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I thought it would be an interesting topic and it is not intended to sledge any particular kite brand.
Most kites are pretty good these days and each year new refinements make a good/great kite even better but . . . . .
My current kites are Slingshot RPM's. I rate them pretty highly but I have one main gripe, the pulleys. They jam as soon as they get near sand and consequently wear the bridle, which can cause failure if you don't check for wear.
The pulleys make the bridle work and make the kite perform as it is advertised to. Why then put cheap, plastic pulleys on a great kite?
It detracts from an otherwise excellent product and it's an easy fix especially for a kite company like Slingshot.
I don't believe the customer should have to do a mod to make the product safer and last longer.
Please correct me if I am wrong but the RPM is now into its 4th generation, I am not sure about the new model but last years had the same or similar cheap plastic pulley as the first model.
(Yes I do clean them after each use and make sure they are working and the bridle isn't worn etc)
Maybe a Slingshot representative will read this and respond or even better put a process in place to improve the pulleys on their kites. 
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the lack of god damnnnn wind currently flowing through it
our winter duldrums suck  but wind tomorrow  |
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Good thread Flying high.
In my case with my NEW kiteboarding kites which i rate very high (especially given they're 5 years old now!) its just a few little things:
rubber bar end sleeves degrade a bit quicker than the rest of the bar components. Looks a bit tatty after a few years
little elastic bands for tying off the lines are cheap and get stretched very easily.
Emergency release is a bit hard to release - fine for me but a bit hard for some with weak hands.
otherwise they're fkn great kites, very ahead of their time. Still the best 5-line bar out there.
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What do you dislike about your kite?
Its still in its bag 18 months after I broke my foot with it |
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Riding 2012 North Rebels
Thing I don't like is they don't seem to have the range of other kites being reviewed here. Other people can take their 7m kites out in 45 knots, even though they only weigh 60kgs and handle it without a problem. Their kites also turn faster than mine. Their 12m kites turn like 9's and mine turns like a 12m. My kite also seems to be grunty but doesn't quite have the grunt of a 16m kite as others claim, another problem with my kite I guess.
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Saffer said...
Riding 2012 North Rebels
Thing I don't like is they don't seem to have the range of other kites being reviewed here. Other people can take their 7m kites out in 45 knots, even though they only weigh 60kgs and handle it without a problem. Their kites also turn faster than mine. Their 12m kites turn like 9's and mine turns like a 12m. My kite also seems to be grunty but doesn't quite have the grunt of a 16m kite as others claim, another problem with my kite I guess.
forget about the lack of performance I would be more concerned about the colours 
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ok i have
15m flysurfer speed 3
13m 2010 edge
10m c4 2011
6m reo
i want my 15 and 13 to turn like my 10.
i want my 10 and my 6 to have the glide of my 15.
i want them all to relaunch as fast as my 6m
I want them all to pump up like my 15... no pumping.!
but i wnt my 15 to hold its shape like an lei.
but i want my leis to deform around objects like my foils
hmmm
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^^^ nailed it 
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TurtleHunter said...
Saffer said...
Riding 2012 North Rebels
Thing I don't like is they don't seem to have the range of other kites being reviewed here. Other people can take their 7m kites out in 45 knots, even though they only weigh 60kgs and handle it without a problem. Their kites also turn faster than mine. Their 12m kites turn like 9's and mine turns like a 12m. My kite also seems to be grunty but doesn't quite have the grunt of a 16m kite as others claim, another problem with my kite I guess.
forget about the lack of performance I would be more concerned about the colours
The colours grow on you like a bad rash.
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good thing they're not contagious- not growing on me
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Rebel 11m, pivot turn, stall, sit too deep, pull you off wave, yet soooo smooth and boost so well and loops like a Mac truck.
9m Vegas, boosts not great compared to rebel, heavyish bar pressure, but is awesome in surf and eating gusts and loops like a demon. Hard to self land unless activating the fifth in high winds.
Varial X, not sure, will let you know soon.
