Hi RyGo, First gotta say had fun riding together with you last winter at Skyway. My question would be since this review is made when Slingshot already had the Ghost and Machine LW, why not making the Review on those 2 kites which would be the better choice. What would be your Review and personal feedback on: Ghost V2 > 17m vs. Machine LW V2 > 17m Thanks in advance !!
Thanks RyGo. I'd been waiting for this one. My question/analysis (purely for twin-tip riding): - So the grunty 5-strut kites become too much to handle once the wind picks up. - The 1-strut kites do not have enough grunt/pull all the time for TT. So why not go for the sweet spot in between... Of playful LW-specific 3-strut kites (in their large sizes). Like the Eleveight RS 17m or North Reach 17m. You yourself had great videos and comments about these 2 kites in their large 17m sizes!!!
@Ryan Goloversic I agree with the coment above. Slingshot is the last one making 5 struts light wind kite. The Juice, Contra and Flite are all 3 struts now. I think the Turbine could really benefit having 3 struts especially with these new material such as Aluula, Penta tx....
I've only used my 17m Ghost a few times as I'm usually out on a 17m Contra. The Ghost sure ain't light, with a 4x4 canopy, but the up side of that is it's solid in the air. The wind range is huge as I've been out on it when other's are on twelve's [I'm 88kg]. Quicker steering than other high aspect 17's [ excluding D-lab ]. Light bar pressure is really nice. Sit's back in the wind window so it drifts. Fun to freeride, but don't expect to boost and hang around, waiting to come down..
Thanks for comparing the 15 m ghost to the 17 m turbine. That really targeted my current question. I have a 15 m ghost, and agree that it is quick and fun, but the sense I had is that it wasn't much of a step up from my 12-meter slingshot rally. I bought it for a lighter win days, and once it was powerful enough to ride, I had to ask myself if the 12 m wouldn't be working anyway. Meanwhile a buddy of mine is willing to sell his 17 m turbine, rich I flew one time and super light winds, and found it incredible. I haven't had much chance to talk to anybody about my impressions of the ghost, so I wonder what you think of that conclusion. Specifically, that it doesn't add much more low-end compared to a 12 m rally. Thanks for your videos and your thoughts! Mike.
Slingshot hasn't changed the large Turbine since they introduced it. Back in the day it was the best LW kite. But by today's standards it's heavy and slow.
Actually, they have changed it rather dramatically. Until 2013 it was a three strut kite with thin bladders. My 2012 17m weighs a pound less than my--now sold--2019 17m Turbine. I'm not sure why they changed it, as the 2012 is superior to the later Turbines in all respects. Of course now they have gone to the Machine LW instead of the Turbine, which is almost as light as my 2012 Turbine.
I read so many good reviews on the turbine . Than found a good deal on a 2019 13m turbine and absolutely hated that kite! Heavy bar pressure, slower turning speeds, doesn’t loop worth a crap , even riding fully powered up its jumping abilities were all garbage . Only decent thing was it did go upwind pretty decent . In my opinion go with a switchblade for heavy winds and contra for light wind sessions.
Hi Rygo, good unbiased video. Well done. I'm about your size, love riding boots but have boards for light winds too like a SS Tyrant. What is your preferred range on 17m Turbine? The true fun zone sweet spot you'd like to ride in. Thanks in advance and keep up the good work.
I’m probably what you could say intermediate for kite foil and I’m about 191 lbs. 10m is my choice single strut size. Not too small not too big. You could start on something bigger to make it easier but 10 is more fun. I’ll get Tucker to chime in on this one too. He’s 100 foil these days. - Rygo
I had a 2017 turbine11m and it was no litewind kite. Although I could ride it to under 10 knots it was just too much of a performance kite. Never flew a ghost but have solos, I'd say probably similar performance. Solos are low end grunty but when they get to their upper limit you want to be off of them. Very hard to control. Don't know if you did ufo vs ghost? Looking for a litewind kite for Foiling. Been using a 15.5 solo in sub 7 knot winds.
Hi RyGo,
First gotta say had fun riding together with you last winter at Skyway.
My question would be since this review is made when Slingshot already had the Ghost and Machine LW, why not making the Review on those 2 kites which would be the better choice.
What would be your Review and personal feedback on:
Ghost V2 > 17m vs. Machine LW V2 > 17m
Thanks in advance !!
