Here's something we're quietly proud of: Paddy in the Elements is the only Approved CORE dealer in the Republic of Ireland. Don't take our word for it — you can check it yourself on CORE's own official store locator. Search Ireland and there's one pin on the map: us, here in Barna village, Galway.
Why "Approved" actually matters
An approved dealer isn't just a shop that happens to sell a brand. It means CORE trust us to represent their kites properly — genuine stock with full manufacturer warranty, proper setup and tuning advice, real aftercare, and access to demo gear so you can try before you buy. Buy a CORE kite from a grey-market website and you're often on your own if something goes wrong. Buy it from us and you've got the brand behind you and people who actually ride these kites on the end of the phone for the life of the gear.
It's also part of who we are: a local, Irish-owned and Irish-run shop, not a faceless box-shifter. We only stock the brands we genuinely believe in — you can read why over on our page on the brands we ride.
Two big new CORE kites have just landed
And there's no better time to be the country's CORE shop, because two of the most exciting kites CORE have made in years are here: the new XR X big-air machine and the do-it-all NXS. Here's how they stack up.
CORE XR X vs CORE NXS
CORE XR X — the big air benchmark. The XR is the kite that built CORE's big-air reputation, and the new XR X sharpens it again. It's a five-strut, stiff-framed booster built for one thing above all: getting you sky-high with massive hangtime and controlled, comfortable landings. With CORE's stiffer ExoTex 3 frame it stays locked-in and stable when the wind's honking — exactly what you want when you're sending a big one. If your dream session is boosting as high as you dare and stomping the landing, the XR X is your kite. Sizes start at €1,849.
CORE NXS — one kite for everything. The NXS is CORE's clever new do-it-all: it merges three of their much-loved kites — the all-round Nexus, the lightwind XLite and the wave-focused Section — into a single three-strut kite. Three struts means it's lighter, more agile and drifts beautifully, so the same kite happily does your twintip freeride session, your surfboard wave day and your foiling. If you want one kite that covers the lot rather than a quiver of specialists, the NXS is built for you. Sizes start at €1,799.
So which should you buy?
Simple rule of thumb: if you live for big air and boosting, go XR X. If you ride a bit of everything — twintip, waves and foil — and want one kite to do it all, go NXS. Plenty of riders end up with one of each in time, but if you're picking one, that's the split. And because we're CORE's approved Irish dealer, we can talk you through it properly, match the size to your weight and local wind, and — even better — get you on one to try. Have a browse of the full CORE range while you're deciding.
And it's not just Galway riders we look after — as the only approved CORE dealer in the country, we're the CORE shop for the whole west coast. Whether you're coming from Mayo, Sligo or Donegal, we'll sort your CORE kit and get you riding.
Want to feel the difference for yourself? Call into the shop in Barna village or get in touch about a demo — there's only one place in the Republic to do it, and you're looking at it.
Keep up with us on Instagram: follow @paddyintheelements for the latest from the school and our demo days, and @corewatersportsireland — the official CORE Ireland Instagram — for everything CORE on this side of the water.
