Introducing WinGsurfing
It's not every day a new sport is created. Well we'd like to introduce you to "Wingsurfging". Read that again. Not WinDsurfing but WinGsurfing.
While variations on the "Wing" have been around for years the innovation in light wind foilboarding has drawn the old designs out of the closet. Dusted off and polished up these new wings are super fun and easy to use. For old-timer WinDsurfers (like us) who remember the Wind Weapon it's a bit of a flash back.
But these wings are different. First off they are ultralight wings that work on high pressure air chambers to make and hold their shape. These are not pool toys. With stiff leading edges and surprisingly rigid performance a small light wing can generate quite a bit of power. When they are not inflated they are smaller than your average backpack. They pump up quickly and unlike the fixed mast WinDsurfer are intuitive and easy to use.
And don't be fooled by the internet on this one. Nearly all the hype around the WinGsurfer is showing the wings on foilboards. Well the seceret is that they are actually just as much fun when paired with a Stand Up Paddleboard (pictured at right). Too windy to paddle? Just pump up your wing and go for a sail.
Don't get us wrong we love WinDsurfing. With that said the unintuitive physical nature and a long learning curve make it hard for many to even consider trying it. WinGsurfing is the opposite. The mechanics make sense and the near weightless wing makes for far less physical effort. This is truly the everymans sailboat.
We expect to see some rapid innovation not over the next few years but likely the next few months. We however have done our homework. After scouring all the current wings on the market and putting afew through the testing cycle we really like the new wing from Duotone best. Why? The addition of the boom bar (pictured below) adds a level of stiffnes and responsiveness none of the other wings do. The boom does add that extra level of copmplexity and do hickeys but we think it is worth it.
The other wing we like is from Naish. What Naish has done has innovated with an inflatable trailing edge.This provides a frame like structure that like the Duotone makes for more rigid in the hand feel.
Now that we have whipped you into a frenzy a bit of bad news. These things are hard to get. The first round of wings has sold out and manufacturers are scrambling to catch. There are quite a few companies rushing wings to market so be ware of the floppy soft wings coming from some manufacturer you have never heard of. Sound like fun? Well take a look at Alan Cadiz on the Duotone Kite in the video below to get an idea of what this is all about.
One major nod of competitive advantage has to go to the kiteboard brands. The similar construction of the WinGsurfer to a kite means that these companies will be putting out the best stuff. If price is the driving factor you'd have so say the Slingshot Wing is the best value of any of them delivering the most bang for the buck in a simple solid design.
Like WinDsurfing sails WinGsurfers also come in various sizes. From 2 meters sq. to 6 meters sq. depending on your use case (SUP or Foil), your weight, and the wind levels you want to "Wing" in.
If you would like to get on the list to either score a Naish, Duotone, or Slingshot wing then give us a call, ask for Cort, and we'll lead you through deciding on which model and which size is best for you. The team at slinghshot has done a great job drawing up a nice sport comparison chart below.
