Wingsurfing x Aluula

[Toby]

Our ongoing work alongside ALUULA Composites has seen Ocean Rodeo blaze a trail in composite material technology and its implementation, fomenting a new era in incredibly light, strong and stiff wing construction. At the apex of this innovation sits the Glide, the first and only wing on the market to harness the proven benefits of the cutting-edge ALUULA material...

The Glide’s chief designer Ross Harrington brought his 40-year history of hang glider, windsurf sail and kite design experience to the Glide. Initial rider feedback has come in loud and clear that Ocean Rodeo's entry into the wing market has landed the Glide at the front of the pack...
The Glide’s ALUULA composite airframe allowed the design team to drastically cut weight while delivering a new threshold in airframe stiffness and durability. This, along with our pioneering Matrix handle system that allows you the freedom to change riding styles and positions, reinforces our belief that at the dawn of this new sport, the future has already arrived...

"From the outset we focused on an ultralight, balanced design that in a sense 'disappears and behaves' while riding waves. The design team's Modus Operandi for the Glide was set it and forget it. Focus on the wave, while the Glide's shape and stiff composite airframe delivers you a smooth controlled ride and easy handling during all your maneuvers."
Richard Myerscough, Ocean Rodeo CEO

THE A-SERIES

40% LIGHTER & 2x STIFFER THAN THE INDUSTRY STANDARD...
The Glide A-Series features a 100% ALUULA Composite airframe, offering truly next level performance that must be experienced to be understood. Our design team embraced all the technological advancements and opportunities that the ALUULA composite material provides, and implemented them into the A-Series Glide design.
Lighter, stiffer, stronger, and more responsive than the competition, a new standard has been set in wingsurfing with the Glide A-Series.

THE HL-SERIES

25% LIGHTER THAN THE INDUSTRY STANDARD...
Strategically placed ALUULA composite materials are blended with Dacron to create this new 'Hybrid Light' construction class that delivers an impressive decrease in weight with improved airframe response.
ALUULA has been inserted into key overlays and reinforcements throughout the wing, while the strut is composed entirely from ALUULA composite material.
The full ALUULA strut reduces airframe flex while keeping the centre of gravity forward, resulting in superior handling.

https://oceanrodeo.com/pages/wingsurfing

[kiste]

$1,979.00 USD for a 6m wing? Who is going to pay that?

[Kristan]

Saw a review stating that this wing has faulty inflation valve connection to the bladder, which deflates the leading edge.

[happywizz]

Saw a review stating that this wing has faulty inflation valve connection to the bladder, which deflates the leading edge.

Can you share this review?

[Kristan]

Saw a review stating that this wing has faulty inflation valve connection to the bladder, which deflates the leading edge.

Can you share this review?

Grab a translator. https://kiteforum.pro/viewtopic.php?pid=511624#p511624

[StellaBlu]

OR has been putting out press releases and merchants have been taking preorders on this full Aluula wing for many months and I’m not sure if more than a few have made it into a user’s hands. I respect that they tried to beat the market but (a) it’s their v1 design so it’s hard to go out with a massive price markup without confidence that it is a refined design (regardless of the material) and (b) due to whatever supply chain or manufacturing issues they have encountered - they are stuck in the vaporware phase. Now other manufacturers are very close to releasing their Aluula wings with designs that will almost definitely be more refined (Duotone definitely, there is rumor of ozone and ppc as well).

In order for this launch to have been successful at this massive pricepoint, they would have needed to stick the triple-lindy. (1) Ace their v1 design, (2) get it into the right people's hands to review and demo, and (3) have stock on hand well in advance of competitor offerings. I don't have confidence that they checked the box on any of these three points.

I was considering buying a glide but I was waiting for reviews (ideally a demo) and found very little. In the meantime I saw the delays and decided to wait. Now I’m glad I did.

I respect ORs innovation here and I give them the benefit of the doubt that unforeseen acts of god came into play, but the gamble that they could beat the market just didn’t work out on this.

[Dontsink]

I am 100% sure that this Aluula is the future of winging.
But right now i can get three 5m Takoons for the price of one ,unreviewed A Series V1 Glide.
Brilliant material ,brilliant guys in Ocean Rodeo...but what an awful release.

[Dwight]

Aluula might be better left to big wings. Read somewhere Alullla in the small sizes beats you up. Too stiff.

[Dontsink]

You can always make the tubes thinner so they would flex a bit,even lighter and less draggy.

The material is twice as strong with half the weight...optimizing designs for riding styles might take v1 or v2 but eventually they will make better wings for any style or taste i think.

[juandesooka]

I got to demo a 5m a-series yesterday, full aluula leading edge and strut. Excellent wing, being hyper critical and looking at pros/cons, I really can't think of anything negative about it. Really impressed.

Wind was 14-20kt ish.

-- Rigid frame: no bending or deformation when riding or pumping; canopy never flapped
-- good handles. I thought they looked a little droopy on land, but on the water felt really good. The transition from powered to front handle was easy and natural
-- at 20kt it was nicely powered, easy starts, perfect juice on demand. Felt nice and light in luffed riding.
-- at low end, it required some pumping but got up fine (full disclosure: I didn't have any OMG moments yet where it was miraculously getting up ... hopefully will get a chance to experience that in a future session)
-- I was quite surprised on first reach in getting upwind further/faster than ever before at this spot...either wind angle was a few degrees different than normal, or this has the angles optimized to get upwind
-- my max speed was 30.5kmh, which is fastest yet on my GPS (only used last 5 sessions or so), though only by 1-2kmh.

Overall, it is solid in every way, pretty stoked. This test was pretty much right in the middle of its range. More test sessions needed to better understand its capabilities at the upper and lower end particulary, as that should tell the tale. My hope is that low wind potential will be upped by a kt or 2 with its lightness.