Core RIOT XR LW

The Riot XR LW is similar to it's little XR brothers but is noticeably lighter, oh and bigger . The kite comes with a set of additional 3m extensions for ultimate light wind performance. The extensions can be added to a Core ESP bar or for any 4 line bar for that matter.  The XR LW flies on the same bar as the entire Core family which in itself is impressive.  When rigging the kite, it looks big, but it's not until you roll it on it's side to launch it, when it dwarfs it's tiny launcher that you notice it really is quite huge.  The extra line lengths make the kite look no bigger than a 15.

First day I flew the XR LW it was blowing all of about 5 knots and I fugured it wouldn't even launch, let alone fly.  I self launched easily to my surprise and the kite obediently climbed in the light air. With a quick dive of the kite, the power of the kite was staggering, even in 5-6 knots.  I grabbed a race board and decided to have a crack at riding in the flat water.  It honestly felt quite wierd even attempting to get going.  Well, I dived the kite and the power came on, I stepped onto the board and holy cow, off we went.  Albeit, I wasn't able to stay upwind and nearly dropped the kite in the water as I turned downwind to gybe and change direction.  The gybe would have produced apparent wind of around 3 knots at the kite so I down turned and looped the kite.  I made it back to the beach and walked about 70m back up wind.

The wind picked up to 6-7 knots and all of a sudden I was easily holding ground and actually starting to ride upwind.  This was insane, never felt anything like it!  The turning speed of the kite is pretty quick for a big kite and easily throws you up for big jumps with major hangtime.  It's actually pretty fun to throw around.

Add a twin tip at about 10 knots and there's freestyle fun to be had.  The kite pulls like a horse, it's just raw bottom end power and it 12 knots you'll be looking for a handful of trim to control the beast.  I figure the maximum wind strength is somewhere around 18 knots.  The beauty of the LW is it will get you going in wind no one else can go in.

More to follow .....

Core GTS

2011 Core GTS

The GTS is a worthy replacement to the GT.  It looks amazing with simple graphics and a bit less yellow and dacron in the canopy than the GT.  It is physically lighter, and has the same bridle setup as the XR with ultimate tuneability.  The bridles are shorter and they have done away with a set of pulleys to give better durability and lower maintenance. 

The bar pressure is light and the kite is responsive and quick when setup on light settings and wave steering.  Three settings on bar pressure and also three settings on steering responsiveness.

On initial tests (Brief and in poor conditions), The kite displayed amazing stability, and that same power as the GT but in a much more refined and smoother power delivery.  Depower feels similar and power similar to the GT.  The GTS is a more refined kite which lends itself to much more of a cross over of different riding styles with it's versatility of settings.  The kite feels more "C" like than the previous kites but still has the same good properties of the Bridles Delta's.  Straighter leading edge on wingtipsassist in easy relaunch and give a more direct feel of the kite in the air.

The new bag is one of the best in the industry, well made, spacious and simple.  The bar is the same ESP bar as delivered with GT and XR making it very useable with other models so you can mix and match models without Bar outlay. 

I love it!  Another outstanding Core Kite! Ask us for a demo ride.

Core Sensor Bar and Lines Review

So finally after a long delay, the brand new Core Sensor Bar and Lines are here in my hot little hands.  Yewww!  Core devotees have waited very patiently for the arrival of these new bars since word went out over a month ago.  Delays were due to a small part sticking in the safety releaseon just one of the test bars and Core felt they were necessary to repair and modify.

Core diligently sent out a worldwide recall on every new Sensor bar and made inhouse mods to these bars to repair a very minor issue.  The bars have ben given the all clear and are now circulating around the globe.

The Sensor bar

The bar is extremely light and a nice small diameter ~20mm and covered with soft EVA foam with moulded grip

The Chickenloop and Quickrelease

The quick release is a twist type which is original and simple to use.  There is a spring loaded detent position of opened and closed.  No chance of accidental release.  Not so easy to reset in the water, but still doable in an emergency.  The chickenloop itself is very stiff plastic moulded around the looped line which secures to the release mech.  

As with the ESP bar setup, the CL is free spinning so when you twist the lines above the bar, it will auto untwist by sheeting the bar in.  Sheeting in and out whilst the bar is being cranked through a turn has been addressed with the widened exits under the bar.  Bar snapping has been eliminated by the stainless steel bar across the underside of the bar which protects the bar from a strong hit by the CL if accidentally unhooked with a luffed kite.  Big improvement!

Safety line is mini 5th as per ESP bar and slides even easier than the ESP.  The chicken dick is attached by bungee and can be easily inserted in place or kept out of the way in unhooked mode.  Depower line is easy to replace Dyneema.

Bar ends

Are moulded and have line keepers in place for keeping things tidy.  As with ESP bar, the steering width can be adjusted by using inside or outside settings.  Foam floats keep the bar floating in the water and hands away from danger in case your fingers get caught.

Trim System

The new Sensor Bar has a rope and cleat depower/trim system which is easy to hold with the little toggle on the end.  The toggle has velcro wrapped around it so you can stick the toggle to the cleat assembly.  Much better system than the old strap adjusters.

