Who are the foilers?

[jumptheshark]

Onewheel is a better no wind solution than efoil.

Cheaper, has some actual utility, and way more options when it comes to terrain. Flat water with wide arc turns would get boring when your used to the fun and terrain that a kite and some wind bring to the table.

Wipeouts are way worse on land, and there is the slight risk of death by traffic, but you know, there is no real fun without risk.


Efoil: 1.5 % Novelty

[Adolfo]

Just wait and see.

Of a total of about 30 kiters on a good day, a friend and I were the only foilers at my local spot for more than two years.
After two seasons of watching us have fun, while they stayed dry, waiting for wind; now there are 6 or 8 foils more, and most others are planning to buy one in the near future. Everybody seems to be asking questions about equipment.

Regarding foil surfing, it used to be something very difficult to learn, with the early days small foils. But with today’s bigger foils, it’s getting easier by the day.
This was my first season sup foiling. For the most part, same friend and I were the only sup surf foilers at the surf spot we went. But I can tell you that we saw the same look in the eyes of the other surfers and supers in the line up, that we used to see in the kiters at my local spot.
If you surf at a spot with crappy waves and see foilers doing fast down the line turns while you are just pushed along by a gutless wave, it doesn’t take long to take out the credit card and go looking for whatever gives you the possibility to do that. I expect to see a huge grow in the big surf foils sales on places with small waves.

Regarding windfoiling, it’s payback time for the hardcore widsurfers. With a foil, they can go out the same days as kiters, and feel cool again, while staying loyal to their sport. There are only a hand full of windsurfers left at my local spot, but many are buying foils these days.

[Laughingman]

I forgot about e-foil completely.
Looking at calm summer waters of Lake Michigan I wish I could spend $2000 on mast-mounted motor, couple of board-mounted battery cases and a remote to ride around.
Maybe one day e-foils will get to remoteless control - a-la Onewheel.

I hope e-foils catch up. They will draw many people away from kitesurfing too.

I think if efoils go main stream they will pretty quickly get regulated and classified probably in with PWC's, which will make them have to have an anchor, floating heaving line, PFD, etc etc... effectively they will get regulated to the point they will not be efficient.
I would save your money.

[slowboat]

It’s just a matter of time before everyone playing in smallish waves will be using foils. We r just at the very early stages as is the equipment we are using. The inherent benefits of a foil in waves cannot be denied.

[longwhitecloud]

surf this time last year there were way more people trying surf foiling that this year, people seemed to learn then go back to a regular surfboard - still a couple of hardcores tho getting rediculous 1km+rides

sup foil - there is a small crew of over 50s same same

kite - slight increase but still a very small percentage

this is a wave location with occasional good wind, i guess if you are somewhere with crappy winds and swell you would take the advantage in u got the $ and cant move....

4km surf foil downwinders in 30-40 knots big swell , kai lenny style.. - seen a few more of these this year but still rare

efoil - 1 out occasionally, esurfboards - 2 esurfers in local area - on a medium big day . they smoke the sweep/rip!

My brother just got his foil wing in the throat/voicebox , couldnt talk for a few days, he is ok now tho.

[stevez]

It’s just a matter of time before everyone playing in smallish waves will be using foils. We r just at the very early stages as is the equipment we are using. The inherent benefits of a foil in waves cannot be denied.

That's pretty much how I feel about it.

Anywhere with large body of water with minimal groundswell, still gets decent windswell that can be ridden with a foil (and only a foil) And this is not rare - probably over 50% of the conditions kited in in total. Eg the entire Mediterranean. Both protected smooth flat water locations and wave locations are the exception not the rule.

From my own side:- I bought the gear to get into sup foiling, and I have long term designs on downwinding. But maybe I'm just deluding myself. Surf or sup foiling looks like such hard work to get back to the line-up, reserved for the super athletes who can pump back out, tedious to torturous for everyone else. As for downwinding, logistics seem a bit overwhelming, all that gear to schlep around, and it only works on great kiting days. With kite foiling, it's just so easy and convenient. My next board is 84cm, won't even need oversize luggage. I think I've been spoilt.

[topmick]

At my local, from what I have noticed surf & paddle foiling is growing at a faster rate than kite foil.
I kite foiled for about 6 months, then started prone & hardly kite at all anymore.

[TomW]

Kitefoiling is growing here in Southern Sweden- growth curve is getting steeper. Due to us early adopters showing how we get so many sessions. It doesnt look very fun, ( but we know it is) so the stoke spreads via social media to a large degree.
Some of the guys are thinking about trying SUP Foil, and have tried wakefoiling. But having gotten into SUP 5 years ago, i know how strenuous and difficult it is in any wind over 5ms. I dont think its going to grow at all except in 1-2 spots where there are actually some small consistent wave.

[Slappysan]

Surf or sup foiling looks like such hard work to get back to the line-up, reserved for the super athletes who can pump back out, tedious to torturous for everyone else.

You can just paddle back out, you don't need to pump. Paddling a SUP or surf foil isn't much harder than a normal board.

[juandesooka]

My locale:

Kitefoil: seems to have plateau'd.

Windfoil: all of a sudden, 4-5 of the local windsurfer community took it up last year (they travel in packs). And suddenly they are actually stoked about sub 25kt conditions again, even saying things like "I wish it would get less windy so I can foil". LOL

SUPfoil: just me and a buddy last year, now another 2-3 starting, another half dozen just about there. The learning curve is fairly steep; we were a really bad advertisement, "more fun than it looks, trust me!". Now we are intermediates and getting some solid rides, I anticipate more people are seeing the potential.

SurfFoil: no one yet, but a few people nibbling at the fringe. I plan to progress to that, once SUPFoil "mastered". I suspect that's where we may see some lookie-loo's become doers, as the SUPfoilers tend to be just standing there riding along (similar to SUP riders in general), whereas the SurfFoilers are ripping! Going fast, quick turns, in the critical sections, like surfing on speed. I look forward to giving it a shot.

[Slappy: if you ever get to south VI, hit me up for a demo ... just like the pusher, first one's free ]