Slingshot RPM 2017 review

Rider: 75kg ,Level Advanced
Style: Wake, Freestyle
Weather: 12-30knots
Build Quality: 10/10 tough as nails!
Satisfaction: very very happy
Disclosure: Team slingshot (but I'll be truthfully and no ones pimp)

This is the first time Iv owned an RPM, had a little fly in a past, but nothing to really get the feel.
Iv been on the 12m and 9m all week, from extreme light wind to scary 30knote nite session.

The first time I pumped it up, it blew my mind how open C the shape is. Sitting on the beach it spreads its tips out quite far. As Iv been use to C kites for so long.
In the air it is lovely, it's bar pressure is perfect for me on the heaviest setting, firm with plenty of feedback.

Build quality: I think this as always a stupid question on reviews because most kites people are reviewing are brand new and you can't tell if it's going to last.
Well I can tell you this kite can take a beating. I had a slight kitemare when the 9m got looped into a building then stuck in a tree in 30knots. This kite came out with not even a scratch, I thought for sure it would have died! (No one other then myself was injured haha).

The bottom end on the 12m for me was a little disappointing at first but in the end it's not a light wind kite. To get going and have a good time I really need 17-18knots, however I did have a good time today in 13knots playing in the runout tide 4.3m - 0.3m, so there was at least 5knots of tide.
On there chart is recommends 15knots is optimal, but in that wind anything you do the kite has some serious backstall.

The best thing for me about the RPM is the stability, i'm not sure why it's so stable, but unhooked it is rock solid. Usually I have to split the bar when doing a handle pass but this kite won't drift up or down when passing the bar, this gos for both 12 and 9m. So for someone learning there first railey to bind, this will help a ton!

Freestyle in the flats!!!!
As mentioned above this kite is so dam stable, but what else that makes this kite wonderful for freestyle is the pop. It's not a "pop and drop" feel that you get with hardcore c kites, where you get your arms pulled off and get slack for days, it's a little more gentle with more travel in the pop, much less slack but that's ok because it just feels good.

Booting and loops.
Transfering the travel you get with the pop in freestyle is the same with boots. Boots are definitely more floaty the a full C kite, with less rip off the water. Therefore jumps are more controlled but get some absolutely big height with minimal effort.
Loops, hooked in and unhooked: i was shocked at first at how much power it holds in the loops, my last few kites haven't held much power in the loops so i was pleasantly surprised to get a nice big yank. I guess it's those big fat wingtips that hold that power. The 9m caught me most of the time in 20 -25knots. I only tried this on the heavy bar pressure setting so on the light it would most likely loop quicker and catch you 100% of the time.
Unhooked loops have been a little let down, just from the fact that you got to hook back it really fast otherwise it will backstall out of the sky, but then again I probably just need more wind and trim the kite.

RPM's are going to be my everything kite this season from competition freestyle to rails and playing on skimboards in the waves.
Overall this kite gives you an instant smile and would definitely recommend this kite to just about everyone.
I think the RPM is one of those kites that everyone should try at least once.

I hope my honest review of the 2017 RPM helps with any uncertainty you had with these kites. Any questions just ask.

Regards Elliot.

Nice review man, pertinent information well presented. Could follow what the benfefits were Easily. Only flown a few RPMs in my time for a small amount of time but probably one of the most exquisite 'feel's at the bar hey. Nice kite.

Was the RPM an easy choice of kite over the Fuel for the riding you do?
And your kookslam sounds interesting. Ahaha.

The only downside of RPM is boosting. Its just not made for it :( other than that its GREAT :)

Hey Ian,
I have RPM 2014 for several seasons now and no matter what i do it does not lift as good as for example Torch. In same conditions same size i can boost few meters higher on Torch them on RPM. Other then that i love RPM's.

Turns out the pigtails I had on the wakestyle was the wrong length, definitely fixed the backstall

Had RPMs in 2014. Good do it all, great feel at the bar and for a bridled kite actually not bad for unhooked. Agree though that boosting and lowend are definitely not the best.