x2 vs Fuel 2003 performance and construction. Any opinions?

[Johnny TBKS]

Did the same test myself. Looped the kite. 5 times. It was unreal. I had 2 people walk up to me offering to write me a check for the kite on the spot. NO SALE!

Johnny

[jever98]

Johnny,

is the 2003 slingshot as stable as the X2 or does it stall more easily?

Cheers
Nico
PS: What bar size do you use on the 17?

[Johnny TBKS]

Hey Nico,
I dunno how it compares in stability to the X2 cuz I'm not an X2 user. I can vouge for how stable it is itself. VERY! I havent seen any serious stalling, aside from taking it too near the edge of the window in super light winds.
At the moment, I am using either an 18 or 20 inch bar on my 2003 17m SS. Which one I use really only depends on which one I pull out of the bag first. Both work fine. I imagine though that once I am 100% dialed in on the kite, I will probably be using the 20 inch bar the most on it, maybe switching to the 18 in higher winds. I know both of these sound too small for a 17m kite, but wait until you try it...you will see, it's sufficient.

I did mention somewhere before that ALL the 2003 SlingShot Fuels are designed to be flown on the same bar length didn't I?...at least I think I did. If I didn't, I am now. According to Tony, the kite designer over at Slingshot, all the sizes of the Fuel were designed around an 18 inch bar. Incredible, but true!

Buy one complete SS kite kit for 2003 and from then on you can make do with purchasing kite only.

Johnny

[jever98]

So the depower lengths are the same on all sizes?
And what kite do you use in really small sizes (7 and 9) fuel or GTO?

I am looking forward to testing them and will post a comparison report to the X2...

[chicagokitesurfer]

I weigh 185, riding a 167 LFT in 8-11 kts today on my 15m ARC. My buddy riding his new 18m Naish X2 is 155lbs (30 lbs lighter) and riding a 181 Litewave. I was jumping just as high as him! I found that pretty funny. I decided today to buy a quiver of Slingshots to have both blimp and foil and look forward to riding them.

V
http://www.chicagokitesurfing.com

[fokiten]

what about bar pressure I heard they fly more off the back lines, can anyone give input on this?

[Guest]

What about relaunch?

[Guest]

The new slingshot has to be one of the best Kites I have flown. I was a Naish International team rider and have changed to Slingshot. The construction of these kites are a far better standard than the X2 or any other kites I have looked at to date, This includes the New Rhino 2 which I have been checking out over the last few days. The seams on the slingshot are taped and stitched around all the front panels, as well as this there are kevlar wear strips mounted above the ribs. The material is of a very good quality as has been posted up this thread a little. The relaunch is great. Not that I claim to drop a kite alot but when it does happen this kite gets up and relaunches itself. As previously stated I looped the 2003 15 meter fuel 6 times from the park position until a wingtip started to hit the ground My X2 14 would only do 4 loops. Some may say that this proves nothing but when you are doinbg a tripple backflip then touch down at the same time as looping the kite throwing you into a very fast double front loop you need to know that the kite is going to stay in or around the same power zone that you were in. This means you dont want the kite to drop to low into the window. Another thing I have been playing with while wave riding is constant looping the kite one way then the other to positon myself better on the wave. Basicaly I have had the chance to stay with my old sponsor but have seen the light of a very high performance well built, strong medium aspect Kite. In a comp you cant afford to run the risk of dropping your kite and not getting it up straight away as has been known to happen to all levels of riders with High aspect kites. Slingshot are definitly my choice of kite and I recommend them to all levels of kiters.

[Kite:Life]

Anomymous; where can we se U ride (video pic's)? your description of the tripple backloop then front loop blew me away!!!

Do U mind stating your name so i can search for info?

/pan
just changed wippi for SS and loving this thread...

[Johnny TBKS]

I do not understand questions like the ones fokiten is asking.

On 2002-10-13 05:06, fokiten wrote:
what about bar pressure I heard they fly more off the back lines, can anyone give input on this?

Let me rephrase that...I don't understand WHY fokiten is asking questions that I have already answered no less than 3 times in at least 2 different threads. But...ok. I don;t mind helping people, even the ones who can't retain what I've already said or just don't read all of what I write. In fact, I can't blame anyone for not reading it all as they do sometimes come out long...but on by behalf, I feel that I have been doing a pretty good job of keeping them informative and educational for the most part.
FOKITEN. let me please refer you back to the latest thread it was mentioned in. The thread topic is "Hey Johnny" and is only days old. Here's a link to it for your lazy ass. I don't mind having to repeat myself from time to time but I bet people are starting to get bored with hearing me explain the new SS being both front and rear line fliers.

I dunno for sure who the anonymous poster from above is, and I can't say that I would blame him for remaining anonymouse. He's a NAISH team SELL OUT! I'm just kidding. I don't blame him one bit for changing kites though. I have tried the trash sux 2 and in my eyes (and hands) there is not even a good comparison between the SS and the Trash..I mean NAISH...my bad.

On 2002-10-13 10:48, Anonymous wrote:
The new slingshot has to be one of the best Kites I have flown. I was a Naish International team rider and have changed to Slingshot. The construction of these kites are a far better standard than the X2 or any other kites I have looked at to date, This includes the New Rhino 2 which I have been checking out over the last few days. The seams on the slingshot are taped and stitched around all the front panels, as well as this there are kevlar wear strips mounted above the ribs. The material is of a very good quality as has been posted up this thread a little.

Thanks 'Anonymous' for helping to confirm what I have been saying. These kite are the best built kites on the market today in not ONLY my opinion, but the anonymous international rider aboves as well. And he, like myself, even compared it to the new Rhino's and X2's, which I would have to say would be the next best built kites in that order respectively.

Kite:Life...we are in the process now of getting the new SS Fuels being ridden and worked into a video for you all to see. Bear with us, we are totally swampped with emails, lessons and other. If 'Anonymous' would/could get you some video of he riding like you asked for, this would be great as well!

Got's to go. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing in 30 minutes and I still have one or two more replies I need to get to.

Glad you're enjoying this thread! Happy to hear you like your new kites over your old Wipi's. Good choice. Feel free to share any and all of your findings and or questions about it with us here.

Pea's Out!
Johnny




<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Johnny TBKS on 2002-10-13 19:08 ]</font>