Good review. I weigh 220lbs and moved to Jacksonville, Fl in 2017. Found there is a pretty bad wind situation here. I wanted as big a kite as I could get to take advantage of those light wind days. I have a 21meter Flysurfer , but the wind at the local kite spot is often super gusty and that foil kite would quickly collapse and then repower with disastrous results. So I bought a clearance 2016 Slingshot Turbine 17m from you guys last December. I was really not liking it for a while because it seemed like if the thing had enough power to stay aloft, i was overpowered. I finally got smart and put some extensions on the rear lines and I am quickly growing fond of it. I am still super respectful of the power this thing generates. I rented a 17m Ozone Zephyr a couple years ago and don't remember it scaring me like this Turbine has. Now that i am finding the right line adjustment I am able to do downloop transitions ( which is a non-starter with a 21m Flysurfer ) and it does have some crazy lift i am still getting used to. I find I really have to throttle my pulls doing rotational transitions. If not, the Turbine will insist you make a 720 out of that 360 whether you want to or not ! Good to hear that the Turbine beats the Contra in low end grunt. In my situation that is king.
i bought the Contra'18 with 13m² before my last trip. Man am i Impressed. As a very light (65kg) rider my problem with older Kites or straight upscaled Kites in that size was, that i would have a very small wind range between the point where the kite would relaunch properly an the point where I became overpowered. The Contra is a Masterpiece regarding windrange - i could fly it from around 9 knots to around 20kn and still felt comfortable in the choppy water that day. The Kite was even set on maximum Power... i think maybe another 2-4 knots of windrange would be ok to handle. on days with chaning conditions i guarantee you will be one of the few riders staying out in the water, while others switch kites. The 13m² turns really good - feels like a smaller kite.
I just bought a used 2018 contra 13m even though my 195lbs would suggest a larger kite. I noticed that most of the kite is wrinkled in a strange way. The first panel inward from the side struts are perfectly smooth, but every panel inward from that is wrinkles across the width in every panel from the front to the back. I have noticed some other contras have small areas of wrinkles, but this entire kite in the described area has wrinkles that look like it was sown incorrectly. These are repetitive in every single panel and not the occaisonal creases and this is NOT the luffing from when the bar is not pulled in enough. Ideas? I would expect this to really slow down the kite when in a dive or climbing and do notice that at the end of the power stroke all the way down in light wind when it is turning hard with the bar all the way, part of the canopy is luffing. I find that surprising but maybe this kite works that way? I did check the bar tune.
@@MACkiteboarding Thanks for your reply. The kite has barely been used, it is almost in brand new condition. The "bagged out" I am talking about is the luffing when the bar is not pulled in enough. I don't understand why that happens when I dive the kite and am turning it. Something is off with the kite but I haven't found anything on-line about wrinkles. It looks to me like the kite it not made correctly. I bought it from a store and may be able to return it, not sure. The bagging out seemed like a tuning issues (the wind was light and the kite didn't back-stall when I pulled the bar all the way in, so suggests the tuning wasn't right even though I checked the bar runing and knots.) My big concern is the almost completely wrinkled canopy (that is not the bagged out part). The wrinkles run across the kite, so it should be slowing the kite down a lot when it is going fast. I have only used it once and it was in light wind.
@@jackfeder8484 Gotcha. You might try taking photos of the issue and serial number to submit for warranty if it's been less than a year since you purchased it.
@@MACkiteboarding Thanks for the advice. I purchased it used but from a store, so they took it back (for store credit). That is OK as I have purchased much from that store for the last two decades. (not kiting but other things). I flew it with short lines in a field in light wind to look at the problem. As soon as there is some slight tension in the canopy, the canopy material looks like fabric that is stretched in one dimension only. I don't know if it would have impacted the kite's performance or longevity, but since it would have been my go-to kite for here (Toronto) always seeing that would have impacted my enjoyment, so back it went. I appreciate your response - thanks for your help. Maybe someone messed with the bridle or the fabric was cut a little wrong, but I don't have it anymore. P.S. comparing different kites meant for the same market segment really is informative.
