2011 Slinghot Rally

for someone tthat has been flying Ckites and hybrids for ever, the Rally felt pretty light.
I rode it again tonight in 20knots and some fun onshore knee high waves.

The kite with a surfboard was incredible.

def going on the list to pruchase.

Yep - 12m Rally has equal or better low end than a 13m Octane.

These kites really are insane - they do have lighter bar pressure than heaps of kites out there - including other deltas like the Bandit, GT etc. They work in waves, freestyle, cruising or even for learning... There will be a Rally take over this summer...

From what i've heard - there's a few shops who have sold out of the Rallys already!!!! I know we've still got some stock at Kitepower QLD - so if you want one, get in quick!!!

Yep i've ridden all three and directly swapped between the GTS and Switchy - Rally's been flown on different days - just because once I got on it - I never put it down.

If I had to buy one - i'd be pretty torn between the Rally and Switchblade - i'd end up going the Rally because it's a better wave riding kite - but the freestylers might go the Switchy for better unhooked performance.

Here we go:

THE COMPLETE BUYERS GUIDE TO RALLY Vs. SWITCHBLADE Vs. GTS

Disclosure: I work for Kitepower QLD - We demo every model of kite & board we sell so I get to ride EVERYTHING :)

The positives on the Rally are -
- Great wind range - has the most bottom end, higher top end than the GTS and a bit less than a SB.
- Turns super quick - Turns a bit quicker than the Switchblade - and oodles quicker than the GTS.
- Automatic Relaunch - I've talked about the 'almost auto relaunch' on the SB and Core XR etc - but the Rally has 99.9999% Automatic relaunch. It's insane.
- No pulleys on the Rally - it's super direct, you can feel everything and the bar pressure is perfect.
- Big boosts are easy, floaty and comfy - same height as a SB, but longer float.
- Unhooked it's a dream in the waves, floats down the line all day.
- Unhooked freestyle, it doesn't give as much slack as the SB or GTS, but it's better than the Octane was.
- It's cheap - almost $100 cheaper than the SB and GTS.

Postives on the Switchblade -
- Sweet bar system, it's clean, recoil works well - the IDS works awesome for self landing.
- Heaps of depower - it's crazy the amount of wind you can go out in and stay in control.
- Flys sweet unhooked - Freestyle is pretty easy and with the new one you get a nice bit of slack.
- Stable, the Switchy is a bit more stable at the top end of the wind range.
- Looks - that new fabric is ridiculously cool.
- Sizes - comes in every possible size except for a 13m (Which i'm sure will be out next year lol) So you can pick your perfect combo.

Positives on the GTS -
- Awesome unhooked freestyle performance - sits nicely, loads and pops well with lots of slack.
- Great construction - Core kites are really well built, and the bar is made from super strong materials.
- Looks mean - The new graphics are sick - and you don't have to worry about choosing colour schemes.
- The bag is great - best bag of the three, padded - big enough and comfy to wear on your back.

Negatives on the Rally
- The bar is a bit hard on your hands - the grip is pretty sharp and hard.
- Below the bar depower still sticks a bit and isn't as easy to adjust on the fly compared to the SB and GTS
- Every man and his dog will have one by the end of summer - if you upgrade every year - selling them in September 2011 will be a buyers paradise.
- Comes in 8, 10, 12m - So those looking to replace a 9m are a bit stuck with kites close to their other ones...

Negatives on the SB
- Its very similar to last years - no huge improvements because the 2010 model worked so well.
- Wave performance is a bit lacking - it's quite heavy and doesn't drift as well as the Rally.
- Price - it's $100 more than the Rally.
- Lots of size choice - 'oh but is this too close to this, or is this too much of a gap' blah blah blah.
- Wrapping the bar up with the spring is a bit weird...
- Heavier on the bar than the Rally - lighter than the GTS.

Negatives on the GTS
- Not as much power as the Rally - (less than the old GT)
- Turns slower than both kites
- You have to work pretty hard to ride upwind (Even with the pigtail extensions)
- Relaunch is a bit tricky.

The verdict.
Slingshot Rally - 10/10
Cabrinha Switchblade - 9.5/10
Core GTS - 7/10 (Unless you like unhooking all the time - then it's sick)

In short - the 2010 C4 gets 9/10.

Positives:
- Faster turns than a Rally
- Unhooked performance is better than the GTS, SB and Rally - it's got that true C kite feel
- In the waves its about the same as a Rally - drifts nicely.
- Boosts higher than the Rally & Switchblade. Hangs just as long.
- Kiteloops are SICK on a C4 - best i've seen/done.
- Durability on an Ozone is 11/10 - I'd love to see other kites with the quality of an Ozone, but I just havn't yet.
- Price is reasonable on a C4 - $2000 around about for a 12m. In line with the others.

Negatives:

- Has less power than a Rally - 12m C4 = 10m Rally.
- Relaunch is slower than a Rally
- Has less depower (from the kite) than the Rally - so it's got a narrower range. Similar high end though as it depowers well by stalling your board.

Overall - it's more of an all-round performance kite - you sacrifice some of the comforts to get the best performance - but you don't need to sacrifice very much at all. C4's still my favorite kite so far Can't wait to try the 2011's.

Cheers rhyse! Di you think the rally is good enough upwind for racing?

Go 14/10 - You'll get a heap more use out of the 14, and they turn so fast you won't notice...




I'd kill for a go on a Noise - When Ben finally gets his distribution sorted and the stores get a chance to stock them - I'll have one and will do a full report. The Noise is a very exciting kite as it's the first kite designed for 100% waves... It does look like a low aspect Octane or Rev 2 though...




