The Most Boat-Friendly Wakefoil System? Slingshot One Lock Gets It Done!

If you've been following our wakeboarding videos or blogs, then you probably already know Cole. No less passionate about the sport is his brother Caden, a junior at MSU who's joined the MACkite team for the summer. Caden's had a chance to try the Slingshot One-Lock system behind the boat and see how it feels.

Is the Slingshot One-Lock Right for a Wake Boat?

Before he even got in the water, Caden was loving the One-Lock system. Everything packed down flat into a small bag that fits in any car and can stash right under a back seat on the boat. When it was his turn to ride, Caden pulled it out and put it together in a few seconds right on the boat. There was no hardware to keep track of or watch roll under a seat, and no tool to forget at the dock. No one was giving up a seat for a bulky foilboard setup, and no upholstery was slashed trying to maneuver an assembled foilboard to the back of the boat.

Putting an assembled foilboard in the rack on the boat is a bit of a sketchy affair. It takes up a lot of space and can jostle out when you hit a roller. With the One-Lock coming apart and going back together in less than 10 seconds, there is no need to leave it assembled.

There's even one less piece since the front and back wings join in the middle to create the fuselage. With real estate being so tight in a boat, fewer pieces is always a good thing, and the One-Lock lets you get away with just four, including the hardware (because there is none). Board, mast, front and back wing, and that's it!

When you're on a boat, you often have multiple people wanting to ride. They're different sizes and they might be at different ability levels. Some people might like to pump around the boat while others want to glide on the wake. Cole started out on the 1525 Glide and it was great for pumping but really a bit too large for him behind the boat. He came in and Caden grabbed it and swapped it for the 925 Glide in a couple seconds and Cole was off and riding again.

Is the One-Lock a Good Foil Behind a Boat?

In terms of ease-of-assembly and making the most of the space on a boat, the One-Lock stands alone. But are you trading off performance to gain that convenience? While Caden admitted that it wasn't the very top foil he'd ever ridden behind a boat, he was able to do everything he wanted to do without feeling like he was being held back. Both front wings were great for pumping, and the 925 also turned and carved very well.

The 925 had a little faster cadence for pumping and might not be for less athletic people, but even without having ridden since the fall, Caden popped right up without any trouble at all and was able to pump around. It was forgiving and didn't fight him; it just responded to his input and carved.

Caden's found that a lot of high aspect wings tend to want to rise up, requiring some front foot pressure to keep them flying level, but the Glide wings he tried did a great job of staying level on their own.

He feels that anyone could hop on and go. He had a friend try the One-Lock, and she was surprised at what a great time she had on it. She normally rides a GoFoil 1100 with a larger surface area, and she was able to pump and ride two or three wakes back.

Caden was using the Turbo 180 stabilizer, and he'd like to try something a bit smaller to see how it turns. When he had a bigger wake behind him, it almost felt a little draggy, and he thought a smaller rear wing would help with that.

The 8.8 aspect ratio on the front wing was a big help anytime Caden needed to recover. He found it could pump out of almost any situation he got into.

Summary

The One-Lock's main selling point is its speed and ease of setup, along with how portable that makes it, but that doesn't mean it can't perform. The wings are all carbon with the option for a carbon or aluminum mast, and they're replacing Slingshot's Hover Glide and Phantasm lines. The price point is surprisingly affordable, even with the all-carbon option.

There are higher-performing foils out there, but most people aren't riding at a level where it's noticeable enough to justify the extra cost. However, they are going to notice being able to get out on the water faster and not having to deal with tools or hardware. They're going to notice that extra water time leading to faster progression. They're going to notice being able to swap wings and being able to stow the foil anywhere because it comes apart so effortlessly. And on the boat especially, that's priceless.

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