In Focus: Slingshot 2018 Kites and Twintip Boards Product Overview

Features / Wed 6th Dec, 2017 @ 1:30 pm

Features
In Focus: Slingshot 2018 Kites and Twintip Boards Product Overview

They are here! The quality, reliability, and durability in every Slingshot kite give you the freedom to create your next adventure.

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2018 RPM

Some of the busiest schools in the world use the RPM as their go-to kite because of its reliability in any wind condition and its bomber construction. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the spectrum, the RPM is a championship-level freestyle kite that has propelled multiple riders to world titles. For general freeriding, it provides responsive handling, smooth power delivery throughout the window, great boosting and powerful but predictable loops. For dedicated freestyle, the RPM delivers the competitive edge with amazing pop and carry, flawless unhooked performance and multiple customization options to fine-tune handling to adapt to varying conditions

2018 RPM

The kite of choice for instructors, world champions and everyone between
Open-C canopy delivers versatile, reliable performance in all conditions
Shock-absorbing IRS bridle stabilizes kite in gusty wind
Powerful but predictable boost and loops
Bomber Slingshot construction

RPM Rider Profile

The RPM is a high-flying, hard-charging kite with multiple world titles under its belt. But the RPM isn’t built for the most elite competitors; the top of the podium is just a byproduct of exceptional design. The RPM is built for riders like you. You want safety, reliability, and predictability in all wind conditions. You want high performance and low risk. You want a kite that won’t hold you back, no matter how much you progress. You want a kite you can count on when conditions get gnarly, when your friends challenge you to a jump-off or when you’re bound and determined to take that next step in the progression, whatever that may be. If that is you, your kite is the RPM.
For more information on the 2018 Slingshot RPM, please click here

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2018 Turbine

First and foremost, the Turbine is a high-powered shape with more pull per size than any other kite in our lineup. Steering speed is on the slow side (which is typical of all larger kites), but with power and efficiency on the upside, you get the same amount of pull from a smaller kite, which in turn translates to faster steering. The high aspect ratio performs like a wing in the air- jumps are long and lofty, loops are slow and deep through the window, pull is steady and powerful and the upwind drive and low-end efficiency is as good as you can get before transitioning to a foil kite.

2018 Turbine

High-aspect shape favors power, efficiency, and low-end performance
The “session saver” and a must-have for light wind locations
Feel like you’re flying with long, lofty airs
The most fun you’ll have on a light wind kite
Fine-tuned bridle helps with relaunching in low wind

The Turbine is in a class of its own and can’t really be compared to any other kite. With a super high aspect ratio, this is about as close to a foil kite as you can get in an LEI format. We coined the term “throw it don’t mow it” with the Turbine years ago and for good reason. With most large light wind kites, simply getting out on the water about all they’re good for. The Turbine is a different experience altogether.

Turbine Rider Profile

For lighter wind, the Turbine is a session saver for riders of all levels. As you go down in size and up in wind speed, the Turbine’s power and efficiency translate to an advanced freeride kite with long, loft airs, aggressive upwind drive and the pull of a tank fueled by RedBull. Whether you’re in it for a mellow cruise in a light ocean breeze or you’re an experienced kiter looking for a completely different flying experience, the Turbine will not disappoint.
For more information on the 2018 Slingshot Turbine, please click here

2018 Rally

The Rally features a Delta-C shape, tapered wingtips, and fine-tuned three-point bridle system. This design yields more depower and a wider wind range than more traditional shapes and makes relaunching as easy as a gentle pull on one end of the bar. Tapered wingtip provides a tight pivot radius for fast steering and mellow, predictable loops. For jumping, the Rally’s hybrid delta shape provides long, lofty airs that are great for staying under control and landing gently regardless of how high you go. For wave riding and foiling, the Rally’s feathery downwind drift makes the Rally the ideal cross-over performer, while on the opposite spectrum it also unhooks for cross-over freestyle/wakestyle.

