2017 SLINGSHOT KITES AT S2AS!

The Brand:

What separates the extraordinary from the ordinary, cutting edge from customary, innovation from imitation? In kiteboarding, the answer is one simple put powerful word; passion.

Passion is the cornerstone of what Slingshot do in their labs. Slingshot are a brand founded on a love for the wind, water and the great outdoors. After more than 15 years in the industry, a true passion for genuine innovation and high-quality equipment is what motivates Slingshot to keep pushing forward year after year.

Slingshot was founded in 1999, in the windsports mecca of the Columbia River Gorge. Brothers Jeff and Tony Logosz grew the brand from the ground up and remain at the helm today, Jeff as the CEO and Tony as the chief designer. Over the years, Slingshot has built and maintained a reputation for constantly pushing the envelope, both in the innovative products it produces and the athletes who continually push and redefine the sport.

Located in Hood River, Oregon, Slingshot headquarters overlooks the epicentre and birthplace of kiteboarding. From their office window, the crew has a front-row seat as they watch the sport evolve right infront of their eyes.

What’s new?

2017 is an exciting year for Slingshot, and our growing foil lineup tops our list of innovation-packed developments. Slingshot have improved and refined upon their wildly-popular Hover Glide Foil System, which they launched in 2016 with sell-out popularity. Along with the user-friendly freeride foil, the Hover glide platform features multiple master lengths, interchangeable components and a new and free online course that covers all aspects of foiling.

Slingshot have also launched the Ghost Whisper, an advanced freeride foil for next level performance, along with a total of 6 distinct foil boards, including the new Converter which is a surf-foil crossover board built around their popular Angry Swallow surfboard.

In kite news, Slingshot are super stoked to be releasing a full size range of Turbines for 2017. All the characteristics that make the turbine such a renowned light-wind kite translate to high power, high flying, high efficiency performance as you go down in size and up in wind speed. Aggressive riders and experienced foilers will be amazed by the smaller Turbines for their sheer power and performance, while the larger sizes will remain the user-friendly light wind weapon for any rider.

Kites:

RPM:� The RPM returns for 2017 carrying the reputation as one of the greatest kites ever produced. Spanning the broad spectrum of users, the RPM is capable of winning multiple world titles, as well as appealing to the riders of all styles and abilities. From beginners who want a responsive kite with easy relaunch and great depower, to weekend warriors who just want to boost big, but also to world class competitors like Youri Zoon and Carlos Mario. The RPM’s Open-C Canopy is a proven shape that has spawned an entire category of kites.

Turbine:� New for 2017 is a full size range of Turbines, in odd sizes from 5 to 19. The larger sizes will remain the time-tested, high efficiency light wind weapon of choice for kiters of all ability levels. As you go down in size and up in wind speed, the Turbine becomes a high-powered, high-performance kite for experienced riders ready for a kite that yields big air, high speeds, crazy upwind carving and more power per square meter than any other kite on the market.

Rally:� The Rally is Slingshot’s flagship kite for an all-round freeride performance. Featuring a Delta-C profile and a compact pulley-less bridle, the Rally is a proven shape that delivers amazing range and depower, solid upwind drive and downwind drift, responsive handling and confidence-inspiring relaunch. Whether you’re a beginner who wants a safe and user-friendly kite for learning the basics or an avid rider who wants one kite that can rule all conditions, the Rally has all the right ingredients to make it the most versatile kite on the market.

Foil Masts:

Hover Glide:� The Hover Glide is an all-round freeride foil designed for stability, early takeoff, playful handling and user-friendly operation. Featuring sturdy aluminium pedestal, mast and fuselage components and fibreglass composite wings, the Hover Glide is a robust setup that uses weight to it’s advantage in two ways; impressive durability and unrivaled stability. The Hover Glide is also the exclusive foil to Slingshot’s wildly popular Flight School mast package, which features mast of 15″, 24″ and 30″ that allow for user-friendly learning with less risk and faster progression.

Ghost Whisper:� The Ghost Whisper is Slingshot’s continually expanding foil lineup designed for more experienced foilers who want top-of-the-line materials and construction. This sleek, high-end carbon foil is fine-tuned for advanced all-conditions riding and aggressive freeride performance. As a testament to the commitment, Slingshot has developed the most comprehensive foil lineup in kiteboarding, the Ghost Whisper features a modular design and sturdy aluminium fuselage that allows riders to change wingsets, which will be released progressively, to achieve different performance characteristics.

Boards:�

Mistfit:� One of Slingshot’s longest running twin tips, the Misfit is a time-tested design perfect for general freeride kiters who want a board they can use anywhere, in any condition. The Misfit features mild rocker and a relatively stiff flex pattern, making it a board that cuts upwind and beats through chop exceptionally well. Laser-cut NACA Channels give the Misfit Precision contour at the tip and tail, which helps channel water to generate speed, grip, load and pop. The Misfit is a time-tested, rider approved board for versatility and dependability in all conditions.

Widowmaker:� The Widowmaker is designed for superior lightweight, high tech freeride performance, for the riders who want the most advanced twin tip on the market. Weighing in at less than 5 pounds, the 2017 Widowmaker features a cutting-edge hybrid Paulownia/Koroyd Core. Paulownia wood is known for its strong, springy characteristic, while Koroyd is thermally-welded honeycomb material that provides superior strength at a fraction of the weight of a full-density core. On the outside, the Widowmaker features a full carbon wrap with additional carbon Vectran weave for added strength in the critical stress areas.

Surfboards:

Celeritas:� The Celeritas is the most versatile board on Slingshot’s lineup, ideal for riders who want a classic short-board that can handle a variety of wind and wave conditions exceptionally well. The Celeritas features a stout body, curved outline and mild rocker. The result is a stable board that planes easily, performs great in lightwind and slower speeds and carves upwind well. the Celeritas’ rounded thumb tail and three-fin configuration give us a snappy feel, while far-back stomp pad and foot strap inserts give riders the ability to position themselves directly over the rear fins for aggressive handling and locked-in turning.

Screamer:� Featuring a progressive snub-nose shape to reduce front-end size and weight, the Screamer is a playful and agile board that will appeal to riders of all disciplines. Its pulled-in thumb tail and three-fin setup provide solid all-round performance and control at speed for traditional wave riding, while its shorter length and unique T-Rex nose profile makes strapless airs, tricks and strapped-in boosting considerably easier than with a longer, more traditional shape. A parallel rail outline and single concave rocker make for a compact and maneuverable ride that can handle any conditions you throw at it.