What XLKITES says:
So in 2011 Slingshot came out with the Turbine kite which was basically a high aspect Rally with a rear bridle system that connected the rear line to the from bridle using a pulley. This gave the kite more bar pressure and allowed the rider more purchase when making turns etc. For 2012 they have changed the Turbine by manipulating the rear line even more they were able to get the kite to spill air during over powered or gusty condition similar to the way a wind surfing sail spills air in a gust.  While making these changes they were able to eliminate the rear bridle pulley so the new 2012 Turbine has NO pulleys.  Other than this change the new Turbine will be very similar to the 2011. With these changes to the kite should have more range on the upper end. The Slingshot Turbine is the BEST light wind kite out there but when you’re over powered on a turbine you are OVERPOWERED. They tried to make this a little better for 2012. Here is what Slingshot says about the kite and pictures etc:

Lighter, Faster, more Efficient
When you want to stay on the water and still have fun in 5-6 knots, you have to be light. To save weight we started with a new bladder material that is 25% lighter, reduced the leading edge diameter and introduced a smaller strut size. Efficiency is king, so we completely updated the design geometry. To make it more efficient and faster in light wind we’ve increased the aspect ratio much like on a glider or wind turbine wing. This improves lift thru kite speed and allows it to fly further forward in the window.

Free-Twist Technology
In the wing tips, we introduced a new concept called Free-Twist Tip Technology. Developed to increase the narrow wind range of large kites, the steering line attachment is positioned to allow the wingtips to freely pivot and the trailing edge panel to open and twist. The result is a lighter, faster feel with a wide apparent wind range and quick turning radius for such a large kite.
The Turbine has plenty of low end grunt to get you planning with a competition race board, surfboard, or large twin tip. Once up to speed, the kite stays efficient and in control as the apparent wind ramps higher.

Most Efficient Light Wind Kite Ever Made
The bottom line is this kite increases your riding time and gets you off the beach when there’s not a whitecap in sight.

Who Should buy this kite?
1.  Anyone looking for more time on the water, with the extended wind range you can Double your riding time with this kite!
2.  This is a great kite for heavier riders who are learning to ride up wind…new riders are very inefficient and a heavier person will appreciate the extra grunt
3.  Wake-style riders who want to practice their tricks on a small board in light winds.  It is a perfect power source for wake jumps without loops or large kite movements

Kite Specs and Attributes:
+ UPDATED OPEN DELTA-C” DESIGN PROFILE
+ SPLIT STRUT INTEGRATED 3 STRUT DESIGN
+ FREE-TWIST TIP TECHNOLOGY
+ REDESIGNED WING TIP STRUTS
+ NEW TRAILING EDGE SHAPE + FLEX BATTENS
+ IMPROVED POWER STEERING BRIDLE
+ SLINGSHOT ONE-PUMP
+ TRI TECH PROTECTION
+ SLINGSHOT LEGENDARY CONSTRUCTION
+ LIFETIME RIDER HOTLINE SUPPORT

• The higher aspect ratio improves lift through kite speed instead of angle of attack. The new geometry allows the kite to fly forward in the window, frees up the wingtips and keeps them from oversheeting.
• Light and crisp in the sky with added durability, increased stability and canopy shaping control. Less struts and lighter profile will enable better water re launch in light winds.
• Packs down tight even with the added flex battens.
• Free pivot wingtips act as a natural governor and twist open automatically to extend the apparent wind range.
• Conical taper shape for low drag and efficient control.
• Reduces flutter and aids canopy stability and maximizes efficiency while still allowing the panels to open and flex.
• Allows for smooth responsive steering, power delivery and adds more support to the wingtip. Clean and tight to the leading edge to maximize performance and lightens up the bar pressure.
• No pulleys!
• The trusted, original Slingshot patented single point
  inflation system.
• Ballistic Kevlar , Mark Cloth, and Neoprene. Individual scuff guards, strategically placed in the most vulnerable areas of the kite to optimize durability.
• Long lasting durability and performance by using only the latest new high tech materials in our LE, canopy,bladders and finish trim materials.
• Communicate directly with our friendly in house professional customer service department. 

  The turbine is the best light wind inflatable kite on the market we have tested it against over 10 other “light wind” kites and it out performed them all!

