Just received my new fuel 2 days ago, and thankfully have had some great wind to fully test it's potential. This is probably a bit late considering most have already been sold anyway, but for those of you who don't have one, well you can read this and wish you did.
Wind: Average of 17+ Knots, gusts >28 knots.
Weight: 63 KG
Ability: Average
Time Kiting: 8 Months
Size 11 M
BAR: THe bar on the 11m, feels surprisingly big, at 20 inches, it's a pretty hefty bar to fly on an 11. I think for my personally, I would sacrifice some turning speed as the 20 inch just feels a bit big for that size kite. However, the big bar does allow the 11 m to turn real fast, if you yank it, turning speed is similar to my old 04 9m Fuel. The wave grenade however, fell of on my second session, which was a bit annoying, and I lost it as I ride suicide, and that also happened to a friend of mine as well, luckily he rides with safety connect to his 5th line. So you might want to check it when you do your lines for the first time. Lines are the same, but everyone likes new lines! So clean and easy to untwist. New bar gives the fuel excellent de - power, I'm only light, and when I could be easily powered on a 6m, I can still hold and have FUN in 20 + knots. With the strap, and the 5th line de power, you can just keep reeling it in. With 5th line depower, kite still fly's very similar very depowered, and with turning speed and boost, still really good. The bar has a long sheeting range, which also makes it good for depower, and riding suicide as you barely get tugged when you drop the bar (Unless it loops).
Kite: POWER. That's what they market, and that's what they deliver. This kite has a lot of grunt, which is especially noticeable when kite looping. On the long loops you really will feel the sling. Great lofty jumps, which also makes it great for unhooked as it just picks you up out of the water. This kite performs really well in the upper end of it's wind range, it isn't a toy, and when the wind is on, this kite really does deliver. Super strong construction, and you don't have to pump it up as solid as the Waroo's or links, only 6 - 8 psi.
Basically, if I had to put this kite into one sentence I would say. This kite has balls; with no bull**** attached, for riders that just want to ride aggressive, whether it be doing massive old school tricks, or doing mode9's.
I'm froffing.
07 fuels grunty? I reckon they are pretty weak.
they have plenty of lift though and there highish aspect so loop hardcore.
weak? i rekon they have more grunt than a fighter pilot in the bedroom, my fuel is haloween clours so its even scarier to ride
compared to t3's and vegas's they are way under grunted size for size.
12m vegas is like a 15m fuel.
what i define as a way of measuring grunt.
When the kite is locked and traveling with low board speed the amount of force required to kill the power of the kite.
not the amount of power a kite generates when you loop it or send it, that is lift.
U got a funny idea of grunt carbine. Sounds like a real negative to me.
If my car pulls hard from low rpm it's got "grunt".
If my kite pulls hard with low apparent air speed surely that's grunt, & I'd say fuels are definately grunty kites.
regards COL
(PS my car doesn't actually pull hard from any rpm)
quote:
Originally posted by COL
If my car pulls hard from low rpm it's got "grunt".
If my kite pulls hard with low apparent air speed surely that's grunt, & I'd say fuels are definately grunty kites.
regards COL
How do you think that nats prove slingshot has less grunt?? there was only one slingy over 13ms there, zeb one on the 15m
If your having the kite go to the edge of the window change your set up move the front line postion back one on the leading edge.
07 has heaps of grunt, last year i had 13 9 this year i have 11 and 7, the kite s ride best when riden quickly to
well there good for freestyle, just underpowered. So you have to use a kite 2 sizes bigger then everyone else.
had 06 fuels
poor low end for size, hugh top end for size
great kite, 20m lines did ok
but rather the other way, smaller kite with good low end
hate big slow kites, no good for surf
Carbine I have to ask what kite are you comparing the fuel too in reguards to power??
The bottom end has improved over last years and is comparable to any other C kite in it's size. Gets my fat guts up and going no worries.
carbine is right, every1 should know by now slingshot never made good "lightwind" kites, all their kites are high wind performers and thats y they are sweet. id rather fly a slightly bigger kite eg a 11 instead of a 9 in a comp koz they are more stable n makes riding a tiny bit easier, n yes they do go off their tits wen its cranking but thats how they were designed, look at the octanes, their 12s r like 10m standards.
quote:
Originally posted by sorse
Carbine I have to ask what kite are you comparing the fuel too in reguards to power??
why does every one jump to the kites defence as if it can do no wrong,
carbine is telling his opinion the truth may differ but from my expearince the fuel is not grunty. the first time i flew one i was doing stuff that would have killed me on my normal C. the kite is good and bad, ultimate statement of power? pull the other one (and a bit harder next time)
i had the stopper ball about 15cm away from the loop because any more and it was too weak to even keep me on the plane
the bar is really heavy, it has fiddly bits like the clam cleat that are more hassle than they are worth (going on experience of a different kite with same system)
if you want to do tricks and stuff then its a good kite because its lack of balls makes it forgiving and easyer to land your move.
for cruising its too much input needed and not suited-your 1800 can be better spent
im not defending im simply stating the fact that slingshot is not known for being light wind friendly, it needs aparent wind for power so you need to get ur arse motoring for it to be good. although i havnt ridden a c kite in a while i knw a lil bout the slingys ok :) after al it is a "agressive freestyle" kite for ppl chucking un hooked kiteloops al over the show
but ima say i like the sound of north the most 
Well a vegas is a hybrid more then a c, you should compare it with a link or t2, which have the pull your talking about 11t2 equivalent to a 15m fuel in low end. I found the torch fairly simliar to power as the slingy.
Atomic obviously has issues with slingy. How ever no kite is perfect for every body, each to there own.
take care and good kiting all
quote:
Originally posted by sorse
Well a vegas is a hybrid more then a c, you should compare it with a link or t2, which have the pull your talking about 11t2 equivalent to a 15m fuel in low end. I found the torch fairly similar to power as the slingy.
Atomic obviously has issues with slingy. How ever no kite is perfect for every body, each to there own.
take care and good kiting all
