I swapped 2017 12m Pivot for a 2020 11m Pivot and I am finally very happy! Obviously smaller kites are always more fun but the difference is pretty dramatic in the amount of wind I can handle with the new kite compared to the 12m.
At my 170lbs the 12m would be quickly overpowered as soon as the wind picked up to a decent level, and I would be reaching for that depower trim line all the time and fighting the kite in the gusts. I’m not just bitching here, also had a ton of good times and plenty epic sessions on the 12m for over 3yrs and the kite never let me down or needed any repairs.
I think the 12m Pivot is just a big, grunty, heavy built 12m that’s probably best suited for 200lb+ guys?
These users thanked the author Wolkster for the post (total 2):
matth (Mon Oct 04, 2021 1:00 pm) • andrzej351 (Fri Nov 12, 2021 2:50 pm)
I swapped 2017 12m Pivot for a 2020 11m Pivot and I am finally very happy! Obviously smaller kites are always more fun but the difference is pretty dramatic in the amount of wind I can handle with the new kite compared to the 12m.
At my 170lbs the 12m would be quickly overpowered as soon as the wind picked up to a decent level, and I would be reaching for that depower trim line all the time and fighting the kite in the gusts. I’m not just bitching here, also had a ton of good times and plenty epic sessions on the 12m for over 3yrs and the kite never let me down or needed any repairs.
I think the 12m Pivot is just a big, grunty, heavy built 12m that’s probably best suited for 200lb+ guys?
I did the same many years back after getting advice on forums that the 11 was a much quicker and didn't have that heavy feeling of the 12. This was a 2016 model and I have got the impression that the 12 and maybe 14 stayed the same until 2022 where they redesigned these sizes to reduce these problems. Time will tell if they succeeded.
I swapped my Pivot 12m S25 for a Reedin supermodel 12m V2. Finally, I have the 12th I cared about the most. In my opinion this kite is just perfect.
I've never tried any of the Pivot kites, but I do own a Supermodel V2 11m and I agree with you 100% - it's pretty awesome. It just does everything I want it to do. VERY fun kite from 18-25kn, very good performance.
I even use it to foil. I can go as low as 10-11kn and I don't switch to TT until at least 17-18kn. There's something very forgiving about this kite riding over powered with a foil. It's definitely not meant to be a hydrofoil kite, but it's characteristics make it work reasonably well.
two thumbs up, would recommend.
These users thanked the author SWO_kite for the post:
I swapped my Pivot 12m S25 for a Reedin supermodel 12m V2. Finally, I have the 12th I cared about the most. In my opinion this kite is just perfect.
I've never tried any of the Pivot kites, but I do own a Supermodel V2 11m and I agree with you 100% - it's pretty awesome. It just does everything I want it to do. VERY fun kite from 18-25kn, very good performance.
I even use it to foil. I can go as low as 10-11kn and I don't switch to TT until at least 17-18kn. There's something very forgiving about this kite riding over powered with a foil. It's definitely not meant to be a hydrofoil kite, but it's characteristics make it work reasonably well.
two thumbs up, would recommend.
I have 9 and 12 Supermodel and I'm pretty happy with them. But I don't like the 12 qm for foiling as I'm quickly overpowered. As well there's a gap between being overpowered on the 12 qm on the foil and having fun with the 12 qm on the twintip. Which is a bit of a pitty. As I normally ride in conditions that are in between foil and twin tip and I don't like to pump another kite each time. So for me, Supermodels are awesome kites, but they don't have the best depower.
Definitely more vertical lift than the lateral pull/hang from the S25 Pivots when you go big.
Bar pressure has never been a problem for me on the Pivot but I like a bit of bar pressure on all kites I fly.
The 12m 26 compared to the S25 is the change in boosting you get higher faster due to the kite sitting a bit further forward in the window. I think it turns a bit quicker but maybe I'm just coming in hotter on the landings.
Still behaves like a automatic no twitches to me lol does everything super easy.
A small loop no worries but power it up and it has plenty of pull as expected out of a big air looping kite. I rode the 12m and 10m.
Worst thing is it with it that new upgraded bar safety recalled won't be out until around Christmas I hear. So if you are going to buy one before then. Make sure that you have a backup bar around that suits the pivot that is the only drawback.