Tkb Wing Review: SLINGSHOT Slingwing Classic V1

Sizes Available: 3, 4.2m
Sizes Tested: 4.2m

Slingshot Says:

The SlingWing Classic V1 is part windsurfing, part kiteboarding and part flying, each broken down to their most basic form. When you combine it with a foil, you get an entirely new sport that simplifies the experience and gear you need to fly across the water powered by the wind. If you’re new to windsports, the SlingWing is easier, safer and more user-friendly than any of its predecessors, and if you’re an experienced wind junkie, it’s a fun and simplistic style of riding you’ll enjoy instantly.

Visit for more info: https://www.slingshotsports.com/Slingwing-Classic-V1

TKB Says:

The SlingWing takes its wingsurfing roots back to 2011 when Slingshot designer Tony Legosz rode an early prototype on a surfboard in the Columbia River Gorge. Fast forward nine years and we have the mass-produced SlingWing Classic V1, which offers one of the most feature-laden wing designs on the market with just about every innovative gadget thrown into the mix.

The SlingWing V1 offers one of the biggest leading edge diameters in the field with a robust boom strut and the only airframe to offer a trailing edge inflatable structure. It has a see-through window in the canopy to spot traffic and three handles on the leading edge, two diagonal handles and its wide-boy center handles along the boom strut. The SlingWing uses Slingshot’s large diameter bayonet-style inflation valve that requires no nozzle on the end of your standard pump hose for a quick and convenient pump up. The V1 design is one of the few wings to integrate a lockout on the inflation tube between the leading edge and the strut. If you’ve ever been stranded a ¼ mile offshore on a long downwinder, you would know that having one inflatable structure is better than none. The trailing edge bladder is a high-pressure bladder with 9mm one way valves. You inflate the LE with the rest of the wing, then lockout the TE bladder and finish off with a pump to achieve the ultimate canopy rigidity.

The first thing we noticed about the SlingWing Classic V1 is that its bomber construction combined with its multitude of handles and features add significant extra weight to the wing. While smaller users will find the extra weight a bit more challenging to maneuver, the design’s large diameter leading edge when coupled with the inflatable trailing edge creates one of the most incredibly rigid wings on the market. When you ride the SlingWing you feel absolutely no flex or loss of power and the trailing edge and canopy are incredibly stable.

The extra handles on the leading edge proved helpful when trying to flip the wing right side up in the water and the generous grabbing surfaces make it easy for beginners to get control of the wing in challenging moments. The handles along the boom are made out of wider webbing which feels really stiff for a very strong precise connection to the wing that you don’t get with other wings. The webbing is a bit wide and can lead to finger fatigue for riders with smaller hands. Our favorite handle was the lower diagonal because its twisted angle felt most comfortable on our hands for long tacks upwind and seemed like an excellent balance point for long tacks going upwind.

A little bit of technique goes a long way to tame the SlingWing’s bulletproof build, but its biggest selling feature is probably its durability. Beginners can put this wing through the wringer and skateboarders can drag the wingtips on the ground with its scuff guards and the Slingwing will not be phased. The Slingwing Classic V1 is the Cadillac of wingsurfers. It’s built bombproof with tons of features, but that also takes away from its high-end performance.