Slingshot Rally 10m 2011
Reviews / Kites
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At A Glance
The Rally from Slingshot is a totally new kite for 2011. It takes pedigree from their excellent Open C format seen on the RPM as well as elements from the Fuel and combines them with the Delta shape to create what Slingshot call the Open Delta C kite. That’s a bit of a mouthful if ever there was one; think of it as a Delta kite with a difference. The bridle is really simple and short, the three strut designs keeps things at the kite end equally simple too. The usual ‘Surf-Tough” build quality is there and the kite has been painstakingly put together with plenty of reinforcement in all the right places. There are also a few settings allowing you to tune the kite how you wish in terms of range and turn rate.
The Bar
This has to be one of the best bars from Slingshot in a while, the chicken loop has been redesigned to feature a push away release system that seems to be becoming ever more standard. Floats, O’shit handles it is all here, perhaps the most interesting feature is the Surefire Spinner, one of the few attempts at keeping your lines from untwisting that we have seen to actually work. Hats off to the engineers on that one. The safety is a front line depower system that allows the kite to flag out on the front line. It is made in such a way that the kite should still be easy to relaunch after a release. The front lines are 800lbs breaking strain too which is double that of most bars, this should ensure you never snap a front line.
On the Water
Get the Rally out in a blow and you find out what this kite is all about, powered up it really comes alive and flies around the window with direct precision and plenty of power. It has a progressive turn to it that can catch you unawares if you don’t keep your eye on the prize. The speed of the kite accelerates the longer you engage the bar, it’s something to be aware of as you can use it to your great advantage, but it can also catch you out if you don’t pay attention. Jumping with the Rally is great fun; the Delta platform provides large floaty airs that will have you smiling from ear to ear. The power delivery in gusty conditions feel really smooth too, it can iron out a lot of the bumps when the wind isn’t up to much. Upwind the Rally flies and you’ll be impressed at how quickly it will get you to the drop in or launch zone at your spot. Depower is really impressive, a very short “throw” enables you to quickly get rid of the power and control the kite. It isn’t a kite for beginners, the progressive accelerating turning speed will rule it out for novices, but in the right hands you can get a lot out of it. On the wave the kite is well behaved and it will drift back down the wave while you tear it up. Equally if you prefer to crank the kite in your turns the direct feel and progressive turn lend itself well to this task.
For
Well built, simple design, Delta shape with excellent depower and amazing stability in the air.
Against
Progressive turn can take some getting used to.
Overall
A well-made and beautifully engineered bit of kit that will deliver plenty of performance and smiles once you have it dialled in.
This review was in Issue 25 of IKSURFMAG.
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By Rou Chater
Rou Chater has been kitesurfing for over twenty years and has spent much of that time travelling the world in search of wind, waves, and stories. The founder and publishing editor of IKSURFMAG and Tonic Magazine, he has been involved in watersports media since the early days of kitesurfing and launched IKSURFMAG in 2006. A passionate waterman, he spends as much time as possible wingfoiling, prone foiling, kitesurfing in big waves, and exploring new ways to get on the water. When he’s not behind a keyboard, hosting The Kite Pod and The Foil Pod, or testing the latest equipment, you’ll usually find him chasing wind and swell somewhere around the coast or further afield. He’s also known as the hardest-working journo in the industry!
