A forum dedicated to Hydrofoil riders
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adamj2281
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 650
- Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2008 1:21 am
- Kiting since: 2009
- Local Beach: Charleston, SC - Folly Beach
- Favorite Beaches: Folly Beach, Wrightsville Beach, Playa Avellanas, Barker's, GC, East End, St. Croix,VI
- Style: Surf mostly, some freeride
- Gear: Ocean Rodeo Roam 7,12
Ocean Rodeo Crave 9
5'2" North Whip CSC
5'4" Tomo Hydroshort
Nobile 2HD
Slingshot H4 Batwing foil
- Brand Affiliation: Ocean Rodeo
- Location: Charleston, SC
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Postby adamj2281 » Fri Nov 15, 2019 3:29 pm
So, I got into foiling on the Slingshot NF2 setup which is essentially a H5 wing. I'm loving it, got it rather quick, working on toeside riding mostly now and eventually losing the front strap.
I'm looking to just cruise around, play in waves, and want something really carvy and stable. The Ride Engine Bat Wing/H4 was suggested as a possible improvement over the H5. It's almost twice the area, so I know it will have a ton of lift, but is supposed to be carvy as well.
Any thoughts? I know it will take a couple of sessions to get used to, but if the H5 is working for now, is there a reason to try the H4?
I'll add it can be purchased rather inexpensively, so there's not a huge investment in it.
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Jonpnw
- Medium Poster
- Posts: 124
- Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 5:27 am
- Local Beach: Pacific Northwest
- Gear: Slingshot
- Brand Affiliation: Quikfin
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Postby Jonpnw » Fri Nov 15, 2019 5:15 pm
I started foiling on the NF2/H5 as well and then went to the bat wing and never looked back . It is slower but so much more playful and surfy !!
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grigorib
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 4166
- Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2016 8:12 pm
- Kiting since: 2009
- Local Beach: OBX; Clinton Lake, IL; Lake Michigan; Hood River; La Ventana; Ocean Park, PR; SPI; Tawas, MI
- Gear: Kites: Slingshot Rally 5/7/9/11m, Turbine 9/13m, SST 4/5m, UFO 3/5/7/9m, Flysurfer Speed4 10m standard, Flysurfer 2cool 6m, Peter Lynn Venom II ARC 16m
Boards: Spleene RIP 37, Flysurfer Radical6 138, Flysurfer Flydoor5 XL, Slingshot/Moses/RDB 70/90/101cm masts with 1200/860/800/730/600 kitefoil or 2200/1700/1400 wingfoil wings and 310/230/425 stabilizers, Naish MicroChip 80cm, 36" Woody, Slingshot Dwarfcraft Micro 100, MBS Comp 95x
For sale: Slingshot Turbine 9/13m, 20” Guardian bar, 1700 sq.cm wing/fuselage/stabilizer fitting Moses mast
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Postby grigorib » Fri Nov 15, 2019 5:23 pm
adamj2281 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 15, 2019 3:29 pm
So, I got into foiling on the Slingshot NF2 setup which is essentially a H5 wing. I'm loving it, got it rather quick, working on toeside riding mostly now and eventually losing the front strap.
I'm looking to just cruise around, play in waves, and want something really carvy and stable. The Ride Engine Bat Wing/H4 was suggested as a possible improvement over the H5. It's almost twice the area, so I know it will have a ton of lift, but is supposed to be carvy as well.
Any thoughts? I know it will take a couple of sessions to get used to, but if the H5 is working for now, is there a reason to try the H4?
I'll add it can be purchased rather inexpensively, so there's not a huge investment in it.
MacKite has H4 (RE Batwing) on sale for $150 now. Snap it - it's a sweet lightwind wing and you'll like it. It's not as perfect as Infinity or 633 wings but rides really well and you will enjoy it.
Also get a hook instead of your front strap - it will save your ankles and would be a nice transition for strapless riding.
- These users thanked the author grigorib for the post:
- adamj2281 (Sun Nov 17, 2019 12:59 pm)
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adamj2281
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 650
- Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2008 1:21 am
- Kiting since: 2009
- Local Beach: Charleston, SC - Folly Beach
- Favorite Beaches: Folly Beach, Wrightsville Beach, Playa Avellanas, Barker's, GC, East End, St. Croix,VI
- Style: Surf mostly, some freeride
- Gear: Ocean Rodeo Roam 7,12
Ocean Rodeo Crave 9
5'2" North Whip CSC
5'4" Tomo Hydroshort
Nobile 2HD
Slingshot H4 Batwing foil
- Brand Affiliation: Ocean Rodeo
- Location: Charleston, SC
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Postby adamj2281 » Fri Nov 15, 2019 5:35 pm
Great comments from both of you, thanks.
Hook vs. Strap, I started with just a front hook, but it kept coming undone from leverage. I may go back to it now that I'm up and riding easily as it would be easier to get switching feet while still having something to leverage against on board starts. I'm frankly getting to the point now that I just ride on my strong side the whole time, toeside is getting easier. That's a good point though about swapping feet with the hook.
I'll get the batwing.
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DukeSilver
- Medium Poster
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2017 12:43 pm
- Kiting since: 2008
- Weight: 82
- Local Beach: Melville Beach Western Australia
- Favorite Beaches: Graveyards
- Style: Hydrofoil, Strapless Surfboard
- Gear: Ozone Reo, Ozone Hyperlink, Moses 683s, home built pocket foil board, Cabrinha Skillit
- Brand Affiliation: None
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Postby DukeSilver » Sat Nov 16, 2019 5:11 pm
Look at the new Slingshot Apollo 60 wing. It's got great low end, good speed potential and carves beautifully. I love mine - I'm addicted to riding it. I was on the H5 as well.
