Beginner Wing Foil Gear Recommendations
Cabrinha Mantis, Vision & Aer
All 3 Cabrinha wing models are very intuitive for beginners to learn on and each model has it’s own specific advantages! In short, the Mantis provides max power, Vision has the smoothest handling and largest sizes, and the Aer is the lowest-cost, by far, and the lightest-weight wing in the industry! The vast majority of beginner wingers will find the Vision to be the easiest to use, and I say that this wing “basically flies itself”. The Vision naturally wants to return to “12-o’clock”/overhead position and generates lift as wind flows across it, and both of these characteristics help to make learning tacks and gybes easy, and it’s also very forgiving of mistakes/improper technique. If you have wave/roller surfing in mind as your primary goal, I’d recommend a Mantis because you can manage it effortlessly when holding only the front surf handle. Some beginners find the Mantis to be overwhelming, since it doesn’t have the same “autopilot” flying characteristics as the Vision and the strong power can quickly pull you off the board if you make a mistake. Finally, the Aer is a great first wing for smaller riders, those in higher-wind locations, and for learning on ice or pavement! It’s half the weight of the Mantis/Vision, sizes 2m and smaller are under $600 retail, and they work great with ice skates or a land board in 15-20 mph winds. I’m looking forward to riding the 1, 1.3, 1.6 and 2m Aer wings when it’s nuking in the Gorge this summer! The Aer’s soft handles won’t produce nearly as much pumping power as the other models, so I’d caution against selecting it based on price-point alone.
Over time, wings will lose some upwind ability and low-end power while pumping up onto foil. It may be tempting to save money on a used wing or past-season model, but I feel that you’ll get significantly better performance from a new wing and it’ll last much longer over time. On a tight budget, I’d recommend new equipment from 2023 or newer and think it’s especially important to seek out a wing with hard handles or a boom. Older wings with soft handles can only produce a fraction of the power of ‘23-’25 wings with hard handles, and I think the first wing purchase is the most important piece of equipment for a beginner. I’ve seen many people who buy older wings or cheap inflatable boards struggle longer than necessary, or even give up completely, when they would have made easy, satisfying progress on modern gear!
I’m loving the new 2025 wings! The latest Mantis and Vision include redesigned hard handles, lighter and stronger materials, and larger windows for better visibility. Canopies are tighter on all ‘25 Cabrinha wings due to revised panel layouts and mini battens added to the trailing edge. I’m stoked that we are now using Teijin cloth for kites and wings! I used another brands’ kites and wings with Teijin canopies between 2016-2022, and was always very impressed by the initial quality, gloss finish, durability and performance. I am 6’1”, weigh 175 lbs and the 5m Mantis is my most commonly-used size. My current personal quiver includes 3m/4m/5m Mantis and I plan to add smaller-sized Aer wings for this summer in the Gorge!
Cabrinha wings are sold without a leash to give customers options and I prefer to use a waist leash. The Dakine waist belt keeps your leash out of your way during transitions and getting back on the board after crashes.
Cabrinha Code 93, 112, 134L
Cabrinha’s latest Code board is a dedicated design for wing foiling and the larger sizes are perfect for beginners. To calculate ideal beginner board volume, I recommend taking your weight in kilograms and adding 20. For slower learners, or those in lighter-wind locations, you can add up to 40 to your weight in kg to find an appropriate board volume. I have a 134L 5’11” board for teaching lessons, and the 93 or 112L are great sizes for smaller riders or those who already have some experience foiling. The Code has a very efficient shape for easy takeoff from the water surface, and Cabrinha packs a lot of volume into relatively short boards which makes them turn easily through tacks and gybes.
I generally prefer to wing strapless and recommend learning without straps, although straps can be helpful getting smaller boards started in rough water conditions, making aggressive turns on waves or catching some air. I use both the Dakine Core Contour and Foil Crush Straps. The Core Contour straps feel very secure and these have become very popular for throwing airs! Foil Crush straps offer similar security, but are barely noticeable while laying prone, paddling the board or resetting after a crash. It’s crucial to dial in the fit of your footstraps, because if they’re too loose they won’t help much, and if too tight they can cause a foot to get stuck mid-wipeout, risking injury. Be sure to add the Dakine Twist Control System when purchasing straps, as these will lock your straps in place while riding. However, the Core Contour Straps are the one Dakine model that are sold with Twist Control included!
