CORE XR Pro vs. Pace Pro. Which Big-Air Kite Fits Your Riding Style?

If you’ve been looking at CORE’s new Aluula lineup and wondering which kite will actually push your riding further, you’re not alone. The XR Pro and Pace Pro sit side by side at the top of CORE’s range, both built from the same ultra-light, ultra-stiff Aluula frame material, but tuned for completely different types of big-air performance.

Here in St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay area, we’ve had both kites on the water through every condition Florida throws our way, from smooth Gulf seabreezes to gusty cold-front surges. What we’ve learned is simple: both deliver top-tier power and precision, but they speak to different riders.

➤ The XR Pro is a five-strut powerhouse designed for riders chasing maximum height, float, and control. It rewards clean technique and gives that slow-motion hang-time feel that big-air freeriders love.

➤ The Pace Pro, on the other hand, is CORE’s fast, three-strut loop machine. It’s lighter, tighter, and more reactive, built for riders who live for that whip through the window and want a kite that snaps back faster than anything CORE has built before.

What’s the Difference Between the CORE XR Pro and Pace Pro?

The difference between the XR Pro and the Pace Pro comes down to one thing: how you like to fly.
Both kites share CORE’s Aluula airframe technology, giving them an incredibly stiff and lightweight structure that reacts instantly to your input. But beyond that shared DNA, they deliver completely different personalities on the water.

The XR Pro is a five-strut Aluula freeride weapon built for vertical power, glide, and control. It uses a pulley bridle system that allows the kite to change shape mid-flight, expanding the canopy for maximum lift when you sheet in. That’s what gives the XR Pro its signature “elevator” feeling, smooth, predictable pull and unreal hang time. It’s the kite you take out when you want to go as high and as far as the wind will take you.

The Pace Pro, in contrast, is a three-strut fixed-bridle design built for responsiveness and speed. There are no pulleys, what you do with the bar is what the kite does immediately. It feels tighter, faster, and more connected through the loop. The tradeoff is less glide, but far more control when you’re throwing powered rotations or learning loops for the first time.

Both use the same Aluula Gold material across the leading edge and struts, making them stiffer and lighter than Dacron-based kites. But how that material is used defines their purpose: the XR Pro spreads the stiffness over five struts for unmatched canopy stability, while the Pace Pro trims the weight down for quick loops and ultra-fast recoveries.

In simple terms:

• XR Pro = Big-Air Freeride + Massive Lift

• Pace Pro = Kite Loops + Aggressive Progression

If you’re trying to decide between them, think about what makes you stoked, smooth, floaty jumps and long hang time, or tight, technical loops that yank and recover fast.

Design Breakdown,Frame, Bridle & Canopy

Both the CORE XR Pro and Pace Pro share CORE’s Aluula Gold frame,a next-generation material that’s more than twice as strong as traditional Dacron and about four times better in strength-to-weight ratio. But how that material is used defines the performance and feel of each kite.

The XR Pro uses a five-strut Aluula airframe combined with a pulley bridle system, giving it a balanced structure that stays perfectly rigid even in heavy gusts. That extra structure is what makes the XR Pro feel rock-solid at the top of your jump. When you sheet in, the bridle expands the canopy to deliver maximum lift and glide,CORE’s signature big-air DNA.

By contrast, the Pace Pro takes a more stripped-down approach. Its three-strut frame and fixed bridle design eliminate pulleys entirely. This means there’s no mechanical delay between your bar input and kite movement. Every steering adjustment is immediate, giving you that direct, connected feel through loops and rotations. It’s the kite you choose when you want total control and clean response in powered maneuvers.

Both canopies use Cortex 2 ripstop fabric, a high-tension material engineered to resist stretch and UV damage,a must in Florida’s strong sun and salt air. When you pack either kite down after a session at Skyway or Ft. De Soto, you’ll feel how crisp and lightweight the Aluula structure remains, even after hours in humid coastal wind.

Performance on the Water,Lift, Loops, & Recovery

This is where the XR Pro and Pace Pro truly separate. Both deliver precision and control, but how they handle power is completely different once you’re on the water.

• The XR Pro is CORE’s vertical climber. When you edge hard and send it, the lift feels clean and linear, no violent yank, just a smooth, powerful climb that keeps going long after you expect it to stop. The five-strut Aluula frame keeps the canopy perfectly rigid through the load, which translates to insane hangtime and rock-solid stability during glides. For big-air freeriders across St. Pete and Tampa Bay, that means you can go higher and stay there longer, even when the Gulf wind starts pulsing.

• The Pace Pro trades that extended float for speed and precision. Its three-strut design accelerates faster through the window, driving harder and looping tighter. The fixed bridle gives you immediate steering feedback, so when you commit to the loop, the kite reacts instantly. That fast recovery arc is what makes it so good for technical progression: it catches predictably and climbs back to twelve before you touch down.

➔ If you’re chasing pure height and that slow-motion elevator feel, the XR Pro still rules.
➔ If you want to push into loops, rotations, or transitions with more control and flow, the Pace Pro delivers a faster, more aggressive ride.

Which CORE Kite Is Right for You,XR Pro or Pace Pro?

If you’re choosing between the CORE XR Pro and Pace Pro, the best answer comes down to how you like to ride. Both are high-performance kites built with Aluula, but they serve very different goals.

