With a warm feeling we give the Pivot the biggest compliment it can dream of; the chance that this is a perfect kite for you is very close to 100%. It is as smooth as a ballerina. Immediately you get that feeling you know it already for years. Which gives you the freedom to grow. Your teacher and guide to the next level. But above all it is what kiteboarding is about: fun! From beginners to high flying advanced riders. Okay, it isn’t a freestyle nor a pure megaloop machine. And maybe the rough image doesn’t match with the real nature of the kite. But who cares. It is a smile maker.
Image
King Kevin changed the last couple of years at Naish from the Torch C-kite to the Pivot. The real reason he did it? It could be anything from a marketing move, him getting older or really getting more out of the Pivot than the Torch. Fact is -by winning two king of the air’s with it- the Pivot got everybody’s attention. But to us always the question remained why skip a step? The Dash would have been a much more logic step on paper. You don’t see Lasse Walker entering the King of the Air with an Evo. What we want to say is that the image the Pivot may have as a high-end mega loop beast isn’t the correct one.
The fact you should inflate it to 10,5 psi and the canopy with the highest amount of threads on the market (Quad-Tex) and it’s ’80s looks neither give it the friendly look it deserves.
Test
So why is the Pivot among our favourites like the Enduro, Union, Bandit, FX and Dice? It is its easiness and its versatility. The response is so quick -like the Enduro- that even with its longer lines (24 mtr) it reacts quicker than most other kites. Normally we are not really keen on such long lines. But on the Pivot it is different. It rather opens up positive aspects. A better low end and higher jumps for example.
People that use a recent Bandit will recognize not only the inflate but also the medium amount of bar pressure. The short amount that is needed to get used to the kite, its ideal pop moment for a jump and how pleasant it makes you air born are also similar with a Bandit 2020. It is less susceptible for unstable winds, a (tiny) better low end and has also less back stall issues compared to the 2020 Dice. And more good news for the Pivot: Naish dropped its unhandy octopus system and wisely choose -as all other brands did ages ago- for a normal one pump system. So is there anything we didn’t like? The only ‘issue’ is that a proper mega loop isn’t in the DNA of the kite. With 24m lines it seems quite impossible to get the kite low enough. We did try with shorter lines. But in that set up it messed up the long list with positive aspects.
Torque bar
There are a few things to say about the Naish Torque bar. The “above” the bar (that is why it is called ATB) trim is just as any other bar. The 500kg strong lines from Cousin Trestec are hanging on a smooth -mostly- auto rewinding swivel. Just as most A-brand bars it isn’t cheap. But most importantly aspect is that they are 24 meters long. Which is one or two meters more than average. It sounds as a small detail. But highly relevant for its flying characteristics. Naish also sells a 20 meter version but in most cases that will be too short.
List Prices
Naish Pivot 9m kite only 1399,- Euro
Naish Torque ATB 4*24m lines including leash and chicken loop 599,- Euro
Hi Kevin,
(Funny name in this subject)
The Pivot certainly is one of the lower bar pressure kites. A Dice may have a lower one.
But more importantly for you is which bar to choose.
For example the Click bar and most double Depower lines like Core cause more resistance. Typically Core and Spleene and older flysurfer bar users complain about elbow issues.
Dave
We Test Kites
Dave- what are some of the lighter bar pressure kites you’ve tested? My elbows are bad and i need to move to a lighter bar pressure kite. I’ve read mixed thoughts on the Pivots for BP. thanks
Hi Joris,
We did not use the Triad yet so we cannot judge it properly.
Dave
Would you say the Triad is more suitable for a beginner than the Pivot?
Geoff, I use the pivot on twintip and directional. It’s good on directional. I bought it to be able to do both and it delivered. The review is spot on.
Hi Geoff,
hard to say as we did not test them on a wave board back to back.
Sorry.
Dave,
We Test Kites
Hi Dave,
What about on a directional, I’m moving in that direction, but currently my twin is the primary board.
Thanks
Geoff
Hi Geoffrey,
On a twin tip for sure the Pivot.
Dave
We Test Kites
Hi Dave,
Which do you like better the Naish Pivot or the Duotone Neo?
Thanks
Geoff
Dave,
Thank you for your reply.
I also enjoyed your podcast on kite365.
Keep on doing what you are doing and as always keep being critical and honenst!
Enjoy your weekend and hopefully wind is coming next week (looks like)
Bye David
Hi David,
thanks for asking!
We don’t know this guy from the video ‘Nicolas Gambier’ but as we watch his video’s we think he is much better compared to most of our readers and what the Pivot is made fore.
We can understand people may want to experiment on shorter lines on the Pivot. But 20m is really something different and needs lot of getting just to.
The aim -in our opinion- would be to get more radical moves. Our question would be why not use the Dash or the Torch?
For us it was losing more than gaining when using shorter lines on the Pivot. For someone on high end winds and without other options (smaller kite) it can off course be an option to go to 23 or 22m. Not 20 though.
Dave
We Test Kites.
Hi,
If feel that the Pivot is much to handle when (over)powered.
I this article you mention that shorter lines are not really an option but could you explain to me why the person in the next video is saying something totally different?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cfOFEmRhhU&t=148s
thanks and keep up the good work.
Leon, I use a North bar with Pivots and they work fine.
Hi Baptiste,
Thanks for contacting!
The upwind performance is not more or less than any other delta shaped 3 strut kite. The Supermodel is on our list, but we did not test it yet.
I don’t think Lewis, Reno or Aaron used an Evo? It was maybe a Dice!
Dave
We Test Kites
Great review !
Would like to know more about the upwind ability.
I also wonder how the kite will evolve now that its creator left Naish. Could it be possible to have some comparison between the Pivot and the SuperModel ?
“You don’t see Lasse Walker entering the King of the Air with an Evo.”
Well, maybe not Lasse, but during the 2020 KOTA, Antonin Gangin, Lewis Crathern, Aurélien Petreau and even Aaron Hadlow used the EVO during at least one round (don’t remember for Reno Romeu).
Hi Floris,
we did the standard 24m lines from Naish and we tried 23m from another brand (also low ” v”). That was not better than 24m.
Dave
We Test Kites
What line length have you tested and how does it perform on that length? I like it on 24 meter, but was wondering how it will fly on 22 meter.
Hi Leon!
The Pivot is in between the Evo and the Dice. It is faster than an Evo and less aggressive compared to a Dice.
Dave
We Test Kites
Nice review again Dave, thanx! Which kite from the Duotone range is the most similar? I really never want to get rid of my clickbar!