Description
2024 Slingshot UFO V3 Foiling Kite
Unlimited / Foiling / Object
Why the Slingshot UFO V3 is Fred Hope's Favorite for Kite Foiling
Sizes: 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11
Size (m) | Wind (kn) | Bar Size (in) | Weight (kg) |
3 | 16-42 | 17 / 20 | 1 |
4 | 14-40 | 17 / 20 | 1.2 |
5 | 12-38 | 17 / 20 | 1.4 |
6 | 10-34 | 17 / 20 | 1.5 |
7 | 9-30 | 17 / 20 | 1.6 |
8 | 8-25 | 17 / 20 | 1.8 |
9 | 7-20 | 17 / 20 | 2 |
10 | 6-19 | 17 / 20 | 2.15 |
11 | 5-18 | 17 / 20 | 2.3 |
Description:
The UFO changed kite foiling forever with its zero-strut design that delivers otherworldly levels of drift, upwind reach, and response. The UFO V3's FlexLITE airframe—built with 140g/m2 high-tenacity polyester—further decreases the UFO's weight without sacrificing performance or durability. With swept wingtips and an intelligent Compact Swept C canopy shape, the UFO V3 has been designed for an effortless water relaunch. Supplementing the optimized minimalism of the UFO is the new zipperless roll-top kite bag that keeps weight to an absolute minimum while maximizing convenience and packability.
Who's It For:
For kite foilers who demand more from less and understand progressing and riding in a flow state, is built on the connection between body, mind, and equipment. Anything that impedes the best possible connection starting with the kite, and then transferring to the lines, bar, board, and foil all need to be perfectly harmonized.
Includes:
- UFO V3 Kite
- Kite Bag
- Bladder Patch Kit
Features:
FLEXLITE
Foundational to the UFO V3's improved performance and lighter weight is FlexLITE, which is used on the airframe's leading edge and struts. FlexLITE features an increased open 1:1 thread orientation that allows the frame to flex and breathe under rider input. This flex provides more responsive and quicker steering while allowing the rider to generate more apparent wind through the loop. At 140 grams per square meter, the weight reduction delivered by FlexLITE optimizes drift and allows for less drag through the air.
TRIMFLIGHT BRIDLE
With 25% thinner lines, TrimFlight Bridles deliver the least amount of drag, which significantly increases the UFO's efficiency and response. More than just lightweight, the bridle lines' geometry, length, and placement were intelligently designed to expertly accentuate the top-of-the-class performance characteristics of the UFO's Hybrid Compact Swept C shape.
COMPACT SWEPT C CANOPY
The UFO V3's proprietary Compact Swept C shape features a lower aspect, compact arc that provides exceptional steering, pivoting, and drift. The swept wing tips were intelligently designed specifically for a zero-strut kite to ensure effortless and dependable water relaunch. The Swept C shape yields responsive and immediate power management to prevent over-foiling.
ZERO-STRUT AIRFRAME
A bold, head-turning innovation when it was originally launched in 2020, the UFO's Zero-Strut Airframe required countless hours of research and development to perfect. The result is a near-complete elimination of drag, allowing the UFO to fly in the lightest of winds and achieve unlimited drift, superior upwind angles, and intuitive response—all critical factors for true foiling performance.
2X2 FLYWEIGHT CANOPY TECH
The lightest canopy material used in any Slingshot kites—without sacrificing stiff- ness or durability. 2X2 Flyweight Canopy Tech is reinforced ripstop nylon with a 2X2 weave that yields significant weight savings over our 4X4 Canopy Tech and still provides exceptional tear and stretch resistance.
RIDER CUSTOMIZATION SYSTEM (RCS)
Fully customize the performance of the UFO with our Rider Customization Sys- tem, which incorporates three knots on the bridle pigtails with three knots on the Sentry Control Bar's flying lines. RCS allows you to fine tune the handling, power delivery, and performance of the UFO to perfectly align with your riding style and the conditions of a particular session. Utilizing the RCS, a rider can incrementally shorten or lengthen the flying and power lines, which easily and intelligently adjusts the UFO's turning speed, level of power, angle of attack, and bar pressure.
1 Review
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UFO V3 5 & 7m observations
I’ve had the 5 up a half dozen times & 7 four times in the past month of owning them, for foiling on an Armstrong MA800 and Flow tail, except for one brief romp on a strapless surfboard (7m) when the wind cranked up. The positives: impressive low end; excellent lift in tacks and switches (will help me master both over time); no back stalling so far; much less apt to Hiddenberg in deep lulls than Cab Drifter; excellent tactile feedback through the bar; stable self launch off biner, especially with use of a relatively light sandbag; really decent for strapless surfboard. Relative weaknesses (compared to Cab Drifter for foiling): slightly slower turning (overcome by cranking it harder; I loop a TON, for power, for fun, in lulls, borderline waterstarts); decent but not outstanding drift; canopy flutters with aggressive turning/looping (mitigated by just the right finesse); upturned nose necessitates adjustment to “pro” landing, parking on beach and self hot launches off the beach. All in all, an A- kite for foiling and backup surfboard. As others have noted, a word of caution: slowly inflate the first few times and be on guard for twisting of LEI; if so, immediately deflate, reorient LE and slowly reinflate and make sure it assumes its proper shape.