I like soft handles, convince me I'm wrong

Wind Slither · Since 04 Mar 2005 2636 Posts The 503 METAL

It's shock absorption and flexible for your wrists.

If you're a hard handled zealot, is it 2 hard handles or full boom?

hilton · Since 15 Aug 2008 812 Posts Opinionated

For me it's mostly about convenience in transport and storage.
2 hard handles pack up like a kite in a backpack.
Booms roll up in a long bag like a windsurfing sail.
Unless of course you remove the boom, then it's also like windsurfing with an extra step in rigging and de-rigging.

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2108 Posts PNW Bigfoot

shred_da_gorge · Wed Apr 29, 26 7:50 am

At first I thought we were talking about kiteboards... I use straps, not handles now.

Evolution...

I picked up a quiver of Slingshot Javelins on a trip to Texas last year, and they included a number of carbon booms. I flew home with their two-piece "travel boom" which breaks down into a bag you can hang in an airplane's garment closet. The fixed booms were two different lengths and had to be couriered back with a friend. (Turns out the travel booms are a larger diameter that I prefer for my big hands, so the fixed booms are sitting unused).

Prior wings had a mix of soft handles (Airrush and SIC) and hard (Cabrinha); the SIC soft handles were OK because they were perfectly balanced; the Airrush not so much. The Cab handles were also fine, but it comes down to design and placement more than material. I find the booms on the Javelins are fine, but in the smaller sizes (2.5, 3.0) it feels like they are sub-optimal at times (when I'm overpowered and want to luff without using the handle).