Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Maturity of freeride kite foil market?

A forum dedicated to Hydrofoil riders
mm1854
Rare Poster
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2022 1:22 pm
Kiting since: 2019
Gear: Jaime, Moto, Pivot, Dwarfcraft, Boxer, UFO
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 11 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Maturity of freeride kite foil market?

Postby mm1854 » Sun Dec 04, 2022 4:30 am

Hi,

I am past the very beginner stage of kite foiling, able to gybe and really enjoying myself.
I have been using Naish Jet Foil front wings in 1250 and 1050 size. Their design is 3 years old, I got them and the rest of my foil gear used at a good price and have been happy with it while acknowledging it is also the only I have ever tried. My board is a Slingshot Dwarfcraft 110, and kites are Naish Boxer and Slingshot UFO. My interest is freeriding incl. the occasional smaller waves.

Recently I have been interested in getting new/different gear. It seems within the Naish line the 810 front wing would be the next logical foil for my progression, but I have not been able to find independent reviews of it. Also it seems that is about the end of Naish kite foil choices as the 650 is rather small and therefore I think high speed oriented which is not my interest. Their newest foil offerings are wing foil oriented like most other manufacturers.

This got me thinking that before I automatically spend more on the brand I currently have, perhaps I should reconsider what brand offers me better choices for kite foiling in the longer run as I progress. But I also wonder if I am not being silly and that in reality the kite foil designs at this point have already matured and that since I am not racing where small percentages matter, the Naish, Slingshot, SAB, Ketos, Core, North, ... freeride foils are all going to make me equally happy freeriding.

So do you think that freeride kite foil designs are now relatively mature and the differences between brands are relatively small, or do you think the differences are really noticeable and if so what brand is your preference and why?

Thanks!

User avatar
Peter_Frank
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 12735
Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2002 1:00 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Denmark
Has thanked: 1007 times
Been thanked: 1187 times

Re: Maturity of freeride kite foil market?

Postby Peter_Frank » Sun Dec 04, 2022 8:01 am

Good question.

You might get many saying they are very different, brands.

IMO they are REALLY matured now, so brands offer many different sizes and types yes, but there are not really many "dogs" anymore, like the early years.

You will still be positively or negatively surprised when you try something different, yes, but you could also do that within the same brand.

One thing that stroke me: You wrote you use a 1250 Naish wing (area in cm2?), so assume you are average weight 75-80 kg as you didnt write your weight.
And you write "Next step" - which I dont understand.

As today, if you are into freeride carving and transitions and a bit of wave fun, you dont need a "beginner" foil and then another one later.
The smaller wing will be worse at everything above.
BUT, if you like to go fast, or ride long trips, and like to jump, then you need a smaller wing.

Market is so matured today, so there are hardly any too thick and slow beginner wings which should be changed when experienced :thumb:

But most will change to their own preferred style, getting the wing and board that suits - and they have no idea till exerienced, where their "target" really is.

I cant see you are being off now though, without knowing you :rollgrin:

8) Peter
These users thanked the author Peter_Frank for the post:
mm1854 (Thu Dec 08, 2022 3:06 am)
Rating: 3.03%

airsail
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 687
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:57 am
Weight: 80kg
Local Beach: Queens Beach North, Queensland, Australia
Favorite Beaches: Queens North, I don’t travel much
Style: Foiling
Gear: Sonic 3 15mtr, Soul 10 mtr, BRM Clouds 8, 6.2, 4.8, 3.7
Lift, Naish and Levitaz foils
Carbonco and home build boards
Ozone and Duotone wings
Naish Hover 95 foilboard
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Australia
Has thanked: 341 times
Been thanked: 168 times

Re: Maturity of freeride kite foil market?

Postby airsail » Sun Dec 04, 2022 9:35 am

The 810;is a great wing, pretty much does everything. It’s happy to just cruise slowly, with the 810 sqcm area holding you up nicely through gybes or tacks. It’s quite thin so is easy to ride, some of the thick wings like the Sabfoil 633 can be a handful providing a vast amount of lift.

I’ve hit 25 knots on it, nice and controlled so it’s no slouch. The 650 would be slightly quicker but harder to live with.

My only gripe is it’s too fast for good swell riding, you need to keep the kite moving otherwise you can outrun it, minor problem.

Many at our local still use the the original alloy Naish mast, cheap with good performance, they have just upgraded their wings.