Hey Rygo, which of these 2 would you suggest for a beginner? I was thinking more of Contra because of the ease-of-use. The fact that Turbine sits so much upwind, also makes it tougher to always maintain speed. I took snowkite lesson on 17m Turbine, great re-launch and everything but was dropping way into the edge and had to struggle a little bit maintaining a good speed as wind was falling and picking up. Flew Contra sometime last year on the water during a lesson. Loved the light feel of it, and how it was "sineable" more than the TUrbine. Of course, I was on 15m Contra versus 17m, and also I was still not up and riding then and very initial stages of learning, like body-dragging and learning waterstarts.
Either kite would be great for a beginner. If you were snowkiting with the Turbine there is a good chance you were riding somewhere with inconsistent wind so don't let that be your barometer for the kite. It's just another element of snowkiting. It sounds like you liked to Contra more to me. Pick your size based on your weight. If you're at or under 77 kg go for a 15m. If you're heavier you'll want a 17. Hope that helps! - Rygo
I tested the 15 meter 2018 turbine today in about 21 knots of wind. I noticed the kite after jumping really glides downwind a lot. Is this the kite or my technique and timing is off?
If you're not getting much height consistently it could be technique. If you're getting good air with a lofty kite like this, you will go way downwind. The longer you're up in the air, the further you'll go. - Rygo
Excellent comparison presentation. Very informative.
Good review. I weigh 220lbs and moved to Jacksonville, Fl in 2017. Found there is a pretty bad wind situation here. I wanted as big a kite as I could get to take advantage of those light wind days. I have a 21meter Flysurfer , but the wind at the local kite spot is often super gusty and that foil kite would quickly collapse and then repower with disastrous results. So I bought a clearance 2016 Slingshot Turbine 17m from you guys last December. I was really not liking it for a while because it seemed like if the thing had enough power to stay aloft, i was overpowered. I finally got smart and put some extensions on the rear lines and I am quickly growing fond of it. I am still super respectful of the power this thing generates. I rented a 17m Ozone Zephyr a couple years ago and don't remember it scaring me like this Turbine has. Now that i am finding the right line adjustment I am able to do downloop transitions ( which is a non-starter with a 21m Flysurfer ) and it does have some crazy lift i am still getting used to. I find I really have to throttle my pulls doing rotational transitions. If not, the Turbine will insist you make a 720 out of that 360 whether you want to or not ! Good to hear that the Turbine beats the Contra in low end grunt. In my situation that is king.
Another great and very informative vid! Thank you! :)
Thank you for your kind words, Sara. 🤙🏽 We sincerely appreciate you sharing the stoke with us. -Aaron
I have a 17m Contra and 15m Turbine. Your versus review of both kites is pretty spot on...nice job!
I also forgot to mention that I also use the 14m FX in steady light wind as well...just depends on the conditions and where I'm riding.
Todd Melinn Thanks for the affirmation my friend! - Rygo
Nice! You're using the same kites as Tucker. Good choice.
i bought the Contra'18 with 13m² before my last trip. Man am i Impressed. As a very light (65kg) rider my problem with older Kites or straight upscaled Kites in that size was, that i would have a very small wind range between the point where the kite would relaunch properly an the point where I became overpowered. The Contra is a Masterpiece regarding windrange - i could fly it from around 9 knots to around 20kn and still felt comfortable in the choppy water that day. The Kite was even set on maximum Power... i think maybe another 2-4 knots of windrange would be ok to handle. on days with chaning conditions i guarantee you will be one of the few riders staying out in the water, while others switch kites. The 13m² turns really good - feels like a smaller kite.
Thanks for the comparison! Going to go with the Contra! Surprised you didn't mention impact of board sizes with light wind kites :S
I know you guys don't sell it, but I love my Ocean Rodeo flite!
dpwild328 It would be fun if we had it all. Thanks for the comment my friend. - Rygo
good review guys!!!!!!
Great Review! Keep up the good work!
Ryan Lee Cheers! - Rygo
Great videos. Thanks you. Would appreciate a video on the turbine vs the juice if able.
Now that, I can do. I'm adding it to my list. - Rygo
I just bought a used 2018 contra 13m even though my 195lbs would suggest a larger kite. I noticed that most of the kite is wrinkled in a strange way. The first panel inward from the side struts are perfectly smooth, but every panel inward from that is wrinkles across the width in every panel from the front to the back. I have noticed some other contras have small areas of wrinkles, but this entire kite in the described area has wrinkles that look like it was sown incorrectly. These are repetitive in every single panel and not the occaisonal creases and this is NOT the luffing from when the bar is not pulled in enough.
