dejavu said..
Tucker prefers the 2022 Slick SLS -- interesting!

Cliff's - new one has more bottom end, less top end. Why can't we ever have both?

DWF said..

dejavu said..
Tucker prefers the 2022 Slick SLS -- interesting!

Honestly, I couldn't tell. That was a mess. Two guys talking on top of each other, flip flopping back and forth on opinions, combined with confusing branding.

It was a mistake not calling it the v3 and the old one a v2.

It sounded more like they both got their asses kicked on a recent high wind session and became confused. Less powerful old version versus more powerful new version

I'd like Tucker to go back to his solo review and get rid of the other guy.

Haha! Just saw that video and I was equally completely puzzled. Bring back Tucker on his porch and chickens in the background!

Great forum I haven't been on here in a while. I figured I would get details here on the new slick. I need to check in here more often.
I own and have quite a few wings. Currently really enjoy my Slick SLSs 6,5,4m with new thin mini boom. My favorite model from Duotone was the unit v2 but I kept pulling handles off and tearing struts. That pushed me to Slick SLS. Got the new Unit v3 3m and didn't like it as much as v2 but after multiple session I am getting used to it and appreciating more. The unit v3 Like the Slick SLS needed me to adjust to the wing and they have become more special over a little time. The unit v2 was just lively, easy and seemed high performance out of tbe gate for for me. Miss that.
I really appreciate Tuckers feedback. He personally help me pick the right foil for me after a first large wing foil purchase mistake. He gives the pros and cons and comparison is great I am not looking for polished video production and speaker. I am looking for unvarnished experience and opinions from trusted sources. heaven forbid someone mentions they may like features/characteristics from a previous version over a new model.
I was looking to add a 7m wing and was waiting for new slick v3. I am not sure I want tbe slick v3 6.5 so I might wait to see what the Dlab version brings. However, I'm likely going to get 7m SLS at a great close out price.
thanks

Back in earlier Windsurfing days, Neil Pryde with a comparable market share as Duotone now owns in the wing market, offered two lines of wave sails. The gruntier one designed by legend Barry Spanier and the very successful flatter and loose leech to wave riggs introducing NR Wave by Nils Rosenblad. I do hope that when the handle/boom decision finally has been taken by us customers, that a seemingly well received Slick V2 and a more grunty V3 character can be opted for side by side, rather than in generation steps. For my part, if I found a sports tool, which represents a certain performance character, I'd wish to only be positively surprised by its update, rather than finding sth completely different under the same name.

Icebergmansion said..
I haven't tested high end but it can't be great since it's so tight

sounds strange to me - please share your thoughts !

Icebergmansion said..
...haven't tested high end but it can't be great since it's so tight.

Duotone is in another league with canopy stiffness compared to other brands, tried the newest cabrinhas wings recently and there is no comparison they are essentially two generations behind.

Hopefully you agree with my testing, and find the top is good.

The v3 Unit had the canopy in the back loosened a bit to be more forgiving. With the v3 Slick, no need, with the new profile making a very smooth ride. Full tight, full power, and forgiving.

I agree on the new Cabrinha. Sold my 7m Vision after one week. Slick blew its doors off in every way.

Interesting, I just figured a super tight canopy would be rough with gusts, haven't used my 5m in anything over 22knots yet. It's a beautiful canopy.

Low end is better than comparable Unit V2. Not sure how different than Slick SLS, will have my friend compare who has been on all slicks forever

FarNorthSurfer said..
Nothing I have read so far makes me sorry that I pulled the trigger on 4/5/6/7m Slick SLS at sale prices bundled with booms, pumps and leashes. Saving is about ?1000 GBP over the price of the Slick V3 before I sell on the pumps and booms.
Plus my original quiver of Slicks sold in less than a week.
So far I have only used the 5m SLS but I was impressed how much better it was than the original using the same carbon boom.
For sure the Mod3 will make a positive impact on the new wing but when it comes to next years quiver I will know if it works. Also where I live there are no demo dealers, in fact no dealers at all and I am one of the first winging around here so forums, YouTube and mag tests are the only way to get information. Thanks for all the input.

Out of interest Skymonster in Dalkeith is now an official Duotone/Fanatic test centre, getting all the demo stuff in soon.

