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Rally vs. SST

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Northwest Kiteboarding -> Gorge / Portland / Oregon Coast
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wannabekiter

Since 14 May 2015
269 Posts
Hood river
Obsessed



PostMon Jul 17, 17 8:18 am    Rally vs. SST Reply with quote

My 2012 10m rally died. Time for a new kite. Rally or sst. I weigh 200 and ride a directional. I only kite hood river the coast is just too far.
I tried a 2017 rally and it was ok. Very stable in the power zone but did not drift as my 2012. Have not had a chance to try a sst yet. Think the sst won't have the low end the rally does but will drift better while riding swell. Opinions !

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Jonpnw

Since 22 Jul 2010
1322 Posts
Pacific Northwest
XTreme Poster



PostMon Jul 17, 17 8:36 am    PM Reply with quote

PM sent . We will get you on a SST & Rally back to back

Jon

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Join the Columbia Gorge Water Sports Association. http://gorgewindsurfing.org/

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ldhr

Since 21 Jul 2009
1470 Posts
Hood River
XTreme Poster



PostMon Jul 17, 17 8:57 am    Re: Rally vs. SST Reply with quote

wannabekiter wrote:
Think the sst won't have the low end the rally does but will drift better while riding swell. Opinions !


Correct!

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wannabekiter

Since 14 May 2015
269 Posts
Hood river
Obsessed



PostMon Jul 17, 17 9:38 am    Rally vs sst Reply with quote

How much less power? A lot or a little. I ride toe and need the low end power.

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knotwindy

Since 25 Sep 2011
598 Posts

Addicted



PostMon Jul 17, 17 10:53 am     Reply with quote

If you are willing and able to work the SST to get going about 1m kite size. So an 8 SST is about a 7 Rally for me and does drift better and steers depowered better. Does not go upwind quite as well, though and does not have the hangtime, if that matters.

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wannabekiter

Since 14 May 2015
269 Posts
Hood river
Obsessed



PostMon Jul 17, 17 10:57 am     Reply with quote

Yeah I am torn. I need the better upwind kite but I really want the drift.
I have a 2017 8m rally so the less power sst 10 would be a problem.

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Sella

Since 21 Apr 2007
1794 Posts
Doin' The Dalles
FLY'IN HIGH PIE GUY



PostMon Jul 17, 17 11:20 am    Re: PM Reply with quote

Jonpnw wrote:
PM sent . We will get you on a SST & Rally back to back

Jon

This!

Completely different kites as all the feedback above is spot on so I highly recommend you contact Jon and feel it for yourself in the same wind conditions. Good luck, have fun, and rig the SST second. Wink

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wannabekiter

Since 14 May 2015
269 Posts
Hood river
Obsessed



PostMon Jul 17, 17 11:43 am     Reply with quote

There lies the problem Jon does not have 10m sst right now. And I can't wait. A 10 m is my go to kite. I think it will be a rally

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Jonpnw

Since 22 Jul 2010
1322 Posts
Pacific Northwest
XTreme Poster



PostMon Jul 17, 17 12:06 pm    This week ! Reply with quote

I will have a 10 SST this week . I know you would rather not wait , I am caught in the transition to 2018's

Jon

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Join the Columbia Gorge Water Sports Association. http://gorgewindsurfing.org/

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wannabekiter

Since 14 May 2015
269 Posts
Hood river
Obsessed



PostMon Jul 17, 17 12:12 pm     Reply with quote

Yeah I am not a very patient person LOL But talking to several people and reading replies here makes me think a rally would be better for me. I ride toe when going to toward Oregon so up wind performance is very important. Up wind is my weakness.
If only I could gybe and switch my feet. It only took ten years to learn how gybe a windsurf board. Shocked

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knotwindy

Since 25 Sep 2011
598 Posts

Addicted



PostMon Jul 17, 17 12:28 pm     Reply with quote

Well then this will complicate things. It not that the SST does not go upwind well. I does if you fly it correctly, with just a little bit extra bar pressure. You can feel the kite move forward in the window when you get it right and then it goes upwind just fine. But the Rally will still be better. Better enough to give up the drift? Gotta try them to see...

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toddjb

Since 16 Oct 2007
271 Posts
MD
Obsessed



PostMon Jul 17, 17 12:37 pm     Reply with quote

I used to be on Rallys. Now I have an 8/10 SST and a 12 Rally.

I don't notice the SST having any unpwind deficiency. I've read that in reviews, but I never have problems pointing where I need to go with either the SST or the Rally, so I wouldn't let that be your decider.

The SST is a nicer kite. The thing is so stable. Sits in the air in the lightest of breezes (it won't nose over like the Rally can in lulls) and it is a very solid frame in large gusts. It's just a champ.

The Rally jumps significantly better. That's the only reason I'd stay with the Rally. It has those effortless long glides. SST is more of an RPM style jumper. Jumps just fine at the top end. Rally has me flying earlier.
SST does not sit as nicely on the beach or snow, though, as the nose is raised off the ground. So, know that if you are self launching/landing. You definitely have to weight it if you walk away from it.
However, SST does sit at the edge of the wind window nicer if you do those tether self launches (set the kite up, walk back, grab your CL). I find the Rally wants to nose over on itself more due to the curved in LE. The SST will just wait on the edge for you patiently.

I find the SSTs to be true to size. People say they are small, but I think that is because they are used to the slightly wider range of the Rally. When I rig my 10M, I'm comparabley powered to other people on their 10s. If I'm at the top end of my 10M, I look at friends on 9Ms and they have slightly less puckering going on. So, don't tech out on it too much. I'd get the 10, and you'll love it as long as it fits into the rest of your quiver.

Good luck! You can't go wrong with either choice.

