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Expanding my quiver with Fuels

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slakterhouse
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Expanding my quiver with Fuels

Postby slakterhouse » Sat Jun 02, 2018 10:39 pm

Hi!
I'm looking for advice regarding kites.
I'm currently an intermediate kiter, going upwind on my Best TS 14m and doing some jumping.

I've been kiting for 1 year. Im looking at expanding my quiver and I can get a good deal on a 3 kite quiver of Slingshot fuels 2017, 11,9,7m.
I'm aware of the trade offs going into pure C-kites, hard relaunch, lacking depower etc. I'm not sure if i should go for it, or if i will ruin my chances of progression going for hardcore c-kites. I've also been thinking about
switch legacy 2, slingshot rpm, naish dash and even the pivot for the user-friendliness. I'm more into freestyle and jumps.
Would like to know your opinion.

Eduardo
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Re: Expanding my quiver with Fuels

Postby Eduardo » Sat Jun 02, 2018 10:58 pm

My last fuel demo was 2015, and I owned them up to 2010, so here is some 'dated' advice...

This is a very specialized kite. The only people who should buy them are people who complain that their current kite loops are not powerful enough or wakestyle. I never backlooped one as even the down loop was an amazingly powerful and scary surge. Instead of making you better, it might just make you more frustrated, as the 'easy' style jumping most intermediates do won't work any more (most intermediate jumpers ride around over powered, sheeted out and just kind of mini-loft themselves).

The list of kites you mention are so hugely and ridiculously different, some demos will help if you can arrange it.

SaltWaterDog
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Re: Expanding my quiver with Fuels

Postby SaltWaterDog » Sat Jun 02, 2018 11:28 pm

Hi slakter.

I agree with Eduardo’s points but I think you should first be asking yourself what you want to do rather than looking at a kite that will challenge you. You should be nuts about wakestyle and wanting to ride boots non stop for the fuel to be a good option. You say you like hooked-in riding and boosting so I would suggest a future C or hybrid kite. I think people who’ve recently started kiting are in a great position these days. Hybrids are the future in my opinion and I think we will see fewer specialised kites on offer going forward. And if there’s one thing that I have reaffirmed on a constant basis it’s that the kite really doesn’t matter all that much. It’s all about your board and technique. The kite should fly itself once you’ve found one with a bar system that you like. So don’t worry too much about the kites that are objectively harder to fly, but focus on what you like and want to do and purchase accordingly.

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Re: Expanding my quiver with Fuels

Postby runner1 » Sun Jun 03, 2018 2:02 am

If you have just started jumping I would give the fuels a miss, and suggest that even most of the other kites are not a great match. The Pivot is the most suitable option unless you plan on unhooked kiting in the very near future

RadDrDuke
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Re: Expanding my quiver with Fuels

Postby RadDrDuke » Sun Jun 03, 2018 2:22 am

I used to own fuels in the 2000's, they are great if you are strict advanced wake-style, very niche kite.

RadDrDuke
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Re: Expanding my quiver with Fuels

Postby RadDrDuke » Sun Jun 03, 2018 2:24 am

Since you are "more into freestyle and jumps": DO NOT GET A QUIVER OF FUELS.

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edt
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Re: Expanding my quiver with Fuels

Postby edt » Sun Jun 03, 2018 2:46 am

good advice. also sent a pm


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