Amazing we got so different views on this.
I have been windsurfing since the start in 1978-79.
A few years ago I went windfoiling too, and many of the youngsters here windfoil too, since a year or 1½ year - they learn extremely fast.
The "old men" dont really want to change ha haa, as they know it will take a long time for them, and they know the gear they got now
Sorry, off topic.
My reasoning why I dont really windfoil anymore is:
It needs more wind than kitefoil, period.
Board and booms are huge, compared to kiteboards and bars - although sails and kites are the same in term of space.
Meaning it is almost impossible to take both with you in even a midsized car, you often have to choose one or another.
I dont like that, particularly not if choosing windfoil and the wind stays down at 7-8 knots where you can kitefoil even with a 10 or 12 m2 LEI, but only ride windfoil non-planing on the surface, doing 100s of helitacks till you get bored - this is why it was lovely to start kitesurfing instead back in the days, where we could be planing all the time even if not sufficient wind to go upwind.
With my biggest 5.8 m2 sail I need even more wind than 8 knots, maybe 11-13, but could get a bigger sail - although then the agility gets lost.
Looking away from this practical issue, then there are two major bummers IMO.
Going out: You have to lift/drag/wear the combo out.
If you think an aluminium kitefoil is heavy and bulky, then try a windfoil
You have to drag the board out foil up, over the sand reefs, and then you have to swim in the water, pushing or dragging your windfoil in the water, to get out so you are sure it wont hit the bottom.
From then on it is great though
Apart from, that it seems a lot more risky to ride waves in the shallows (usually only here they are present), as your ability to abort without risking your foil, is much lower IMO, on a windfoil.
They also seem to turn slower meaning small windwaves are not that good for a windfoil, whereas swell could be fantastic - but also on a kitefoil actually.
When going ashore it is even more cumbersome, as you have to stop a while further out than where you started, on a windfoil.
The tide usually changes while out, so you must stop a bit before where you started.
Then you have to jump into the water, and swim the whole thing towards where you can stand on the bottom, again board upside down (foil up) so you dont ruin it.
On a kitefoil you can usually ride extremely close to the shore, you dont need much more than one foot of water (going out you have to drag yourself out, but superfast with foilboard on its side).
And you can jump off without leading to any stress on your kitefoil at all, put it gently down on the side, or if straps, lean rearwards and lift foil up over the water as many does.
Not possible with the windfoil, as it will really be destroyed by the mass and weight of the whole combo sail-mast-board-foil, and not really possible to turn it upside down if you foil into the shallows.
I dont know of any method yet at least
Rigging up/down takes about the same amount of time, whether a windfoil or a kitefoil - I DID time it to compare yes, no difference really.
You can ride long distance on a windfoil, without risk, THAT is true
I usually stay pretty close to shore myself, opposed to racers who ride EVERYWHERE (but get the loooong swim on occasion), so can almost always loop myself ashore, and wait for wind or pack down and walk home, even if a pretty long walk.
The thing is, you can kitefoil in somewhat less wind than you can windfoil, this in itself makes it an uneven comparison.
Also the fact that we CAN get up foiling in the slightest gust (looping the kite), where a windfoil will stay glued to the water a bit longer (pumping the sail), thus the gust might not be sufficient, or it does not "travel" down to the water surface.
Yes, if the wind gets below 7 knots there is a risk it could drop so you can not ride on your kitefoil anymore.
But this is still wayyy less than what is needed for fun windfoil.
Riding in offshore with a lot less risk, also true for windfoiling.
So if you only got one spot, yes, a huge advantage and windfoil so much better
Around here we can drive very easy to a spot regardless of wind direction, thus not a problem.
Also, we can ride the same small and nifty foilboards down to a quite low wind, where a windfoil needs a bigger sail and still dont come close.
Meaning, a kitefoil is a lot more agile, even in light winds.
Both "sports" or what we call it, are great though
But IMO a lot more hazzle with windfoil as written above
At least my experiences and when I compare windfoil to kitefoil myself in order to decide what to do.
Peter