Slingshot 2025 One Lock Flare Stabilizer Overview

Slingshot has a new stabilizer in its One-Lock lineup, and we'll be honest... it's not for everyone. But if it is for you, you are going to have a blast with it. This one is for the rippers, no doubt about it. Tucker took it for a spin to see who the new Flare tail is for, and who it is not for.

What Is the Slingshot One-Lock Flare?

The Flare is a stabilizer, or tail, for the One-Lock foil system. It's a monocoque design, so it's one piece with the fuselage, which is really quite short on this tail. This one-piece structure has the advantage of being very stiff, streamlined, and efficient, but you also cannot change the angle or the fuselage length, so you're giving up some customizability for performance.

The Flare comes in two sizes. If you're riding faster or are a smaller rider, the smaller size makes sense. If you're a heavier rider, on a bigger front wing, need a little more to push off of when you're pumping, or just want a bit more pitch stability, then you may prefer the larger one.

The Flare has an aspect ratio of 11, so it's very high aspect. It also has a very thin profile, and it doesn't have a lot of surface area.

The Flare includes a cover that can be used with the foil assembled or with just the stabilizer. It's a clever design with a fuselage section that's held on with velcro to protect the whole stabilizer when you've got it apart. And you might actually do that quite a bit, with how easy the One-Lock system makes assembly.

How Does the Flare Ride?

With its extremely short fuselage and small surface area, the Flare will give you a twitchy, pitchy ride. It's fast and it's unstable. There isn't much to push off; you'll need to point your board and go without pushing the stabilizer too much. If you do, it'll react too aggressively. It is definitely not an easy cruiser.

The Glide 1525 front wing is a big, slow-turning machine that's great for slow-speed riding in small swell, and if you want to tighten your turning radius and rip it around to make the most of your hookup, then the Flare will let you do that. It'll also give you maximum glide efficiency on downwinders or while parawinging.

Who Is the Flare For?

Let's start with who this is NOT for. This is a high-performance stabilizer, and it is not for beginners, no matter how athletic you are. You will need a good bit of experience under your belt to use the Flare. Even when you do gain enough skill to use it, it still may not be right for you. Tucker can ride pretty much anything now, but he would choose the Turbo Tail over the Flare for his everyday riding.

If you like to drive through high-speed turns and build those G's, you need something to push against, and the Flare will not do that for you. It's not for banking smooth, fluid power turns. It's just too twitchy and high-maintenance.

So who would enjoy this tail? It really is a high-level, niche stabilizer. It's so twitchy that it's almost like riding without a tail. It's got just enough to push off, and that's it. If you enjoy that feeling, especially with a smaller or slower front wing, then this tail is worth a look.

When Tucker rode the Flare paired with the Flow front wing, it was very nimble and quick. It had extremely efficient glide and an excellent top speed range. If you can control the wild ride that the Flare gives, then you'll enjoy those benefits.

Before the Flare, the Turbo was the high-performance tail option, and there is a marked difference between the two. Even the fuselage is a good 5 inches shorter. The contrast between how the two ride is quite dramatic. If you ride the Turbo and just want a small step up in how nimble your foil is, then the Flare will be too much.

That said, the Flare has enough lift and stability to be paired with any of the One-Lock front wings. If you really want to make your current wings faster and livelier, the Flare will definitely get it done, so long as you don't mind the twitch and pitch.

Riding Tips for the Flare

You'll want to stay focused while riding this stabilizer. It's not forgiving and you'll need to be sure to find and stay near the sweet spot on your board.

A narrower stance also helps a lot. If you're too wide front to back, then it's easy to overpower your pitch stability with the extra torque a wider stance gives you, and you'll nosedive into the water when the board shifts rapidly under your feet.

Tucker's Thoughts

Tucker was hoping to see something like the Turbo Tail, but a bit higher aspect. He'd also like to try the Flare with a bit longer fuselage.

That said, if you're on a tiny board and like very short fuselages so you can rip at slower speeds and stay nimble, the Flare will deliver that for you. Kite foilers, wake foilers, and small wave surfers sometimes enjoy this feel, as well as wingers who want a loose, twitchy ride. The Flare will level up your glide and extend the top end of your speed range.

If the Flare sounds interesting, reach out to chat with us so we can help you decide if it belongs in your quiver. It does add a whole different feel for advanced riders, and is a lot of fun for the right person.

Flare Stabilizer Quick Facts

• The Flare is a one-piece tail and fuselage for Slingshot's One-Lock foil system.
• The Flare has a high aspect ratio of 11, a thin profile, a small surface area, and a very short fuselage.
• The Flare offers minimal stability for a twitchy, pitchy ride.
• The Flare is for experienced riders.
• The Flare is good for making slower front wings more nimble in small swell.
• The Flare can be paired with any One-Lock front wing and includes a cover.

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