The UFO V2 will be released at the beginning of April as it stands right now. The consumer release date has slid due to the current state of shipping and logistics. Its well worth the wait! Hope you get the chance to get your hands on one!
The first photo of the Slingshot Ufo V2 is in circulation. It is said that the kite must be significantly lighter than the V1 (which was already super light) partly due to the thinner leading edge. Just have to wait until March for the real introduction.
Note that the writer of the article is also mentioning the lighter variant that was tested (there are some pics with an aluula version floating around).
Apparently in testing it did not really work out and the kite did not “feel right”.
Would be interesting to hear Slingshots story about that and why they think it doesn’t work.
Note that the writer of the article is also mentioning the lighter variant that was tested (there are some pics with an aluula version floating around).
Apparently in testing it did not really work out and the kite did not “feel right”.
Would be interesting to hear Slingshots story about that and why they think it doesn’t work.
If I had to guess that lighter variant mentioned was not aluula
The ufo with aluula pictures were quite recent. More in line with a summer or later release, if it is even made.
Maybe it is just the translation but it mentioned significantly smaller leading edge?
Maybe it's too naive compare kite's prices solely based on the number of structs but a Machine 5m is 2/3 bigger (more ripstop), has 5x more structs (including valves and bladders) and it's just 36% more expensive. Moreover, if we consider that these 0-struct kites have narrower wind range, people interested in a quiver of UFO's would need at least 1 or 2 kites more to cover the same wind range that 2 wave kites would cover.
Sorry if it's off-topic but never got interested in this kind of kite because of its price. I'd rather get a 2-skin foil kite or a couple of wave kites instead.
Material and manufacturing are only part of the price, marketing, warranty buffer, shipping, and commissions possibly account for more than 50% of the retail price
Material and manufacturing are only part of the price, marketing, warranty buffer, shipping, and commissions possibly account for more than 50% of the retail price
In the specific case of these 0 and 1-struct kites, the only reason I can see is production scale. As they sell less than other kites, the amount of kites produced is smaller and the prices are larger to keep a certain profit margin, however, these kites take much less labour work as they're much simpler. Just a leading edge straightly sewed to a ripstop canopy