We all know how good the RPM is but now hear from the creator himself about some of the RPM history and what makes this kite the best kite in the market! So sit back, relax and enjoy! http://slingshotsports.com/
Elon had een 4 sterren sessie in Wijk aan Zee met maar liefst 37 - 47 knots op zijn Duotone Dice (2019)
Gehaktdag had een 3 sterren sessie in Domburg met maar liefst 25 - 30 knots op zijn Best TS (2014)
We have to say, we’re pretty damn proud of having a double world championship under our belt in 2012. Indeed, Youri Zoon and Karolina Winkowska both won their world titles this year on Slingshot gear. Coincidence? I would say it’s hard for a company to be this lucky, especially because Slingshot has won 4 titles in the last 3 year (1x Andy Yates, 2x Youri Zoon and 1x Karolina).
But does the gear really make the winner?
Obviously I’m biased on this subject and my question is not meant to discredit our beloved riders at all. They are naturally talented individuals and we feel really fortunate to have developed our products as they develop their skills. It has been an organic evolution for everyone involved.
But lets look Youri Zoon and Alex Pastor. Both riders are on top of their game right now the main difference between the two is their gear. They do have a different style, and that could be taken into account. But what if Alex Pastor were on the RPM and Youri Zoon on Pastor’s “C” kite. Would the result be the same?
Because this question is gear related I decided to have chat with Slingshot’s lead designers Tony Logosz about the RPM and “C” kites. Here is what Tony had to say to me:
“C kites have a very strong pull because they stay more back in the wind and they also are more stable steering then normal SLE kites. But when we started to design the RPM 7 years ago, we knew that we could create a kite that had those qualities (from a “C” kite) but also have the amplitude and range of SLE. In the competition level this would be crucial because our riders had to perform their best in all conditions, good or bad, windy or not, sunny or rainy!”
“In our home spot, the wind conditions vary so much from day to day. The PKRA Tour is 100X worse because it’s in different locations almost every month. So the RPM needed to be that freestyle machine that will adapt to all terrains giving the rider (pro or not) a very uniform feel so they can perform at their best every single session! Creating the RPM was not easy, it really took years to fine tuned the kite, but the results are there and show that we achieved our goal. We’re very proud of that!“
So, in a sport where the competition conditions are always so varied, does it make a difference to have consistency and stability? Did the RPM bring Youri Zoon to the highest step of the podium?
How about Karolina Winkowska? Think about it: what did she change this year? Did she add a bunch of new tricks to her repertoire? Did her technique improve more than Gisela’s and Bruna’s? Yes, she does ride a FUEL kite. So I asked Tony about the FUEL kite, he laughs and replied;
“The difference of our “C” kite to other brands “C” kites is our vision. “C” kites are not high volume sales kites for us, but at Slingshot we believe in making the best of the best, regardless if we sell one or a million! So we spent years making the FUEL the prefect “C” kite. We’re still improving the qualities of the FUEL, but we always make sure that it doesn’t lose the core elements and feeling of the “C” kite shape. I know that other companies don’t spend that kind of time working on C kites and that’s why they all fall short. But if you’re talking about Karolina, you should look at her board!”
And that’s when it came to me, the big change this year for Karolina was the board she was riding. This year Karolina, Gisela and Bruna started to ride boots. They all had to adapt to that in a very short period of time. Karolina had the advantage of the new Asylum, a board that was designed to ride with the Slingshot Joint binding and to give the rider the best of both worlds: speed and upwind ability of kiteboards with the edge and pop of wakeboards. I know, I know, all other brands say that their boards do the same thing but in reality, what do they know about wakeboarding? Or pop for that matter? And where are the results to prove it?
So those are the facts. With all that being said, I’d ask you; does better gear win titles? In my opinion I have to say that Slingshot gear wins titles. Again, it’s hard to deny the fact that 4 titles were won in 3 year with 2 kites from 1 brand! But again, obviously I’m biased on this subject…
Have a nice day!
Daarnaast mooie kite, en Youri heeft wel echt laten zien wat je ermee kan ( daar gelaten dat hij gewoon dikke skills heeft)
pimpoldi had een 1 sterren sessie in Langevelderslag met maar liefst 21 - 26 knots op zijn Ocean-Rodeo Razor (2012)
Ik blijf me toch afvragen waarom dit dan zo een geweldige kite is. Van mensen waarvan ik weet die er mee kiten zie ik gewoon dat hoogte lopen, low end en springen gewoon hard zuigt met deze kite. Misschien voor freestyle is het wel beter, geen idee...
Hoogte lopen, low end en springen zijn gelukkig ook dingen waarvoor je niks hoeft te kunnen .. komop allemaal zeg
Uiteindelijk gaat het om degene die onder de kite hangt
Elon had een 4 sterren sessie in Wijk aan Zee met maar liefst 37 - 47 knots op zijn Duotone Dice (2019)