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Sizes Available: 2.5, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17m
Sizes Tested: 8, 10, 12, 15, 17m

Slingshot Says:

Introducing an all-NEW paranormal shape from Tony Logosz, the Ghost V1. Designed from the ground up to be light, simple, and insanely fun to fly, the Ghost is one of the most exciting new kites in our range. It’s an out of this world all around kite that has just one strut for incredible handling and steering precision for beginners, experts, and foilers alike. If you are looking for a lightweight ultra-simple kite to take your riding, foiling, or kite tricks to the next level, the Ghost is your friendly companion. The first size run for the Ghost will span from 2.5 all the way to a 17. It’s Compact swept C-shape design and segmented swept wingtip make water relaunch immediate and its wind range infinite.

Visit for more info: https://www.slingshotsports.com/Ghost-V1

TKB Says:

2020 is a big year for Slingshot with three new kite platforms being released with the most out of the box design being the single strut Ghost. The Ghost is being released in sizes 2.5 all the way up to a 17m and while the Turbine has traditionally been the SS go-to light wind kite, the Ghost’s casual freeride handling makes it a strong contender for the light wind prize. The construction on the ghost features Slingshot’s bomber ripstop, 4×4 Canopy Tech (the stiffest canopy on the market according to Slingshot), large diameter leading edge and beefy single strut with wingtips that feature a sparing use of dacron with the trailing edge utilizing a lighter dacron material and two EVA battens. The Ghost features a large diameter bayonet-style inflation valve that requires no nozzle on the end of your standard pump hose for a quick and easy pump up. When it comes time to deflate, there’s a standard dump valve that allows you to quickly deflate the kite without unthreading the bayonet valve. The Ghost comes with a single setting fixed bridle that doesn’t require any pulleys for changing the angle of attack. The front bridles end in loops and the wingtip pigtails end in knots, but the mini pigtail extensions can be swapped to facilitate connection with any bar. The wingtips offer a single attachment point to cut down on weight and makes for a truly set it and forget it, no fuss tuning kite.

At 17 meters large, the Ghost is a fascinating low-aspect take on a light wind kite with its squat canopy shape, thick diameter single strut airframe, swept LE and stubby wingtips. The first thing we noticed about the XL Ghost was its super comfortable lower bar pressure that delivered low-end grunt without inducing arm pump or exhaustion. The turning speed on the 17m was about what you would expect ””  aggressive inputs into the bar yield average turning speed, but the Ghost does like to spin on a dime which is very helpful for redirecting back into a power stroke. The power delivery along the throw is a little on and off, and not quite as linear a feel as what you get in the smaller sized Ghosts, and that’s likely because there’s a ton of canopy material. In terms of power, the Ghost gives you good pulling power that doesn’t require super active flying, but it also doesn’t have the potential to overwhelm you like higher aspect heavy pullers such as the Turbine, which makes for a bit more of a user-friendly light wind power source. Its robust airframe seems to deliver better canopy stability for a single strut, but it also doesn’t offer the same bar feedback you get from a Rally GT or Raptor. The solid depower that you get from the Ghost makes it an excellent option for foilboarding where heavy pulling is more of a liability, although, in the 17m size, this kite is more of a light wind twin tip platform rather than a common foilboarding size. We liked the Ghost’s steady pulling which required less aggressive flying and overall less attention and this may ultimately prove very helpful to beginner kiters venturing into the treacherous and less certain waters of light wind kiting as well as freeride cruisers looking for an even-keeled friend for light wind cruising.

Our Slingshot kites came with both the Compstick Guardian or Compstick Sentinel control bars. Both of these bars are fixed length bars that are available in three sizes: 17” width with 20m lines, a 20” width with 23m lines (3m ext), and a 23” width with 27m lines.

The Compstick Sentinel features above the bar power tuning with single centerline safety depower, a spectra sheeting/throw line with a sliding stopper, adjustable length throw, a tuning cleat power system with a toggle that uses a magnet to control excess tuning slack, and a low V. The inside lines end in knots and the outside lines end in loops. The Sentinel offers a sturdy quick release that integrates a below the bar hand swivel which also doubles as a quick-release guard. The quick-release handle locks in the open position and resetting is fairly straightforward simply place the end of the loop back into position and then depress a stainless steel tab that frees the release handle and locks the quick release back together. The Compstick is the only bar in our test that featured dual outside line OS handles with no adjustment for outside line length. The bar ends offer bungees for keeping the lines clean and the floats are separate from the bar ends. While testers liked the smaller diameter grip and raised volcano next to the insert which helps avoid pinched fingers, they also found the grip to be fairly dense with its thin rubber ridges along the handle that made for a very aggressive yet solid grip. The left side of the bar and the floats are a solid red color for very clear and obvious color-coding that is unmistakable.

The Compstick Guardian features a single centerline safety depower system, a spectra sheeting/throw line, a low V, a sliding stopper and below the bar cleat tuning integrated into the push away quick release. There’s no travel guard or below the bar hand swivel but the quick release is compact and keeps a large amount of throw travel within reach of the rider. This bar uses Slingshot’s existing Guardian quick-release system which puts the kite’s tuning below the bar, which allows surfers to increase the amount of throw/sheeting while still being able to reach the tuning of the kite. Testers who are not used to below the bar sheeting often find it’s difficult to get the leverage to operate the cleat, but with the proper technique (place the cleat on the side of your favored arm and sheet out while adjusting) this is a fairly easy and functional design for performance kitesurfers. The bar design and other rigging are the same as the Compstick Sentinel (see above). If the advantages of below the bar tuning systems are lost on you, then check out the Compstick Sentinel above.

Visit for more info on the bars: www.slingshotsports.com/slingshot-kite/slingshot-kite-bars


Want to view all our 2020 Freeride, Light Wind and Wingsurf Gear Reviews in one convenient digital guide? Get free access HERE. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you for your support! Log into your account to view our 2020 Freeride Gear Review Guide.