Not really - it's too low aspect for racing - you need high aspect kites that fly much faster in a straight line. It will work of course - but there are better kites out there - Like the Ozone Edge - Cabrinha Crossbow etc - Slingshot don't really make a race kite yet - they will, but not for 2011. Maybe 2012.

Rhys,
Thank you for taking the time to write up such comprehensive and honest reviews.
Since there isn't much opportunity to test gear in my area, this sort of input is appreciated in a HUGE way.
Rorke

Rhys,

Nice job on the reviews. Could you please advise your thoughts on the RPM vs the Rally. I am an intermmediate rider and ride in the surf on a surfboard (50%) as well as some freestyle days on my twin tip learning freestle tricks and unhooked riding (50%).
Its my 3rd season in the sport. Last season was on a 2010 switchblade. I have demo'd the rally and liked it but interested in trying the rpm.

Cheers

I reckon the RPM might suit better... You spend a lot of time unhooked so the RPM wil; perform a heap better. Just remember you sacrifice a lot of relaunch ability and low end power when compared to a Rally - and the RPM is also very very VERY different in feel to a Switchblade.

The RPM is lighter, faster and lighter on the bar as well. Some people like it - others don't - when you ride one just be prepared for it to be different. Switchblade riders get used to a 'power through anything' kind of style, especially when unhooked - so you'll need to adjust. It might take 4-5 hours to really get used to an RPM, but if you stick in there it will come out on top for your situation.

Say you had an 9m and 12m Switchblade from 2010.
To get the same range with an RPM you'd probably go for a 14m and 10m.
Where as if you went for a Rally you'd need to go 12 and 8, but you would GAIN some low end (2-3 knots even), while keeping the same top end. and both would way faster to turn than the Switchblades were.

Got out on my 12mtr Rally today in gusty 12 to 18 knots. LOVE IT. Found it had more power, lighter bar, faster and eazier relaunch and self land than 09 switchy. Had a ball. Thought it flew further fwd and pointed high. Cant wait till tomorrow.

The Rally bar set up is the same as the Octane and RPM of last year and i haven't had a problem with any so far. I think the test/review posted here was maybe an isolated incident where the safety didn't work or they had a twist or something in the line. The swivel is ok, you have to keep them clean and free from sand or they do get sticky but i found with the Octane if you sprayed a little lanolin spray on them they work a lot better. I have found the below bar trim on the rally a little easier to use on the fly than the Octane. I think the design is a little different on the cleat which allows you to release the trim line without pulling it as hard as last year.

10/14 for sure

Had a blast on the Rally in around 18-23 knots last week.

Straight out of the bag, felt really good .. I'm 90kg, and it was a little underpowered, but yeah .. gotta love small kites .. the Rally zipped around in the sky and was incredibly responsive. Bit of sine wave action, and I was up and away. I'm usually a wave dude, but lack of swell meant some twin tip action.

Could have done with a bit more wind to test it out, as it would be a "high wind" kite for me. However, the kite felt so good, I didn't want to come in, as was the case with another guy who tried out the kite after me.

I like the depower on these, similar design as Naish / Airush smart loop, where you have a cleat just above your bar.

Also liked how it's a real "meat 'n potatoes" kite .. simple bar, simple to rig, simple to use. It feels so straight forward. Shweet!

It easy to see how you would have a ball flying this kite.

Oh .. and the Rally trucks upwind!

Had the Rallys for a couple of weeks now. Got them all 6m-14m. I've had a go on all but the 6m. The 8m/10m are a blast in the surf when its cranking. They fly upwind really well and are easy to park and ride when you're on a wave. They generate a lot of power when loading up for boosting and the hang time is up there with the best I've had.

I was really surprised with how good the 12m was. I got the 14m as the light wind kite but I think I could almost get away with the 12m as the big kite as they are pretty fast and have good low end grunt. My only concern with these kites was all the talk about the great low end, as I thought this might mean poor top end but they depower really well and have nearly the same top end as the same RPM size for each kite. Having said that I have had a lot of fun on a couple light days on the 14m which pulls like a truck. Can't wipe the grin from my face [:D



Have to agree with many reviews that say the Rally is a great all round kite. It is great for waves, boosting and even kiteloops well. Haven't done much unhooked riding but will do more with more consistent winds.

RALLY or RPM for waveriding? I own 8, 10, 12 Rally's, and have used RPMs enough to make reasonable comments on how they both go for riding waves. Firstly RHYS's comments earlier are spot-on (well done). The Rally's do have more low-end than the RPMs, but I would not think it is quite a full size in difference (eg. 12 RPM still has a little more low-end than 10 Rally). I am very happy with my Rallys for all the reasons mentioned by Rhys, but thought a few comments on the differences to RPMs may help some trying to choose between the two. The main differences are:
RPM "sits" better, which means it will follow you down the line better (whether unhooked or hooked).
Rally has better low end and more de-power, and is a little quicker to turn.
To help make your choice (for waveriding) if you tend to sit the kite and then initiate your bottom turn the RPM is probably best for you, but if you turn your kite back the other way when you bottom turn you will probably find the Rally more suited!
Other things to consider are:
RPM probably better suited if you also ride freestyle fairly often (unless you are new to the sport and the Rally will make life easier due to more depower and easier relaunch).
Rally can cover a bigger range with less kites due to its low-end power and good depower, and as mentioned above it is very forgiving and easy to use.