Rider Review: Brandon Robins - Slingshot

Words by Brandon Robins

Riding for Slingshot:

I am very excited about being a part of Slingshot. Their products are new and innovative, and they are running the company well. Everyone there is super supportive on what we are doing as individual riders. They are very involved with us directly and it has been great updating them on what we as riders are doing with their support. Lessons and photo/video shoots are some of the things I am most involved with. Slingshot wants to represent the riders in how we want to be shown in the sport. It takes a lot of pressure off from the start.

The Boards:
Response-

The Response was the first board I had the chance to ride and it blew me away with how it handled. I am very Snowboard oriented, and my background in snow fits well with these products. The first thing I noticed is that this board pops extremely well for a continuous rocker board. With the unique flex patterns you can actually feel it snap when you release off of the wake. This also makes for some of the softest landings I have ever had wakeboarding. Working in the shop at Bakes Board & Ski has allowed me to try just about every type of board out there today…the Slingshot is hands down the smoothest I have been on. Another advantage to the flex in the landings is that it helps you pull tricks around that you normally wouldn’t. Another great characteristic is the edge to edge feel. One of the most fun things to do is just play around carving and slashing.

Recoil-

The Recoil is the Progressive rocker board in the Slingshot line. It is similar to a traditional 3-stage rocker giving you more straight up pop at the wake. With your “normal” wakeboard the 3-stage makes it less predictable if you do not cut into the wake the same each time. The nice thing about the Recoil is that it is still very forgiving on the take-offs and landings. You can make small mistakes and it won’t throw you off like the standard 3-stage board. It is a bit slower edge-to-edge, but once your edge is set it locks up great.

The Boots:
Driver Boots-

These bindings are awesome! They are closed toe with an inside liner and lace system, as well as a double lace system on the outside. There is a four bolt mounting system that is totally unique to Slingshot. With the flip of the outer clamp you can adjust your stance on the fly with no tools at all. The simple ability to not have to grab out a screwdriver and fumble with bolts on the back of the boat makes these boots so nice. Comfortable and secure.

Conclusion:

I look forward to being a part of this company for some time. They are innovative, dedicated, and are doing things right. You have to get out there and try one of these boards. Most shops carrying these boards will have a demo program. The best way to find out how these products stack up is to ride them firsthand. Call your local dealer and get out there. Come see me in Bakes Board & Ski and I will set you up.

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