Slingshot Turbo 9m 2008
Reviews / Kites
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At a Glance
The Turbo 3 is the latest incarnation of Slingshots bow style kite, this year they have tweaked the design a fair bit and it has more of a delta shape to it. It is still a very flat like the previous models, but the bridle has been simplified and the bar now comes with a 1:1 or 2:1 set up. The Turbo series have always been aimed as entry-level kites with the Fuel playing the role of the out and out performance machine. The Link in the past and now the new Rev are there for the intermediate rider to expert looking for that little bit of extra performance. With Jeff Tobias using the T3 as his weapon of choice though don’t be fooled into thinking the T3 is just an entry level kite, it packs plenty of performance in there too.
In the Air
Pulley Mode: First we flew the kite in its standard guise with the 2:1 pulley bar, which is the way it comes shipped from the factory. Straight out of the bag the kite was easy to set up and get into the air. Last year the T2 was famous for being super stable, the perfect learning platform. So we were interested to see how it would fly this year. Instantly you can feel how stable this kite is, it sits really well in the window and with no rider input it is content to stay there and hardly move. With the pulley set up you have plenty of depower right at your fingertips and the bar pressure is quite positive. The kite turns with a slow steady arc, a stark comparison to the Rev, which can easily catch a rider out with its speed! The T3 will suit those out there looking for a kite they can rely on and one that won’t go flying off round the window while you are concentrating at putting your board on. Once you start to put some input into the bar though you can see the performance start to come out. Kitelooping the T3 is fun and although it doesn’t go round super quick or generate a massive amount of pull it is no slouch. Even unhooked riding feels natural and the kite responds well without too much trimming needed beforehand by the rider. Relaunching is really easy and even when the kite is fully messed up it is fairly easy to get it sorted out and back into the air. Upwind is good and the kite flies through the window with a solid pull. Stability really is the key word here.
1:1 Mode: Switching from 2:1 to 1:1 is a fairly simple procedure, keep the instructions to hand though the first few times you do it. Slingshot have cleverly stored all the bits you need in pockets stitched into the wingtips of the kite, so they are always there when you need them. The bridle needs changing slightly, basically pulling the rear lines further in towards the leading edge. And you will need to re thread the outside lines through the pulleys on the ends of the bar. Once you have it worked out though it shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes to do and the kite feels quite different in the air. The steering is much more direct and the bar feels a little more connected with the kite, the bar pressure is also noticeably reduced. The interesting thing though is the kite still behaves in a stable and controlled manner. As the lines have moved in from the tips the steering has been slowed. So even though you now have direct connection to the rear of the kite it is still super stable and forgiving. Perfect for anyone learning to kitesurf who doesn’t want any nasty surprises.
For
Perfect for the beginner to intermediate rider looking for a reliable stable kite that isn’t going to catch them out if they make the odd error.
Against
Although the kite packs some impressive performance it isn’t as exciting to fly as the Rev, but lets remember this kite is designed with the entry level in mind…
Overall
The T3 is the kite to have if you are just starting out and want something super stable that will be where you left it in the window if you take your eyes of it for a little while. You also won’t grow out of the T3 very quickly as under that easy to fly cloak lies some serious performance that just needs awakening.
This review was in Issue 9 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!
