Do 2012 Slingshot Rally's Have a Cult Following?

[acctx]

there is a cult following on 2012 rallys. They were awesome for their drift, balanced character and speed. In 2013 they changed the shape and made equivalent size 1 or 2m larger. So a 12m 2012 was equivalent to a 10m 2013. The kites were also slower.

I know guys that started buying multiple 2012 rallys of the same size. When I went to buy used 2012s they were definitely hard to find. My 12m 2014 rally is much slower than my 12m 2012 rally that I destroyed.

In 2016 they made the kites faster so they are supposedly more ike the 2012. You can find threads on the subject.

i would not pay 750 for a 5 year old kite even though I love my 2012 rallys. I generally pay about $800 for last years model brand new or slightly used.

If you really must have a 2012 rally, there are some forsale in the $400 range on ikitesurf classifieds. 2016s are going for 1100.

[TomW]

I have a 8m that is great, and a 10 m that is shite. Go figure

[CaptainArgh]

I think the "Cult Following" is from the strapless wave riders. I have a 10m and a 12m.
It's standout feature.......
Fast pivotal turning/looping without massive pull.
Other characteristics..sheet n go, very stable/easy handling, descent drift, easy relaunch, no pulleys
IMO, these kites excel in more side-on conditions where you need to loop and redirect your kite a lot....

Have you tried the Wave SST yet? I think you'd love it. It's the main reason I supplemented my Rally quiver with a couple SSTs (8/10). Kept the 12M Rally for light air.

[toyletbowl]

If you re just entering the sport, there's NO reason you need a 2012 Rally. It's a great kite, but in the hands of a new rider,you won't be able to pull out of that kite what makes it a cult following. It will be less stable in gusty conditions and if you are a heavier rider the kite will buckle if flown too aggressively. It's fast turning and drifts really well when riding surfboards, but is that what you want? A used 2014 or newer Rally is much better for you.

They will be more stable, relaunch is easy and an awesome jumping kite once you progress.

For a shameless plug, I do have some closeout 2015 Rally's, but if you have a good local dealer, support them.

Bob
www.kiteridersllc.com

[foilonfoil]

I just entered into the sport recently and a good buddy who has kited for years said I should try and find an older 2012 Slingshot Rally for my local wind conditions. I sail in Malibu and Long Beach CA, so I'll be using a 14m most days fiveb lighter wind.

I called around and heard from multiple shops that finding a good 2012 14m is like fetching a unicorn and that is has a cult following. Is this a foolish task and am I unrealistic looking for a 3-4yr old kite, or is it that good?

A 14M Rally is a dog. 2012 Rally's are popular in the Columbia Gorge and it's the smaller sizes that are relevant given the summer conditions in the gorge.

Many of the heavier 3 strut/5 strut 14M kites are fat guys 12M kites. If you are a fat guy (or girl), then absolutely purchase a heavy 14M kite for regular conditions, but a decent light wind kite is three struts or less built with lighter materials in 15M/17M sizes. Learning to fly light wind kites is a skill in itself so if your are learning how to fly a light wind kite and you also also learning how to kite board, it will be somewhat of a waste of time.

As a beginner, plenty of kites to choose from and given this specific kite is not made anymore, move on. There is nothing special about Slingshot kites other than the fact they are built string which also equates to a little heavy. IMO, I owned a quiver of Rally's and RPM's and I personally did not like them. Local kiting conditions, rider skill, riding style, and how much you weight will provide some guidance into a number of brands to choose from.

Get a kite with good relaunch capabilities since this is going to be your initial struggle. Can't go wrong with a 9M/12M 2014+ Cabrinha Switchblade quiver for socal then once you have some experience, do some testing and purchase some real kites.

[windyway]

I like new kites, so I replaced my 2012 quiver of Rallys with 2014.
Dumb. I think I sold them for $375 each with bar.
You can count me as a member of the 2012 Rally cult.

New is always better, well yes.......... but not for strapless in the waves.
The 2012 will loop to change directions on the face of a wave with no big yank.
With the 2014, you better be ready, when the turbo kicks in.`
And with a lot of power and pull, I like to ride them a little bit under sized.

I ride a 10m 2014 when I used to ride a 12m 2012 in the same conditions.
The 2014 sizes ride much bigger.
FoilOnFoil is spot on. The 14m Rally is a pig, try the Ocean Rodeo Flite instead.

So the 2012 is the better for strapless wave riding, Its gentle, soft, quick and light.
And the occasional jelly fishing means nothing to actual performance.
The 2014 is probably a better all around kite for everybody.
The model years are so different, and both are great kites.

Windy,.

[CaptainArgh]

I like new kites, so I replaced my 2012 quiver of Rallys with 2014.
Dumb. I think I sold them for $375 each with bar.
You can count me as a member of the 2012 Rally cult.

New is always better, well yes.......... but not for strapless in the waves.
The 2012 will loop to change directions on the face of a wave with no big yank.
With the 2014, you better be ready, when the turbo kicks in.`
And with a lot of power and pull, I like to ride them a little bit under sized.

...

Windy,.

I hate to be repetitive, but what you want is the Wave SST.
This is coming from a kiter who loved the 2011/2012 Rallys, grew to love the next generation Rallys, but still always missed the agility of the older model. I know what you mean with the 2013-2016 Rallys when you are at the upper end of their range and you transition on a wave...you'll get a lot more pull than you wanted and will find yourself working it gingerly over the top instead of downlooping for quick direction changes.

So, you want a new kite with the performance you seek that is a much more stable platform? SST. Trust me.

[ragzilla]

Yeah..... I wouldn't pay $800aud for a 5yo kite.... let alone $800usd...... crazyness.

Buying an expensive new kite as a beginner is silly in my opinion.
You will crash it.
You will have bad launches & landings.
You will invert your kite.
You will have a kite in the water A LOT!

Until you hit intermidiate skills (jumping) you really shouldn't use new gear unless you want to throw your money away!
You're not going to be the first beginner to buy shiny new expensive gear and thrash it in the first season, and need to buy new hear next year.

For the price of one shiny new kite, your could buy 3 older kite's. ...... and then you can ride them hard and not worry about damaging your gear....... the last thing you want to do is buy new gear, and then be too afraid or hesitant to ride & crash incase you damage your kite.

My opinion anyway.
If you wanna buy brand new gear, you go for it..... but every beginner thrashed their first kite!!

Dunno about a rally cult following??
I guess with the rally, you always know what you're going to get..... a very predictable, easy kite to fly.
I think the REV has more of a culture following.
My 11m REV2 (predecessors of the RALLY & RPM) is still to this day my favourite kite. I rode it today actually. 11m and smaller are such good kite's, even by today's standards. If I could buy a REV2 brand new today, I'd go and by ten!!
Love it!!

Seriously, if you can find a 7-9-11 REV2.... buy them!! You can buy a whole quiver for half the price of a new kite!!

[Rorke]

Re: Do 2012 Slingshot Rally's Have a Cult Following?

yes.