Any benefit to weight in the foil

[BigSky]

I'm hoping those with a lot of experience can chime in here. Do you sacrifice anything when purchasing a very light mast and foil (forget about the board)? I ask because of my experience related to skiing and I'm ready to drop relatively big dollars on my next foil. I'm a long time backcountry skier and love the benefits of climbing (skinning) with super light tech bindings, carbon boots and skis. My entire set up weighs less than 1 traditional ski boot. There is, however, a sacrifice. These skis get thrown around much more on the descent and there is a marked difference if you want to charge hard. Depending on the descent I may elect to use a much heavier pair of skis.

Is there any application when evaluating foils? What say you?

[airsurfer]

The main sacrifice of light all carbon vs aluminum setups is durability cost and difficulties to repair. Even so some aluminum foils are still very fun to ride despite the extra weight.

[NorCalNomad]

Weight only REALLY matters when you're racing. And of course alum and g10 is more durable than CF

[3InletsWindsports]

Weight is not important to a point.
Less weight is always good but it is the balance of weight and performance and durability that counts most.
One thing that is total marketing BS is claiming that extra weight helps stability when foiling.
This is only a claim made by brands with overly heavy foils.
I personally worry about carbon foils that are core based construction and don't believe that there is any way mixing carbon and Alloy will survive very long.

[BWD]

If the foil is light enough to float, it will put the board on its side and not stay in "foiling position" when you fall, so waves won't make it propel itself downwind away from you, or at you. This sounds great, if the light foils perform and hold up over time.

[cglazier]

There is no benefit to weight in your foil. A lighter foil is easier to carry, more responsive, and certainly jumps better.

Carbon masts are light and very stiff which is what you want. Durability of a carbon mast is not much of an issue since you are unlikely to damage your mast (and small dings in carbon are easy to fill anyway). If anything, corrosion of aluminum masts is more of a durability issue. But aluminum masts are less expensive and work fine if you don't want to spend more for a lighter carbon rig.

Carbon wings are very strong but can get dinged. Luckily they are usually easy to fix with a little epxoy filler. G10 wings are durable but G10 comes in flat sheets and can generally only be machined into flat wing shapes which limits the wing shape design. G10 is less expensive.

Fuselage material can be carbon or metal. Again carbon is lighter and preferred for the fuselage of most (but not all) high performance rigs.

CG

[borist]

CG covered it well.
Lighter is better if you can afford it. No downside riding wise.
If you kite at rocky shores, g10 with aluminum might be a better choice.

[Kamikuza]

What CG said

Is there any application when evaluating foils? What say you?

Carry it down to the end of the beach and back

You'll notice the weight while riding; it'll be a small but niggling effect like riding a heavier TT. Carrying it is where it gets annoying...

[Peter_Frank]

I'm hoping those with a lot of experience can chime in here. Do you sacrifice anything when purchasing a very light mast and foil (forget about the board)? I ask because of my experience related to skiing and I'm ready to drop relatively big dollars on my next foil. I'm a long time backcountry skier and love the benefits of climbing (skinning) with super light tech bindings, carbon boots and skis. My entire set up weighs less than 1 traditional ski boot. There is, however, a sacrifice. These skis get thrown around much more on the descent and there is a marked difference if you want to charge hard. Depending on the descent I may elect to use a much heavier pair of skis.

Is there any application when evaluating foils? What say you?

No, not any benefit to weight in the foil.

You dont sacrifice anything. I am with you, that in some other sports there can sometimes be a disadvantage (amongst lots of advantages), as in not as calm if extremely choppy, getting caught by heavy winds more and similar.

But on a hydrofoil, only advantages not in doubt

CG covered it well.

IMO the by far biggest advantage, apart from carrying which is a (really big though, yes) practical issue and not a riding issue - it is for jumping if you do rotations or board offs or just the old school deadman - here weight means EVERYTHING, so much that I use my shorter carbon mast for this, as a huge difference in swing weight.

A lighter foil will give you more time when starting strapless, before it sinks down vertical, there is a big difference and I feel it a lot when changing from carbon to alu. Really important when you are learning, and of course "nice" in general.
BUT, this is as such not an issue, only a timing difference that you learn fast - so not much of an issue when experienced

PF

[revhed]

A lighter foil is easier to carry, more responsive, and certainly jumps better.
Carbon masts are light and very stiff which is what you want. Durability of a carbon mast is not much of an issue since you are unlikely to damage your mast (and small dings in carbon are easy to fill anyway). If anything, corrosion of aluminum masts is more of a durability issue. But aluminum masts are less expensive and work fine if you don't want to spend more for a lighter carbon rig.
Carbon wings are very strong but can get dinged. Luckily they are usually easy to fix with a little epxoy filler. G10 wings are durable but G10 comes in flat sheets and can generally only be machined into flat wing shapes which limits the wing shape design. G10 is less expensive.
Fuselage material can be carbon or metal. Again carbon is lighter and preferred for the fuselage of most (but not all) high performance rigs.
CG

Enough said!
Respect KBHF rule number ONE (1) do not run aground!
Make sure to protect your beloved sport toy when transporting as have seen MORE damage then than when flying, paying attention to thin fragile leading and most important trailing edges on STRUT and wings.
And NOT as you said "forget about board" there also lighter weight is a huge +!
R H