Wing foiling is one of the fastest growing water sports; it harnesses the power of the wind with a small hand held sail. This is combined with a directional board similar in shape to a windsurf board or surfboard, with a hydrofoil mounted on the bottom. Once on foil, the hydrofoil elevates the rider and board 2 -3 feet above the surface of the water. This provides a super smooth ride and the sensation of gliding or flying along the surface of the water. The closest feeling to riding a hydro foil is that of a deep pow day on a snowboard. It’s soft, smooth, and it keeps you coming back for more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whats the difference between an inflatable wing and a parawing?
There is two styles of wings for wing foiling: the inflatable rigid wing and the parawing. The inflatable rigid wing features an inflatable leading edge and an inflatable centre strut. These wings are highly recommend for those first learning to wing foil as they are easier to learn on and have similarities to a windsurf and sailboat sail. A parawing is also a hand held wing but it’s not inflated and looks similar to a paraglider. The parawing uses a small handle with a series of brides that connect to the sail. The benefits to the parawing are that it’s smaller and compact for storage and travel, and the rider is also able to pack up and stow the parawing in their hand or stash pouch on their waist and foil hands free on the swell. The negatives to the parawing are that they are harder to initially learn how to wing foil on in comparison to an inflatable wing, and they also have a smaller wind range and overall are a bit tricker to use in comparison to an inflatable
wing. We recommend starting with an inflatable wing to learn how to wing foil and then advancing to the parawing when you have your foil skills mastered. The parawing is considered advanced tool for wing foiling but is very achievable with some practise and time on the water.
What should I look for in my first wing foiling wing?
The first wing you purchase should be an all-around wing. You will want a mid aspect wing. A mid or lower aspect wing will have a shorter wing span making it easier to learn the handling skills. The compact wing span prevents the wing tips from dragging in the water when handling the wing, taxiing, and water starting. Next we would recommend using a full length once piece boom. The boom makes it easier to handle the wing and make small adjustments without compromising your hold on the wing.
How is a wings aspect ratio measured?
A wings aspect ratio is determined by measuring the distance from wing tip to wing tip in comparison to the wing cord length measurement, which is leading edge to trailing edge.
What gear to buy to learn wing foiling?
The 3 main gear items for wing foiling are the inflatable hand wing, foil board, and complete foil. The foil is made up of several components: the mast, front wing, fuselage, and stabilizer. When learning to wing foil you are going to want to start with a wing that provides enough power, which is usually a 4 or 5 meter wing. However, this is dependant on your local wind conditions and your body weight. For riders under 150
lbs, we would recommend starting with a 4m wing for 17-25 milers per hour. For those over 150 lbs we’d recommend starting with a 5m for the same wind range. Ideally, you will acquire more wings in different sizes to build a quiver (see more below). When learning to wing foil your board size is crucial and you want to start with a higher volume board, which will speed up the learning process. A board that is too small will be an added challenge while learning. The rule of thumb for wing board size when learning is your body weight in kilograms + 20 to 40 litres. Example: rider at a weight of 80KG would look at a board of 100L - 140L.
Do I need a dedicated light-wind wing?
This is very much location, conditions, and rider wight specific. If you are practising wing foiling in a light wind location and or a heavier weight rider 225 lbs +, we would recommend light-wind specific gear. A great light wind specific wing is the Ozone Lite Force V2. This wing has been designed specifically to perform in light wind conditions as its more efficient and easier to handle with tapered wing tips. If you want to ensure
you get a session in, then get a light-wind wing.
Can I wing foil with one wing, or should I buy more than one size?
Yes, you can use one wing to wing foil but more often than not you will find yourself on the wrong size wing unless you are in a very consist wind location where the wind blows the same strength everyday. You will want to build a quiver of wings. A three wing quiver is common and will cover you in a variety of wing conditions. For example, a rider at the weight of 175 lbs could build a quiver with the following 3 wing sizes 3M, 4.3M and 5.7M. This quiver of 3 wings would allow the rider to go in a range of winds from 10mph
to 35mph and everything in between. If you are closer to 125 lbs, it may be helpful to have a 2.4M, 3.6M, and 5M to cover a wide range of wind speeds.
Should I choose a wing with handles or a boom?
There are benefits to both but our personal favourite is a full length boom. Here is the positives and negatives of both.
Handles
Positives: compact and easy to pack for travel.
Negatives: added weight with extra connection points along the strut, hand placement must be more precise, not as easy to ride one handed.
Boom
Positives: easier handling, lighter weight, ultra stiff and direct feel, forgiving with hand placement when manoeuvring wing, easier to use with a harness line.
Negatives: less compact, larger for travel.
Are wing handles and booms interchangeable between models?
Depending on brand yes, handles and booms are interchanges between model but NOT between brands. Unfortunately every brand uses their own connection system for connecting booms and handles to the strut. Personally, we like to have a boom or set of handles for each size wing in our quiver. This makes it simple at the beach for set up, you will never forget you handles/boom, and it’s easier for resale.
Is an Aluula worth the added cost?
The benefits to an Aluula construction or Ultra X construction wings is worth the added cost. The Aluula material drastically reduces the overall weight of the wing and as well provide an ultra stiff rigid frame. These characteristics make the wing easier to handle, drift effortlessly while riding bumps flagged out, and provides a highly efficient direct feel while powered up.
What to look for in a wing for wave riding?
The most important characteristic in a wing for wave riding is stability. You want a wing that is going to be easy to handle and drift effortlessly while flagged out. The last thing you want while focusing on riding a wave is to have to constantly be fighting with the wing because it’s dragging in the water, rolling side to side, or getting in the way while riding downwind.
Do inflatable wings come with handles, a boom and a leash?
It really depends on the brand. This is important to factor in when purchasing your wing. Ozone includes the boom and waist leash with every wing sold. Other brands like to sell the leash and boom separately. This may appear the cheaper wing when advertised but once you add a leash and boom it becomes the same price or even more expensive. We recommend a boom/handles and leash, for every wing.
How much does wing foiling equipment cost?
Wing foil equipment ranges depending on model, size, and construction. If you purchase a carbon foil mast verse an aluminum foil mast it will be more expensive. If you purchase a Aluula or Ultra X wing verse a standard construction wing it’s going to be more expensive. For a good beginner wing foil set up you can expect to spend anywhere from $4000 and up for a new complete wing foil set up. This includes board,
board leash, complete foil and, complete wing. This does not include wetsuit, PFD or helmet.