Slingshot Sentry V1 Bar - Sam's Setups
Slingshot Sentry V1 Bar - Sam's Setups
Overview:
Slingshot have combined comfort, performance, and dependability into one elegant design that gives riders a cleaner, easier, and higher performing on water-experience. By collaborating with their riders and listening to customers, Slingshot designers dissected past control bar technology and developed one of the most comprehensive and intuitive systems on the market. Click-In chicken loop technology meets intuitive, auto-swivel, line untwisting in this all-new state of the art control bar.
The Sentry bar has been thoroughly tested and is proudly ISO compliant.
Why I Chose This Product?
I have ridden many different brands control bars over the years which I have either owned myself or tested. The bar I place at the top of this list and currently use is the slingshot 20’’ Sentry V1, with 20m line + 3m line extensions, and here is why.
The first thing that jumped out to me when I sore the sentry bar was its super slick styling and the simplicity of the design. Still every time I get this bar out to rig up I have a smile on my face due to how awesome it feels to hold and use.
When riding with the bar one of the standout features to me was the auto swivel for the centre lines. On most bars I have ridden in the past after completing a rotation or loop of the kite you unswivel the bar, but your centre lines are left twisted, which are undone by using the manual swivel above the quick release. However, the Sentry bar cuts out the messing about and the swivel of the centre lines is done automatically by just sheeting in! So, say goodbye to the endless centre line swivelling and spend more time focusing on your riding.
The safety system is also a standout feature with a click in chicken loop which removes all the hassle of resetting your safety system as you just push the chicken loop end into the system till you here a click and your all set to go. The safety system is also ISO compliant so has been rigorously tested to a high level to ensure you are in safe hands when your out on the water. Currently the sentry bar only has the standard chicken loop option available however I have found this extremely versatile across disciplines including freestyle when riding unhooked.
The bar is also super comfy to grip with it having a slightly larger diameter than others on the market while also featuring super soft EVA foam grip, meaning you can stay out on the water for long sessions with not discomfort.
The soft bar ends stop you from injuring yourself or damaging your kit while not taking away from the look of the bar. The Floats also provide a slick look and unobstructed vision while providing a soft grip to help you relaunch your kite. Within the ends of the floats are the hidden line keeper to secure your lines when you pack them up, having these tucked away stops them getting in the way when flying or rolling up your lines.
When it comes to trimming your kite the Sentry bar has kept it super simple but precise with a trim cleat allowing you to have accurate and reliable trimming of your kite even while on the go.
Slingshot have been known for the durability of their products for many years and this bar follows that trend featuring heavy duty lines and an all-round quality construction making it clear the bar has been built to last.
I had chosen the 20’’ bar as I like to use one bar for all kites, right from a 17m through to a 7m, and I find this works best. I also prefer to ride using the 20m line plus the 3m line extensions (included with 20’’ bar) to get the extra power in lighter winds, however it is also nice to have the option to change down to the 20m lines if I wanted too which would provide slightly less power but more steering response.
Pros
-Simple and elegant design
-Easy to use
-Stylish with a subtle colour way
-Durable and long lasting
-Auto swivel which saves hassle while out on the water
-Comfortable to use for long periods
-ISO certified safety system and super quick chicken loop reset
-Line extensions included (with 20’’ only)
Cons
-Like all other brands of bars to get the most out of it you will want to fly with the same brand of bar and kite. Mix and match are also possible as the connections are universal.
-Only 1 chicken loop option, but very versatile.
Wrap up
So hopefully you’ve enjoyed hearing about what control bar I use when I head out on a kite session. If you have any questions about the product you can reach out to me personally on Instagram @safetysam.official or you can give us a call in the shop on 01202 738 448.
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