To celebrate the release of the Slingshot UFO V2 - Green Edition! - we've caught up with a key member of the R&D team, Fred Hope, and Slingshot's Brand Manager to find out a bit more about this out-of-this-world kite!

Let's start with the basics! Fred, tell us about the concept behind the UFO!

Fred: The UFO was designed with one concept in mind: to be the best kite for kite foiling. Riding a twin tip or surfboard wasn't thought of once, unlike in the development of one-strut kites. This kite needed to be light, responsive, have quick relaunch, and have high spike loads to get you up out of the water in light winds. We did this with a lower-aspect kite with a deeper pocket than most of our other kites in the lineup. This deep pocket, combined with a larger leading edge, sits the kite deeper in the wind window, causing a constant source of power and making it nearly impossible for the kite to fall out of the sky. If the kite were to hit the water, it needed to be able to prevent canopy laydown. This was prevented by the higher upturned wingtips that allow wind to move in and fill the canopy from the leading edge towards the trailing edge, pushing water upwind and away from the leading edge. 

It's the first zero-strut kite in the Slingshot lineup. Was this kite designed from a blank slate, or was it an adaptation of a one-strut kite?

Elliott: Yes, the UFO was designed from a blank slate as a no-strut platform. We noticed the market was heavily invested in kite foiling, but nobody had the perfect kite foiling kite. Having Fred Hope on the team gave us the valuable team rider feedback that is needed to design a best-in-class kite, so we decided to take on this challenge and be the first and only major brand to have a zero-strut kite as part of the lineup. 

What are the key changes between the UFO V1 and UFO V2?

Fred: The first version of the UFO came with a D1 canopy, the classic Cuzin bridle line, and Slingshots DP 175 leading edge material. The V1.1 then had a canopy change to D2. This D2 was more stretch resistant and lasted longer. As everyone knows here at Slingshot, testing never stops, and we are still finding ways to make the lightest kite on the market even lighter. The canopy material had to stay the same, but the leading edge felt heavy, and the bridle lines were overbuilt. The leading-edge material was switched out for DLE 140, a material that is 25% lighter than the DP 175 of the V1 and V1.1 UFOs. After the leading edge, we looked at the bridle. The heavy overbuilt lines were switched out for a new line called Liros DC Pro 401, which is 25% thinner. Thinner means less drag, and lighter means more range while foiling. Both benefits combined to create the UFO V2. The lightest kite just got lighter.

For those kiters out there who have never tried a zero-strut kite but are considering it, any advice? Is there a learning curve or adjustment period for a kite like the UFO V2?

Fred: The only learning curve would be the few times you crash it so hard that the canopy lays down on the water. The solution to this is to take notes on my answer to the next question and just go out there and practice. Don't be afraid to drop the kite in the water, and after a few tries, you will see how easy the water relaunch actually is. 

One of the key concerns for kiters unfamiliar with zero-strut kites is the water relaunch ability. Was water relaunch taken into consideration in the design of this kite? How does it perform in this category?

Fred: We absolutely took this into consideration when designing the UFO, and the wingtips are designed just for this occasion. The solution to your water relaunch is to adjust the kite so that both wing tips are an equal distance from you downwind. This allows air to fill in both sides of the wingtips and push the water off the canopy, and then you can relaunch just like normal. If the kite is at an angle to the wind, the canopy won't fill. Other than this trick, get ready to get used to the fastest relaunching kite on the market with the most lift, low end, and manoeuvrability of any kite!

What is the most exciting feature of the new UFO V2?

Elliott: What I love about the new UFO V2 is the new DLE 140 Dacron on the leading edge. This is a more lightweight material that allows the new UFO to drift even better and turn even quicker, allowing me to ride in an even larger wind range with one kite. They also pack down lighter so I can avoid paying overweight fees when I travel!

 

Videos

UFO V2 UNLIMITED FOILING OBJECT - Foil and Kiteboarding Kite
Limited Edition Green UFO - Best way to get rid of the winter blues? DREAM GREEN!
By Crystal Veness
Editor at IKSURFMAG, Crystal Veness hails from Canada but is based in South Africa. When she isn't busy kitesurfing or reporting on the latest industry news for the mag, she is kicking back somewhere at a windy kite beach or working on creative media projects.

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