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2011 Slingshot RPM Range - 12m is not necessarily 12m?

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Chris del Mar
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2011 Slingshot RPM Range - 12m is not necessarily 12m?

Postby Chris del Mar » Sat Nov 05, 2011 10:10 pm

Guys, I have a problem:

Some time ago I pumped up my RPM range (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, see photos below). The size differences look normal - except for the 12m (the black one with pink around the center strut, between the yellow 10m and the white 14m). It's only marginally bigger than the 10m, the difference is certainly not 2m. When I wrote to Slingshot in the US I received the following answer:

"You are correct. We build kites to how they pull not to the exact spec. of the square meter of the kite. We don't just create a CAD file and bump up the meter size to simple make it fix. Each size kite is certainly based on each other but we design sizes individually. Some kites have flat drafts and deeper drafts. It is truely all about the way it feels and flys. Let me know if you have any other questions."

If I understand correctly, a 12m is a 12m, even when it's actually a 10.5m, as long as it "feels" like a 12m? Sounds kind of weird to me.

I'd really appreciate if the RPM riders here could comment on that.

Many thanks in advance,
Chris

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Re: 2011 Slingshot RPM Range - 12m is not necessarily 12m?

Postby McAbe » Sat Nov 05, 2011 10:56 pm

What do you think yourself, does it feel like a 2m difference in upper/lower wind range?

Chris del Mar
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Re: 2011 Slingshot RPM Range - 12m is not necessarily 12m?

Postby Chris del Mar » Sat Nov 05, 2011 11:06 pm

That's why I've compared all of them side by side. No, the 12m does not feel like 2m more than the 10m.

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Re: 2011 Slingshot RPM Range - 12m is not necessarily 12m?

Postby boyceduke » Sat Nov 05, 2011 11:58 pm

Wat an absolute joke, my bro has the 9 n 12 and he is always saying how close they are, no wonder as there prob almost the same size, I'll be sure to let him know.

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Re: 2011 Slingshot RPM Range - 12m is not necessarily 12m?

Postby dyyylan » Sun Nov 06, 2011 4:51 am

That's really interesting, and terrible on slingshot's part. A 12m should have 12 square meters of fabric, period.

It does explain why the 12m has pretty bad low end though. I can get started on my envy a good 3 or 4 knots sooner than my friend on the same size rpm. I know it's a different shape, but that's a HUGE difference in my opinion.

The 14 looks more like what the 12m should actually be.


Also, so this means we should get a discount on these overpriced kites as well, right? Since a 12m is actually not a 12m.

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Re: 2011 Slingshot RPM Range - 12m is not necessarily 12m?

Postby PAFF » Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:57 am

No matter how silly it sounds, you would NOT like al brands-sizes being actual size..

You would have no clue what you buy.

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Re: 2011 Slingshot RPM Range - 12m is not necessarily 12m?

Postby H53Driver » Sun Nov 06, 2011 12:08 pm

PAFF wrote:No matter how silly it sounds, you would NOT like all brands-sizes being actual size..

You would have no clue what you buy.
I can't follow the logic in your statement.

While I agree that all 12m kites don't need to have exactly the same square cm of fabric, a company should not label a 10.5m kite as 12m.

But what is more important is that the size jumps between a specific model should be proportional. Having seen this series of photos I would never buy the 10m and 12m. I would take the saved $$ and get a new board to increase the wind range on my 10m or my 12m (10.5m) :idea:

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Re: 2011 Slingshot RPM Range - 12m is not necessarily 12m?

Postby wardr77 » Sun Nov 06, 2011 1:13 pm

I'm amazed by how small the difference is. Like the poster before I would have expected to see a proportional increase in size as indicated by other sizes in your photos. Are you able to get hold of / borrow another 12m just to confirm that this is not an issue with your 12m specifically?

Mind you it would explain why I was fully lit on a depowered 10m the other day and at the same time wondering how another guy, smaller than me, was out there having just as much fun on a 12 RPM...!

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Re: 2011 Slingshot RPM Range - 12m is not necessarily 12m?

Postby Chris del Mar » Sun Nov 06, 2011 1:40 pm

wardr77 wrote: ... I would have expected to see a proportional increase in size as indicated by other sizes in your photos. Are you able to get hold of / borrow another 12m just to confirm that this is not an issue with your 12m specifically?
Good point. Actually, I was hoping to find someone among you guys who could confirm whether I got a special issue here or whether all 2011 RPM 12m are that unproportional compared to the rest of the range. Photos anybody?

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Re: 2011 Slingshot RPM Range - 12m is not necessarily 12m?

Postby dyyylan » Sun Nov 06, 2011 1:52 pm

Chris del Mar wrote:
wardr77 wrote: ... I would have expected to see a proportional increase in size as indicated by other sizes in your photos. Are you able to get hold of / borrow another 12m just to confirm that this is not an issue with your 12m specifically?
Good point. Actually, I was hoping to find someone among you guys who could confirm whether I got a special issue here or whether all 2011 RPM 12m are that unproportional compared to the rest of the range. Photos anybody?
I doubt you got a "special" one, just comparing against my Envy:
My friend has a 12m rpm and he can just barely ride (working the kite) when I'm powered up on my 12m envy. It's a solid 3 or 4 knot difference. But, before I'm even close to wanting to pull out my 9m, there are others tearing it up on 10m rpms. Purely anecdotal, but it makes sense based on everything else that was said.

It kind of sucks too, I was actually pretty close to getting a quiver of these and now I'm glad I didn't. 14 is too big for me and the 12 is too small, especially now that I know this ;/


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