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Rider: 64kg kited since 1999
Style: Freeriding, Surf
Weather: E-NE 24-5 knots
Build Quality: 9/10
Satisfaction: 8/10
Disclosure: work at a shop

The Wave SST (Slingshot-Surf-Technology) is a new addition to slingshot artillery. From the market leading C kite, to the forgiving big boosting freeriding kite’. Slingshot has delivered once again, with yet another winner. One of the impressive things I found about the kite is the flight, the way it handled the gusty inconsistent wind.
In fact I didn’t even feel any yanking of the bar or jerking of the kite to pull me off my unstrapped surfboard. The wind was quite inconsistent, Perth’s easterlies are not ideal to fly any kites, but it definitely was right to put this kite to the test. The replacement of pulleys to Bungee has definitely aided in the balance and the jerking of the kite from the gusts making turning very smooth. Alleviating sudden pulls from the kite turning, is a definite positive for when you’re riding unstrapped. The speed of the kite rates about 8.5 which is just perfect as 10 would be too quick.

My friend was on another wave kite; both of us were on 8metres. When the wind dropped from 15knts to 5knts both of our kites luffed. Watching his kite inverting and hitting the water rolling, tangling the lines was a shoulder raising moment. The SST however was perfectly balanced that it parachuted down, as it descended with slack lines on to the surface the water. The kite then drifted in the water without flipping, this is due to the short frontline bridles. Once the wind gave the line tension it sat ready and waiting for launch. Within 10min the wind came back and “wallah.” It started to lift the leading edge. A guided tug of the left side rear lines and up she goes, couldn’t get any easier.

The bar felt solid with the combination of the grip and the absence of pulleys, giving the kite a true weight in the handling. This is commonly known as “direct bar feel”. The advantage of this, is that you always know where the kite is, through the constant pull. This is welcomed by some, especially those who like to park and ride, or the ol skool kiters who are familiar with this type of control. For wave riding its good to have that kinetic attachment. When the kite is drifting, the lines give very little feedback, but the SST is still responsive and alive.

The bar is modified with the connection from the safety guardian latch to the chicken loop and the rigid molded donkey dick. A very smart latch keeps the quick release open when deployed, is useful when re assembling the chicken loop. Eliminating the straining force to both your hands while putting the loop back in. A quick flick of the clamp and the safety guardian is assembled and safely secured. I love the ‘O **** handles’, that’s still apparent on the Slingshot bar. It brings back memories of the safest thing to have on your bar in 2002. It still a great addition as another safety system that doubles as a reverse re launcher, if you know how. This handle is also used on the safety connection to your leash, as well as a metal ring. Giving you a soft handle rather than just the small metal ring to grab if somehow your leash has come undone. This is a positive handle that can also be used for a suicide attachment option for experience riders.

There are swivels on top and bottom of the center line. It’s designed to automatically un wind your twisted lines. Twisted lines can jam up the bar when it’s being release to safety. Having it untwisted automatically is like having freshly pressed uniform waiting for you every morning. Gold!

I had trouble with the one thing I was excited about, the adjustable depower trim block. It was difficult to push back up on the fly if you need more ‘throw’ to further depower the kite. Like the stopper ball on your depower line, the trim block replaces the stopper ball and the whole mechanism slides up and down, allowing option of a shortened or extended ‘throw’ on the fly or before flight. For some of us with short arms, this is a well over due system, to be able to adjust ‘trim’ to match your reach. Slingshot Australia assured me that the first retail bars that is coming in September for our coming season. Have been further modified and polished on all aspects of their safety system in there new bar. Definitely re assuring, as It is a great concept providing that it works safely.