2018 Rally

The all-around utility player- one kite for all conditions
Worry-free relaunch, wide range and great depower
Solid crossover surf performance
Forgiving, safe and stable- great for user-friendly progression
Lofty airs, fun freeride performance
Extensive black layout prevents UV damage

For more information on the 2018 Rally, please click here

2018 SST

The SST is fine-tuned to fly deeper in the window than most kites. This, combined with the kite’s shape and bridle setup, yields hero-level downwind drift and steering response even when tension on the lines is minimal. It’s the park-and-ride performance that you dream about. It pulls you into position, drifts with you like a shadow, then re-engages at the flick of a wrist. To better hold up to the surf, the SST features reinforced surf-tough canopy paneling designed to take a beating if it goes through the wash and a condensed version of our IRS bungee that cannot get wrapped around the wingtips.

2018 SST

Superior surf and foil performance
Drifts like a dream
Direct feel, instant response, no tangling w/ compact IRS bridle
Reinforced surf-tough construction built to take a tumbling
Responsive steering, even when sheeted out or drifting downwind
Condensed IRS bridle won’t wrap around wingtips
Extensive black layout prevents UV damage

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For more information on the 2018 SST, please click here

2018 Fuel

The Fuel’s Traditional-C profile and wide, squared-off wingtips deliver powerful performance, the best (and backstall-free) unhooked handling of any shape in the industry and gut-checking loops that travel deep through the window. Relaunching is made surprisingly easy by refined leading edge and wingtip geometry. Although tuned for freestyle-centric riding, the Fuel has respectable crossover performance. The Fuel was the foundation from which countless other kites were designed, and over the years it has been the catalyst that launched many of the world’s best riders into their careers.

2018 Fuel

Unbridled C-kite power and performance
The original Megaloop master
Fine-tuned for freestyle/wakestyle and big air
Unrivaled unhooked control with zero backstalling
Bomber Slingshot construction built to take a beating
Extensive black layout prevents UV damage

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For more information on the 2018 Fuel, please click here

Carlos Mario

2018 Slingshot Twintip Boards

2018 Vision

The Vision is a one-board quiver, with enough rocker to cushion your landings, enough pop to perfect your next new trick and enough speed and edge to carve upwind and slash swell. It’s fast on the water and has great load and pop thanks to aggressive NACA channeling. A vertically laminated wood core gives the Vision a lively, responsive feel and the rocker profile is ideal for aggressive all-around freeriding. It can handle chop and cut upwind well, but is equally at home when boosting big and landing hard in the flats.

2018 Vision

A fan-favorite freeride/freestyle crossover
An all-terrain vehicle for multi-discipline kiting
Moderate “happy medium” rocker profile
Wood core provides lively feel and durability
Tip and tail channeling provides added grip, pop, and speed

For more information on the 2018 Vision, please click here

2018 GLide

With 149cm and 159cm options, the Glide is a dedicated light wind board that gives you the light wind range of a surfboard with the freeride performance of a twin tip. It’s a problem solver for anyone who has ever slogged around on a twin tip hoping the wind would pick up. Beginners love the Glide because it planes early and helps them stay upwind; experienced riders love it because it handles more like a twin tip than a barn door, which many light wind boards have been compared to. Staying true to the expression “Throw it don’t mow it,” the Glide’s long, slender outline, block rail profile and mild rocker combine for a fun freeride and freestyle-friendly board you’ll be happy to take for a cruise any time the wind looks a bit too light for your standard twin tip.

2018 Glide

Dedicated light-wind cruiser
Freestyle-friendly, surprisingly agile
The range of a surfboard, the ride of a twin tip
A must-have for light wind areas
Lively, durable wood-core construction

Carlos Mario

For more information on the 2018 Glide, please click here

Sam Light

2018 Crisis

With a lighter, more flexible layup and a mild rocker profile, the Crisis is a predictable and approachable board that inspires confidence for riders who need it most. As you progress, a vertically laminated wood core gives the board a lively, springy feel that makes it fun for riders of all abilities. When you don’t need the technical features of our more advanced boards, the Crisis will keep you satisfied for seasons to come.

