Demo dem Rally's

[Tighe]

Unfortunately the new 2011 Slingshot Rallys we had hoped were going to be here for the Mille Lacs Challenge will need to be at another event next weekend. So... Slingshot has shipped them out this week for a few demo sessions. Laura Maher and a few of the team riders will be getting them into people's hands over the next few days. Come out and check em out. Right now it looks like Ramsey will be the call for tomorrow and Mille/Malmo on Saturday.

Randy and I have been flying ours for about a week. With 3-4 sessions under our belts we're pretty stoked. Randy was boosting higher than I've seen him boost ever before last Monday on Superior, looking very comfortable. I am loving the feel in the monster winds and in the waves. Last Friday at Father Hennepin I tagged a dozen slashes on one wave, with the Rally just dancing with me the whole way. Like any good dance partner, she just moved with me so fluidly.

As always, feeling is believing. Check them out for yourselves.

[JRN]

YOU GUYS WERE LOOKING REALLY SMOOTH on your matching Rallys. At one point you were both on the same heading with the sun shining through them which looked cool! I was interested to see how they had managed to eliminate the pulleys on the bridle, but I'm still not sure I understand. Hope they sell a truckload.

[Reds]

I' am ready for my chance to try. I'll be at Ramsey in the AM with the first wisp of wind. If the Ralleys get there before noon I'll be ready.

[Perry Pearson]

How is that Rally with a Doyle board? I want some surf curve in a twin tip to gybe on top in rumply water.Especial for it is too cold.
17 -23 HERE TODAY 110 degree, 67 degree Fahrenheit water, Flying 10m Best Bularoo &11m. Oz C4 & 12m. SS 12 RPM
Perry

[peterrib]

How does the Rally compare to the Octane? I'm still looking to replace the rest of my T2s.
Peter

[RandyL]

Peter, I have about five or six hours on my new 12 & 14 Rally in varying conditions, most of which was on Superior last Monday. I’m really pleased with the kite and how it performs; it does exactly what I want it to. It seems to be more stable than my Octane, and still very fast. As Tighe mentioned previously it seems to boost huge, is very floaty and is completely under control. I know this review sounds cliché, but you really should try and demo a new Rally. I’m not smart enough to know why one kite design is better than another, but this kite feels like a WINNER! (The Octane has been by far my favorite kite over the last year and if you visit the classifieds you just might find a 13m for sale)

[peterrib]

Randy, Thanks for the info. I've got a 13 Octane and am looking to replace my 7, 9,&11 T2s.

[RandyL]

I knew you were flying the 13m Octane and like it, and again I know it sounds old hat, but so far I think the Rally combines the best of the Octanes & Turbos, all in to one kite. I really encourage you guys to try them over the next couple days, or anytime you see me at the beach to see if you agree.

[JRN]

THANKS TO LAURA FOR BRINGING THE RALLIES TO THE RALLY RALLY! Also, for letting us try them out. I demoed the 14, and was surprised at it smoothness, especially when recovering after a lull. I am used to getting quite a tug when the wind fills back in after a lull, but the Rally just dipped momentarily, & then went right back to work without any jerkiness. I think that was the feature I appreciated the most. Now if I could just figure out what they did with the pulleys.

[Denis]

For those who didn't get a chance to ride them, there's another chance at Malmo tomorrow.

The winds today were a little punchy on White Bear, but the kite responded well. The turns are tighter than on my Fuel. I typically get a single loop when doing a downloop after a jump, but the Rally had about one and a half. So, when you jump with the kite keep in mind that the timing will be a little different.

Riding unhooked on it was smooth and consistent. You get a lot of control over the kite's angle of attack, so when I unhook it seems like the kite sits quite a bit further back in the window where it develops more power, but is more consistent.

I only rode the 12m today and it flew like a big kite. The amount of power developed was a little unexpected. That's a good thing, but with today's winds I might have been better on the 10. If you ride it tomorrow, don't pull in the trim strap all the way. I would let out at least 2 inches on the trim, otherwise the control at the bar will feel a little loose.

[Dean Rizer]

I rode the TD3 14 and Rally 14 back to back last Friday at Ramsey. Winds were 8 to mid 20s/ gusty. I rode my largest board a Spleen Session 141. The set up was easy and the bar and QR seemed well designed, safe. The Rally has some low end but not like the TD3. I didn't change the settings so I don't know if there is more there. I thought the Rally turned faster than the TD14, definitely generating more aparent wind. I had difficulty handling the bigger gusts when the bar was totally sheeted out. I had the same problem with Fuels and Revs. A bad habit from riding bows for 5 years is that I have never needed to control power by edging. I'm guessing that a change in my technique could make me more comfortable in over powered conditions on the Rally. .
My biggest surprise came when I jumped. I sent the kite from about 11:30 and edged hard. I immediately went VERY high, VERY fast and I felt like I was floating. The process was effortless. The glide down was smooth. The TD 14 produces great floaty jumps but the take off seems lumbering compaired to the Rally. I don't do anything unhooked but I am working on backrolls and spins. I'm guessing the Rally would give all the altitude I need for those tricks. I'd like to try a smaller Rally. The 11 TD3 has been my favorite, huge range, great for our gusty conditions. If you are a Turbo rider and want to surprise yourself, jump the Rally!

[Denis]

I had a chance to ride the 10 yesterday and it worked well for me, much better than the 12 the previous day. Might be some of the wind conditions between Malmo and Ramsey too.

I agree with Dean that the Rally jumps well with the amount of power it develops. The air time and turning speed caught me a little off guard actually. I came out of a jump looking at a really low kite with me 10 ft in the air. It corrected really fast though and the crash was mostly averted.

While it's possible to go unhooked with the Rally, the difference in power from riding hooked-in is a bit large. I think that the RPM and the Fuel are better suited for that.

I had a nice surf board session with it. The kite was really well behaved, even when I was going straight at it riding a waves. The waves on the South Side of Malmo were not that big, so I'll have to try it in bigger surf to see how it responds.

Overall, I think that the Rally is a pretty good kite, especially if you come from riding a T3. The reverse relaunch is very easy, even after losing the bar. The jumps are very good, just watch the oversteering on the way down. The kite size is going to depend on the wind, but the 10m yesterday worked very well for me.