However all’s not lost, the gust that grabbed me during this time has lead me to feel the drifting quality of this kite. I rode my board with speed towards the kite, slackening the lines. I was still able to steer the kite up however, before I regain control of my fins. Now I can’t wait to ride a point break and surf it as fast as I can down the line, knowing that the drift is alive and it can be controlled. Understanding the characteristic and safety of this 8mtr Wave SST in such cruddy wind condition on the river. Leaves me with excitement and confidence to take it out to some waves and test its true purpose in life. I feel in ideal wind condition, this kite will give me what I need for freeriding on waves with straps and wave riding without straps.

Kite: 8mtr Wind: 5-25knts/ gusty E 1st day, ENE the 2nd day( Western Australia) Rider weight: 64kg Experience: kiting since 1999, surfing since 1985 Tested location: Pelican Point, Point walter WA Board: 5’4 x 17.75x2 - 20.5lt Firewire rounded pin, medium low flex fins Lines: 23mtrs Bar: 20”

that bar looks awesome! kite sounds good, keen to try

How did the sizing feel, the real kite reviewer noted it rode smaller than the number printed on it. Is it to early to call yet. Keen to upgrade my 9m rally not sure which way to go 8 or 10m.
Who will be demoing them around the Brisbane area?

Slingshot Australia is coming to West coast in Nov, so stay tuned to your local store and SS for more details and im sure there's plenty of gear to get your hands on and test ride personally :)

It would be totally good for a customer to be able to try some new gear that interests them when the wind and conditions are suitable. I think last year's demo with Sam light was
not suitable wind wise in Brisbane. So if on the date selected
the wind is marginal or 30 odd knots does that mean that you
don't get the chance to try anything.? Just curious especially if they want $2500-3000 for a new kite. . And if Brisbane has only 1 day do you think that there will be enough gear for everyone? ?

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horey69 said...
How did the sizing feel, the real kite reviewer noted it rode smaller than the number printed on it. Is it to early to call yet. Keen to upgrade my 9m rally not sure which way to go 8 or 10m.
Who will be demoing them around the Brisbane area?

I had two sessions with the 10 m now in pretty low winds with a Celeritas. I was very surprised by the good low end. It flies very different to the Rally. The Rally is more or less sheet and go whereas the Wave has to be moved a bit to get some speed. Then it moves further back in the window and has nice pull. I have never had a kite that sits so far at the front of the window when there is no apparent wind. You have to adapt a little. It's very nice for waveriding and crossing big whitewater strapless on the way out. You just have to get used to driving it down behind the whitewater earlier than with other kites.
Regarding your question, I guess it would be more 10 Wave instead of 9 Rally.
The Real guy really had the wrong board for the conditions. The Screamer is not got for generating and keeping speed at low winds.

For the last year I've had the pleasure of riding waves with Ozone Reo kites. So it was going to be very hard for me to choose the next wave kite.
One of the things I love about riding on a surfboard is that you can drop a kite size down. To compensate the volume, the width and the softer rails of a surfboard.

I feel this 8mtr is sensitive to the torque of the wind in your arm, so naturally it feels gruntier than an ozone. But it still early days in Perth, we haven't experience steady wind to make a serious call as yet. However when it momentarily held a steady 20 knots, the 8 metre had a perfect bottom end for my weight.
All personally speaking off course.. I guess I prefer The SST power more at the moment. I rely a lot on my board speed and like to just park the kite and ride. Knowing I have power when I need it makes more sense to me. Rather than having to work the kite once board speed is lost.

I have a good mate who likes to work the kite hard, as he is heavier than me, but rides the same size on the same day as me. He is frothing for a go of this kite, Im excited to hear his point of view. As he rides an Ozone Reo as well. fingers cross for a seabreeze folks!

A direct comparison between SST and Reo would be nice? I never had the chance to try a Reo. I'm sure both have pros and cons?

how is it unhooked?

Great steady once you trim, I have to have a kite that performs when unhooked as good as hooked it.

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bonster said..
Great steady once you trim, I have to have a kite that performs when unhooked as good as hooked it.

