Rider: 80kg, Advanced
Style: Freeride, Freestyle
Weather: 5-11knts
Build Quality: 10/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Disclosure: Shop/ Core International Teamrider

My Comments:

I have only flown a few big kites before (2006 Naish aero 16m, 2010 Ozone Zephyr 17m) so i was not sure what to expect from this one.

It was a pretty light day, no whitecaps.
I pumped it up and put the 3m line extensions on and got it up in the air.
Self Beach Launch and water relaunch was easy, amazing how good this big kite relauches compared to smaller kites in light winds.

My first impression looking at kite in the air was that the kite seemed quite high aspect. Solid, no flapping and she didnt stall at all when pulling bar in all the way even there was only 6-7knts at that time.
Had the backlines on standard 2nd knot.
I felt the power straight away.

Took a 132cm TT board and off i rode.
I parked the kite straight away with the bar half way in and it just sat at 45 degrees, stable as and i was edging upwind.

The kite reacts and steers nicely to bar imput. I was qquite surpised by the quickness. Felt like 14m kites when steering. Bar pressure was nice, not too much.

The wind picked up slightly as the tide came in and when it hit 10knts and little white caps came up i was pretty powered doing some nice boost (once you up there she just floats and floats and hangs..).

I had to depower a little bit at 10knts because it was just too much effort edging against the power when i had the kite nice and low goingg fas through the flat water.

I trimmed her and started doing some unhooked raileys, s-bends and a few kiteloops.
nice pop- very similiar to the smaller Riots. Kiteloop is not really what you want to do with a 17m but it works and pulls quite high in light winds, never though i can do a kiteloop in 10knts.
Kite is very stable even when the lines go slack riding towards the kite which surprised me as well.

Overall the kite feels much smaller than a 17m. If i compare it to the 2010 Ozone Zephyr i reckon the Core Riot XR LW has more power and is more versatile but requires a bit more work to use as it is very powerful.

I tried the XR LW 17m in 15knts on the normal lines and i could not hold my edge. Maybe a 100kg guy can but i was struggling and hurting after 30mins.
I reckon this is a big boys kites for winds under 15knts. Lighter dudes will be able to ride freestyle in 10knts and i think for racing this is a real weapon because the kite is pretty fast if you are able to hold the edge :)


Ill put some photos up soon

... hey cool review, exactly what I wanted to hear 'casue I went out on a limb and ordered one recently! And without even testing it, I really hoped z Germans knew something about delivering lots of power!

Since I'm a big boy, this one looks like its right up my ally!! I'll let you know how I go!

cheers,

Robbie

ps would love to see the pics

Select to expand quote

Puetz said...

... hey cool review, exactly what I wanted to hear 'casue I went out on a limb and ordered one recently! And without even testing it, I really hoped z Germans knew something about delivering lots of power!

Since I'm a big boy, this one looks like its right up my ally!! I'll let you know how I go!

cheers,

Robbie

ps would love to see the pics

Hey Robbie,

here the promised photos.
Went out in 8knts today on raceboard and long lines.

G'day Marv,

thanks for pics! It looks fairly high aspect for a big kite! Still waiting for mine to arrive, if you have a choice, don't send anything via Toll Ipec, they seem to take for ever and this isn't the first time too. Bastards!

Anyway, just a quick couple of questions, from the pics, the bridal looks like the Fone Bandit style, is it the same? Also, do you need to pump the kite up to high pressures to keep the stability + 6 psi, do you know what they recommend?

cheers,

Robbie

Hi Robbie,

no worries re pixs.
I never had issues with Toll Ipec. Did you order through your local shop or on the Core Website?
Kite is quite high apsect- the 17m are nicely distributed along the kite.
The bridal is the same one like GTs and XRs. I think its shorter than the bandit bridal.
No bridal on backline/wingtips connectors.

In general i like to pump my kites up at least 8psi. The Cores have a rock solid construction and strong stitching, it wont hurt to pump that beast up a bit more than you usually wld. I assume you will not crash it much anyways.

Hope you get the XR17m soon. Core sold out the first two batches of them so hopefully you got yours out of 2nd batch.

greetings
MB

... thanks dude, man I'm pretty keen to see the kite I tell you!!!

I'm heavy dude and I usually use kites to there upper range when the wind does come in and unfortunately I had issues with the Rhino '09 kites and there bridals not handling my strong kiting style (if you could call it style, more like muscle my way out of things, old school Naish X4 edging). Where as the 2010 or 2011 Rebels with the 5 lines easily handled me.

Thats sort of why I asked about the bridals and pumping pressures, because at the time of owning Rhino's when I tried the Bandits and they held up to me and the abuse pretty good, and they had to be pumped up hard, but eventually the Rhino's started to fail, but I did love the performance, just not how they crumbled when I kitelooped or give'm some! To combat the annoyance I had to pump the kites up heaps to which the stitching didn't like it (seams started coming apart) .

To be fair on the forth coming Core, I will not use it like I did with the Rhino's as my bread and butter kite when the wind came up, going big in 20 to 25 knots when others are on 9's and 10's and I'm pushing my 16!!! I think I will be pushing the limits and I hope the blurb and the hype lives up to it:

' there is no need to leave the water when the wind exceeds 15 knots, for fear of having the seams fly past your ears, as this kite still has all the CORE bomb proof properties of other XR's; a quality important for riders who want to use their light-wind kite in increasing winds or require a bit more lift. '




Anyway, I'm looking forward to use the Core!!!

Thanks again for pics!!

cheers for now,

Robbie

Did you have to take a rest after pumping that up ? :D

yea man its an effort for sure but after you have done that less effort to ride in 10knts

Can any one tell me if they make the LW in a smaller size . Want for the lite wind days and i am only 60 kgs i think the 17m i will be over powered in no time .

Hi mate,
you can just get a 13.5 XR or 15m XR. same kites as the 17m LW!
you could get the line extensions for better bottom end and when wind picks up take them off.

Just remember the 17m Riot XR LW is a light wind version and the weight of the 17m is equal to the Riot 13.5m XR.