Hi all. Anyone have any experience with PPC? I am looking at the 4.8 m or 5.8 m (new @ $700) as my first wing but don't see all that much information in terms of reviews etc. I am 68 kg and 179 cm, and will be using a 5'2" 98L sabfoil albatross board. Plan is to start in local bay area (Moreton Bay, and work my way into the ocean over time.
Thoughts?
Love my PPC's but then again it is all I have used for the last 4 years. I'm still on the same old wings....Surge...though they look like Frankensteins bride....full of repairs. Get me going still. I find the 3.8m to be the sweet spot. Lots of bottom end and by all accounts deliver great power. If I had the cash I would splurge on a new PPC M1, but would rather put those dollars towards foils instead.
If you are talking PPC Surges - 5.8m is more like a 6.5m - super powerful, the handles are really far apart on the 5.8m a problem if you are short, wingtips on this one often catch when pumping.
3.8 and 4.8 PPC Soars are excellent - they are more powerful than their size the 4.8 is prob a 5.5m in other brands, the 3.8 a 3.5m
Great wings and pretty tough - soft handles though.
Good for a first wing but personally after having used all the Surges for 12 + months, I would splash out a bit more for something with hard handles, they make pumping more efficient and far easier to swivel the wing around when doing transitions.
For $300 more you can get a 2023 4.5m unit which is more like a 5m
www.wasurf.com.au/products/2023-duotone-wing-unit?variant=42884176543906
Very poor resale on the PPC Surges as well no one seems to want them which is why they are cheap.
Sorry no real experience with the PPC wings but if you are in Moreton bay then you could also try ONE wings on the Goldy these www.oneoceansportsaustralia.com/wind-wings-shop/p/one-v2-wind-wings-online-soon
Local brand and I have a 5 and 6m wing, hard handles and so good to fly. Plus crazy cheap for how good the wings are.
One of the reasons PPCs are so 'powerful for their size'is that they are so much bigger than other makers' wings. My 2.8 PPC was more like a 3.7 F-one, and my 3.8 PPC was more like a 4.5 F-one.
Thanks for the replies everyone. Inclined to go with the 4.8 m . Am happy with the price and honestly want to stop researching and just get out on the water. If anyone is keen to head out in Moreton bay one afternoon, hit me up or look for the dude splashing around ??
Pretty much all of the wings around here are PPC. They are pretty cheap at the moment, most of ours are bagged out& people don't care if they get thrashed as they still have pretty good power. Their size is misleading. 4.8 is great as a main wing 3.8 pretty twitchy but I think most small wings are. They are 2nd gen wings though & the difference between them & a new gen one of any manufacturer is apparent in the handling. 5.8 is a long reach to te back handles, I've experimented with a pole between to various successes
I use the PPC Surge wings and like them. They surely aren't the most light weight wings, but have plenty of power. As said earlier, 4.8 is more like a 5.5, 3.8 like 4.5 and 2.8 like 3.5. I haven't used a 5.8 yet, too big for me, so I cannot comment on that one. The wings feel nicely balanced to me, no problems of catching a wing tip, well made. Separate valve for leading edge and center strut.
My favourite is the 3.8 that I use a lot. 2.8 is a lot of fun, 4.8 gets me going in next to nothing. Only downside is the soft handles, but then again, they also have some advantages.
I used the PPC surge wings before the armie XPS and i think they are great wings. A really good all round design. I'd say the 3.8m is more akin to a 4.2/4.3 really - really nice size. The 4.8 would be a good size to learn with depending on your weight and board. They flag really well and track upwind as well. Nice and balanced with minimal back winding you get from the more dihedral shape (they are pretty flat relatively).
Wings have moved on but to start on - you can't go wrong if you can get one cheaply.
.. must admit at the national wing racing over here recently the PPc wings were fast as - albeit the new ones.
Select to expand quotetangogeoff said..
One of the reasons PPCs are so 'powerful for their size'is that they are so much bigger than other makers' wings. My 2.8 PPC was more like a 3.7 F-one, and my 3.8 PPC was more like a 4.5 F-one.
I am not too sure if the PPC surges are really that oversized. I have laid my 3.8m ppc over a 4.5m Unit and 4.5m Mantis and in both cases the 3.8 PPC is definitely a smaller wing. I bought the 4.5m v2 mantis to replace my 3.8m PPC and when using the Mantis it definitely feels like a bigger wing. The mantis definitely has less top end than the PPC. I haven't actually used the mantis much yet as the 3.8 ppc still does the job great, it's that perfect size with massive range but still small enough to really throw around in the waves.
To Soggypaz- Yeah definitely just get the 4.8m PPC it's a good solid wing, well built, good handling and heaps of power. When your learning you don't need the latest fanciest stuff. Save your money for the next foiling purchase as you progress.
