Here's a great video of the Dart in action:

All I want to ride is the Dart now. It sits in a really comfortable position right at my waist with hands close together. Glides down like a hang glider for soft landings. Points ridiculously high into the wind. Haven't touche my SS V2's in weeks. The dihedral makes the stinkbug knee start way easier. I can't say enough about this new wing! Great job Tony! Send It

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broVan said..
All I want to ride is the Dart now. It sits in a really comfortable position right at my waist with hands close together. Glides down like a hang glider for soft landings. Points ridiculously high into the wind. Haven't touche my SS V2's in weeks. The dihedral makes the stinkbug knee start way easier. I can't say enough about this new wing! Great job Tony! Send It

This review of the Dart seems to agree with your assessment.

www.thefoilingmagazine.com/test-center/slingshot-dart/

There will be Domos in Australia around September.
If they get here any sooner Ill post it here.

No board leash -- he must like swimming after things. Looks a bit dangerous to me.

Moon Buddy and Dart in action.

I've now had a few epic sessions on the 3m Dart. This thing shines in high winds. 20-30kts she absolutely rips. She is so small and manoeuvrable but basically forget about flagging. You need to always ride keeping some power in the wing, I like riding in this style but it could bother some riders. The boosting is off the charts and scared myself a few times. When you tell the Dart to go you'll take off like a bat out of hell! Harness attachments points work great, feels perfectly balanced. Ripping tacks is easy with this wing also as it wants to turn over. So far so good, has me thinking I "need" more sizes

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foilthegreats said..
I've now had a few epic sessions on the 3m Dart. This thing shines in high winds. 20-30kts she absolutely rips. She is so small and manoeuvrable but basically forget about flagging. You need to always ride keeping some power in the wing, I like riding in this style but it could bother some riders. The boosting is off the charts and scared myself a few times. When you tell the Dart to go you'll take off like a bat out of hell! Harness attachments points work great, feels perfectly balanced. Ripping tacks is easy with this wing also as it wants to turn over. So far so good, has me thinking I "need" more sizes

I too am completely Dart Brained! I have the 3.5, 4.5 and just got the 5.0. The 5 is going to be my main jumper. It lets you float back to earth like Mary Poppins, soft. Hooked in riding is super smooth. I really like the compact wingspan because I can ride with it lower and in a comfortable position right in front of my harness. I agree the 3 is an unruly bastard when flagged but special in many other ways. The 5 however is much more behaved. The 5 also has a third front handle which I have found I can hold with one rear hand and surf downwind with wing still powered above my head. The handle placement and size is much better than on my V2's. I have been riding with HA Axis foils and really loving the acceleration out of the gates. I had someone watching from the beach say that they could see how fast I got up to speed and how far into the wind the thing pointed. Seems that the raked wings really do make this a faster wing capable of new territory.

I just ordered a 4 and 5 metre based on your posts -- if I don't like them I'm going to hunt you guys down!

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dejavu said..
I just ordered a 4 and 5 metre based on your posts -- if I don't like them I'm going to hunt you guys down!

Good choice, I think a 4.5 is in my future. It just feels so good.

With luck I'll get a chance to try the Dart this Friday -- it's been cold here and warms up this weekend and supposedly we'll have some wind.

Here's a video of a SS rep who's a pretty good winger but knows nothing about the equipment (what???). Question: "The Dart looks different from other wings. Why?" Answer: "I have no idea."

It makes me nervous when I see someone winging without a board lease.

I've foiled the Wasp (V1), a 5 metre Echo and now a 5 metre Dart -- I also demoed a 6 metre Cabrinha V2. The Dart is better behaved on the lease than the Echo, maybe because it has a centre strut. This is the most locked-in of the wings I have tried. You can literally wing this thing with your hands down around waist height without worrying about the tip touching the water -- locked in and good upwind and fast off the wind -- feels the closest yet to a windsurfing sail -- it would be nice if SS offered a boom option. I was up on foil pretty quick in marginal winds -- maybe 10 to 14 m.p.h. This one is a keeper for this season. I'm a bit surprised it hasn't received more attention.