   

Met at the shop at 7am to drop a car on the dike and ride from the seagate back down on twintips. Only had 3 guys show up Phil, Chris, and Garrett. I guess it was a bit early for everyone else. Even Gator bailed on us. If you guys are interested in joining us for these rides keep an eye on our twitter feed as we usually post an invite the night before the ride. You can sign up here: http://twitter.com/#!/midlerp

Ride was great! We have been developing a new NW riding area off the northern Levee for use in the winter when the winds have more west direction in them. Be on the lookout for the new spot stats, location etc when we finish checking everything out over there.

Here are some pics from the trip:

2012 Slingshot boards

Buy your 2012 Slingshot boards here:
http://www.xlkites.com/boards-slingshot-boards-c-33_36_119.html

This is Phil Midler Interviewing Neil Hutchinson at Surf Expo on the new 2012 Slingshot Surf Board line up.

2012 Dialer
Board size: 5’11″Master shaper Tony Logosz fuses his knowledge of surf & light wind kite and delivers a board aimed towards a light wind kite enthusiast who also wants a high performance surfboard. The Dialer is our quad fin light wind kite surf dominator. Made with WVS Bamboo construction the Dialer does not sacrifice weight for durability for a lively, fast acting feel. It has it all! The quad fin arrangement make the Dialer exceptionally smooth in turns and easy to negotiate in swell.

The Pit
Board sizes: 5’6″, 5’11″
Two words, SMASH and DESTROY come to mind when referring to the Pit. The NEW 2012 Pitdesigned by master shaper Tony Logosz is made with WVS Bamboo construction make it lighting fast, super stiff, and explodes with power in every turn.

2012 Tyrant
Board sizes: 5’11″, 6’1″Breaking boundaries, the 2012 Slingshot Tyrant 6’1″ and 5’11″ meets the needs of expert Kitesurfers. The Tyrant is a tri fin, true to the bone short board that does it all. The 6’1″ and 5’11″ has a deeper single concave under foot with double between the fins. It also has a more “pulled in” tail making it sharp and explosive.

2012 CeleritasBoard sizes: 5’8″, 5’11″

Looking for some speed and power in your surf riding? Look no further than the refined 2012 Celeritas with WVS Bamboo construction. The balanced created between the bamboo and the sandwich construction makes this board fast and durable!

2012 Knee Swacker
Board size: 5’10″Master shaper Tony Logosz blends his knowledge of surf & light wind to deliver a board aimed towards a light wind kite enthusiast who also wants a tool to catch anything in its path. The Knee Swacker is our quad fin light wind kite surf dominator.

2011 Slingshot RPM.  New bag same bar and same kite.  The new 2011 RPMs are not out yet they should be coming in around March or so.  We got a sneak peak at what they look like and fly like. 

The 2011 RPM has a new red color bag that is almost exactly the same as the previous year’s bag except for the color.  The bar and lines set is the same as the 2010 except for a slight change in the chicken loop.  It seems that the chicken loop is slightly larger and maybe a little more pliable.  The line lengths have changed for each size kite.  The 14m has 27m lines, 12m has 23m lines and 7m has 23m lines.

The 2011 Slingshot RPM comes in the 9m size this year!  This means they will be coming in sizes 4.5m, 6m, 8m, 9m, 10m, 12m, 14m.  The addition of the 9m size is great and will be nice for people around the Houston area who are lighter or people in slightly windier areas.  The graphics on the new kites are different and have lots of new vibrant colors.  The kites we got in are bright green and bright orange so we will be sure to be seen while testing them.

The only Bow kite trainer kite in the world….The Method Trainer Kite!
 -Learn to kitesurf in half the time
-Practice on your own 4 line c-kite or bow-kite bar
-Use the trainer kite with the INCLUDED 2-line bar and line system immediately
-Hone your jumping skills on the beach before trying new tricks on the water
-Practice unhooked tricks
The Method Trainer kite is the world’s only 2 or 4 line trainer kite.  Using its patented bridle system, it can be used with any regular C-kite or bow kite 4-line bar system so riders can practice flying with thier own bar and safety system!!  On average this decreases student lesson time by 50% saving you time and money.  We have Method Trainer kites in stock and are shipping world-wide.  

More more information see the company website: http://www.methodtrainerkite.com