Testing the Slingshot One Lock System With the New Flare Stabilizers

Описание: Hey, it’s Tucker from MACkiteboarding, and today I’m talking about the new Slingshot One Lock system, specifically the new Flare stabilizers and the shorter fuselages. If you’re someone who’s into high-performance gear and likes to rip around on the water, you’ll want to hang tight for this one. And if you’re just curious about what different stabilizers can do for your Slingshot setup, this should give you a clearer picture.

So, let’s get into it. The Flare stabilizers come in two sizes—one a bit bigger, one a bit smaller. If you’re a lighter rider or want more speed, the smaller Flare makes sense. If you’re a heavier rider, or riding bigger foils and want a bit more support for pumping or slow-speed riding, the larger Flare is the better call. But here’s the deal—these stabs are high-performance, no doubt about it. They’re not for beginners, and honestly, they’re not even the best fit for every advanced rider. These Flare stabilizers are super pitchy, super twitchy. If you like a loose, responsive, almost wild ride, you’ll probably love it. But if you’re after a chill, smooth, and forgiving feel, this probably isn’t your stab.

The Flare is a high-aspect stabilizer—11 aspect ratio on the 145 model, so they’re long, skinny, and fast. The thing is, they pair with a super short fuselage, so you lose a lot of pitch stability. You really have to tell the board where to go, and if you get lazy or too aggressive, the foil’s gonna react fast—sometimes too fast. It’s not a plug-and-play, cruise-around kind of setup. The short fuselage makes it stiff, efficient, and super responsive, but it also means you can’t adjust the angle of the stabilizer or the fuselage length. What you see is what you get, and that has its pros and cons.

Testing the Flare, I found that it provides a ton of glide and efficiency. The top-end speed is incredible, as long as you can stay in control. It’s a ride for people who want maximum responsiveness and are willing to deal with the trade-off of less stability. Compared to the Turbo Tail, which is one of my go-tos, the Flare is in a whole different category. The Turbo is more balanced—longer fuse, more predictable, still fun and fast, but less of a wild ride. The Flare is like going from second gear to eighth gear. It’s that much of a jump.

So, who’s this really for? If you’re an advanced rider who likes tiny boards, super short fuselages, and that super nimble, twitchy, quick-turning feel, this could be your jam. It livens up larger front wings, such as the Glide 1525, making them more maneuverable and fun for small waves. It’s also a solid option for getting max glide out of a bigger front wing on downwinders or parawinging, but again, you’ll need to be on your game to handle the twitchiness. Narrowing your stance can help a bit with stability, but you’ll still need to stay in that sweet spot to avoid getting bucked.

Personally, the Flare isn’t what I’d choose for my day-to-day riding, especially for downwinders and flowy, gliding turns. It’s just too twitchy for my style. I’d love to see Slingshot create something like the Flare, but with a longer fuse or a removable fuse system, so we could swap out lengths for different conditions. That’d be a killer addition for riders like me who want a bit more control and flow in their turns.

One last thing—the Flare comes with a slick little T-shaped cover for the stabilizer and fuse, with a removable nub to protect the sharp bits. It’s a thoughtful add-on for travel or keeping your gear safe when it’s packed away.

Overall, if you’re an experienced rider chasing that ultra-nimble, fast, and twitchy foil feeling, the Flare might be what you’re after. Just know it’s a niche piece of gear—high maintenance, high reward for the right rider, but not for everyone. Thanks for watching, and if you’ve got questions, drop them in the comments, give us a call, or shoot us an email. We’re always happy to help out.


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