Ideas? I would expect this to really slow down the kite when in a dive or climbing and do notice that at the end of the power stroke all the way down in light wind when it is turning hard with the bar all the way, part of the canopy is luffing. I find that surprising but maybe this kite works that way? I did check the bar tune.
Hard to say Jack, What bar are you using with it? Could just be that the canopy is "bagged out" after a couple of years of hard use.
-Tucker
@@MACkiteboarding Thanks for your reply. The kite has barely been used, it is almost in brand new condition. The "bagged out" I am talking about is the luffing when the bar is not pulled in enough. I don't understand why that happens when I dive the kite and am turning it. Something is off with the kite but I haven't found anything on-line about wrinkles. It looks to me like the kite it not made correctly. I bought it from a store and may be able to return it, not sure. The bagging out seemed like a tuning issues (the wind was light and the kite didn't back-stall when I pulled the bar all the way in, so suggests the tuning wasn't right even though I checked the bar runing and knots.)
My big concern is the almost completely wrinkled canopy (that is not the bagged out part). The wrinkles run across the kite, so it should be slowing the kite down a lot when it is going fast. I have only used it once and it was in light wind.
@@jackfeder8484 Gotcha. You might try taking photos of the issue and serial number to submit for warranty if it's been less than a year since you purchased it.
@@MACkiteboarding Thanks for the advice. I purchased it used but from a store, so they took it back (for store credit). That is OK as I have purchased much from that store for the last two decades. (not kiting but other things).
I flew it with short lines in a field in light wind to look at the problem. As soon as there is some slight tension in the canopy, the canopy material looks like fabric that is stretched in one dimension only. I don't know if it would have impacted the kite's performance or longevity, but since it would have been my go-to kite for here (Toronto) always seeing that would have impacted my enjoyment, so back it went. I appreciate your response - thanks for your help.
Maybe someone messed with the bridle or the fabric was cut a little wrong, but I don't have it anymore.
P.S. comparing different kites meant for the same market segment really is informative.
@MACkiteboarding, thanks for the wonderful videos!
Can you please compare Naish Pivot vs Cabrinha Switchblade of same year?
Peyman Mz. Cheers my friend! I'll add this to my list of videos to do. - Rygo
Thanks mate, that's wonderful :)
Hey Rygo, which of these 2 would you suggest for a beginner? I was thinking more of Contra because of the ease-of-use. The fact that Turbine sits so much upwind, also makes it tougher to always maintain speed. I took snowkite lesson on 17m Turbine, great re-launch and everything but was dropping way into the edge and had to struggle a little bit maintaining a good speed as wind was falling and picking up.
Flew Contra sometime last year on the water during a lesson. Loved the light feel of it, and how it was "sineable" more than the TUrbine. Of course, I was on 15m Contra versus 17m, and also I was still not up and riding then and very initial stages of learning, like body-dragging and learning waterstarts.
Either kite would be great for a beginner. If you were snowkiting with the Turbine there is a good chance you were riding somewhere with inconsistent wind so don't let that be your barometer for the kite. It's just another element of snowkiting. It sounds like you liked to Contra more to me. Pick your size based on your weight. If you're at or under 77 kg go for a 15m. If you're heavier you'll want a 17. Hope that helps! - Rygo
I tested the 15 meter 2018 turbine today in about 21 knots of wind. I noticed the kite after jumping really glides downwind a lot. Is this the kite or my technique and timing is off?
If you're not getting much height consistently it could be technique. If you're getting good air with a lofty kite like this, you will go way downwind. The longer you're up in the air, the further you'll go. - Rygo
I placed a 5th center line on both my 15M and 19M Turbines to quickly relaunch on the lighter days, and have not yet wrapped the lines
Aprilia RSVFour That's really clever. Nice work. - Rygo
Erwin Chiong That is awesome. I'm glad you've found them helpful! - Rygo
Where does the North Juice fit in this comparison?
Steve Hofsaess I'll follow up next Wednesday with that video. Good call. - Rygo