2018 Crisis

Dependable, user-friendly performance
Light weight, soft flex
Mild rocker great for cruising and entry-level riding
A sure bet for beginners
Wood core provides lively feel and durability

For more information on the 2018 Crisis, please click here

2018 Widow Maker

The Windowmaker is the most advanced board in our lineup. Its high-end carbon composite construction isn’t just for looks- it creates a fast and crazy light ride with a sharp, connected feel to the water, unlike any other twin tip we make. Classified as an all-around board with moderate rocker, its shape favors all levels of freeriding. The Widowmaker features a progressive three-stage rocker and a distinctive bottom profile with aggressive NACA channeling at the tip and tail designed propel water across the board. These technical features add up to a fast, locked-in board with great upwind tracking, solid pop, and a crazy-light feel. On the inside, the board features a high-tech Paulownia/Korroyd core. Paulownia is a wood known for its strong, springy characteristic, while Korroyd is a thermally-welded miniature honeycomb material that provides superior strength at a fraction of the weight of wood. On the outside is a full carbon wrap with carbon Vectran weave in critical stress areas that gives the Widowmaker its super stiff flex and light overall weight.

2018 Widow Maker

High-tech composite construction
NACA channeling increased speed and grip
Strong, light hybrid wood
Fast, springy, tons of grip and pop
The Ferrari of freeriding

2018 Widow Maker

For more information on the 2018 Widow Maker, please click here

2018 Misfit Air Core

Lighter isn’t always better. In this case, however, the 2018 Misfit is by far our lightest- and best- version yet. Inspired by the same ridiculously strong and lightweight material trusted in the best bike helmets on the market, the new Misfit Air Core features large sections of Koroyd in the tip, tail and lengthwise underfoot. The result: A lighter, more responsive and more dynamic Misfit. The Misfit Air Core features mild rocker, a relatively stiff flex and a bottom profile that favor upwind drive, plow-through-chop performance and all-around freeride handling. Laser-cut NACA channels give the Misfit contour in the tip and tail that help channel water to generate speed and grip. Although a competent freestyle crossover, the Misfit Air Core’s mild rocker means it’s better for all-around cruising and slashing than it is for sticking hard landings.

2018 Misfit

Slingshot’s updated legacy all-around twin tip
Best choice for entry-level progression
Progress quickly & will not outgrow: get up & riding faster
Smooth, consistent flex w/ Carbon Bedrock Inserts
Flexible, durable, hand-built wood + thermally welded honeycomb-core construction
Universal M6 hardware

For more information on the 2018 Misfit Air Core, please click here

2018 Asylum

The weapon of choice for 2016 world champion Carlos Mario, the Asylum’s rocker profile and aggressive NACA channeling yields crazy amounts of pop, fast top-end speeds, and soft landings. While a solid crossover board for general freeriding, the Asylum is better suited for aggressive riders who prefer plenty of power and are specifically looking for the freestyle-focused benefits that higher rocker provide. Aggressive NACA channeling improves edge control and pop and streamlines water flow to increase board speed.

2018 Asylum

High-performance freestyle and flatwater shredder
Huge pop, soft landings
Weapon of choice for 2016 World Champion Carlos Mario
Aggressive channeling creates board speed and grip
Lively and durable wood-core construction

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You ride into darkness, taking pass after pass after pass in the glowing sunset until you nail that last trick just right. It’s not about impressing others, it’s about winning the battle with yourself. It’s the endless progression you love about kiteboarding, and with the Asylum underfoot you know you’ve got the best tool for the job.
For more information on the 2018 Asylum, please click here

2018 Refraction

The Refraction is a solid all-around board designed to shred every condition on the planet, and take a major beating in the process. With a versatile rocker profile, it can hold its own in chop, swell and rough conditions, as well as flat water freestyle. The rocker and tip/tail shape yield great load and pop, big airs and cushy landings, while the inverted tip and tail profile prevent catching an edge during presses. The Refraction comes with wake fins for a more freestyle/wakestyle feel, but can easily be changed to standard fins for more grip and upwind drive.

2018 Refraction

Built for competition-level kicker, slider, and wake style riding
Extra thick Durable base can take a major beating
Medium rocker, stiff flex dialed for hard-charging riders
Solid crossover cable park board
Tip and tail channels allow smooth pressing and clean release
Lively and durable wood-core construction with urethane rail

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For more information on the 2018 Refraction, please click here

2018 Karolina Pro

The Karolina Pro delivers great pop and cushy landings thanks to a progressive rocker profile, subtle V-spine, and lively wood core construction. With a versatile rocker profile, it can hold its own in chop, swell and rough conditions, as well as flat water freestyle. The tip and tail feature upturned edges designed to prevent catching an edge while pressing on rails, kicker and sliders, making the KP a great crossover board for the cable parks.