Cabrinha Fusion Foils
Cabrinha’s lower-aspect X Series wings are a top choice for beginner wing foilers. This system is designed to make foiling safe, easy and affordable while still allowing the ability to upgrade components as you progress. The tips of the wings are rounded for safety, and provide easy and smooth lift. The X1240 sits in the middle of the 5 sizes and is the go-to foil for most riders! Smaller riders might be better off with the X930 and larger riders will appreciate the extra lift on the X1650, while the X700 and X2100 are best for edge cases for small riders/high winds or large riders/pumping disciplines, respectively. X Series foils are able to pop up and get flying at very low speeds, turn easily while on foil, have a really low stall speed (ride slow without sinking!), and the relatively low top speed (due to drag) will inspire confidence and comfort for newer wingers. It’s easiest to buy foils as “kits”, which includes the front wing, rear fuselage and tail wing. Kits are paired with the optimal tail wing/rear stabilizer for each front wing, and there are 4 options: V180, V200, V230, V285. Just add a mast and you’re ready to go!
Cabrinha’s H Series foils are my favorite, but they might be a little too fast and unstable for new foilers. Riders with some foil experience, or those who are fast learners, should be able to jump straight to these higher-aspect wings! The H1000 stands out in the H Series lineup because of it’s noticeably lower aspect ratio (8.1 vs 9.5-9.9), and I feel that this blends the best characteristics of the H and X Series foils. I continue to ride the H1000 for lighter-wind wing foiling or smaller-surf prone foiling and think it’s a great design to try as your first higher-aspect foil. The rest of the H Series wings are faster, more sensitive to input and less stable in general. Cabrinha sells front wings and all parts/components individually, so you can also add an H Series wing as your 2nd front wing after getting comfortable on a more beginner-friendly foil.
For masts, the alloy version features major cost savings and I don’t feel that the extra weight matters very much, especially in wind-powered foil sports. I’d recommend the 75 or 85cm alloy masts, although the shorter models will be even more forgiving to learn on. The Hollow Carbon masts are pretty similar in sizing, with the 74 and 84cm masts as my go-to options. For me, the 85cm alloy or 84cm carbon are my go-to masts for wind sports. For prone surf foiling and downwinding with paddle or a parawing, the 75cm alloy or 74cm carbon will keep your foil closer to the water’s surface during a waterstart/takeoff, giving you more energy from the waves/chop to propel you up onto foil!
Dakine Vests and Helmets
I recommend using a helmet and impact vest while learning to wing foil, and the latest products are so well-designed that I often forget I’m wearing them! Dakine is the leader in impact vests and they have designed a foil-specific product, the Shock Wing Vest. The Shock vest offers full torso coverage, while most impact vests are designed for kite harnesses and will leave your low back exposed. The Shock’s low back area contains a thin composite panel sewn in with the padding, and this has saved me from falling onto my foil several times! These vests will provide flotation as well as impact protection, and the front strap even allows you to add a Hanger Hook to use your vest as a wing harness. The Seeker vest is another option if flotation is your main concern and this vest also features a hook hole for kite harnesses.
Dakine also makes helmets and I prefer the Renegade helmet or the new Bump Cap depending on conditions. The Renegade helmet is a hard shell model that is CE approved for impact and doesn’t absorb any water. I have trouble finding helmets that fit my XL head and the Renegade’s XL size fits me well, with a little room to spare! There is a rear adjustment system to dial in your exact fit. The new Foil Bump Cap is not considered a helmet, but offers protection from smaller impacts and I prefer to wear this in flat water or mellow surfing conditions.
Dakine Foil Board Floating Leash & Wing Waist Leash
It’s crucial to dial in your wing and board leashes for wing foiling, both the leash type and attachment location! Getting tangled with leashes wastes lots of energy, and with the right leash setup you’ll learn much faster with less frustration. My leash rule #1: don’t use coil leashes for both wing and board leashes because they get tangled very easily. Seriously, don’t even try it! At least one of them needs to be a straight cord/rope/line, and I think that’s best for the wing leash. Board leash can be coiled or straight; coiled leashes seem to be most popular and keep the leash from dragging in the water, but I’ve been using a 5’ straight surf leash for my wing boards over the past 6 months and I really like that too! Cabrinha & Dakine only make wing leashes with straight lines/cords, instead of coils. The Dakine Wing Waist Leash is my favorite; I attach my leash line to one of the loops on the side and attach my board handle to the back. Attaching the board leash somewhere on your torso, rather than your ankle or calf, prevents you from stepping on it accidentally and makes foot switches super easy. At first, you’ll likely be much stronger riding with one foot forward compared to the other (“strong stance”), but you’ll also want to start working on your weaker side (“switch stance”) as soon as possible. Getting the board leash off your legs and further up on your body will help to learn switch-stance riding much easier! You may have heard people mention “regular” and “goofy” stances, and this just means that you’re standing right-foot-forward or left-foot-forward on the board, respectively. I prefer the Dakine Floating Coil Board Leash. The leash is 6’ long, 1/4” thick and has floats to keep it at the water surface and away from your board, wing and wing leash. If you prefer a leg attachment, the latest leash features a calf cuff, which I feel is a better setup compared to an ankle cuff. My leashes rarely get tangled when I’m getting back on the board after falls and the coil design keeps the board leash from dragging in the water.