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the truth said...
good thing they're not contagious- not growing on me
Its called personal choice. Thats why some people like Holdens, BMW, Audi's Mercs, etc. If everyone liked the same thing there wouldn't be much of a variety.
eppo said...
Rebel 11m, pivot turn, stall, sit too deep, pull you off wave, yet soooo smooth and boost so well and loops like a Mac truck.
9m Vegas, boosts not great compared to rebel, heavyish bar pressure, but is awesome in surf and eating gusts and loops like a demon. Hard to self land unless activating the fifth in high winds.
Varial X, not sure, will let you know soon.
I suspect your issues with the Vegas are more to do with technique or skill than the boosting ability of the kite. Some of the biggest boosters I've seen have been on the Vegas. That said, I couldn't jump it very well either. I think the correct term would be to say the Rebel is easy to boost rather than the vegas not boosting as well.
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I wish my kite could have a little slapping arm dangling from the leading edge to belt SUP riders and boogeyboarders in the face. (Obviously without effecting the performance)
The other thing I would like is instead of the brand name, all kites should say BOOOOOST on them.
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On the goold old Rebels. I hate the dump valve at the wing tip not in the centre. That is all
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I hate that my ozones have such a **** rider
on the end of them.  |
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RRD religion,love it, my best kite ever but sometimes lacking a bit of grunt.
Normal inflating rubber valve that gets stretched everytime you inflate (much prefer the Cab system).
That's all.
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Pumping the bastard up.
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ste said...
I hate that my ozones have such a **** rider
on the end of them.
I have the same problem with my ozones... 
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Greetings Flying High your comments are noted and have been communicated to SS HQ
Cheers Boardcrazy team (Slingshot Australia)
Flying High said...
I thought it would be an interesting topic and it is not intended to sledge any particular kite brand.
Most kites are pretty good these days and each year new refinements make a good/great kite even better but . . . . .
My current kites are Slingshot RPM's. I rate them pretty highly but I have one main gripe, the pulleys. They jam as soon as they get near sand and consequently wear the bridle, which can cause failure if you don't check for wear.
The pulleys make the bridle work and make the kite perform as it is advertised to. Why then put cheap, plastic pulleys on a great kite?
It detracts from an otherwise excellent product and it's an easy fix especially for a kite company like Slingshot.
I don't believe the customer should have to do a mod to make the product safer and last longer.
Please correct me if I am wrong but the RPM is now into its 4th generation, I am not sure about the new model but last years had the same or similar cheap plastic pulley as the first model.
(Yes I do clean them after each use and make sure they are working and the bridle isn't worn etc)
Maybe a Slingshot representative will read this and respond or even better put a process in place to improve the pulleys on their kites.
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there is no stubby cooler in the kite bag...
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ste said...
I hate that my ozones have such a **** rider
on the end of them.
No argument there gayboy !!!!!
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I don't like the way there is only one local dealer for my kites so I cannot shop around for a better deal on those kites and I cannot buy those kites from some dealers that I rate pretty highly.
I don't like that those kites have some specific features that I really, really like and those features are not available on other kites so I am less inclined to look at other kites when it's time to get new kites.
I also don't like that there are other kites that I think fly really, really well, but they have dodgey bars and line systems and inflation systems.
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BoardCrazy said...
Greetings Flying High your comments are noted and have been communicated to SS HQ
Cheers Boardcrazy team (Slingshot Australia)
Flying High said...
I thought it would be an interesting topic and it is not intended to sledge any particular kite brand.
Most kites are pretty good these days and each year new refinements make a good/great kite even better but . . . . .
My current kites are Slingshot RPM's. I rate them pretty highly but I have one main gripe, the pulleys. They jam as soon as they get near sand and consequently wear the bridle, which can cause failure if you don't check for wear.
The pulleys make the bridle work and make the kite perform as it is advertised to. Why then put cheap, plastic pulleys on a great kite?
It detracts from an otherwise excellent product and it's an easy fix especially for a kite company like Slingshot.
I don't believe the customer should have to do a mod to make the product safer and last longer.
Please correct me if I am wrong but the RPM is now into its 4th generation, I am not sure about the new model but last years had the same or similar cheap plastic pulley as the first model.
