Tkb Review: 2019 CORE Fusion 3

CORE Fusion 3
Sizes Available: 133 x 39cm, 135 x 40cm, 137 x 41cm, 139 x 41.5cm, 141 x 42cm, 144 x 43cm, 147 x44cm, 152 x 46cm
Sizes Tested: 137 x 41cm, 139 x 41.5cm

Core Says:

Just about anything is possible on your new Fusion 3, the Swiss Army® knife of kiteboards. New riders will kite longer than ever with the board’s session-extending deep V hull. Lucky freestylers in spots like Squamish’s hallowed Spit will find even more pop with the improved hull channels. And a few brave souls will harness the Fusion’s Cartan carbon fiber construction and Hood River’s legendary summer winds to challenge another WOO record. Regardless of your skill or adventure, the new Fusion 3 delivers next-level awesomeness.

Our latest Fusion leverages a decade’s worth of board building expertise from Carved Customs -Europe’s leading custom board manufacturer and know-how from their latest masterpiece, the Imperator 6. The 3rd generation is measurably lighter and features a new multi-channel hull, progressive rails, a deeper rocker line, and slightly wider tips. Our engineers also invested considerable effort fine-tuning the CNC milled Paulownia wood core, the backbone of the Fusion’s unmistakable, smooth riding, energetic feel.

Visit for more info: www.corekites.com/us/boards/twintips/fusion3

Our Testers Say:

“Slices through the chop with good upwind ability, solid edge controlling and easy to ride.” // Kristin Vincenzo

“Comfortable pads and very light design, holds edge very well; this board made me feel like I could keep carving harder on my transitions, allowing me to progress. Great for progression and boosting.” // Chris Myles

“Clean looking bigger board, great jumper and awesome chop handling. Bigger early planing board that handled the chop like a champ and was fun to jump.” // Marko Bartscherer

Meet Our Testers

Tkb Says:

The Fusion is Core’s classic freeride all around board that sports a ton of bottom contouring that features a double concave running full length with a V-hull down the middle and channels along the rail. The template is a bit wider then most of the boards in the test which makes the Fusion a bit more forgiving for going upwind in underpowered conditions. Testers found the Fusion to be extremely user-friendly in chop conditions and in terms of tracking and fin control, the Fusion is middle of the road in terms of grip, finding a nice balance that makes edging feel comfortable and secure without a ton of work on the rider’s part, while the tail feels loose enough to be fun and playful for more aggressive riders. In regards to rail to rail caving, the wider template and squarer tips make this board a little less agile, but testers nonetheless reported excellent carving in transitions. The Fusion really shines with its comfortable flex pattern. The Fusion works great for load and send jumps and makes landings soft on the knees and forgiving. One of the nifty accessory features that comes with the Fusion is the soft foam-covered grab handle, which is great if your kite ever rakes you over the board, a feature better appreciated by beginners. The Fusion is a well-mannered all around board that screams upwind in comfort, ideal for the new kiter, but comfortable and user-friendly to keep in the quiver through all the stages of a progressing freerider. The Fusion could quite possibly be the Cadillac of all-around freeride boards.

The Fusion came with the Union Comfort bindings which feature a single adjustment strap that is a fairly straightforward pad system. The footbed offers a subtle diamond grip EVA pattern, with a little bit of arch to support your foot, and a subtle step for your toes. There’s a good amount of contour or cupping under the heel that keeps your foot in place. The strap is a single adjustment strap with a clothlike surface over the top of your foot. Adjustment is straightforward and easy. The board comes with three stance width options and the pad offers a single option for duck, so it’s set it and forget it simple.