Safety leash

The Safety leash is very short, in fact, it's only about 35cm long which is long enough to attach to your harness hook and to the chickenloop only.  This keeps it neat and tidy and less to tangle not to mention if you have a drama and continue to get pulled, the safety leash quick release is right in front of you in easy grasp.

NOTE: This standard leash is not possible to use as a handle pass leash.  If you require a handle pass leash, it is available as an optional extra.  The Pro Leash.

This bar is such an improvement over the ESP bar and will go nicely with the Core XR2 kite.  Nice work Core!

CORE RIOT XR

Core Riot XR

The improvements come from improved aerodynamic profile and stability.  Core decided to stay with a centre strut after testing many prototypes and finding the centre strut "just works better".  

The power of the kite is a little less than the Core GT by a few knots which brings it in line with most other brands kites in terms of low wind power.  The upper end or strong wind power is truly impressive being far higher than most other kites I have ridden.  Not just being able to "hold it down" in strong wind, but you can truly throw it around and still have fun with it in strong, really powered conditions.  Fantastic!

Relaunch is super easy with the swept back trailing edge similar to the Delta shape.  Just turn the bar and the kite relaunches easily and quickly, no hassle.  Can't beat Delta style relaunch!

Light wind performance has been taxed a little compared to the GT but has been repaid in the upper end wind range and the quality of all Core kites goes without saying.  The finest quality materials are used in the canopy and heavy duty lines (360kg breaking strain) make sure you get the best value for money.  The Riot XR uses the same bar as the GT so interchange between models is possible so you don't need a bar for every kite.  This translates directly into a cost saving of $500 per kite!

This truly is a kite for everyone.

Take me to the Shop Page

Core 2010 Riot XR - Rider Review

Finally got some decent wind for a review.  Conditions were SSW 20-25 knots with gusts up to 30 knots.  Choppy water.  Good fun!

To start off with, the bag is same as GT's, just a different colour (Black/white instead of Black/yellow)  The bag is ample but not mind blowing, but then again, it's just a bag right, you don't take it out on the town clubbing?.  The new bar has some tiny mods but pretty much the same.  Chicken finger is longer, safety leash attach ring is new.  Thats it for the bag and bar/lines.  No need to alter simple, effective and  quality.

There are a few refinements on the XR which aren't on the GT.  The one pump system is 90 degrees from the struts and leading edge which keeps the transfer tubes tucked away in the corners out of the way (totally unobtrusive) and are a more solid looking piece.  There is two little velcro's on the trailing edge end of the centre strut for keeping the bridles from hanging down.  This is genius and I can't believe no one else has done this, so simple, so cool!  Bridles are a bit longer. (perhaps reason for velcros?). 

The build quality is excellent, just like the GT, bomb proof!  Solid construction, a very tough kite and beautifully stitched and assembled.  The main difference to the GT is, apart from the slightly higher aspect canopy, the tuning knots and adjustments.  There are three points on the leading edge which adjust bar pressure and take seconds to change, and three on the wing tips which change steering responsiveness.  You can mix and match any setting and the kite flies beautifully although different determined by your choice of settings.  The beauty of it is in the ease of mods select the desired bar pressure and select the steering responsiveness.  I tried 5 different combinations of settings and it changes the kite from more freestyle to more wav/freeride.  Plug and play and anyone could change their kite settings and notice the changes without making the kite unstable or hard to fly.  I like lightest bar pressure and fastest turning so I set it up for me

As soon as you throw the kite up, it feels similar to the GT, but with less bar pressure and more responsive steering.  The turning speed feels same as the GT, maybe a tiny bit slower but only just noticeable if at all.  So for me, this was an instant hit, a fast kite with lighter bar and more response.  Tick!

When riding, the kite is stable and easy but feels like it needs just a little more bar throw to reach full depower when compared to the GT (Keep in mind today was VERY gusty so may be nothing).  There seemed to be a little less bottom end, maybe by a few knots against the 10.5 GT but there was a very noticeable top end improvement.  At around 2pm, a huge squall came through and I jumped back on the XR in winds of 30 knots and I dialed in about 3 inches of trim and was absolutely comfortable and didn't feel overpowered in the slightest.  I would have been panicking amid teabagging on the 10.5 GT.  I reckon it would be no problem to fly the 10m XR comfortably in 30-35 knots and yet it only seemed to give away a little in bottom end.  Pretty impressive!

Boosting was as easy as the GT but less aggressive on takeoff.  I got some very high jumps on a 10m which rarely happens, now I can't wait to ride the smaller ones in real wind!  The jumps have smooth glide, great hangtime and are pretty easy to land.  I really liked the ride and thought it was a great kite, the more you ride it, the more differences you notice to the GT.  It is VERY similar, but more refined so you don't need to be as strong to throw it around.  I'd recommend this kite to anyone looking for a fun responsive enjoyable kite, it just is more polished.  GT is still the agro kite for guys wanting grunt and aggressive power and turning.  The XR coud be a nice ride for the ladies as well as the gents.  Excellent, well worth the wait, and for the price, good stuff!

The GT still has it's place as the mad mans kite, but the XR will certainly be more widely received as a great all rounder.  Maybe a surf test required now.  Hmmmmm ....   24/09/09