Hi all

There's been plenty said about the various handle, mini-boom, boom combinations out there, but not so much about profile shape.

Case in point is the almost boxy outline of the Slick compared to the nearly semicircular leading edge shape of the Units. The two couldn't be further apart in concept however they are both recent releases from the same R&D group, so what design choices go into wing outlines? I can see that the boxy outline will probably have less span per SqM than the D outline. Maybe the D shape has a longer boom for pumping than the boxy shape.

I bought a new Slick as I kept catching the tips on my 6m Echo while learning, so I went for the shorter span, but there must be more pluses and minuses for each type...

I think so much of this comes down to riding style (wave/downwinding vs flatwater) and personal preference, and not being a good or bad thing. I like the boxy shape with turned in tips because they allow you to hold the wing in far more vertical orientation and sheet in really tight for screaming hard upwind (sailors use the term "pinching" upwind) without constantly catching a tip in the water. They also drag in the water much less during backwinded 360's, where it's really easy to "drag a tip"

I also love a continuous boom. I'm constantly sliding my hands up and down the boom during tacks, or sheeting the wing in and out to get just the amount of power I want in it. I wouldn't do very well even with the long rigid Unit handles. Guess I'm just too uncoordinated and old and weak for handles

I also think there is enough dihedral in the design to allow the wing to "roll over" during tacks relatively quickly without too much extra help. It's not as good as the the original Duotone wings or the Echo's (which rolled faster but had less luffing stability) but still enough to make "rolling" easier than a very flat wave oriented wing. Just my crude seat-of-pants viewpoint.

Echo , Slick & Unit will all be now merged as one. Echo gone , Slick shape gone and replaced with Unit shape with boom & SLS fabric. Square ends gone and baggy sheet tension. Booms still compatible with old and new Slicks . Watch this space EOM delivery May 2022. I'm still a boom square end wing guy , I won't compromise. I don't like the way the Unit top tip loads and push down plus the extra wing span can drag and catch . Yeah easy to get used to and adjust but that's not the cut of my Jib....

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Piros said..
Echo , Slick & Unit will all be now merged as one. Echo gone , Slick shape gone and replaced with Unit shape with boom & SLS fabric. Square ends gone and baggy sheet tension. Booms still compatible with old and new Slicks . Watch this space EOM delivery May 2022. I'm still a boom square end wing guy , I won't compromise. I don't like the way the Unit top tip loads and push down plus the extra wing span can drag and catch . Yeah easy to get used to and adjust but that's not the cut of my Jib....

Really? New slick shape for May? That's what G5 in 2 years? Sort of hard to keep on top of generational jumps and justify the expense when you know a new one is just a few months away.
Also note the new Nova is just the slick shape with unit handles. I'd wait until 3Di Raw Nova, before getting a newer generation. You can assume the bladder pocket would be laminated in and very minimal stitching, which would be great to see.

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Piros said..
Echo , Slick & Unit will all be now merged as one. Echo gone , Slick shape gone and replaced with Unit shape with boom & SLS fabric. Square ends gone and baggy sheet tension. Booms still compatible with old and new Slicks . Watch this space EOM delivery May 2022. I'm still a boom square end wing guy , I won't compromise. I don't like the way the Unit top tip loads and push down plus the extra wing span can drag and catch . Yeah easy to get used to and adjust but that's not the cut of my Jib....

So you're saying it's mostly official that new "Slicks" are due out this month, and are basically Units with a full boom? I'm like you Piros, but I see we've been overruled! Time to adapt

I just had a very experienced longtime kite/wing repair guy (and winging friend) do a small patch repair on my 4m Slick. He told me his first hand observation is that these hand wings (essentially using the same Dacron and ripstop as kites) are getting "blown out" way faster than kiteboard kites.

Guess I need to prime the piggy bank and the wife for the next large purchase

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Dspace said..

Piros said..
Echo , Slick & Unit will all be now merged as one. Echo gone , Slick shape gone and replaced with Unit shape with boom & SLS fabric. Square ends gone and baggy sheet tension. Booms still compatible with old and new Slicks . Watch this space EOM delivery May 2022. I'm still a boom square end wing guy , I won't compromise. I don't like the way the Unit top tip loads and push down plus the extra wing span can drag and catch . Yeah easy to get used to and adjust but that's not the cut of my Jib....

So you're saying it's mostly official that new "Slicks" are due out this month, and are basically Units with a full boom? Well, so be it.

I just had a very experienced longtime kite/wing repair guy (and winging friend) do a small patch repair on my 4m Slick. He told me his first hand observation is that these hand wings (essentially using the same Dacron and ripstop as kites) are getting "blown out" way faster than kiteboard kites.

Guess I need to prime the piggy bank and the wife for the next large purchase

Duotone wings are made from lighter weight cloth. People will be stoked to see their new wing weighs in less at xy kg, but it won't last anywhere near as long as something build with a heavier cloth, and weirdly in this example, the new Novas are a good example. They're a heavier weight cloth, and should hold their shape much longer.
Hell, look at the PSI in these Duotones compared to other brands, I rode a new unit 6m at 6? PSI, felt okay, but a bit spongy. Then a new Slingshot 5m, at 10 PSI, a heavier weight Dacron frame but felt rock solid.