Fishdude said..

Edit, Dwight, how does you 2023 6.5 compare with your old CWC 7 in the lightest winds?

It's been awhile since I owned the 7m CWC. My more recent foray into 7 meters was with the Vision.

At the time, the CWC didn't impress me. The wing tips hit the water pumping aggressively. Hurting the low end for me. What really made me sell it quick, was the horrible draft stability. As soon as I got on foil, my riding speed and apparent wind speed generation was too much for the wing. Instant back hand pressure and lots of it. Using a harness, I was moving the rear harness line connection point rearwards as my speed built. A complete fail for me. Sold it. It's important to ride fast in light wind. Doing that makes more power.

The 6.5m doesn't handicap my riding. Pumps onto the foil great, then goes fast and I'm lit up the whole session. You can see this in the video compared to the guy riding the 6.5m v2 Unit. It's so light, he never gets close to going and packs up and goes in search of another place to ride. Totally defeated that day.

This video below might give a better idea of how the v3 Slick works in light wind. It's a 7m v3 Slick versus an 8m CWC. The 8m CWC rider is on the Axis 1300. A massive span foil that goes in no wind, but goes slow. Nobody else even trying to ride this day. The 7m v3 Slick did not go to production. Duotone has other unannounced plans for big sizes. But if you can watch this 7m versus the 8m CWC and then try to imagine the 6.5m v3 Slick versus the 7m CWC, I expect they are close, with the Slick having way more draft stable top end.

Can you fix the confusing labels. The v2 is a SLS. The v3 is not an SLS.

JakeDawg69 said..

DWF said..
Can you fix the confusing labels. The v2 is a SLS. The v3 is not an SLS.

OK. I'm so confused. I'm just going to call it the 2023 Duotone Slick.

The problem is almost every web site (since last summer) called the SLS a 2023. Even at the AWSI trade show last September, they called the SLS a 2023.

Duotone created a mess with the naming.

The general public seems to understand v2 and v3 better. We can all count versions. SLS is v2. New Slick is v3. Simple.

AWSI show last September. No way should Duotone have called the next Slick a 2023 also. So I'm campaigning V2 and V3.

FarNorthSurfer said..
The naming confusion extends to stores. 'The Duotone Slick SLS 2023' is for sale at a number of retailers in the UK at full pricing. The 2022 Slick SLS can be found heavily discounted and bundled with large pump, silver boom and leash. AFAIK there is no difference between the 2023 SLS and the 2022 model.
PentaTx leading edge and strut, no Mod 3 material.
Did I get this wrong?
If I were a cynic I might think that deleting PentaTx after making such a big deal about it last year is to ensure market differentiation between the Slick v3 and the incoming Slick Dlab.
Sounds like I am knocking Duotone here but I am not. Have just paid out for a full quiver of Duotone wings so they must be doing something right

Yeah, marketing blew it.

So when it was announced the v3 version would be called simply the 2023, shops started updating their web sites to say the SLS was a 2022, instead of a 2023. It also went on sale everywhere. Any shop still claiming the SLS is a 2023, and not on sale, is simply a lazy shop not updating their web site.

Don't pay full price for any SLS. They should be on sale as a 2022 close out.

We the people, automatically called it a v3 because it seemed logical with the Unit's going to V versions. Marketing can do whatever, but if the people call it a v3, you can't fight it.

Just as "the people" created the name SUP, against what manufactures were trying to call it way back in the day.

foilthegreats said..
Slick DLAB:

When will it be available?
Sizes?
Design the same as regular version?
Slick Wingspan, anyone have the info?

I have 2023 Unit DLAB 3.5 and I absolutely love it. Looking for larger size for light wind but unit wingspan looks a little wide in the larger sizes for my liking. Thinking Slick DLAB 5 or 5.5, any feedback?

Slick Dlab end of month I think. I have Slicks arriving Friday in same sizes as been using Unit v3s 5.5,4.5,3.5 for past 6 months so will be able give direct comparison soon

For those using D-Labs, do you have direct experience of using the same version D-Lab and no D-Lab units?
If so, what are the real world winging differences that you felt?

Currently on Slicks but looking at the V3 and half thinking about maybe one of those in D-Lab to try.

Smallest size is a 4.0?!