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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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 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.

I hate that my ozones have such a **** rider
on the end of them.

Pumping the bastard up.

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.

ste said...

I hate that my ozones have such a **** rider
on the end of them.

No argument there gayboy !!!!!

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

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

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 hate that my kite is better than me!!

What do you dislike about your kite?


that they wear out