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dejavu said..
I've foiled the Wasp (V1), a 5 metre Echo and now a 5 metre Dart -- I also demoed a 6 metre Cabrinha V2. The Dart is better behaved on the lease than the Echo, maybe because it has a centre strut. This is the most locked-in of the wings I have tried. You can literally wing this thing with your hands down around waist height without worrying about the tip touching the water -- locked in and good upwind and fast off the wind -- feels the closest yet to a windsurfing sail -- it would be nice if SS offered a boom option. I was up on foil pretty quick in marginal winds -- maybe 10 to 14 m.p.h. This one is a keeper for this season. I'm a bit surprised it hasn't received more attention.

Sweet! I'm glad you got your Dart and got on it. Welcome to the club. Where the **** is everyone? I tried my tired old SS V2 yesterday just to see if I still liked it and guess what? I hate that thing. Going up for sale. I have been Darting pretty exclusively for last 5 months. One of my favorite aspects of the Dart compared to flat wings is the ease of the waterstart on my 80L. The dihedral makes it way easier to crawl under and get in position before lifting the wing. I flailed for first 20 minutes yesterday trying to waterstart my V2. Second big difference is just getting on foil. Once I am up standing on the board looking for a gust, the Dart accelerates the board speed waaaay better than the V2. I think that much of it is due to its ultra rigid frame. Everytime I hold a V2, it feels like a flacid noodle with no life. When the V2 gets overpowered, it feels like its going to snap in half. The Dart comes to life when overpowered. Don't even get me started on the handles. The Dart handles are longer and soooo much better placed. I am pretty sure other wing builders have tried the Dart and recognized its supremacy, and we will see some similar designs from them soon. I kept catching wingtips on the v2 yesterday because the Dart has trained me to hold the wing low, near my waist, in a very ergonomic position. Can't do that with the V2.

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broVan said..

dejavu said..
I've foiled the Wasp (V1), a 5 metre Echo and now a 5 metre Dart -- I also demoed a 6 metre Cabrinha V2. The Dart is better behaved on the lease than the Echo, maybe because it has a centre strut. This is the most locked-in of the wings I have tried. You can literally wing this thing with your hands down around waist height without worrying about the tip touching the water -- locked in and good upwind and fast off the wind -- feels the closest yet to a windsurfing sail -- it would be nice if SS offered a boom option. I was up on foil pretty quick in marginal winds -- maybe 10 to 14 m.p.h. This one is a keeper for this season. I'm a bit surprised it hasn't received more attention.

Sweet! I'm glad you got your Dart and got on it. Welcome to the club. Where the **** is everyone? I tried my tired old SS V2 yesterday just to see if I still liked it and guess what? I hate that thing. Going up for sale. I have been Darting pretty exclusively for last 5 months. One of my favorite aspects of the Dart compared to flat wings is the ease of the waterstart on my 80L. The dihedral makes it way easier to crawl under and get in position before lifting the wing. I flailed for first 20 minutes yesterday trying to waterstart my V2. Second big difference is just getting on foil. Once I am up standing on the board looking for a gust, the Dart accelerates the board speed waaaay better than the V2. I think that much of it is due to its ultra rigid frame. Everytime I hold a V2, it feels like a flacid noodle with no life. When the V2 gets overpowered, it feels like its going to snap in half. The Dart comes to life when overpowered. Don't even get me started on the handles. The Dart handles are longer and soooo much better placed. I am pretty sure other wing builders have tried the Dart and recognized its supremacy, and we will see some similar designs from them soon. I kept catching wingtips on the v2 yesterday because the Dart has trained me to hold the wing low, near my waist, in a very ergonomic position. Can't do that with the V2.