Thanks RyGo. I'd been waiting for this one. My question/analysis (purely for twin-tip riding):
- So the grunty 5-strut kites become too much to handle once the wind picks up.
- The 1-strut kites do not have enough grunt/pull all the time for TT.
So why not go for the sweet spot in between... Of playful LW-specific 3-strut kites (in their large sizes). Like the Eleveight RS 17m or North Reach 17m.
You yourself had great videos and comments about these 2 kites in their large 17m sizes!!!
@Ryan Goloversic I agree with the coment above. Slingshot is the last one making 5 struts light wind kite. The Juice, Contra and Flite are all 3 struts now. I think the Turbine could really benefit having 3 struts especially with these new material such as Aluula, Penta tx....
I've only used my 17m Ghost a few times as I'm usually out on a 17m Contra. The Ghost sure ain't light, with a 4x4 canopy, but the up side of that is it's solid in the air. The wind range is huge as I've been out on it when other's are on twelve's [I'm 88kg]. Quicker steering than other high aspect 17's [ excluding D-lab ]. Light bar pressure is really nice. Sit's back in the wind window so it drifts. Fun to freeride, but don't expect to boost and hang around, waiting to come down..
Thanks for comparing the 15 m ghost to the 17 m turbine. That really targeted my current question. I have a 15 m ghost, and agree that it is quick and fun, but the sense I had is that it wasn't much of a step up from my 12-meter slingshot rally. I bought it for a lighter win days, and once it was powerful enough to ride, I had to ask myself if the 12 m wouldn't be working anyway. Meanwhile a buddy of mine is willing to sell his 17 m turbine, rich I flew one time and super light winds, and found it incredible. I haven't had much chance to talk to anybody about my impressions of the ghost, so I wonder what you think of that conclusion. Specifically, that it doesn't add much more low-end compared to a 12 m rally. Thanks for your videos and your thoughts! Mike.
Slingshot hasn't changed the large Turbine since they introduced it. Back in the day it was the best LW kite. But by today's standards it's heavy and slow.
Yep! I believe they have phased it out since this video. - Rygo
Actually, they have changed it rather dramatically. Until 2013 it was a three strut kite with thin bladders. My 2012 17m weighs a pound less than my--now sold--2019 17m Turbine. I'm not sure why they changed it, as the 2012 is superior to the later Turbines in all respects. Of course now they have gone to the Machine LW instead of the Turbine, which is almost as light as my 2012 Turbine.
I read so many good reviews on the turbine . Than found a good deal on a 2019 13m turbine and absolutely hated that kite! Heavy bar pressure, slower turning speeds, doesn’t loop worth a crap , even riding fully powered up its jumping abilities were all garbage . Only decent thing was it did go upwind pretty decent . In my opinion go with a switchblade for heavy winds and contra for light wind sessions.
Thank you for sharing your experience, my friend. 🤙🏽 Good winds to you. -Aaron
Hi Rygo, good unbiased video. Well done.
I'm about your size, love riding boots but have boards for light winds too like a SS Tyrant.
What is your preferred range on 17m Turbine? The true fun zone sweet spot you'd like to ride in.
Thanks in advance and keep up the good work.
@Ryan Goloversic we get a lot of 10-12 knots days, Im getting the 17m for TT for low tide days where foil can't be used.
Thanks.
It would be great to have subtitles in Spanish, good video as always. A greeting and good wind.
Great reviews! What size ghost would you recommend for someone 190 lbs looking to foil (beginner) in light conditions (e.g., 9+ knts). Thanks!
I’m probably what you could say intermediate for kite foil and I’m about 191 lbs. 10m is my choice single strut size. Not too small not too big. You could start on something bigger to make it easier but 10 is more fun. I’ll get Tucker to chime in on this one too. He’s 100 foil these days. - Rygo
I had a 2017 turbine11m and it was no litewind kite.
Although I could ride it to under 10 knots it was just too much of a performance kite.
Never flew a ghost but have solos, I'd say probably similar performance.
Solos are low end grunty but when they get to their upper limit you want to be off of them. Very hard to control.
Don't know if you did ufo vs ghost? Looking for a litewind kite for Foiling.
Been using a 15.5 solo in sub 7 knot winds.
Light wind foiling choose the 11m UFO.