12m or 14m Slingshot Rally for 200 lbs riders ??

[AdroVempo]

Also Matteo,
You keep saying 13.5m kite. Were you on a CORE XR? I don't see the 0.5m sizing from anyone other than them.

Thanks

[iriejohn]

Thanks for all the info guys. To be honest, I am sure somewhat overwhelmed by all the data. But I think I understand the contrasting viewpoints here.

Not that you all were not good in guiding me, but just for an easier decision, I called Slingshot themselves and the guy there was suggesting 12m. He said :

"When you are on the verge of 12m vs 14m, meaning...when there is a possibility that 12m could work for your size and conditions, then always better to choose that over 14m, just because of the agility (and less air to pump, though I am not concerned much about that piece)."

He also added: "the fact that you felt under-powered might be because you were on the Switchblade, but Rallys are known for their low-end grunt and constant pull. Switchblade, somewhat like the RPM, needs a tad more wind". - Now this could just be him being 'The Slingshot sales guy scoring a point over Cabrinha'.

I still agree with most folks here that I should consider a 17m in the future.

I had a 2017 Rally 12m and it does have serious low end and constant pull.

[EricSanders]

Regarding the 17m, I probably use my 17m Fat Lady more than anything here in the midwest. My 13.5 Best Kahuuna is my second most used.

[grigorib]

..
Depending on your location, and how quickly you learn, and how much spending money or selling bothers you, you might get a couple of years out of a door then not ever use it again.
...

I still keep mine and take it onto trips when going by car.
You can't beat door in 1-3 feet of water shallows in winds below 10 knots or in offshore wind riding when you wouldn't dare to walk out far enough to foil but not being able to stand. Also 'twintipeness" and straps on the door allow not paying any attention to the board - which is really needed when you mess up a transition on a foil in 7 knots and all you focus on is to keep the kite from falling, there's no "board attention time.

[grigorib]

Regarding the 17m, I probably use my 17m Fat Lady more than anything here in the midwest. My 13.5 Best Kahuuna is my second most used.

That 19m Royal from Mike is POS, isn't it?

[Kamikuza]

LOL at the Switchblade comment! Reviewers usually talk about the low end grunt of SB. Grain of salt. I don't like my 14m SB because it turns into a downwind truck if the wind picks up...

I'm curious about Rally's too, there's few around because the RPM gets all the love.

As a heavy rider, I have problems buckling the SB when really loading it up, which I never had with my XBs. Wonder how the Rally is...

So, if I could have a do-over, I'd go 17, 12, 9 with a144x46 board.

[Kamikuza]

..
Depending on your location, and how quickly you learn, and how much spending money or selling bothers you, you might get a couple of years out of a door then not ever use it again.
...

I still keep mine and take it onto trips when going by car.
You can't beat door in 1-3 feet of water shallows in winds below 10 knots or in offshore wind riding when you wouldn't dare to walk out far enough to foil but not being able to stand. Also 'twintipeness" and straps on the door allow not paying any attention to the board - which is really needed when you mess up a transition on a foil in 7 knots and all you focus on is to keep the kite from falling, there's no "board attention time.

Right on. My spots are all mostly foil friendly, so I lucked out there too. Not always foil kite friendly though!

[grigorib]

...
...
As a heavy rider, I have problems buckling the SB when really loading it up, which I never had with my XBs. Wonder how the Rally is...

So, if I could have a do-over, I'd go 17, 12, 9 with a144x46 board.

How much do you weigh?

[Kamikuza]

...
...
As a heavy rider, I have problems buckling the SB when really loading it up, which I never had with my XBs. Wonder how the Rally is...

So, if I could have a do-over, I'd go 17, 12, 9 with a144x46 board.

How much do you weigh?

Like, a regular guy and his girl friend trying to ride tandem

[Matteo V]

I am still using 2011-2015 Best Kahoona's from in 3.5m to 13.5m in 2m increments. Mostly the old ones, but I have flown some of my newer ones ('14 and '15's) that are barely used - just waiting for the older ones to die. I am sticking with Kahoona's because I am very much in tune with them, and they work for my local spring and fall conditions. My most recent target for a replacement for them was the LF "Wow's". But given that my 2011 13.5m is still kicking, though very much tissue paper, I think having 3 more of those 13.5m in other years will last me for some time. I do consider myself an expert on the Kahoona line post 2010. The Kahoona is a great kite with a lot of grunt, though I would not recommend them to beginners for that reason. The depower, upwind capability, and smaller size comfort, is somewhat lacking too much for most kiters. But it is a pretty hard kite to beat for stability - maybe only the Naish "Rides" are better. The Rally's are good too for not being skittish or jerky when overpowered, but they do pull.

Other kites I occasional fly are Rally's, Turbines (only 17m so far), RPM's, Cabrinha "Switchblades", "Crossbows", Naish "Rides", Cult's, Bolt's, Wainman, Switch "Element" (2-4), Nitro's (5 only), North Evo, Neo, Rebel, and some experience with C-kites. I have demoed or tried some LF, and Core, Adi, and a few other kites - not enough to really give an informed opinion on.

For the 5.5m wind question - the 3.5m comes out at about 45knots. So the 5.5m gets used anywhere from 22knots to 40knots. 7.5m comes out in 17-25knots, 9.5m in 15-20knots, 11.5 in 14-18knots, and 13.5 in 7-17knots. There is the occasion for someone of 75kg to be out on a 7m when I am out on a 5.5. But I am most often the smallest kite out there. This year I started to pass the torch to another kiter on the coast who is going small like I used to. I had some issues, when kiting everyday with no breaks, with my elbows. A bigger kite may not be as fun for me, but it has been better on my elbows for me this year. Next year I plan on going small one day, then trying to at least get close to the average kiter out there in size. My goal with this is to be able to easily do both way underpowered and powered. Some of my beginner skills, using a powered or overpowered kite, diminished to some degree while using smaller kites for about 3 years. Some of my issue may just be that it is above any skill level I will attain, to work a powered kite in the same manner I work a under-powered kite.

For boards, I have been through LW twins (Cabrinha Plasma and others), small flat twins, near wakeboard rockerd twins, kite skims, skims, wakesurfers, prone surfboards, Slingshot and North Kitesurfboards (wrecked em all) - and now I only use the LF Kitefish with a Quad fin setup. Durability is the main reason I now use the Kitefish. I never really liked it for doing one specific thing but it does them all, from being an "almost" light wind board for a 220lb rider, to being a speed board that will stay calm through chop. It takes some attention to surf on vertical faces, but I am not focused on simulating prone surfing anymore. I like to see what I can to with the kite and the kitefish is the all around board for that in almost any wind to play around with stuff you can't do prone surfing. It is my foilboard too. And I own 6 of the Kitefishes now. Lastly I have to say again, it is durable.


With regards to the kite model discussion, I have a honest learning disability with the Rally. It is the one kite I can NOT make do what I want to do with it. And I know this is a problem with me as I often watch others doing some amazing things with them that I can only match with my Kahoona's. I need to buy 2 used Rally's and really put some time into seeing what my problem with them really is.