The Dart has a pretty radical shape compared to everything else I've seen. It's being advertised as an "advanced" wing so, I suspect most will avoid it for that reason alone. I too found it easier to get up and going than my other wings. This wing is fast and fun, which makes it kind of addicting. I didn't notice any backwinding at all, which was a problem for me with the Cabrinha V2 (this apparently can be ameliorated somewhat by pumping the centre strut up to a lower pressure). It will be interesting to see where SS takes the Dart over the next couple of years. SS has taken a bit of a risk with this wing -- I hope it pays off.

I've also have a 4 metre Dart that's waiting for some good wind -- looking forward to trying that one!

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dejavu said..

Nice review! Another thing I love about the 5M is the 3rd front handle. This is unique to the 5M. I can hold it with one hand only on this handle and surf downwind with the other hand free.

Here's another great review of the Dart -- I have a 4 and 5 and so far have only been on the 5 metre (need some wind for the 4). I also have several Slicks. I really like both styles of wings -- hard to believe that a rectangular wing (Slick) and a triangular wing (Dart) can both work so well. IMO the Dart really likes to be powered up and held low. The Slicks on the other hand have tons of bottom end grunt. Both are fast and good upwind. I don't think you can go wrong with either -- for some reason (maybe because of the unusual shape) there seems to some consumer hesitation regarding the Dart. If Slingshot offers a 6 metre Dart I'll buy one (right now only a 3, 4, 4.5 and 5 on offer)!

That was a great overview and summary of the Dart. I just purchased the 4m last week to add to my 3m and 4.5m

Currently at 75KG the 4.5m is my lightest condition wing using a 4'9" 70L Appletree.

I did rip the Y-Handle on the 3m Dart. Slingshot had the best customer service experience I've ever had. Received a new unit within a week! The Dart is great for the average winger and I believe it pushed me to get better much faster then a regular wing. The performance is super addictive but also accessible. I'm a huge fan of the Dart and can't wait to see where Slingshot takes the design in the years to come.

Here's a video of a 4.5 metre Dart in action in 20 to 25 knots. You will see just how low the Dart can be held once up on foil.

It looks like the v3 slingwing has some design cues taken from the dart - particularly the increased dihedral.

FYI Dart Lovers 2.5m is coming. Just pre-ordered with late October ETA.

Dart 2.5 has landed, looks like a little weapon. Hopefully get on it in the next few days. They added a dump valve on the strut.

Sick! It seems like as the dart sizes go down, they get higher AR. And then there are the new ones which look even lower AR. I'm still surprised that no other brand has gone down this road. My favorite characteristic of the dart is the moment when I decide to bear off and pull in "full gas" on rear handle and rocket straight downwind. I can't get that from regular wings. Mad amounts of power at my fingers. I just sold my 3m recently and picked up a 4. My quiver of darts is pretty tight now 4, 4.5, 5. Send it!!!!

Anybody know what the differences are on the v2? Looks pretty unchanged from the laymans perspective, but perhaps more than meets the eye.

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Velocicraptor said..
Anybody know what the differences are on the v2? Looks pretty unchanged from the laymans perspective, but perhaps more than meets the eye.

I think Slingshot has given it longer handles and a different colour scheme (I like the old colours better).

Had the 2.5m out in super gusty 20-40 kts yesterday. Felt amazing even better then the 3m. Still has that on/off power and amazing boosting ability but easy enough to handle and not feel over powered in winds like this. Little highly maneuverable wings are the best!

The Darts are now available in Australia, hit up your local Slingshot dealer
Grant

Just to add on. I got a 5.0 Dart just recently. I have had it out three times now on the frozen lake with skis. I am amazed by it's stability when powered. I just kept accelerating and the balance didn't seem to budge. I can't wait for spring. 26 knots from my phone. I swear it was 100. Anyway, so far so good.

Hi, I have always liked the look of the dart. I was put off buying one as the review I watched at the time mentioned it's not a low wind weapon. But if I read the comments above correctly it seems it has alot of grunt to get going. I'm 78kgs, not very tall and was thinking the compact powerful nature of the 5m for lighter wind 10 to 14 knots. Does this sound realistic? My pumping of board and wing is pretty good. I'm happy with my 2 smaller Takoon wings for stronger wind.