(Yes I do clean them after each use and make sure they are working and the bridle isn't worn etc)
Maybe a Slingshot representative will read this and respond or even better put a process in place to improve the pulleys on their kites.
Thanks for that 
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ste said...
I hate that my ozones have such a **** rider
on the end of them.
Might want to add that Cabrinha riders are attracted to trees and Slingshot Fuel's attracted to dickheads.
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Saffer said...
the truth said...
good thing they're not contagious- not growing on me
Its called personal choice. Thats why some people like Holdens, BMW, Audi's Mercs, etc. If everyone liked the same thing there wouldn't be much of a variety.
eppo said...
Rebel 11m, pivot turn, stall, sit too deep, pull you off wave, yet soooo smooth and boost so well and loops like a Mac truck.
9m Vegas, boosts not great compared to rebel, heavyish bar pressure, but is awesome in surf and eating gusts and loops like a demon. Hard to self land unless activating the fifth in high winds.
Varial X, not sure, will let you know soon.
I suspect your issues with the Vegas are more to do with technique or skill than the boosting ability of the kite. Some of the biggest boosters I've seen have been on the Vegas. That said, I couldn't jump it very well either. I think the correct term would be to say the Rebel is easy to boost rather than the vegas not boosting as well.
Yeh staffer what you said is more accurate for sure b
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Gorgo said...
I don't like the way there is only one local dealer for my kites so I cannot shop around for a better deal on those kites and I cannot buy those kites from some dealers that I rate pretty highly.
I don't like that those kites have some specific features that I really, really like and those features are not available on other kites so I am less inclined to look at other kites when it's time to get new kites.
I also don't like that there are other kites that I think fly really, really well, but they have dodgey bars and line systems and inflation systems.
Curious to what kites you are referring to?
Beefarmer said...
In my case with my NEW kiteboarding kites which i rate very high (especially given they're 5 years old now!) its just a few little things:
rubber bar end sleeves degrade a bit quicker than the rest of the bar components. Looks a bit tatty after a few years
little elastic bands for tying off the lines are cheap and get stretched very easily.
Emergency release is a bit hard to release - fine for me but a bit hard for some with weak hands.
otherwise they're fkn great kites, very ahead of their time. Still the best 5-line bar out there.
Totally agree - light years ahead, Nate actually hand delivered a NEW set of rubber end covers after my one's tore (he actually came down to meet his chicky babe).
I am actually considering buying the 5m but could be a bit small to pull my 90kgs on a surfboard in Perths 25knot days, I have the 7m that covers me from 20 to the upper 20's.
The key with the quick release is to clean it out every session and I cleaned up the red plastic part a bit so that the pin would not push against it.
The thing I dislike about my kite is that there is one always better than your one.
Come on Summer!
Rich
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Plummet said...
ok i have
15m flysurfer speed 3
13m 2010 edge
10m c4 2011
6m reo
i want my 15 and 13 to turn like my 10.
i want my 10 and my 6 to have the glide of my 15.
i want them all to relaunch as fast as my 6m
I want them all to pump up like my 15... no pumping.!
but i wnt my 15 to hold its shape like an lei.
but i want my leis to deform around objects like my foils
hmmm
this
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stjepan said...
Plummet said...
ok i have
15m flysurfer speed 3
13m 2010 edge
10m c4 2011
6m reo
i want my 15 and 13 to turn like my 10.
i want my 10 and my 6 to have the glide of my 15.
i want them all to relaunch as fast as my 6m
I want them all to pump up like my 15... no pumping.!
but i wnt my 15 to hold its shape like an lei.
but i want my leis to deform around objects like my foils
hmmm
this
I missed a couple. i want them all to crank upwind like my 13m and drift downwind like my 6m.
If we can manage all that in one kite that never wears out i'll be happy.
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I hate that my kite is better than me!!
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I hate that my kites haven't seen daylight if fkg months.....reflecting the fact that there's been stuff all wind for so long....biatch session over. |
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What do you dislike about your kite?
that they wear out |
