Last spring I bought a 6.8M 2024 North Mode Pro to train with while I was waiting for a 7M race prototype wing from Ezzy (I do some RnD for him). I found the North to be exceptional and noticed that the jury is out on the 2025 version.
Additionally, I recently bought a 2023 4.5M Duotone Dlab Unit for a song (had never been used and got it for $500). I've ridden it twice and while I'm not thrilled about the LE handle, overall it's a really nice wing.
Lastly, I also picked up a V1 Ozone Fusion 5M in great shape but highly discounted. I wanted to try a dual skin and noticed a fair amount of the racers are selling the V1 for as little as $400 in good shape. While that wing takes a solid 20-25 knots to really shine, it's super fun and even flags well in surf, yes, in surf. I didn't expect that at all. The low end is terrible, but the upper end is amazing.
Anyhow, it got me thinking about decades of buying windsurfing and kite gear and I believe we're already hitting "the latest" isn't always "the greatest" phase of winging gear. Sure, there's some new stuff thats amazing, but post 2024 the curve is slowing down.
For all of us trying to keep gear costs under control, I think this is a great time to scoop up last year's models and lightly used wings from team riders.
Anyone else care to add to this list?
Bit of a hot take here, with major brands pushing new foils, older ones are often overlooked.
If you have the ability, the older Fone foils are better than anything by miles. Think escapes & small phantom-s. There is a reason the kids all use escapes for waves and freestyle.
Select to expand quoteKing Crash said..
Bit of a hot take here, with major brands pushing new foils, older ones are often overlooked.
If you have the ability, the older Fone foils are better than anything by miles. Think escapes & small phantom-s. There is a reason the kids all use escapes for waves and freestyle.
It's kind of ridiculous that a top wing freestyle foil is a 5-year-old kite foil. Anyway, can't buy an Escape anywhere. I think it's being updated.
Well the older F-One foils like Phantom S or Eagle are very efficent but still user friedly. The hype of using an AR 12 Foil is cooling down because people realize that these Foils are not that easy to use in rough conditions.
The escape is been used by the young freestyle guys because they are all pretty lightweight and need small Foils for freestyle. The smallest version of Phantom S is 740. That's still to big for a 60 kg Rider.
I also still use the 4 year old Strike V1 2.8 for DW in strong wind simply because it is so easy to use and by far one of the lightest wing in the market
Select to expand quoteFaff said..King Crash said..
Bit of a hot take here, with major brands pushing new foils, older ones are often overlooked.
If you have the ability, the older Fone foils are better than anything by miles. Think escapes & small phantom-s. There is a reason the kids all use escapes for waves and freestyle.
It's kind of ridiculous that a top wing freestyle foil is a 5-year-old kite foil. Anyway, can't buy an Escape anywhere. I think it's being updated.
You can buy an escape. Easy enough to get, but the reason people use them is the fuller foil profile. MA (sk8) and HA (eagles/x) all have a thin foil profile for efficiency and glide. There is nominal glide out of an escape, you need constant power. Which arguably for winging on waves is perfect.
The 630 is beautiful in waves until there is a lot of moving water. Then the phantom-s comes alive.
You want a fuller leading edge profile for pop. Go and compare a 650 sk8 to a 630 escape in a jump, same conditions. They're meters apart
I agree, latest isn't always the greatest. I also wonder if I have simply found and ride my "perfect" kit already. So, I'm not really excited about many of the new foils, boards, wings?
Select to expand quoteKing Crash said..Faff said..King Crash said..
Bit of a hot take here, with major brands pushing new foils, older ones are often overlooked.
If you have the ability, the older Fone foils are better than anything by miles. Think escapes & small phantom-s. There is a reason the kids all use escapes for waves and freestyle.
It's kind of ridiculous that a top wing freestyle foil is a 5-year-old kite foil. Anyway, can't buy an Escape anywhere. I think it's being updated.
You can buy an escape. Easy enough to get, but the reason people use them is the fuller foil profile. MA (sk8) and HA (eagles/x) all have a thin foil profile for efficiency and glide. There is nominal glide out of an escape, you need constant power. Which arguably for winging on waves is perfect.
The 630 is beautiful in waves until there is a lot of moving water. Then the phantom-s comes alive.
You want a fuller leading edge profile for pop. Go and compare a 650 sk8 to a 630 escape in a jump, same conditions. They're meters apart
Where? Couldn't find one in Australia.I think the chord matters as well. So probably better to compare the SK8 750 to the 630.
Totally agree with BWalnut except for one point. The wings are all perishable items with use due to
the fabric materials they're made from. So they will stretch with use and they're performance will degrade.
The foils however is different and they degrade much less with use. If you really like a particular wing, makes
sense to stock up on it a bit or hunt for good second hand ones.
The manufacturers however keep making claims that I doubt are scientifically tested yearly.
If they are, they often quote how the product Feels better !
Once in a while, there will be some genuine technical breakthrough. Like the free leeches design for windsurfing sails is one example I can think of.
Select to expand quotewinddoc said..
Totally agree with BWalnut except for one point. The wings are all perishable items with use due to
the fabric materials they're made from. So they will stretch with use and they're performance will degrade.
The foils however is different and they degrade much less with use. If you really like a particular wing, makes
sense to stock up on it a bit or hunt for good second hand ones.
