The dynamic duo at Our Kite Life (Laurie & Yuri) have recently reviewed the Triton T1 monofoil and are posing the question: Are monofoils the future of foiling?
Here is our honest take on this question and we know we are hardly a neutral party when it comes to this topic but your input is super helpful and give me a moment to explain why.
Two years ago when we started designing with our monowing for kiting with partners at a leading Canadian university aeronautics department at we saw three immediate advantages to monofoils:
1. Safety - 90% of all serious foil injuries come from the rear stabilizer. Agreed?
2. Travel - no stab and no fuse = a smaller, more compact foil
3. Fun - inherently more carvey, turny...basically a freestyle machine.
We were also aware of the traditional disadvantages:
A. Pitch instability - no fuse + no stab = a bucking bronco style ride
B. If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It - e.g. traditional foils have become way easier to ride
C. Pumping - hard to pump and glide a foil without a fuse and stab
We would humbly submit that the T1 monofoil has overcome A, makes B largely irrelevant (see Laurie's video) and has made some progress on C while still leaving room for improvement.
Given the many advantages, few real disadvantages and the many seemingly happy riders on monofoils sharing their experiences we are genuinely curious about why more people aren't converting to a monofoil.
Help us out here!
Why are you reluctant to ride a monofoil? Too experimental? Happy with your existing ride? High aspect foils are your priority #1 re: new gear? Kite foiling is DOA in your books?
Any and all feedback welcome.
Thx.
Rudy, Co-Founder, Triton Foils.
www.tritonfoils.com