Mate it with the 220 stab, great set up for almost all conditions.
These users thanked the author airsail for the post:
mm1854 (Thu Dec 08, 2022 3:06 am)
Rating: 3.03%

User avatar
Peter_Frank
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 12735
Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2002 1:00 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Denmark
Has thanked: 1007 times
Been thanked: 1187 times

Re: Maturity of freeride kite foil market?

Postby Peter_Frank » Sun Dec 04, 2022 10:49 am

I would, instead of a "next step", call it an addition, get the 810 and enjoy the speed and good glide, as it will feel quite different, and as airsail says, it is a good wing.

This is by far the easiest way for you to expand your quiver and knowledge of wings.

Now you have two options and can find out whether you like one or the other the most, or you keep both for different days and conditions :thumb:

8) Peter

grigorib
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 4147
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2016 8:12 pm
Kiting since: 2009
Local Beach: OBX; Clinton Lake, IL; Lake Michigan; Hood River; La Ventana; Ocean Park, PR; SPI; Tawas, MI
Gear: Kites: Slingshot Rally 5/7/9/11m, Turbine 9/13m, SST 4/5m, UFO 3/5/7/9m, Flysurfer Speed4 10m standard, Flysurfer 2cool 6m, Peter Lynn Venom II ARC 16m

Boards: Spleene RIP 37, Flysurfer Radical6 138, Flysurfer Flydoor5 XL, Slingshot/Moses/RDB 70/90/101cm masts with 1200/860/800/730/600 kitefoil or 2200/1700/1400 wingfoil wings and 310/230/425 stabilizers, Naish MicroChip 80cm, 36" Woody, Slingshot Dwarfcraft Micro 100, MBS Comp 95x

For sale: Slingshot Turbine 9/13m, 20” Guardian bar, 1700 sq.cm wing/fuselage/stabilizer fitting Moses mast
.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 462 times
Been thanked: 691 times

Re: Maturity of freeride kite foil market?

Postby grigorib » Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:49 pm

Still, being mature - some of them weight a lot, some need shimming because of board track placement, some of them float on a side, etc.

It’s like asking if auto industry is mature now :)
I’m happily on old Moses standard, yet if I had no foil - I’d buy F-One now.
These users thanked the author grigorib for the post:
mm1854 (Thu Dec 08, 2022 3:06 am)
Rating: 3.03%

User avatar
purdyd
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2301
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2003 1:00 am
Has thanked: 281 times
Been thanked: 345 times

Re: Maturity of freeride kite foil market?

Postby purdyd » Sun Dec 04, 2022 11:07 pm

I think it is a valid question because I see a lot of energy going into wing foiling or surf foiling, even wake or sup foiling.

I feel like maybe free ride kite foiling has lost some focus.

Ive been pretty much staying on. 950 carving wing. Pretty much got tired of changing wings.

If you keep going smaller you will need to keep your speed up and so have a bit more wind or kite.
These users thanked the author purdyd for the post:
mm1854 (Thu Dec 08, 2022 3:06 am)
Rating: 3.03%

mm1854
Rare Poster
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2022 1:22 pm
Kiting since: 2019
Gear: Jaime, Moto, Pivot, Dwarfcraft, Boxer, UFO
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 11 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Maturity of freeride kite foil market?

Postby mm1854 » Thu Dec 08, 2022 3:06 am

Thank you all for the feedback, really appreciate it!

Peter_Frank: I am 85kg, and both the 1050 and 1250 have plenty lift for me.
Regarding "Next Step"/progress. My thought is that as with other sports, as ones skill level increases so does how much one can push the equipment to its limits at which point the difference in equipment potential starts to matter more. If there was such differences in the market offerings I would be interested before my next purchases. But good to hear that you consider the market mature now.

airsail, thanks for sharing your experience of the 810. It sounds really good and I think this will be my new addition. :D

User avatar
jakemoore
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2518
Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2004 3:59 am
Kiting since: 2003
Gear: More wing than kite
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Oleander
Has thanked: 146 times
Been thanked: 294 times
Contact:

Re: Maturity of freeride kite foil market?

Postby jakemoore » Thu Dec 08, 2022 4:50 pm

The market is pretty mature but there are still big differences between brands:
M8 vs M6 connections
Connections that do not corrode (Aluminum)
Butt joint connections on wings vs mechanical locking connections vs wings integrated with fuselage
Weight vs rigidity vs drag in the mast
Variety of of additional wings/airplanes and their pricing

IMO there is nothing that checks all the boxes.
These users thanked the author jakemoore for the post:
mm1854 (Fri Dec 09, 2022 8:44 pm)
Rating: 3.03%


Return to “Hydrofoil”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: bitxopalo and 197 guests