Slingshot Angry Swallow 5’4 2016
Reviews / Surfboards
34,266
At A Glance
The Angry Swallow from Slingshot is a further development of their ground-breaking T-Rex program from a couple of years ago. The 2016 Angry Swallow sees further refinements on last year’s design; chiefly it’s slightly narrower at 18” 5/16 or 46.5cm. The tail has also been redesigned, and the rear stomp pad pushed further back with the rear strap positions shifting towards the tail too.
Overall this should make the board snappier and more aggressive and better suited to the more advanced riders while still being accessible to everyone. The parallel rail design that was at the heart of the first T-Rex remains and the missing nose is a feature too. In terms of construction, the sandwich method used features Slingshots signature Future Response Technology as well as carbon wraps on the rear rail sections. In short this is a thing of beauty that is built to last and offers plenty of flex in all the right places.
The board utilises the new FCSII Fin Box system; we were a bit dubious when this set up first came out, namely as it rendered our FCS and Futures collection as rubbish. However, you can now put classic FCS fins in if you desire, but we are now totally sold and on board with the tool-less set up the FCSII box provides. Just make sure you take a few spares if you are going somewhere remote as they aren’t readily available the world over like Future and FCS fins are…
On the Water
Despite it’s small stature this board absolutely rips, we’re big fans of these new smaller shapes here at the magazine, and we’ll do our best to explain why. The parallel rails put more surface area up the front and in the rear of the board, that offers a big planing surface, so these boards get up and riding quickly in light winds. Also, in sloppy waves this extra surface offers plenty of float through weak sections allowing you to really rip in small mushy waves.
“Beautifully made, loaded with tech and a great all-rounder.”
The Angry Swallow has these characteristics in abundance, but it can also handle some serious sized swell too. It is an exceedingly versatile board and with the stance now shifted back you can really crank out the turns on the waves. Pushing through with your back foot at the end of the turn rewards you with extra spray and a satisfying tail slide that is controlled.
We really enjoyed the thruster set up on the Angry Swallow, you get plenty of drive but can still snap the tail out with ease, especially if you get some smaller softer fins in the rear end. In the air the board is fun to play with, it launches off the waves with ease, and the compact shape really sticks to your fit when the wind is up. We would love to see some grab rails on there in the future just to help with some of the more modern strapless freestyle tricks.
At speed the board is controlled, allowing you to tackle bigger, faster swells without feeling overwhelmed. Through the chop, the rocker and flex combine to offer a smooth, comfortable ride. This board will suit a wide range of riders, from confident beginners to advanced riders there is plenty on offer here.
For
Beautifully made, loaded with tech and a great all-rounder on the water, the Angry Swallow can make the mushy days seem fun and handle the big swells when they roll through too.
Against
No real complaints from us here, we would love to see some shaping in the nose area to make grabbing the board a little easier for the bigger strapless style tricks.
Overall
Stunning build quality, a good deal of flex to make things comfortable and excellent at rail-to-rail carving. Busting the tail out is smooth and controlled, and this board can be ridden exceedingly aggressively. We love the FCSII set up, and the new thruster layout really adds to the ride while keeping the weight to a minimum.
Videos
This review was in Issue 54 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit SlingshotRelated
By Rou Chater
Rou has been kiting since the sports inception and has been working as an editor and tester for magazines since 2004. He started IKSURFMAG with his brother in 2006 and has tested hundreds of different kites and travelled all over the world to kitesurf. He's a walking encyclopedia of all things kite and is just as passionate about the sport today as he was when he first started!