RPM is your answer

Reo feels lighter on the bar at an instant. Speed wise both the same, the 8 mtr feels gruntier with the SST. My favorite kite is a 6 mtr ozone Reo, so I can't wait to try the SST 6. I hope it's better.. The Reo feels like new and really crisp and responsive each time you fly. Maybe it's the TJIN D2 canopy. The bar SST wins it hands down, the grip feels stronger than Reo, and the fittings is the best on the market. I would like to see softer ends in the future, it's still hard even though it's rubber. The drift seems better with SST as it was floating in the sky on almost no pressure. SST was difficult at times to relaunch because of the condition, but once it was on. You couldn't keep it down. But both are quick at relaunching.

We will definitely be getting as many people to try all our range as possible. Hopefully The wind allows us to, but we will try our best to make it each day in November in Perth. Kite Surf Sup, Perth Kite School and Slingshot Australia have had the preveledge to see all the Slingshot current range and we re really excited. 2015-2016 is set for the true return of Slingshot. Stay tune to kitesurfsup.com.au for updates.

64kgs - 24 to 25 knots and need an 8m kite ?
Very bad low end or little kite experience.
At 24 knots - 64kgs a 6m or maximum 7m kite should do fine. The 6m or 7m will turn faster

@ John4F- did you maybe stop to think that because it's super pre-season we only get one kite size to try?

The SST has a good low end, and Bonny definitely has a lot of kiting experience! I tried it out with Bonny at Cott last weekend, in 20-30 knot gusty conditions, and I was super impressed. We've been stocking Slingshot the last couple of years and we've had so much feedback about how there needs to be a dedicated performance wave kite that sits between the Rally and RPM, and they have definitely delivered!

I had a big stupid smile on my face the whole time. I didn't get to try it out in proper wave kiting conditions as it was almost directly onshore, but the bar, drift, turning speeds and relaunch really impressed me. Even for the riders who just love to get out on the ocean and jump around, the hang time was up there for sure! We'll have a couple of sizes of most of the 2016 range (kites and boards) to demo when it all arrives within a couple of months, so stay tuned!

Don't forget about the Slingshot Tour which will be hitting WA shores in November, keep an eye out for a ridiculously big and sexy looking camper van with a bunch of Slingshot Stickers, should be hard to miss!

Sorry John F, it was from 5knots to 24 knts E-NE winds. not 24-25knts. I just went out with a kite that would suit my weight. As far as experience, Im just happy doing my thing for the last 15years of kiting.
Please come and join our demo in November and our wave riding clinic in September at my shop (KSS), we welcome all levels of experience.

^^wow such a nice and professional response, you do realise this is seabreeze right??

Just joking

Can anyone explain any more about the new bridal that is supposed to revolutionise everything; from what I have read it is basically using bungees to soften the ride ??

Bla Bla Bla.. I hope if my child kitesurf's she won't be bamboozeled with all this rubbish!

I'll teach her on a 2 line or pulley bar so she know's how to use a kite!

Rider: 98kg, intermediate
Style: Freeriding, Surf
Weather: Umina Beach, NSW, southerly 15-25 knots, 3/4 foot swell
Build Quality: 9/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Disclosure: demo kite (Kite and Sup)

Pulled the brand new kite out the plastic bag and pumped it up with A BIG VALVE. TICK! But Slingshot still need to add a simple attachment point to secure the kite during pumping.

Popped the kite down on the sand and the whole leading edge sits up..... definitely needs to be weighted down.

The new shorter bridle is awesome. Can't see myself ever wrapping the bridle around the wing tip with this kite!

I was flying the ten metre kite with 20m lines and it looks very compact and small in the air.

It flys very very well. On those big super gusty days i typically fly a BWS 8 or 10 because they are super predictable kites. The SST is definitely as good. It sits very steadily in the wind window despite gusts and it turns very quickly.

The wind was on shore and I got plenty of opportunity to test the drift. Best drifting kite i have ever flown.

Conclusion: i might sell all my RPM and BWS kites and buy a flock of SST's.