Slingshot UFO

[PugetSoundKiter]

Since the ghost and ufo are essentially the same kite, I am going to guess that the low ends will be fairly similar. So I believe the stated wind range on the ghost and sst does not include foils.

I agree, more green should be in that chart.
Maybe SS will add suggested Ghost & SST ranges for foiling.

A local rider uses his 8m SST for light wind foil riding

[jumptheshark]

9 knots on a 7m ? 6 knots on a 9 ? Cmon, foiling is ridiculous enough, no need to exaggerate.

for anyone wanting to enjoy themselves a 7m grunty kite starts at about 12 knots for the average rider/wing.

[Qiter]

9 knots on a 7m ? 6 knots on a 9 ? Cmon, foiling is ridiculous enough, no need to exaggerate.

for anyone wanting to enjoy themselves a 7m grunty kite starts at about 12 knots for the average rider/wing.

Could not agree more. Saw a UFO rider out the other day, foiling on 7m. Took my 7m out (one strut) to compare. Was going OK. Talked to the UFO rider afterwards: He "was going OK". It was maybe 12-13 kn..
So no big difference between the UFO and my one strutter in terms of low end of the 7m..

[jakemoore]

HF in 29 knots on UFO 7 is also pretty bold. On surfboard 29 knots is reasonable.

UFO is a great kite but likely to disappoint under 10 knots unless a tiny rider.

I am also thinking 12 knots is going OK for me at 85 kg.

[wavy navy]

UFO is a great kite but likely to disappoint under 10 knots unless a tiny rider.

Why? Not impressing lowend, but stays in the air in lulls pretty well while waiting for the next gust to get you going.

I think it's doesn't fit to the riding style in this vid:

because you never know if you can relaunch again. Just my opinion.

[purdyd]

Well I think in light-wind anything is a crap shot to relaunch.

The ufo in normal wind is really easy to relaunch. I haven’t had to relaunch in really light wind yet.

[oregonkiter]

Both the Clouds and UFO’s are very prevalent in Hood River. Granted it’s a windy place, but I don’t see folks having relaunch issues on either. I’m on the water a lot and I would notice it. I do not want to get into Cloud vs UFO or any other strutless that will cone to market. What I can say is they are really fun foiling kites. Why?

Super light and stay in the air in the holes. That’s an issue in Hood River as where you launch is often bad wind and you truck up to the good stuff on a small kite.

The lift is just amazing compared to my SST’s which I have very much enjoyed on a surfboard and foil. When you sheet in on a UFO it’s elevator up. So fun for tacks

You can head straight downwind at the kite and because it’s so light it stays in the air. You don’t have to loop it.

Low end: since it stays in the air you can get up and going when a three strutted is falling out of the sky.

What you lose:
Top end. No question about that. You lose 20% ish of top end when compared to the same size three strut. But, there is a sizing issue here too. The 7 ufo has as much low end, maybe more, than a 10 sst. So it’s a bit apples vs oranges to say that the 7 has poor top end. Compared to what? You also lose some depowered steering. The sst’s steer depowered amazingly well. The UFO’s feel relatively numb when sheeted out. I have adjusted to that by moving my hand out for more leverage and/or starting the turn earlier. I e only had to do this in the 7, not the 5. Again though, compared to what size?

I am picky about kite sizes. I’m embarrassed to say I own 4/5/6/7/8 sst’s (sold my 10). The 5/7 ufo cover 6-10 sst easily. I am keeping my 5 sst for wind averaging over 27 mph. If SS comes out with a 4 ufo I’m all over it.

[purdyd]

On the 7m average 10mph to 10.5 gusts to 12.5 lulls to 6 was absolute low end for me. Wind dropped below that and I could not get up on my board.

I felt like if the kite was faster I might have been able to get up.

I could reverse launch in 8mph perhaps less on land.

Honestly the 5meter is magic but there might just be a very narrow band where I would pick the 7m over it.

[trod27]

I was in Gorge when Oregonkiter was on his 7m UFO. I was on my 6m Ghost. He went in and got his 5m UFO. I was stayed on my 6m Ghost. My friends were on 4m SST and 5m Enduro. My other friend was his 6m Ghost the whole time. I ride with all these fellas for years. Oregon kiter and myself rode SSTs last year except I had a 5 and 7 and he was on 4 and 6.
Anyway I rode overpowered on purpose to figure kites out, and the 6m kite was awesome. The first session that morning I was on my 4m but wanted to try 6m

But better yet I rode my 4m Ghost the rest of the week in everything (~18 to 40mph) and it was awesome. I was amazed at how it rode in almost everything. relaunch in little wind. Drifts awesome on swell. All of them do not get overpowered and have incredible range.
13 days of riding the Gorge and 80% on 4m and the rest on 6m Ghost.
I am sold on Ghost type of kite. I did not like them at first but they have grown on me.

683 with 37" KS at 185lbs. 4,6,8,10 Ghost

[purdyd]

I rode today in this between the yellow lines on my 7m ufo, Once the gusts drop below 12 I can’t get up on top of my dwarfcraft micro.

I’d like to see slingshot double down on weight reduction on the 7m and 9m and reduce the size of the leading edge. I’d like it to generate more power when flying it. Maybe some of the new lighter stiffer stuff on the leading edge.