Tkb Review: 2021 SLINGSHOT UFO V1.1

Sizes Available: 3, 5, 7, 9m
Sizes Tested: 7m

Slingshot Says:

We sacrificed nothing and maximized everything when we designed the all-new strutless UFO to be our pure, unlimited performance foiling kite. The UFO has a Compact Swept-C canopy shape for direct and instant handling, as well as insane range and power control, and an IRS bridle for immediate response. Off of that strutless design and bridle configuration, we made the canopy out of lightweight fabrics and then stripped the UFO down to just the bare essentials in order to make it the ultimate foiling machine with unbelievable handling and space-age drift.

Visit for more info: www.slingshotsports.com/UFO-V1.1

TKB Says:

Slingshot’s UFO brings back the zero-strut concept and we think there will be those that will be surprised to find this extraterrestrial freak becomes a crucial and beloved part of quivers across the globe. The UFO doesn’t come with any struts, so its shape and airframe are derived from its generously-sized leading edge as it wraps into its wingtips. The canopy panels are really simple with two flexible battens and a Dacron trailing edge. The UFO rocks a single setting fixed front bridle that doesn’t employ the use of pulleys/sliders. The front bridle attachment point ends in a larks head loop and the wingtip attachment point ends in three knots for tuning line tension. The UFO keeps everything simple, including the wingtip attachment points that offer a single setting.

The UFO launches with light to medium bar pressure that offers really impressive sheeting feedback despite the absence of a center strut. Zero strut kites have been known for an extra dose of a washy feel at the bar and unstable canopy movement in the upper end of each kite’s wind range, yet these kites are still very seductive because they offer the leading edge inflatable world a light air solution that keeps the kite in the air during the biggest holes. With foilboarding’s adoption by mainstream kiters, there is a more compelling case for Slingshot’s UFO, available in sizes 3m through 9m with its low aspect canopy and super comfortable bar dynamics that yields good low-end power and surprisingly smooth progressive power across the bar’s throw. With quick steering response and tight pivotal turns, the narrow turning radius works great for foilboarding, helping to keep the kite exactly where you need it at all times. The UFO’s low construction weight contributes to excellent zenith stability, which tends to come in really handy when you’re flirting with threshold conditions. The feedback to the bar feels really crisp for a zero strut which means Slingshot has found a formula that works in the smaller sizes to maximize the upsides and minimize the downsides of this design. We found the relaunch to be really easy, with the kite spinning around from nose down in the deep part of the window and slinging itself back into the air. Of course, when you ride the UFO on the high end, you’re going to experience some flutter on depowering, but the UFO offers a substantial amount of depower with fairly little flutter, and since the design was tested for foilboarding, not the higher loads of twin tips, proper use of the UFO will be in its low to mid-range power band. The UFO’s pack-down size is insane and with its lightweight and versatility, it’s a great travel companion to the foilboarder and friendly and sporty enough that riders of all levels, beginner to advanced, will be impressed, if not converted into UFO believers.

Some may be sad to see the end of the Compstick, but times are a-changing, and we are excited to embrace a new chassis and complete redesign for Slingshot’s 2021 control bar offerings. The all-new Sentry bar sheds some weight and delivers a click-in style quick release along with a host of other features that distinguish the new from the old. The Sentry is a fixed-length bar that comes in three widths: 17in/43cm, 20in/51cm and 23in/58cm. The small bar comes with 20m lines, the medium with 20m (17+3m) and the largest bar with 27m lines. One of the biggest upgrades is the new quick release that features the click-in/seatbelt style reset where the loop slips into the gate for an easy reset of the safety system. The reset is an easy target and the click is clean and reliable every time. Above the quick release is a hand swivel that doubles as a quick-release guard and the bar uses two PVC covered throw lines that untwist the center lines after rotations while the single centerline safety system is cleanly routed up one of those PVC throw lines for a simple and unobtrusive setup that you don’t know is there, at least until you need it. The power tuning system uses a clam cleat and the adjustment toggle features Velcro to keep it in place during riding. The color-coding on the bar is subdued with red and white dots on the grip and solid colors on the leader lines and for good measure, a Slingshot logo on the insert when you are holding the bar in the correct orientation. With semi-padded bar ends and good-sized floats, the bar features hiding retractable bungees for a secure wrap-up and ample winding space to keep the lines secured to the bar during non-use. The bar grip features a stamped rubbery feel, a bit softer than the Compstick, that is very simple with no asymmetrical bumps or shapes, just a medium diameter round grip that is comfortable and grippy. Overall, the Sentry bar is much lighter than the previous Compstick and offers a huge upgrade in the quick release with rigging that is feature-rich yet simple and clean.

Visit for more info on the bar: www.slingshotsports.com/Sentry-V1