When I spoke to Slingshot about these boards, they never led on that they were making a kite version.....I am sure they had them on order from wherever they get them made by then, but they probably need to keep that stuff on the DL until it comes out.
Anyway, .....mine was a whole lot cheaper!

I'm surprised they didn't give a 3 strap option for the kite version. I've only ridden this board once in flat water so far, but because it is so wide, it was much more comfortable riding with my front foot off to one side. The pads on the wake versions even seem to be set up for this with a break in the pad on centerline.

After going a ways upwind in flat water, I was blasting downwind and was thinking "man this thing would be great with a 3 foot strap setup!" 3 straps obviously wouldn't work in the waves, but for blasting around in light wind days when the water is flat, 3 straps would be great.

My guess is they meant it to be a strapless board (it doesn't even come with straps) but they didn't want to lose out on any sales for lack of inserts, so just tossed them in.

It could be the perfect board for that NSI T-90 front pad/strap for the configuration you mentioned. Or if not, you can use some other NSI product to glue on some inserts and built it out how you like. (this or this)

I'm curious to see the new WVX construction and see how the weight compares. Does it still have the plastic fins on the new one? They are called "Fiber composite fins." What's that mean?

Took my SP 5'0" out today in 25 knots with choppy 1 foot wind swell.

- The double concave is very nice, goes rail to rail smoothly even though it's very wide
- Super stable and easy to jibe
- Didn't pearl much and was recoverable when it did
- Handles the chop okay, it's very happy to ride slow
- Definitely better to have your front foot offset towards the heel edge when going upwind, but you want it in the middle once surfing
- I like the deck pad, gives good feedback on foot placement
- So much volume that after every wipeout I had to body drag down wind to catch up to it
- So much volume that sinking a rail to start is a bit challenging

It will be interesting to see how it does in light wind or proper surf. Overall a really nice board for $400.

I will also be using it for wakesurfing to I'll post a review for that after I take it out on the lake.

Be curious to hear how you like it behind a boat.

I was on it again today and towards the end of the session the wind really dropped and I got to truly try this as a light wind setup...it was awesome. Got to the point where I was the last one on the water and still having a great time, easily staying upwind and cooking.

I also tried it back to back with my Reform skim board to compare the lightwind abilities of the two. I think the ability is about the same, with maybe the wakesurfer a bit better BUT, the wakesurfer goes much faster in the light air than the skim. So while I was just slogging along on the skim, holding ground but not doing much, with the SP I could still play around on the chop and waves and use the board speed to my advantage. It's fun.

Anyone know if the 2012 wakesurfer version of the SP is Epoxy or Poly? I had a small disaster the other day in short period shore break with onshore wind and wound up with two small cracks in the nose I need to repair with some resin

I have shipping tracking for my new 2014 Slingshot Space Pickle Kite Surfboard-5'0" I purchased form Kite Line. Should get it at the beginning of next week.

I received my 2012 5'4" that came without fins. (floor display at Slingshot)
With advise I purchased FCS PC3 fins.
This is my first full on strapless ride.
I got my first rides at our local reservoir that is getting low
and that makes the boat wakes turn into VooDoo chop.
In winds that I would normally ride my 15M, Edge
I immediately wanted a smaller kite with this big board.
I can't say it ate up the chop, but for first strapless rides, it was easy to stay on.
It is a great board for zooming upwind, and easy to jibe.
My next test will be the light wind ability

Nice brief on the 2014 version at 5:08 below;



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79TJljO246Q

Had a chance to kite with the SP in waves a few times now and really like it. I'm a novice at riding strapless in waves, but this board has really improved my riding very quickly. Really easy to get small strapless airs because has so much area and is so light (not sure if the kite version is as light). It really sticks to your feet. Also very easy to tack and jibe because it is so wide.

Whenever we get wind on the ocean here, the current rips downwind, so usually we have to do downwinders. I hate taking all that time to set up a car, ride for 45 minutes, drive back upwind, setup another car... The SP goes upwind so well I don't need to do downwinders anymore. I just stay in the same spot or ride upwind to where I see some good waves, and watch everyone else go by on their way downwind!

Only drawback to the board is I can't carve really tight turns. When I try to carve really tight (either because of the extreme width/volume or the fins) something feels like it catches suddenly, the board flattens itself out, and I get thrown off. This could just be me not knowing what I am doing though. I will have to try it out with the rear fins removed next time and see if that lets you turn tighter. I'm reluctant to take the rear fins off though, because I don't want to lose the great upwind.