.

[POACHER]

The gospel, according to El Jeffe':


the same.....but different. Can't forget about the high tensile thread.

[Kitedicted]

On the topic of older pivots, from what I've read there is potentially a risk of valve failure on older kites regardless of usage. I'm looking at new old stock 2017 pivot but thinking maybe it's not so smart to get a kite probably built 2016, with the intention of keeping it for a while (7m rarely use). Considering that octopus is supposed to be annoying to repair

To add some info to the thread, I weighed a 2015 11m vs a 2020 and there was a 10% weight reduction. External one pump, sup valve, quad tex, canopy rigidity seam and higher PSI plus shark teeth instead of dacron. I think that sums up the difference. The new bridle setting is on S25/2021 only

[marlboroughman]

The old ones feel softer. With the new ones you get the stiffness from higher inflation pressure, Quadtex and Jeff said in the video that he doesn't think that extra seam to the wings do anything but it does. You will see it with your own eyes when you fly single strut Boxer.