TOP 5 WING FOILING QUESTIONS – ANSWERED
The questions we hear most.
The answers we’ve learned to live by.
Question 1:
Purchasing entry-level wing foil gear is foolish. It’s a given I will outgrow it. Is there any way to avoid this?
Answer 1: Reality Check
The running joke at Big Winds is that in our 38 year history, not a single customer has entered our shop, held up a board they recently purchased and proclaimed, “I’m returning this board because it’s too easy.” For most of us, life gets in the way of progression – especially in sports reliant on wind. Scared of outgrowing “entry level” gear? Ask yourself: How rational is this fear? How much time on the water does my life truly allow? And when stars do finally align to hit the water, what’s my priority? Easy and fun, or unnecessarily challenging?
P.S. A reminder that wing foiling is a booming new sport. Demand exists for used entry-level boards if you outgrow yours.
Answer 2: Take a Lesson
Lessons fast track progression, but their biggest payoff may be what happens afterward. No single person is more qualified to provide gear advice than your instructor. They’ve seen you ride. Your strengths, your weaknesses — they’ve witnessed the pace of your progression firsthand. Their gear advice is the most likely to help you now, and next. Could your first board purchase be a 110 liter (not 125 liter) board? What about a foil with a 1250 cm2 front wing (not 1550 cm2)? Taking a lesson, and seeking gear advice from your instructor, offers ironclad answers.
Answer 3: Buy Smart
Boards: Lightweights, and riders with wind sport experience, pair nicely with 110-125 liter boards. Heavyweights, or less experienced, 130-150 liters. Generally speaking, more liters equals more stability. Stability is key, as fatigue is progression’s biggest foe. If your board is tippy and taxing to climb on, your session has a ticking clock. Progression stalls.
Wings: We’ll keep this simple. We like wings with booms. Our lessons center has proven that wings with booms boost confidence, as booms allow newcomers to maintain constant contact with the wing.
Foils: We typically steer new riders to mid-aspect foil packages with front wings of 1250 – 1850 cm2. The larger the front wing, the more lift for rising, which is ideal for larger riders and/or light winds.
Question 2:
I’m on a tight budget. Should I allocate my funds more toward the board, wing or foil?
Answer: The Foil
Buying a board or wing is speed dating. Buying a foil is marriage. You enter a family when you purchase a foil. A family of masts, foil wings, and fuselages that, as you progress, you upgrade to modularly. When you prioritize a foil from a proven brand, with a vast arsenal of components, you create a long runway for progression. On the flip side, if you outgrow a board, you replace it outright. Your relationship with wings can also be fleeting. You may fall and put your foil through your wing. The foil always wins.
FOIL BRANDS WE LOVE:
Question 3:
“Winging is easy.” My friends with wind sport experience say this all the time. They want to sell me their used intermediate gear. I’m new to all wind sports. Should I buy their gear?
Answer: Maybe
First, ask yourself: “Do these ‘friends’ really like me? Or do they take pleasure in my suffering?”
Second, be wary of “winging is easy”. It smacks of riders who lost sight of what learning a completely new sport actually entails. The gear they’re selling likely echos this sentiment. Cue suffering.
Third, shoot us a text, or call 541 386 6086. Often, their used board may be great, but not the foil, or wing, or vice versa. We’re happy to help.
Question 4:
I’m hearing a lot about “mid length” foil boards. What are these boards, and should I consider one?
Answer: Maybe
What are Mid Length boards? “Mid” refers to board shapes landing between long, narrow downwind foil boards, and short squatty traditional wing foil boards. A Mid Length’s sleek shape rises onto foil easily, allowing riders to opt for relatively small wings in hand, and small foils underfoot.
“Yes” to Mid Length Boards If –
- You’re flying through jibes consistently.
- You aspire to ride swell with as small of wing and foil as possible.
- You ride in light winds, and would like to use as small of gear as possible.
“No” to Mid Length Boards If –
- Your new to wing foiling (mid length boards are tippy)
- Flying through jibes is challenging
- You aspirations reside moreso in jumping than swell riding
Question 5:
I want to get my kid winging. Do wings for kids exist?
Answer: Yes
Choosing a wing for kids can feel perilous. Too big, and a child can’t hold the wing high enough to keep wing tips clear of the water. Too small, and in the blink of an eye, your kid’s outgrown it. Poof! Money wasted. We like the Cabrinha AER. Kid friendly sizes, squared wing tips that are easy to keep clear of the water, and prices that won’t break the bank.
As for specific wing sizes, text us or call 541 386 6086. Also, check out our Combo Wing/Windsurf Kids Camps that run through July for ages 7-14, and kids wing lessons available all summer.
