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Here’s another rave review about our new Hover Glide foil and our multi-mast Foiling Flight School package, this time from our friend Justin at King of Water Sports.
After the release of the Slingshot Alien Air and Lift NF2 last season it was going to be hard to follow, and with rumblings earlier in the year that Slingshot had some new foiling concept in the pipeline I had been waiting with baited breathe that Slingshot, who pretty much always produces incredible products, would come to the market with a game-changing foil program.
Let me tell you, that’s exactly what they have done!
Being able to foil already made me super excited to see the Flight School program. Working on the retail side, it’s hard to get the enthusiasm to convert to sales, as foiling really is quite scary for people, and teaching yourself is a bit of a headache since you don’t quite know where to start.
Slingshot has taken all the stress out of this by offering a simple but effective answer! Shorten the mast.
Why we didn’t all think about this before is a mystery to me. The first stage of the flight school is a 15” Mast (38cm) called the Taxi. This mast is designed to really get you comfortable with handling a foil, how the foil reacts and those first stages of getting going.
This concept was tested with a few youngsters and basically within 20 mins they both had the feel dialed in. This is 100% genuine; we have video and photos to prove it.
What we really like about the is just how fast the process is with the Hover Glide. It’s pretty instant because the increased weight in the mast makes its very stable. To effect the yaw of the Hover Glide, your input has to be quite heavy. This means, unlike full carbon masts, the Hover Glide gives you time to concentrate on finding that perfect balance point and get your weight distributed to the front foot once foiling.
A large percentage of people who will use this flight school package might wonder why they’ll need all the masts once they’re proficient foilers. The answer is, because they’ll give you many options beyond just learning. Yes, the masts will get you foiling and onto the longer masts pretty quickly, but once you’re there, why not drop it down a bit learn to tack and gybe without the heavy crashes, or to hone your downwind skills, or to try your first jumps and tricks. They’ll also be invaluable teaching tools for friends who will see you having all the fun and want to try.
The Hover Glide’s weight is something that has been discussed quite a bit. Unless you’re really keen on going really fast and racing, why do you need to have a super lightweight foil? The reason that the mast is heavy is simple: to give the rider more control and stability. It basically gives you time to correct your mistakes without it becoming twitchy and throwing you off like a rodeo bull. I
Overall there is really noting to fault with Hover Glide and the Flight School package. My biggest gripe is that it you have to buy footstraps as an extra.
More info: www.slingshotsports.com