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adamj2281
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 650
- Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2008 1:21 am
- Kiting since: 2009
- Local Beach: Charleston, SC - Folly Beach
- Favorite Beaches: Folly Beach, Wrightsville Beach, Playa Avellanas, Barker's, GC, East End, St. Croix,VI
- Style: Surf mostly, some freeride
- Gear: Ocean Rodeo Roam 7,12
Ocean Rodeo Crave 9
5'2" North Whip CSC
5'4" Tomo Hydroshort
Nobile 2HD
Slingshot H4 Batwing foil
- Brand Affiliation: Ocean Rodeo
- Location: Charleston, SC
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Has thanked:
21 times
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Been thanked:
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Postby adamj2281 » Sun Nov 17, 2019 1:01 pm
grigorib wrote: ↑Fri Nov 15, 2019 5:23 pm
adamj2281 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 15, 2019 3:29 pm
So, I got into foiling on the Slingshot NF2 setup which is essentially a H5 wing. I'm loving it, got it rather quick, working on toeside riding mostly now and eventually losing the front strap.
I'm looking to just cruise around, play in waves, and want something really carvy and stable. The Ride Engine Bat Wing/H4 was suggested as a possible improvement over the H5. It's almost twice the area, so I know it will have a ton of lift, but is supposed to be carvy as well.
Any thoughts? I know it will take a couple of sessions to get used to, but if the H5 is working for now, is there a reason to try the H4?
I'll add it can be purchased rather inexpensively, so there's not a huge investment in it.
MacKite has H4 (RE Batwing) on sale for $150 now. Snap it - it's a sweet lightwind wing and you'll like it. It's not as perfect as Infinity or 633 wings but rides really well and you will enjoy it.
Also get a hook instead of your front strap - it will save your ankles and would be a nice transition for strapless riding.
Batwing is on it's way, also grabbing a single hook again to see if it will make for a nice compromise between having some leverage and being able to gybe. I almost can do it with the strap, it just gets in the way, so I figure with a hook it may be easy. I haven't given strapless a honest go yet, just one session in too light of winds. It's coming, but frankly right now I like having the leverage with the strap on toeside tacks.
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Cefirmeza
- Medium Poster
- Posts: 146
- Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2015 8:30 pm
- Kiting since: 2014
- Weight: 65kg
- Local Beach: Ceará - Brazil
- Favorite Beaches: Ceará, Brazil
- Style: Kitefoil Wingfoil
- Gear: Slingshot sst 4m, Airush Ultra 5m, brm cloud 5.5m, Peak4 4m/6m, Duotone Slick 3.5/4.5m
Sabfoil W1000,W800, Lift classic 150
Armstrong SKT3’11 25L
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Postby Cefirmeza » Sun Nov 17, 2019 4:27 pm
DukeSilver wrote: ↑Sat Nov 16, 2019 5:11 pm
Look at the new Slingshot Apollo 60 wing. It's got great low end, good speed potential and carves beautifully. I love mine - I'm addicted to riding it. I was on the H5 as well.
Compared to the Apollo, the black friday price for the bat wing seems unbeatable. At least until the price for the Apollo drops...
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juandesooka
- Very Frequent Poster
- Posts: 1193
- Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:05 pm
- Kiting since: 2011
- Local Beach: Sooke, BC, Canada
- Style: Canada's Kai Lenny (in my mind)
- Gear: Ocean Rodeo wings&kites / GoFoil
- Brand Affiliation: Open to offers
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Postby juandesooka » Sun Nov 17, 2019 7:30 pm
you will enjoy the bat wing. I have one that I thought would be good for sup foil, which it isn't really, but ended up being a fun kite alternative. I was trying to sell mine, as I haven't been using it enough and too many wings, but with how cheap they are now new (on sale) I think I'll just it. It has a lot of early lift and is really turny/carvey.
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Whattheflock
- Medium Poster
- Posts: 178
- Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2012 6:23 pm
- Kiting since: 2011
- Weight: 70kg
- Local Beach: Secret.
- Favorite Beaches: Open beaches.
- Style: Strapless Foil
- Gear: 7m prodigy, 10m flite, Moses DC 3'6" and 633/483/91cm
- Brand Affiliation: None
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Postby Whattheflock » Thu Nov 21, 2019 3:10 am
I love my H4 but would lay down some extra bucks for the new apollo If was in your shoes right now..
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Cefirmeza
- Medium Poster
- Posts: 146
- Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2015 8:30 pm
- Kiting since: 2014
- Weight: 65kg
- Local Beach: Ceará - Brazil
- Favorite Beaches: Ceará, Brazil
- Style: Kitefoil Wingfoil
- Gear: Slingshot sst 4m, Airush Ultra 5m, brm cloud 5.5m, Peak4 4m/6m, Duotone Slick 3.5/4.5m
Sabfoil W1000,W800, Lift classic 150
Armstrong SKT3’11 25L
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Postby Cefirmeza » Sat Mar 14, 2020 10:13 pm
Whattheflock wrote: ↑Thu Nov 21, 2019 3:10 am
I love my H4 but would lay down some extra bucks for the new apollo If was in your shoes right now..
Since launching date haven’t heard of any experience or reviews on this Apollo wing.
Considering the similarity with the popular 633 it must be a nice and forgiving wing for wave freeride kite riding but maybe the price is a bit of a turn off for the hoverglide owners to make an easy upgrade.
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