Any feedback on the Alpine Foil?

[dwaynej]

Thanks all!

[stefaans]

Depends what you are into.
foil is super stable, super smooth, has a great finish and great support group. it takes apart really easy and the joints seems solid.

It's like the Cadillac of foiling. It's HUGE and it rides like that. Its stable but not quick due to the huge wings and super long fuselage. Really for the trained eye i guess you could say it rides exactly what it looks like.
It's slow. It's built for comfort not for speed. It's the Cadillac not the Corvette. Hope this helps. It's not the foil for me but could be for you.

I think your biggest problem is that F-box they are using. Since you live in Cali you really want to stick with Tuttle designs. Guess when the day comes you could chop that head off and put a tuttle head on it but its a bit of a project.

[pierre.d]

I started last summer with the alpine, it is an easy foil especially with the RX-V6 board
with a very nice finish.
A Cadillac ? well, it has a big front wing but goes relatively fast for its size.
I am able to reach 24 knots with it, while being able to jibe at low speed at 6 knots.
I ordered to Damien the held wing to go faster, it is much smaller.
Damien was one the first to address beginners & travelers with his design, I see that everybody is following that trajectory now and proposing two different front wings: one big one to start foiling/learning jibes and tacks one smaller one to go fast.
There are no miracle here, the smaller wings you have, the faster you will go, but you will have a more technical foil , that requires more speed to jibe and fly.
I will keep the XLP front wing for ultra light wind anyway.

[dwaynej]

I have liked what Alpine has been doing for some time since I first started researching foils. The feedback is awesome, but I will add that a local guy I kite with has 2-3 complete foil setups plus parts he has purchased from various manufacturers and created a "hybrid" made from components he likes... He even filled in manufacturer bolt patterns from his wings and drilled out new holes to match the fuselage he is using. His favorite wing is the Alpine wing.

I've committed myself to an Alpine and I will let you know how I go. Honorable mention goes to Thekitefoil... Looks like a nice product and I wish them the best of luck.

[cookiemonster]

@ dwaynej, I don't think you'll be disappointed!
I am using the CX-V6 Wave board + standard front wing XLP since now 8 months
I have ordered the more efficient front wing for some faster cruising, but I will be keeping the very polyvalent front wing for low wind use. Also, it as very low stalling speed that allow some fun in the waves while still able to accelerate as needed.

[dwaynej]

@ dwaynej, I don't think you'll be disappointed!
I am using the CX-V6 Wave board + standard front wing XLP since now 8 months...

Thanks cookie monster! Can't wait to get on the water and looking forward to getting the "learning" behind me.

[stefaans]

Super easy foil you will be up in no time.

[rowboat]

Just seeing this now, I don't check kiteforum all the time... Glad to see lots of Alpinefoil riders here!

I have ridden old Carafino, MHL Lift (several versions), Spotz, Sword, and a couple of other foils here and there. Alpine won me over due to several factors:

1) very well thought-out design - no dead spots, no cavitation
2) beautiful construction, very well made
3) ability to easily disassemble the fuselage from the mast, great for travel
4) long fuselage and large wingspan make the ride very stable and smooth smooth, and yet the geometry also allows for great agility and roll for turns. Stefaans said "Cadillac", I call mine the Dreamliner – a big modern composite bird that is also very agile when pushed by a good pilot.
5) integrated board program. Yes the box is different (F box), but they are just about all different. True there are more Tuttle's than anything else, but if you want a turnkey package, you get a foil and board from Alpine and it works out of the box.
6) very easy to ride -- not a "beginner foil" but a foil that will take you from beginner to advanced rider and to race as well, with the HELD race wing upgrade.
7) great support from Damien, who is clearly a very engaged designer/entrepreneur. I like working with guys like him.
and) oh yeah, big wing means lots of lift, which means foiling directly from water start, great low speed performance AND incredible upwind performance (better than some of the race foils).

Compared to other foils I've ridden:
- the Lift is still clunkier, slower, and not nearly as smooth
- Sword feels similar - very smooth, but smaller/somewhat more twitchy
- Spotz 1/1.5 felt stiffer, much smaller, required more speed to fly. I have not ridden the Spotz 2 (or is it 3?), which looks much more like the AF in general terms (curved gull wings, not straight)

I have not been racing so I have not clocked the AF vs other foils. All the racers here in SF use Spotz or Sword foils... But Alpine does win races in Europe – so get ready!

BTW, I just created a Facebook group for Alpinefoil riders -- please join if you are on Alpine!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/697169663735048/

Enjoy!

Bowen Dwelle
Alpinefoil & Boardriding Maui Team Rider
Alpinefoil XLP + RX-V6 board
Cloud C2 5/7/9/12m kites

[borist]

So many foils to choose from but I am narrowing my list down...
I do like what I see with the Alpine foil... Any feedback on its capabilities? It would be my first foil so I really interested in the XLP wings paired with a RX-V4 board.
Thanks!

I have this setup. Just started with foiling and am of average "talent". The combo is very user friendly. Getting on the board to learn to ride on the water was super easy, it feels stable in all directions.
Low take off speed = don't need to go fast to foil so I have time to process what's going on.
I'm very happy with my choice.

b.

btw: i'm following Ketos tutorial videos. it covers all i needed to know. progression was smooth and free of frustration so far