Machine 17.5: The first thing I noticed about this kite was how fast the turning speed was; the kite is very slippery through the air. It loves apparent wind. We had proof of how well the kites work numerous times during events when the last guys to come in when the wind is dieing off are the people on machines. If I can feel something on my face the kite will fly. One of the toughest things in light wind is to keep the kite flying on the upstroke. Most kites that I have flown in light wind will collapse inward and fall to the ground. The reason for this is because turbulence forms on the back side of the kite. The Machine has flex battens that allow a clean release from the trailing edge. The kite has never collapsed in any wind.
The Fuels in one word ROCK! I have said it before about my 13; I’ve never had so much fun or confidence. Both my 9 and 13 are very well behaved for such a high performance kite. The kites have had 7 years of refining done to them. The 9 is very close to last year. The 13 is much quicker and has more pop and range. Only big improvements to a kite that many people raved about last year. Slingshot construction is the benchmark for the rest of the industry.
The new 06 bar is one of the best on the market. It is surprisingly clean and simple for how much tuning ability the rider has. The new bar has a center dugout; this makes for less bar pressure. I would suggest anybody that wants to run a fifth line to add a cleat on any bar, it adds range on both ends to the kite. The only modification I did was use a smaller bolt for the stopper ball. The stopper ball bolt rubs the texture off bar around the dugout. There is no structural damage, it's just cosmetic.
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