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patdaniels

Since 29 Jul 2015
91 Posts
Seattle area
 



PostTue Jul 18, 17 2:49 pm     Reply with quote

I'm a Slingshot beach rep/ambassador based in Puget Sound. Sharing what Slingshot kites I ride in certain conditions to give riders additional info about SST and Rally to consider.

I ride Foil, Twintip and Surfboard, although I've been focused/obsessed with Foil lately. My style of riding is centered on riding swell, tacking, jibing but I still enjoy time on a TT boosting, doing some basic hooked in tricks and kiteloops.

My kite quiver is - 6M, 8M, 10M SST and 12M Rally. Previous years (pre foiling) my kite quiver was 6M, 9M, 12M Rally along with a mix of RPM's and Turbines.

After spending a lot of time on SST and Rally, I prefer SST over Rally for my style of riding, with the exception of 12M size.

The reason I go for Rally in 12M size is for it's relative ease of jumping and good hang time in low wind conditions. The difference in jumping capability between SST and Rally seems less pronounced to me in sizes smaller than 12M. I jump plenty on SST in 10M size riding TT and it works well, as mentioned in previous post similar to an RPM.

All that stated, SST is the best kite I've owned overall for my style of riding.

My calculus based on average wind speed for my 6/8/10 SST and 12 Rally quiver for Foil, Twintip (TT) and Surfboard (SB) is.....

Below 10pm : Mostly will be SUP'ing or Mountain Biking

10 - 15 mph : Foil 10m SST / TT 12M Rally / SB 12M Rally

15 - 20 mph : Foil 8m SST / TT 12M Rally / SB 10M SST

20 - 25 mph : Foil 8m SST / TT 10M SST / SB 10M SST,

25 - 30 mph : Foil 6m SST / TT 8M SST / SB 8M SST

30+ : No Foil / TT 6M / SB 6M

Will foil in 30+ mph when / if I get a 4M or 5M SST. But, I tend to enjoy SB the best in nuking winds.

Regarding RPM, Fuel and Turbine - they are outstanding kites but my style of riding is better aligned to SST / Rally quiver.

PM if you have any specific questions.

Have fun and rip it up!

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toddjb

Since 16 Oct 2007
271 Posts
MD
Obsessed



PostWed Jul 19, 17 6:51 am     Reply with quote

Pat, that's a great break down. Thanks for sharing that. You likely have a lot more time on the water than me and get to try more of the SS kites, so it's good to read I'm not totally off base.

If you have anything to share on the smaller Turbines, please do. It's not clear to me in what situation I'd want them over an SST or Rally.

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wannabekiter

Since 14 May 2015
269 Posts
Hood river
Obsessed



PostWed Jul 19, 17 7:20 am    Which one Reply with quote

First of all thank you everybody your input, very help full. Tried a 2018 10m rally yesterday at the event site after work. Wind was ok not great.
The rally is very stable but slow to respond to bar input. I think a beginner or intermediate would benefit from its easy to fly design. Its not going to surprise you.
Jon will have the sst on Thursday. So if the wind is good I give it a try.

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Justsmile

Since 20 Jul 2009
1523 Posts
Not Portland
XTreme Poster



PostWed Jul 19, 17 7:39 am    Bar pressure Reply with quote

For me I also have been on both kites. I like how the sst turns when you are fully sheeted out. The rally did not allow me to do this without sore elbows. The sst is made very bomber for the surf. The kite does go upwind well but you do have to be in cahoots with the wind and constantly be changing your sheeting in on the bar to keep the kite at the front of the window to go upwind. The rally does boost easier on the low wind but the sst does well at the top of the range. The rally was an awesome kite to be on but the sst is great also. I don't foil yet but the sst seems to excel in that discipline where the rally's seems to pull you down wind and don't let the foil foil!! I find the sst is just interactive to fly vs. the set it and forget it. I as a few others have mentioned flybit with one inch sheeted in on the depower. Then I can find what the kite likes and I can get used tombs vs playing with the depower constantly. I fly a 7 rpm for 35-50. 10 meter sst to about 30-32 on a twin tip as long as the bottom range is over 24 or so and fly a 12 rpm for 15-25 in a twin tip. Just my 2 cents but we know how valuable that actually is.
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patdaniels

Since 29 Jul 2015
91 Posts
Seattle area
 



PostWed Jul 19, 17 1:32 pm     Reply with quote

toddjb wrote:
Pat, that's a great break down. Thanks for sharing that. You likely have a lot more time on the water than me and get to try more of the SS kites, so it's good to read I'm not totally off base.

If you have anything to share on the smaller Turbines, please do. It's not clear to me in what situation I'd want them over an SST or Rally.


Hi Todd!

Regarding Turbine in small sizes, they've been described as "Rally on steroids". More power, higher jumps, faster, higher performance all around for freeride and foil. Design and bridal geared towards ultimate efficiency. Slingshot suggests considering one size size down on Turbine vs normal kite size.

Local Slingshot beach rep Jon Schlect may have some small Turbines to try. I think he was doing some demo's in Hood River not long ago.

Personally, I like the SST better vs Turbine for my style of riding in smaller kite sizes. For swell and wave riding, there is no comparison between SST and Turbine IMHO, SST rules for drifting, and for fast turning across the window even on slack lines. For my big kite, I like a 12 Rally slightly better than say an 11 Turbine because I think it drifts a bit better, feels a little looser for wave/swell riding and it jumps high enough for my needs.

All that said, that's my personal view and based on my riding. I've seen some Slingshot Team riders like Sam Light on TT and local Hood River foil phenom Fred Hope absolutely killing it on Turbines; fully maximizing the higher performance Turbine offers.

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