If you haven't checked these out, especially in Australia, I'd recommend giving them a rip sometime.
Here's the about page: www.crispfoils.com/about
I love this quote: "In hydrofoil products, sub-millimeter accuracy is essential. Precision is designed into every CRISP process - from airfoil section coordinate definitions and CAD modeling to CNC machining and meticulous hand-finishing." This is the kind of stuff that I value in brands.
I got to demo this one, the Flex 130 today: www.crispfoils.com/product-page/crisp-flex-130
Conditions were 30 knots gusting to 40. AFS Enduro 800 with 75 skinny UHM mast. Sunova Pilot Mid 6'5"x19"x68l 85kg rider.
It was the first tail experience that I have ever felt that was best described as different. It wasn't about better roll, enhanced pump, better glide, the things I usually evaluate in a tail. It was like the whole ride was softened, almost like suspension was added to my kit. I felt like I was carving clouds on my 2 mile DW demo run. On my upwind back to the launch I laughed in my head thinking: "Gotta taste the rainbow! That's a totally new flavor!
Super fun tail with a very addictive feeling!
Are they available in the US from a dealer? Or do we have to pay tariffs to order...
All direct to consumer I believe. I did ask if there were tariff and shipping issues right now and it sounded like it hasn't been a problem. I'd shoot them a question to get clarification if needed.
KT Foils have these flex tails as well. In an interview Kane stated they compared to stiff carbon tails and everybody preferred the softer G10.
Intuitively, I have always thought that some flex in foil wings, especially the stab, would make pumping more efficient.Is it the case?
Select to expand quoteBWalnut said..
It wasn't about better roll, enhanced pump, better glide, the things I usually evaluate in a tail.
So how was the roll, pump, and glide?
I've been using the Crisp 130 tail for a while now. Surf, downwind and wing. Works great on my whole
range of front foils. Nice having a consistent go to tail. The tip flex is very subtle but these tails also have a highly refined section and plan shape.
Select to expand quotepacoz said..
Do you like it more than the uglide 41?
Good question. I would say no. In my very short demo I don't like it MORE than the ug41. I would say I like it different than I like the ug41. I think the Silk 1050 with ug41 on the AFS skinny 75cm masts is one of the most perfect setups I've found in foiling. I'd be very surprised if I swapped the Flex 130 into that system and preferred it.
When I tested the Flex 130 I had just come off the water from a 2.5 hour long session on the Enduro 800 with ug41 standard fuse short tail position. I swapped tails and went out for this demo and where the 800/ug41 combo was very responsive and precise the Flex 130 was relaxed, everything felt smooth.
I'm a huge fan of try before you buy. I think that if you've ever felt as though you had a really nice front foil that was just a touch too sensitive, trying the Flex 130 tail could be a solution. I also could imagine my sessions getting extended with the Flex. Start my day on the ug41 race car, go until my legs are broke, then switch over to the Flex 130 Cadillac and grab an extra hour on the water before heading home in a zen state.Select to expand quotekook123 said..BWalnut said..
It wasn't about better roll, enhanced pump, better glide, the things I usually evaluate in a tail.
So how was the roll, pump, and glide?
I'd really want to test it on my whole quiver to give a solid evaluation on those elements. The one I was using was made for Code, but bolted on to AFS, so it had some drag at the front of the tail where it connected to the fuse. My first feelings were that everything was decent, but I'd expect people to buy a tail like this because they want a smoother ride, not because they are looking for a special roll, pump, and glide experience.
I think this tells an interesting story too:
Same little swell ride section of the river. I read this as seeing the average speed looking remarkably similar with the UG41 simply having a hair more steady average speed where the Flex 130 has a touch more undulation in speed. VERY similar though, I wasn't perceiving the difference on the water at all. It was just a reactive vs relaxed vibe coming from the tail.
Thanks BWalnut for the review and others for the comments and interest!
It's been a lot of fun designing, riding and sharing the Flex Series stabs with foilers all over the world. Feedback which confirms that others are experiencing the "feels" that I set out to achieve is super rewarding.
I thought I would jump in and answer some questions directly:
1) Crisp Foils is selling direct-to-consumer (DTC) worldwide via crispfoils.com. I do love the service that local foiling retailers provide, however adding a retail mark-up to these products would result in a price which is out of reach for most foilers. I much prefer to have direct contact with customers for collecting feedback, providing assistance and generally nerding out on foiling. The feedback is what drives the development of the next design and is very valuable to me.
2) Shipping to the USA - We are back up and running! I am covering the tariff up-front and there should be nothing additional to pay. Recent deliveries of items in-stock have taken around 1 week to arrive, depending on your location.
3) Pumping on the Flex Stab - When I started exploring flex in stabs I made an extremely flexy prototype to test the edges of the envelope (check out my Instagram video on this from early this year @crisp_og). Pump was certainly compromised on this proto, but the powder-snowboarding feeling was so nice I knew I had to explore the engineering of flex in stabilisers. I found what I think is the best mix which is stiff enough toward the root to give good pump projection and soft in the tips to provide a unique experience during turns. Some of my test team (friends) and customers have reported improved pumping, but I put this down to the efficient airfoil section I designed rather than any energy return from the flex. A contributing factor may be control, since the flex evens out mis-placed pumps and will hold course rather than projecting the rider off on a tangent. If you are looking for maximum pump efficiency in a straight line and you have centered pumping technique then a well-designed stiff carbon stab would be the way to go in my opinion.
4) Roll and Glide on the Flex Stab - Both the 130 and 150 stabs have a medium to low span and reduced area toward the tips. They roll over great and generally offer a "surf" feel. The flex allows dynamic adjustment of foot pressure through the turn without any sudden surprises you may experience on a stiff carbon stab. The feedback I get and my own experience is that this allows experimentation during carves to push a bit harder and find new ways to turn. The Flex 130 allows a snap turn toward the end of the carve and then re-engages, which is a lot of fun. The Flex 150 may also do this for heavier riders, but being a lightweight I can't personally confirm this. Regarding glide, this is highest on my list of design requirements. We all foil because we love the glide, right?!? I do a lot of proto testing downwind which quickly identifies the glide characteristic. The Flex Series have very good glide, especially when ridden high in the water column. From feedback and my own experience, these stabs tend to "lock-in" once they are high in the water column and they seem to resist breaching. If you want ultimate glide and you are not too concerned with control then a low area, very high aspect ratio stiff carbon stab would be the way to go.
5) Drawbacks of the Flex Series - These stabs are not for beginners, they are suitable for intermediate to advanced riders only (the Flex 150 may suit lower-intermediate). They are sharp and the G10 material is a bit more prone to damage than carbon (although easier to repair). The refined airfoil section design is best in non-turbulent conditions. I notice a negative impact on performance in silty water or riding over boils in the water.
I hope that helps! Demos within Australia can be booked via the website. Feel free to get in touch via my Instagram (@crisp_og), Facebook (Crisp Foils) or the contact form on my website (crispfoils.com).
Chris
Had one for a while. Great tail
