Actual SS Link 12 Review

[mikedonovan]

Flew my new Link 12 yesterday in extremely "holy" and gusty wind. Started out from 8 to 18 with a 12 avg and picked up to 11 to 23 with a 15 avg (mph - leo carillo 9/18).
Most people were fairly powered on Best Waroos 16 riding on surfboards, there was a Torch 16 and a Flysurfer Maxi-pad out there too.

I was riding a SRT, weigh 160 and I am a very experienced rider. Been riding the Assaults quite a bit and ride mostly wakestyle unhooked unless there are waves - then I use surfboards alternating between strapless and strapped.

Link is SMOOOOOOTH - smoother than anything else I have ever tried. NO flutter at all, no weird shit at all when it flies, SUPER stable in the air even in the gusty / holey wind. I could let the bar out and have it fly over me and it reminded me of one of those ARC kites how it just perfectly stayed above me.

The kite DOES feel a little heavier out on the beach (probably due to the reinforced construction and the amount of struts) but you cannot feel that when it is up in the air. For a 12 I believe it does have a tiny bit less power than the old Turbodiesel (hard to tell, my first session on it) but it might just be the fact that it flies completely different.

The pull is 90% from the front lines, no bar pressure at all, super smooth turning and power, very gradual. Unhooked it flies perfectly (none of that back-stalling thing most bows tend to do when you unhook at ALL) and the relaunch seems ok (only dropped it once, relaunched fairly quickly despite the light winds).

Kite turns fast - or normal fast for a 12, flew perfect out of the bag and seemed to work really well in down the line waveriding (super stable).

Better review coming soon. Any questions feel free to ask.
No commercial association w. slingshot here.

[Fatfish98]

Exactly what I've found but people don't believe me because I'm Slingshot biased.
All these bad LINK reviews are bullshit basically or have come from pre production kites or something.

[mikedonovan]

By the way, kite was flown in 4 line mode. Straight out of the bag - no adjustments at all. Hope this helps.

[jmopd]

What about Link 7 m reviews

[chrisontherio]

That's a way different perspective than i had riding the 4 line Link 12. Coming from an Octane, I didn't expect the same thing, but I found the Link to flutter and turn like a truck with flat tires. It was brand new out of the bag complete with a ribbon.

I'm a total SS fan, but you will not find me changing over to a 12m 4 line Link. I still want to try it in 5 line mode. The 9m and 7m in 5 line are outstanding according to two riding buddies- still no personal experience with them. But both agreed the 12 was nothing special out of the box.

No reason to trade in my Octane 12 till it's destroyed or something similiar blows me away. Looking forward to the Link 5 line 7 and 9 though-

[Bullroarer Took]

Thanks for the review Mike. How much bar travel does the kite need to completely depower and can you achieve that without the pulley bar?

[bigwave]

I rode the Link 12m the last couple days.I posted a review on the Link thread as well.I agree with Mike,this is a very nice Kite!.It turns very quick.I don't understand comments abou the kite being very slow turning.The kite needs to be inflated to the proper pressure.I think this has a big factor on the performance of the kite.
Overall ,once you get use to the light bar pressue,this kite feels great!I can't wait to give the 15m a try.

[mikedonovan]

Rode it again today, more wind, same findings. Love it.

As far as COMPLETE depower, hmmmmm.... I think you would have to let go of the bar completly (and even then, there is a yellow stopper that might not allow for 100% depower - in my opinion it would be better off removed since the kite never appears to want to back fly / stall). Coming from pure bows I kind of miss the sensitivity to depower when riding strapless - but otherwise it works just as well.

Don't understand how you can find the kite to flutter - it seems impossible to me.

[Fatfish98]

Rode it again today, more wind, same findings. Love it.

Don't understand how you can find the kite to flutter - it seems impossible to me.

I know....it makes me want to fly over to the USA and set one up for these people

[Toby]

guys, in the future please use the review tool on http://www.kitecommunity.com

It has many advantages, including being posted here as copy as well.
Please read this:
phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2332110

It will be much better using it this way.

Thanks
Toby