2016 Foils

[Kieran]

I'm hoping to learn to foil this season, city foiling, not racing. My googling returns an incredible number of foil vendors and virtually no credible product reviews.

Do any of you foil experts have any advice for me? I'm looking for something that's reasonable value, isn't super high aspect or super low aspect, and will keep me entertained for a long time.

The Alpine foil looks promising, but I'd love to hear any other suggestions.

Thanks,

Kieran

[Kieran]

Answering my own question since none of you felt the urge, posting a good foil summary from http://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Entry-level-foils-boards-for-beginners/?page=2

fastafoildotcom said. Hi Guys - I'm based in Montpellier, France and have been foiling since may 2008.

Following on from the 2014 Americas Cup 2015 will no doubt be 'LIFT OFF' for kite foiling. If your already reading about it on the web, its too late you've already caught the Foiling BUG.... Dig deep as performance foils are expensive to build.

No words to describe the sensation - unless you've tried it you can't understand it. It's the 3rd dimension of sailing, windsurfing or kiting....

Regarding kitefoils on this side of the planet - here's my two cents of an overview: France has been for sometime leading the way regarding kite foils - that does not mean to say that I'm biased. I'm an English guy thats been residing here on the French Mediterranean for over 10yrs.

Lots of good new foil producing companies cropping up all over the globe recently.

The Taaroa Sword is the defacto race engine together with Spotz - I believe that the Spotz foil is cheaper however - both are full carbon and are Race Specific foils. I've never ridden KFA foil but the word here is that they work well - chapeau les gars as they say here.

The Ketos foil (Alps based composite manufacturer) here in France is the most mature carbon foil on the market - it works in all modes of riding - learning, free-ride, wave, race and speed wings are available and its priced competitively @ 1690€ Really good after sales service and quality of product.

Fastafoil (my company) Sencillo shares the Ketos fuselage and we produce wings for learning and progression(good to 26+ knots) st'd format and free-ride wings. Easy to use, no sharp trailing edges unlike some foils that can cut not only your wetsuit...

Zeeko for 2015 have pulled out all the stops - completely new foils both Carbon and Alloy. As I said in an earlier post their Alu foil will be the most cost effective foil on the market (sub 800€) and will, in my opinion, be suitable for 90% of kitefoil riders - it's an really good design and performs. The carbon foil is on a par with the Sword for all out speed and racing - beautiful finish and graphics. Horue - they produce both kite and windsurf foils and they work well.

Alpine Foil - another alps based foil mfc - Damien continues to produce beautifully finished foils and their Alu foil should be something special. Alu fuselage machined on a 5 axis CNC milling machine - the alu mast plugs into the fuselage. Some issues with twist flex in the carbon legs however I presume this was due to teething problems on the early production front. The Kitefoil Co - middle east based French foil designer who produced the 2013/2014 Zeeko foils.

The Manta is heavy but I'm sure that it works well. At a recent Spring foil event the lack of board meant that it was impossible to test the foil. The 2015 kite board I'm told verges a little on the heavy side.

F.One foil (2900€) with board - easy to use foil that is geared towards beginners and progressive foiling. Like all things F.One a quality product and an ingenious design.

North - I've seen the foil in person and it is heavy, very heavy almost the same weight as the Alloy Liquid Force foil however at almost 3000€ it's twice as expensive. But you get the bonus of being able to trap your foot in the foil and risk breaking your ankle if anything goes pear shaped. Nice finish though.

Liquid Force - great beginner foil but limited to circa 15knts top speed with standard foil wings. The Kitefoil Co are offering replacement wing sets (600 to 700$ a set)

Gong - Beautifully finished Chinese mfc foil @ 999€ the complete foil. It works but kangaroos gravely the faster you accelerate. Rear wing needs to be inversed for it to work efficiently and it needs a vertical foil to stop it from snaking at speed.

Lift Foils - outside of Europe but Nick Leason has done a great job of developing his foil range. Apparently they work a treat. Moses - Italian based foil mfc. No first hand experience but they look good and I know a couple of guys who have learnt to foil with them without any hassle.

Bruno Sroka - no presence at the recent foil spring gathering so difficult to comment. Lots of screws and bolts but an original concept. Some what limited on Vmax but no doubt the foil works - Bruno knows his stuff so I'm looking forward to riding it once they start appearing on the beach.

There are other foil mfc here in the EU apologies if I've missed you out - everyones knowledge is limited by their exposure. The human body is an amazing machine - it will adapt, adapt and adapt. If you purchase a poor performing kitefoil and there are good and bad foils - like any market. The human body will adapt and learn to accommodate the pitfalls of performance defaults - your learning may be slightly slower but the magic carpet rider experience is what is important. Enjoy and aim to be full foil tacking asap.

One French brand I forgot is Radical - Jerome makes really sexy foils that are very efficient and easy to ride. The Radical board brand has been around since the debut of Kitesurfing and Jerome has been building foils for as long as I have. His wife Sophie was the ladies World Cup Foil champ last year - if my memory serves me correctly.

[RobH]

I've upgraded from the Liquid Force Foil Fish (a great setup to start on) to the 160 Go Foil setup by Alex Aguera. Check out the videos on his site (http://www.alexaguera.com) and you will see why! I received the board within two days of placing the order - was sent by overnight delivery. I haven't used it yet, but I'm really looking forward to it! Comes with everything for US$2,700: board, straps, 2 sets of wings (race and all around), wing cover, mast cover and postage. Nice to know that if I need any parts, they are only a couple of days away by FedEx.

[Coddy]

I accidentally got the foil bug in la ventana last fall. The guys brought a foil fish along and I tried it 3 days in a row. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since.


I was left with a feeling by day 3 that I wouldn't want to stick with a liquid force foil fish (started to feel slow). To net it out I've convinced myself I need to go with the alpine foil this spring.

The new slingshot, LF happy foil and that blue euro one (zeeko?) all seem very interesting.

Probably worth adding that I'm a freeride kinda guy with no intention of racing and if I do it'd be casual on whatever I set up I have. In 9 years of casual kiting the only race I've been tempted by was a slalom at lord of the wind in LV.

[Coddy]

Another foil.. Think of this one when you question the ~3k you are thinking of spending on one of the other options.. This one is probably more expensive.

http://www.schwinge.co.uk/

[norona]

I have a carifino foil for sale, awesome board and foil comes with 2 sets of foils... dave@davenorona.com

[Coddy]

I just had my first day on the latest alpinefoil set up, 4th day foiling ( first three were in a borrowed liquid force set up)and I was surprised by two things<
1. How much flotation helps a newbie
2. How stable the longer fuselage of the alpine set up is at the higher speeds of this gear.

No buyers remorse here and I'd even go so far as to say I could have just as easily started with this set up'

[Kieran]

I just had my first day on the latest alpinefoil set up, 4th day foiling ( first three were in a borrowed liquid force set up)and I was surprised by two things<
1. How much flotation helps a newbie
2. How stable the longer fuselage of the alpine set up is at the higher speeds of this gear.

No buyers remorse here and I'd even go so far as to say I could have just as easily started with this set up'

Good to know. Aluminum mast or carbon?

[Coddy]

Aluminum

[freshboard]

Carbon all the way

[foiler]

sold