2018 Slingshot Turbine

[BiteMe]

New Turbines are out. Does anyone know if Slingshot made any changes for 2018? They don't mention anything on their web site so it looks like the same old kite. I love the Turbine, but it's sorely in need of a refresh. I don't think they have made any improvements to the larger size for several years now. The turbine is heavy by today's standards and LEI is huge compared to other LW kites.

[grigorib]

Still the best LW kite. Colors changed, leave the rest as is.

[Matteo V]

Still the best LW kite. Colors changed, leave the rest as is.

I see you are flying Turbines, Rally's and have a Kahoona in the mix. Which is more like the Kahoona - the Turbine or the Rally???

[grigorib]

Still the best LW kite. Colors changed, leave the rest as is.

I see you are flying Turbines, Rally's and have a Kahoona in the mix. Which is more like the Kahoona - the Turbine or the Rally???

Rally and Kahoona are pretty close but following Kahoona features made me want and get the 11m Rally
- Kahoona can backstall easily and you generally ride it sheeted out.
- Kahoona is heavy/heavier
- Kahoona sucks for foiling. It doesn’t drift overly well which is a feature I really need in toeside foil transitions. So does small Turbine which makes it similar to Kahoona in that aspect.
- You can get Kahoona into funny wrap on water if you crash the kite and so does small Turbine. Not a big deal, but Rally is just perfect and doesn’t do that ever

Upwind and jumping-wise Kahoona is great, very similar to Rally.
It has couple of not-so-great features of high aspect wing like less drift, backstalling and wrapping funny when crashed just like small Turbine.

I know couple of people.who love Kahoonas and I think for its price it’s a very good kite.

I’ve got mine, rode it for year and it’s for sale now.

[Matteo V]

I am coming from the Kahoona line and I can't warm up to Rally's. I just need to buy one and force myself to use it. RPM's seem more suited to my approach to kiteflying though.


Thanks for your input. Turbines have me interested, but I am still on the fence on what is going to replace my Kahoona's.

[iriejohn]

FWIW instead of going from Rally to SST I've gone to Enduro V2 because I wanted 3 strut all round kites which not only depower (and drift) at will but also fly forward in the window. On TT and SB in the sea so a mixture of flat water, chop, and waves. The Enduros don't have the same low end as the Rallys but size for size turn much faster, have much lighter bar pressure, and even though a three strut kite the canopies are rock steady. And like the Rally there are no pulleys so there is a very direct feel. They're not sheet in and go like the Rally, you have to fly them where you want them unlike the Rally which keeps on pulling.

To be fair so far I've only flown the 6m and the 12m (!) and both can handle a lot of wind and depower completely when asked and just sit there. Maybe fly the 8m and 10m over Christmas ...