Slingshot One-Lock System

The screwless future is here! Slingshot has done what was thought to be impossible, which is create a foil system (mast and foil) that can quickly be interchanged without screws, and without spending five minutes dealing with all kinds of tiny, very losable parts. The One-Lock is a highly engineered system that uses a single clipping system to lock the front foil, the tail, and the mast all in place using pressure as the main force to keep everything together. Seeing Slingshot’s One-Lock in action is one thing but using it and testing the system in highly dynamic situations is another. We joined Slingshot’s Jeff McKee and friends on a trip to Chicama and got a chance to test a bunch of One-Lock wings and tails and put the system through the ringer at one of the best foil waves in the world.

As a system, it’s very obvious Slingshot has put a lot of time and energy into getting this right. The mechanism is essentially a Dynema string connected to a custom latching screw piece that can lengthen or shorten depending on what tension levels are needed. It’s simple, it’s rugged, and most importantly, it works. Where the mast meets the foils is a triangular-shaped hole that forces everything to be right side up. I accidentally put everything on backwards one time, and then saw they had run into this before, as there was an arrow indicating where the front wing goes right on the mast! On the trip, I would bring out two to three wings and tails on our tow boats, and then intentionally fully change our entire foil set up multiple times, just to see if we could. What I found is that not only is it possible to switch wings mid-session with no hassle, but it actually enhanced the session. In the mornings, we would have smaller conditions because of the high tide. Then as the tide dropped and the waves got bigger, I could foil down and keep up with the waves. Overall, I found One-Lock to be highly functional as a system, but I also found it fun to do. Something about the newness of the experience created a level of enjoyment, and also secretly hoping you might stump the system with a new environment that maybe they hadn’t thought of. But it was obvious that by the end of our trip, Slingshot had really nailed this system, as it worked every time without failure.

New systems are all well and good, but maybe the biggest issue after you’ve solved the screw problem is making foils that ride good. This is a new line of foils for Slingshot, new shapes, and new designs. The Glide foils are similar to their previous Phantasm series. I would put these foils in the mid-aspect category. Super fun and surfy, low stall speed, but more lift than a traditional surf-style front wing. I rode the Glide 725 and 925, and both were more than capable of connecting multiple waves together, although I did find them a little slow on the acceleration. I ended up adjusting my cadence though, slowed everything down, and it worked fine. Another thing I noticed while riding the Glide wings is that without screws I found a noticeable reduction in friction. It was a very smooth ride through the water. The Flow series is their soon to be released high-aspect line. I rode the 800 wing a couple of times, winging and towing. These wings feel like they are made for velocity. Highly maneuverable, and efficient at speed. I found the 800 to have a little bit of a high stall speed, but once I adjusted for it in my mind it wasn’t an issue, just gotta keep it movin’. We had a number of different tails we were using during the trip – I found the short fuses to be good at what they are made for, which is decreasing your turning radius so you can turn sharper, but my favorite fuse length was the medium-length tails. The second I got up on these I could feel the smoothness, and it really stabilized the system. In general, Slingshot has done a good job with their initial offering of foils for the One-Lock system. There’s plenty of range for people to pick up a style of foils that they like and have a great time. Slingshot has created foils that address first-time riders, while also giving you foils to advance into. I’m looking forward to watching them address the ultra-high-performance riders as they create new foils for the One-Lock system.

With Slingshot’s One Lock system, I found that having multiple foils with me at all times, so that I can real-time adjust to the waves and conditions, to be something I never even considered before. There have been so many times while towing that you make the wrong foil decision and you’re stuck out there either over or underpowered, thinking how you made the wrong decision the whole session. With the One-Lock system, those days are over. Bring out three foils, see what works best. Bring one front foil, and switch tails mid-session to have a totally different ride. It’s sort of a choose-your-own-adventure way to think about a session now, thanks to the One-Lock system.