The manufacturers however keep making claims that I doubt are scientifically tested yearly.
If they are, they often quote how the product Feels better !
Once in a while, there will be some genuine technical breakthrough. Like the free leeches design for windsurfing sails is one example I can think of.
Funny you say this because... that's exactly what I did.
I put 3000+ miles on my 3m Ocean Rodeo AA and then sold it to a friend who continues to push it hard. It still looked and flew like brand new when I sold it. I love these wings so much that I did, in fact, stock up (fingers crossed OR brings them back!). My conundrum is that now I have a brand new, never inflated 2.5mA and brand new never inflated 3mAA that I'm sitting on but am unsure if I'll ever use because I fell in love with the parawing. Every time I say I'm going to sell it I falter because I know it can never be replaced and with my wing usage rate being low now, that 3mAA would easily last for many years, if not forever.
I have been using Duotone Units wings up dating each year.
I am happy to report that the 2026 unit is really Faster and Points upwind better compared to all previous units.
This is with me sailing in identical gears, wind speed and sea state on Garmin gps watch.
I gained 2.5 Knots top speed just by using the new wing.
So, newer maybe better after all within measurable parameter !!
Happy winging 
Select to expand quotewinddoc said..
I have been using Duotone Units wings up dating each year.
I am happy to report that the 2026 unit is really Faster and Points upwind better compared to all previous units.
This is with me sailing in identical gears, wind speed and sea state on Garmin gps watch.
I gained 2.5 Knots top speed just by using the new wing.
So, newer maybe better after all within measurable parameter !!
Happy winging
Yeah, they definitely feel more refined: lighter in the hands, more stable, flag better, better upwind, slice thru tacks better... But feel less grunty for the same size.
Select to expand quoteFaff said..winddoc said..
I have been using Duotone Units wings up dating each year.
I am happy to report that the 2026 unit is really Faster and Points upwind better compared to all previous units.
This is with me sailing in identical gears, wind speed and sea state on Garmin gps watch.
I gained 2.5 Knots top speed just by using the new wing.
So, newer maybe better after all within measurable parameter !!
Happy winging
Yeah, they definitely feel more refined: lighter in the hands, more stable, flags better, better upwind, slices thru tacks better... But feel less grunty for the same size.
Yes, not that grunty in the feeling but if you know how to pump onto the foil properly, you will start earlier than with the 2025 version.
Its abilities for pumping are amazing
Select to expand quotekrixikraxi said..Faff said..winddoc said..
I have been using Duotone Units wings up dating each year.
I am happy to report that the 2026 unit is really Faster and Points upwind better compared to all previous units.
This is with me sailing in identical gears, wind speed and sea state on Garmin gps watch.
I gained 2.5 Knots top speed just by using the new wing.
So, newer maybe better after all within measurable parameter !!
Happy winging
Yeah, they definitely feel more refined: lighter in the hands, more stable, flags better, better upwind, slices thru tacks better... But feel less grunty for the same size.
Yes, not that grunty in the feeling but if you know how to pump onto the foil properly, you will start earlier than with the 2025 version.
Its abilities for pumping are amazing
Granted, I've only had one session, but it felt like it had less oomph for jumps, less hangtime than last years.
Select to expand quotewinddoc said..
I have been using Duotone Units wings up dating each year.
I am happy to report that the 2026 unit is really Faster and Points upwind better compared to all previous units.
This is with me sailing in identical gears, wind speed and sea state on Garmin gps watch.
I gained 2.5 Knots top speed just by using the new wing.
So, newer maybe better after all within measurable parameter !!
Happy winging
Fully agree.
I have 5.5 and 6.5 Units 2026 and 3.5 and 4.5 Floats.
2026 Units have taken some of the very good characteristics of the Floats IMO.
Select to expand quotewinddoc said..
I have been using Duotone Units wings up dating each year.
I am happy to report that the 2026 unit is really Faster and Points upwind better compared to all previous units.
This is with me sailing in identical gears, wind speed and sea state on Garmin gps watch.
I gained 2.5 Knots top speed just by using the new wing.
So, newer maybe better after all within measurable parameter !!
Happy winging
From earlier post "Anyhow, it got me thinking about decades of buying windsurfing and kite gear and I believe we're already hitting "the latest" isn't always "the greatest" phase of winging gear. Sure, there's some new stuff thats amazing, but post 2024 the curve is slowing down."
I don't disagree that there are great things happening with some of the new designs. My point is that it's not like the early days where there were some real dogs being released in the wing, board, and foil categories. Also, I wanted to highlight that there are some designs from the last two years that are standing the test of time.
I agree that wings are now incrementally better, and often it is better on one end at the cost of another area of performance. Foils on the other hand are still evolving, and gear from 2 years ago, might as well be from 10 years ago.
Most importantly, riders are improving. I suspect most of us now, can get on any gear and have some fun. A few years ago, that would not be the case.
Select to expand quoteGoofcat said..
I agree that wings are now incrementally better, and often it is better on one end at the cost of another area of performance. Foils on the other hand are still evolving, and gear from 2 years ago, might as well be from 10 years ago.
Most importantly, riders are improving. I suspect most of us now, can get on any gear and have some fun. A few years ago, that would not be the case.
The F-One SK8 is a top foil. It's 2.5 years old. (V2 is the same shape, just stiffer).
