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KITEWORLD SUMMARY:
With the 2:1 depower it isn’t too heavy on the arms and turns really nicely. Excellent bar system with easy trimming and suicide leash attachment. The centre lines that run through the cleat did look a little worn after just a couple of weeks, but we’re sure this was just the outer fabric and aesthetic. The stopper above the bar that lets you set the depower and how far out the bar goes is excellent and allows a more free style of riding.
MANUFACTURER'S HYPE:
Slingshot claim the new Turbo Diesel is the safest beginner or freeride kite on the market, offering incredible range and instantaneous 100% depower. It comes equipped with a unique stopper ball design that virtually eliminates the heavy constant bar pressure associated with this style of kite.
TEST TEAM NOTES:
WILL: That bar system has a beefy, heavyduty chicken loop, but it does feel safe and it’s easy to use.
GEORGE: The depower is easy to use but you do need to jam it in the cleat sometimes. It is nice not to have straps
dangling about at eye level and having all those controls below the bar instead.
NEAL: Lots of tuning options. My only criticism is that if you’re fully depowered and you’ve pulled the trimming line a long
way through for depower, you end up with a lot of line flapping around your body. But having said that, I was flying it with just an inch of depower and it was still pretty windy. That’s good range.
WILL: That stopper’s really good.
NEAL: It’s really easy to move, too. On most bows you have to ride full arm all the time and struggle to spin the bar. It’s a
good compromise between a C and a bow kite. Pretty much wherever you set it at arm’s length it will still allow for almost
100% depower.
GEORGE: The steering is pretty light.
WILL: I really enjoyed this. First jump I did I went really high, it’s surprising how high and how much hang time you get! I just pulled lightly on the bar and then “boing!”
NEAL: The one other thing about the Slingshot that is really impressive is that it is really good to unhook on. It just feels stable.
WILL: I depowered it a lot before I unhooked and I was still boosting. If you do a railey you’re just looking down
watching the water whizz past. It is still pretty powered on the edge of the window.
SIZES:
6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16m
This test is in issue #21
www.sskiteboarding.com
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