Upgrades to Slingshot bar video

K2 · Since 30 Apr 2009 274 Posts Hood River, OR Obsessed

Hey everybody! Slingshot just released a new video explaining some things about the new bar we are coming out with and I wanted to share with you. I'm pretty excited about how it's easier to adjust your trim line on the new bar. They did some improvements on the mechanics of that. I also just think it looks cooler than ever too!

A really awesome kiteboarding bar is about to get even better!

Check out the new video on the home page of our new website here!

http://www.slingshotsports.com/

Cheers! Razz

Jonpnw · Wed Jun 26, 13 10:24 am

Stoked !

Thanks for sharing

Windian · Since 28 Apr 2008 901 Posts Newport, OR NEWPORT OG

Couldn't focus on the new bar features as my eyes were fixed on the candy instead. I got to watch it again and really concentrate on the bar.

Twisted Evil

Nak · Wed Jun 26, 13 1:12 pm

Very cool!

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2102 Posts PNW Bigfoot

Industry section please. Glad to see SS is progressing.

The minnow · Since 26 Jan 2009 395 Posts argentina Obsessed

I have been using these bars for years, and its all lies.
First if you where ever in a true emergency, and try to pull your depower you end up ejecting, and end up flagged out on your leash.
Once you go through and try other brands and set ups you may like others better.
the slingshot bar is very good, but it still has a long way to go.
push eject is bad with under the bar depower it forces you to eject because depower is not deployable.
Go head say what you want but remember I am a test monkey for more than one company,<and I test riggs harder than anyone I ever saw><eject and swim> and they all stink bad, just pick the one, that stinky smell you like.
Tiered of hype. Being put down, and explained too.
The secret agent.

Nak · Sun Jun 30, 13 12:43 am

Sorry DP, I can't agree with you here. You as an individual may be having problems with either a defective bar or improper technique. I'm having a hard time visualizing how pulling on the depower strap will activate a push release safety? I'm not saying I doubt you, I'm just saying something is causing this problem. Maybe you're actually trying to push on the rope handle because of the angle between your arm and trim rope? i.e. Trying to get the rope to feed through the mechanism in a 180 degree loop? I'm not sure even that would cause your issue, but it's the only possibility I can think of. I'll have to play with one of my bars and see if I can re-create the problem. Do you have an early version of the bar? I know there were some issues with the release handle (the butter box) initially, but Slingshot will send you a new one for the asking if you have the old one. At least they were last time anyone I know asked... (I personally don't know what the issues were that initiated the new design.) Of course we're talking early 2010 bars that are long out of warranty by now. But it's still worth asking; SS has always had outstanding customer service.

The new bar obviously addresses one weakness of the bar; it can be difficult for some people to pull the depower out if it is at the fully powered position. The current bar has a small grip on the depower strap when fully powered. The new bar looks to be quite improved in that area. All that said, it's pretty darn easy to modify the current bar to fix that issue.

I do modify my SS bars; I like my setup better. I splice up a dual layer rope and add a big grip for the trim rope. Takes about 12' of 1/8" Amsteel ( $3 ) and 2.5" of Polyurethane tubing. ( $0 .10 ) It takes maybe 15 minutes of my time to do. 30 minutes if I'm slow. But big deal, people buy brand new $100,000 sports cars and modify them as well. Different strokes for different folks as they say. (I seriously doubt there's a kite on the market that I wouldn't end up tweaking just a bit to make it fit me just right... Very Happy

) Why do I mod the bar? The dual layer setup wears like iron. My most used bar is a 2010 SS compstick. Heavy use on the depower line for over 3 years now. Very minimal wear. Maybe I'll replace it in another 3 years or so. A heavily used line on another bar that I've only been using a year now still looks brand new. And if the outer layer ever does break from wear, I'd just ride back to the launch with the inner layer. Hell, depending on where the break was, I'd probably finish my session first. Also the dual layer line feeds better than single layer amsteel. (It stays round instead of deforming.) That and the large grip completely eliminates the difficulty in pulling the depower strap from the fully powered position. When I was in to cars, I hot rodded cars. Now that I'm in to kites, well you get the idea. The nice thing about the kites is there is so little you need to do compared to a car.

I completely disagree with your statement that a push release is bad with under the bar depower. Push release has pretty much become the industry standard for some very good reasons. A pull release would be a huge step backwards, IMHO. Maybe you weren't around when pull releases were common? I remember my 2004 fuel falling back into the hot zone, knowing what was going to happen and not able to do shit about it because of the pull release... Just standing there knowing you were about to take a beat down... No, I have no desire to go back to those days.

I'm not putting you down DP, I'm just saying.

lewmt · Since 04 Aug 2010 182 Posts MT Stoked

Still no colored lines? Evil or Very Mad

The minnow · Since 26 Jan 2009 395 Posts argentina Obsessed

I only refer to a true emergency .
In a true emergency it just does not give you time to pull depower.
Several times I ejected because fully power their is nothing to leverage against.
with a over the bar set up you may hold the depower in a way you can not with the under.
It is my fault because jerking on the depower maybe I grip the eject trying franticly.
sure its wrong but its a emergency. Its that really pilot airier is the cause.
D>P>

Nak · Mon Jul 01, 13 3:46 pm

OK, I understand I think. Two things. First, it really looks like Slingy has addressed that issue with the new bar. Second, why are you reaching for the depower rope in an emergency? Why not just push the bar out? Is your stopper ball way in? Try riding with it just far enough in so you can grab the bar if you let go during a crash.