The XR Pro is for riders who live for huge boosts, long hangtime, and clean freeride power. It’s stable, predictable, and built to fly high even when the wind gets messy. You’ll feel it most in St. Pete’s gusty Gulf breeze, when others are getting yanked sideways, the XR Pro keeps you calm and climbing. It’s the perfect match for big-air sessions at Ft. De Soto, Skyway Bridge, or Treasure Island, where you’ve got room to send it.

The Pace Pro fits a different type of rider, the one obsessed with control, speed, and progression through loops and transitions. It’s lighter, faster, and more reactive, letting you throw powered maneuvers with confidence. It loops tight, catches early, and rewards riders who like to stay engaged the whole session.

Here’s a simple breakdown from our St. Pete demo team:

How Do the XR Pro and Pace Pro Perform in Florida’s Wind Conditions?

Florida’s wind reality is unique, light to moderate seabreezes most of the year, with strong cold fronts in winter that deliver those rare, full-power big-air days. The CORE XR Pro and Pace Pro both handle this range beautifully, but they come alive in different parts of the spectrum.

The XR Pro thrives when the wind hits that upper edge, 18 to 30 knots, side-on, clean air. The five-strut Aluula frame holds its shape no matter how hard the gust hits. On those post-front sessions when Skyway Bridge is firing or Treasure Island lights up, the XR Pro gives you that locked-in confidence to send your biggest jumps yet. The stability keeps it from folding or deforming mid-loop, so even if the wind spikes, your pull stays smooth and vertical.
That rigidity also helps in choppy Tampa Bay water, where turbulence often throws other kites off balance. The XR Pro cuts through with less drift, meaning your jumps launch clean and your landings stay controlled.

➔ If you love loading your edge and hanging high above the Gulf, this kite’s built for those rare Florida nukers.

The Pace Pro, on the other hand, dominates the lighter, more common days, 12 to 22 knots of steady seabreeze when everyone else is mowing the lawn. Its lighter three-strut frame keeps it flying forward in the window, maintaining line tension and speed even when the wind softens. The fixed bridle gives you precise input, so you can keep looping or carving without stalling the kite.

➔ For riders chasing consistency and water time, that responsiveness is gold. It turns those “maybe” days into full sessions, especially at spots like Ft. De Soto, where wind direction and gradient can change minute to minute.
The Pace Pro’s agility lets you adapt instantly, keeping you powered while others are swimming.

If you’re trying to decide which fits your local sessions better, here’s the pattern we’ve seen from hundreds of demos across St. Pete and the Tampa Bay area:

• Winter front days (18–30 kts): XR Pro → best height, most control

• Spring & summer seabreezes (12–22 kts): Pace Pro → best reactivity, best fun factor

• Variable Gulf chop: XR Pro → more stability for freeride control

• Flatwater bays or inside Skyway: Pace Pro → faster turns, better low-end pull

Can You Use the Same Bar and Safety System for the XR Pro and Pace Pro?

Yes, but with a few important notes that every CORE rider should know before swapping bars. Both the CORE XR Pro and Pace Pro are designed around the Sensor 4 bar system, and while they technically work with older setups like the Sensor 3, you’ll get the best precision, safety, and feel when you pair them with the latest generation bar.

The Sensor 4 bar was built with these Aluula kites in mind. It uses a thinner, stiffer center line and a cleaner geometry that maximizes the responsiveness of CORE’s newer fixed and pulley bridle systems. On the XR Pro, the bar allows the bridle to expand smoothly through its range of motion, creating that signature glide and ultra-predictable depower. On the Pace Pro, where the bridle is fixed with no pulleys, the Sensor 4 gives you the instant feedback the kite is designed to deliver,direct, crisp, and connected.

Another major advantage is safety and depower range. Both the XR Pro and Pace Pro generate more line tension than traditional Dacron kites. The Sensor 4’s refined release system and updated trim cleat are built to handle that load cleanly. When you sheet out in heavy gusts or hit the quick release, you’ll notice how smoothly the system dumps power without sending shock into your harness.

➤ If you’re upgrading to Aluula for the first time, don’t overlook the bar.

The wrong setup can change the way the kite feels in the air,even a few centimeters in line length or a different safety geometry can dull the precision CORE designed into these frames.
When in doubt, bring your setup by Elite Watersports in St. Petersburg for a quick line check or tune-up before your next session. Our instructors can spot mis-rigs instantly and make sure your depower lines, pigtails, and safety system are dialed.

The Aluula frame reacts faster than standard kites, so a clean setup and confident control are key for safe, efficient launches in Florida’s variable beach conditions.

Where Can I Demo or Buy the CORE XR Pro and Pace Pro in Florida?

The best way to know which CORE kite fits your riding style is to ride both in real Gulf wind, and no one makes that easier than Elite Watersports in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Our shop is a certified CORE dealer and demo center, located just minutes from top launch spots like Ft. De Soto, Skyway Bridge, and Treasure Island. We stock the full lineup, XR Pro, Pace Pro, and XR8, so you can test them back-to-back in the same session. That’s how you’ll feel the difference: the XR Pro’s vertical lift and hangtime versus the Pace Pro’s speed and reactive handling.

If you’re comparing online before booking, you can browse our full kite collection or use the Which CORE Kite Should I Get? guide to explore how each model fits your goals.

For local riders around Tampa Bay, Elite also runs demo events and group sessions throughout the season, check our Events page or stop by the shop to find out when the next one is happening. It’s the easiest way to meet other riders, swap notes, and test the latest gear in ideal conditions.

When you’re ready to make your move, our crew can help you trade in your old setup, choose the right quiver, and hit the water confident that you’ve picked the right kite for how you ride.