2013 Slingshot Rally review
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:21 am
to get started- no affiliation to Slingshot or any shop. 11 years kiting. Kitesurf mainly but will go out on a tt if its flat. Home spot - windily, sometimes gusty side shore point break.
Kite tested 9m Rally
Bar - I really liked the compstick bar from 2012. was not sure how they would improve it. They did. The bar feels a little smaller in Diameter (did not measure) and the grip is a little different. It is more comfortable in the hand. They changed the bar center which makes sheeting in and out smoother (less friction) Feels a lot better and center line will last longer I am sure. They made the new bars black on one side and white on the other. Its a quicker read if you have released the kite to the safety as to which way round the bar is. All the mechanics are the same. This year the 9m comes with a 20X23 bar instead of the 17X20 like last year. Also the Chicken loop line in 2013 is the med one instead of the short one. Love the new bar! for me I wish it came with the short chicken loop but thats just me. I dont unhook.
Kite -
The new kite is AWESOME. I flew 2012 Rallys and thought they were amazing. Just about perfect.
The new 2013 Rallys are much more rigid of a structure (obviously due to the mini struts on the wingtips and the increased diameter of the leading edge. I tried everything I could to get the kite to buckle or have the tips fold a little by loading up really hard, it was quite gusty also (I didnt pump the kite as hard as I did my 2012 Rallys). The kite was rock solid. Could not get it to buckle or the tips even come close to folding in. The canopy is super tight all the time with no fluttering at all. There is massive depower when you want it and the kite absorbs the gusts completely. Definitely a big step ahead from an already great kite last year (or earlier this year).
The kite seemed to turn just a hair slower than last year but that is obviously due to the longer lines this year. The kite turns plenty fast. The bar pressure felt a slight bit heavier than last year but to me it felt perfect. I hate a kite with heavy bar pressure. Its just heavy enough to always know where the kite is.
In the surf this years kite is a lot better than last years. It drifts better and always seemed to be in the right spot.
The kite turn slightly differently. Instead of pivoting so much on the wingtip like the 2012 kites the turns are a little more drawn out and there seemed to be more power in the turn.
2nd session was about an hr on a tt and will say that the jumps and hangtime are huge like they were last year. Great kite in the surf and also was super fun on the tt. Loops really nicely. Super grunty.
Spent 2.5 hrs with it today and definitely super stoked. GREAT kite!!!
Mark
Kite tested 9m Rally
Bar - I really liked the compstick bar from 2012. was not sure how they would improve it. They did. The bar feels a little smaller in Diameter (did not measure) and the grip is a little different. It is more comfortable in the hand. They changed the bar center which makes sheeting in and out smoother (less friction) Feels a lot better and center line will last longer I am sure. They made the new bars black on one side and white on the other. Its a quicker read if you have released the kite to the safety as to which way round the bar is. All the mechanics are the same. This year the 9m comes with a 20X23 bar instead of the 17X20 like last year. Also the Chicken loop line in 2013 is the med one instead of the short one. Love the new bar! for me I wish it came with the short chicken loop but thats just me. I dont unhook.
Kite -
The new kite is AWESOME. I flew 2012 Rallys and thought they were amazing. Just about perfect.
The new 2013 Rallys are much more rigid of a structure (obviously due to the mini struts on the wingtips and the increased diameter of the leading edge. I tried everything I could to get the kite to buckle or have the tips fold a little by loading up really hard, it was quite gusty also (I didnt pump the kite as hard as I did my 2012 Rallys). The kite was rock solid. Could not get it to buckle or the tips even come close to folding in. The canopy is super tight all the time with no fluttering at all. There is massive depower when you want it and the kite absorbs the gusts completely. Definitely a big step ahead from an already great kite last year (or earlier this year).
The kite seemed to turn just a hair slower than last year but that is obviously due to the longer lines this year. The kite turns plenty fast. The bar pressure felt a slight bit heavier than last year but to me it felt perfect. I hate a kite with heavy bar pressure. Its just heavy enough to always know where the kite is.
In the surf this years kite is a lot better than last years. It drifts better and always seemed to be in the right spot.
The kite turn slightly differently. Instead of pivoting so much on the wingtip like the 2012 kites the turns are a little more drawn out and there seemed to be more power in the turn.
2nd session was about an hr on a tt and will say that the jumps and hangtime are huge like they were last year. Great kite in the surf and also was super fun on the tt. Loops really nicely. Super grunty.
Spent 2.5 hrs with it today and definitely super stoked. GREAT kite!!!
Mark