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

[marinjo]

Folk vary the size of board they use these days , at 65kg you'd be better the 10m.

As a pro rider put it on the uk forum, it proves they haven't just up or down scaled their kites. Big kite sizes need to be made faster and vice versa small sizes, had they just made one then Up and Down scaled it, you get the mess some cheap brands suffer with.

Remember the RPM is a freestyle performance kite capable of winning competitions, they are designed to propel riders of given weights in that sweet wind range, boosting, power loops, unhooked, it's not an average kite.

I have 104 kg..what two kite I need to buy for the widest wind range feom 12-26 knots..14 and 10m????..for 2012 will be 13 m rpm(but real 13:))???

[H53Driver]

Final question and you'll have to excuse my scepticism, but did it not occur that perhaps the ten is actually understated? Given its aimed at a certain range of rider as their main kite.

Graeme, what exactly do you mean? That the 10 is really 11 and the 12 is really 11.5?

We all know that Slingshot make GREAT kites......no need for you to protect/defend. It just seems from the photo's (which could be misleading) that somthing is fishy (think Epic Infinity).

[McAbe]

Remember the RPM is a freestyle performance kite capable of winning competitions, they are designed to propel riders of given weights in that sweet wind range, boosting, power loops, unhooked, it's not an average kite.

Dude, its definitely an average kite, it works perfectly as a 1st kite and is popular among beginners.
I would say that practically all new kites are average, even the C kites are user friendly.
Winning depends a lot more on the rider than on the kite.

[GraemeF]

I mean it's a silly discussion, and face it call me sceptical, but some dude goes out and buys all the sizes then decides to post on a forum, 1st and only post hey, call me gullible why don't you.

We've been discussing it on the UK forum

Bottom line, it's bullshit and the 12 RPM whatever size it is is a kite being emulated by just about every other brand these days, it's the single Best selling kite and size of kite in our market and it did just win the worlds, if that's an average kite then aren't we all lucky.

If nothing else it proves Slinger don't 'scale' their kites up and down like most 'cheap built sell expensive' brands I could name.

[GraemeF]

Remember the RPM is a freestyle performance kite capable of winning competitions, they are designed to propel riders of given weights in that sweet wind range, boosting, power loops, unhooked, it's not an average kite.

Dude, its definitely an average kite, it works perfectly as a 1st kite and is popular among beginners.
I would say that practically all new kites are average, even the C kites are user friendly.
Winning depends a lot more on the rider than on the kite.

Well that's part of it's charm and commercial success, it can be a perfectly 'average' kite in the hands of an average rider (and I count myself as such so no insult intended) but it can be an exceptional kite in the hands of an exceptional rider and trust me, not many kites with bridles can do that.

[Chris del Mar]

Ok, what I thought to be a straightforward question seems to go a bit off track now. My only question was: "Why are all kites but the 12m in the range proportional in size?" Am still hoping to see photos of your gear ...

Thanks to GraemeF for your detailed replies.

My first question is why would anyone buy the entire size range when it's not necessary and sizes are aimed at rider weight as a guide.

I share the kites with my girlfriend who is lighter than me. Idea was to be able to be on the water together, which works out pretty well.

My second question would be have you actually measured the kite, stretched it and taken into account foil depth?

Of course not. Again: Why would just the 12m have a different foil depth whereas the rest of the kites have reproducible and proportional differences in apparent size?

Final question and you'll have to excuse my scepticism, but did it not occur that perhaps the ten is actually understated? Given its aimed at a certain range of rider as their main kite.

Didn't really get that one.

[zloilyoha]

very interesting thread! For me the question is - how 10 and 12 will perfome in same wind with same rider and board? Can anybody make a test?

[noxperpetua]

I tested my rpm 10m adding 3 meters to common lines on wake setting back to back with a 12 meters in freestyle setting in something like 3 minutes...
I can say that rpm 10 is great so fast (even with 3 m line more) and generates lot of apparent wind.
Rpm 12 was so low and bit more consistent pull, anyway working my 10m i could generete same power of the 12 or maybe a bit bit less...
I can say speed was faster with the 10, barely upwind but some chance to unhook, instead with the 12 bit more upwind, but no chance to unhook.
It was something as 16 knots, flat water i'm some 96kg and wake board of 134 x 43 cm.

[GraemeF]

Well first then let me quickly apologise for my scepticism as to the validity of your query, a lot of damaging nonsense has been perpetrated on forums in the past by brands envious of the successes of a small company (relative to the corporate giants) like Slingshot.

As to why there are differences, likely the kite speed of the ten permits a shallower depth foil and the twelve is deeper, therefor the centre strut on the larger kite curves more, the shot on the UK forum of them laid flat illustrates a more even difference in flat size, again not that this proves anything. If both you and your girlfriend go out in similar conditions with the 10 & the 12 then the design parameters have been fulfilled.

At 67 kgs in 15 -20 I'd expect to use a 10 whilst a pal at 85 kgs would use a 12 and we should both perform and expect similar performances from the kite.

The key feature of the RPM that separates it from the herd so to speak is it's turning arc and ability to generate Fuel like power boosts in loops as the bridle leaves the wing tip open rather than closed and stalled as most SLE and Bow kites do meaning they pivot on a wingtip. To make this happen the bridle and wing tip in relation to the leading edge take off point have to be worked just right, so a degree of effort would have gone into making them as close as possible so they both generate equal amounts of power, so no matter wether the rider were 67 or 87 kgs the sensation and boost would be the same. That would have been the goal anyway.

Actual canopy size of the finished items would have been a secondary issue as long as the both have the same power range for the given weight of the rider, i.e both you and your girlfriend can stay out as long as each other in the same wind, then they will have achieved their goal.

Now, none of the above is fact, just my speculation and accumulation of experience of having dealt with them these past ten years, now and again a kite size falls weird, I recall a 10.5 model once can't actually remember now what kite it was, but it just came out that size to achieve what they needed for the rider weight range.

I can assure you, they are a straight shooting company, there is no intention to deceive or defraud and the kites you have purchased are the very best at what they do currently on sale, so no need to be concerned.

Communication however is not the companies strongest point, so I hope I've answered your query, there may or may not be a 13 in future that fits in the gap between the 12 and 14 like they did for the 8 and 10 this year, that way folk who like odd sizing can be catered for, at this time I don't know, they are mid way through the launch of the Z kite and the RPM will not launch til spring next season, the 14 also needs some work it's not the fastest kite in the line.

[zloilyoha]

Hey, Shymac! Join the conversation, budy!