SIZES TESTED (m): 10 / SIZES AVAILABLE (m): 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 / CONTROL SYSTEM: Compstick Guardian
SYNOPSIS
Smooth and ready for any wave, sweet pull through the turns and stable control through gusts.
This year’s kite from Slingshot has a shortened name to simply SST. It reflects the trend of this kite and many other wave kites of their increased versatility for disciplines other than just waves. The SST is great in the waves for a lot of reasons, but there are also key performance traits in this kite that are advantageous for other disciplines and skill levels beyond waves. What you notice most about the SST is how smooth the power delivery and how solid everything remains even when the kite is aggressively flown or the angle of attack is adjusted. The SST is designed to sit back in the wind window and drives with unmatched smooth pull. When sheeting out the bar, the depower deploys very smoothly and progressively and the kite remains inert and drifts perfectly with the rider down the line or in transitions. Whether you’re riding your new foil set up or bashing waves in the surf, the SST has some of the silkiest smooth pull and offers fast turning pivots that can be initiated at any angle of attack or when highly depowered. The SST has a compact canopy shape and short wide wingtips ensuring great drift and balance and the kite steers and initiates turns on demand. The smooth delivery and tons of depower make it ideal for foil boarding or general freeride cruising at any level. The SST features a Compact C canopy profile, framed by Slingshot’s Surf Tough build and split strut technology. It also has a short and compact bridle system that includes a shock absorbing bungee feature that helps to smooth out the gusts and enhances the SST’s ability to keep the rider on the wave and drift down the line without surging out of the sweet spot. Quick pivots and smooth, consistent pull through the turn, the SST remains calm and controlled even in the upper wind range. With its mid-aspect ratio and ability to sit and pull smoothly the SST also is one of the better wave kites for unhooked freestyle. The SST also has some decent and good control for boosting jumps. The SST’s easy water relaunch and superior stability make it an ideal kite for any freeride discipline including foil boarding and twin tintip riding.
DRAWBACKS
Not as light in the air as some wave kites but more than makes up for it with such smooth depower and precision handling. The kite can handle the upper wind without compromising its handling making a lighter weight build less essential.
USERS
Any level of rider that wants a kite that offers the control and drift capability required for waves but with handling and performance that’s adaptable to more freeride disciplines. 
