My Personal Wing Foil Gear
Dakine Cyclone 2
The Cyclone 2 features the latest technology in wing design. The latest updates include redesigned hard handles, lighter and stronger materials and larger windows for better visibility. Dakine wings are sold without a leash to give customers options and I prefer the waist leash. The waist belt keeps your leash out of your way during transitions and getting back on the board after crashes. The Cyclone wing is very stable in a neutral position while riding waves and getting in and out of the water, while other wings feel heavier and require more attention and effort to keep flying. I am 6’1”, weigh 175 lbs and the 5m wing is my most commonly-used size. My current personal quiver includes: 5m/4.2m/3.7m and I plan to add the 2.7 and 6m sizes by this summer. 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.
Dakine Phaze Wing Foil Board
Dakine’s new Phaze board is a dedicated design for wing foiling. I am 6’1”, weigh 175 lbs and use the 45L 4’5” model for my personal riding. This is considered a “sinker” board for experienced riders in stronger winds. I also have a 75L 4’11” board for light-wind sessions, while the 100L and 130L models are excellent for beginners and lessons. The Phaze has a very efficient shape for easy takeoff from the water surface, and Dakine packs a lot of volume into relatively short boards which makes them turn easily through tacks and gybes. Another advantage of my 45L board is that it works well for prone surf foiling and I’ve been able to learn the basics of that sport as well. I generally prefer to wing strapless, although straps can be helpful getting smaller boards started in rough water conditions, making more aggressive turns on waves and getting airborne.
Dakine Heckler Foil
I’ve been riding the new Dakine Heckler foil for several weeks and am very impressed by its performance. The Heckler front wings are a high-aspect design and turn very well compared to other high-aspect wings I’ve used. I ride with a 850 front wing, 85cm mast, 346 fuselage and a 180 tail. The 85cm mast provides plenty of clearance in waves and high-aspect front wings like 850 are best ridden on longer masts to prevent breaching. The new carbon mast is incredibly stiff and light weight. After using aluminum masts for two years, I feel just as stable on the new carbon Heckler mast no matter how hard I try to push turns in the waves. The 850 front wing is very efficient and the glide characteristics allow for plenty of time to switch hands on the wing during transitions. It does require relatively high board speed to take off on foil, but the stall speed once riding is much lower than I expected. I have been riding shorter fuselages recently and will be experimenting with the 276 tail (shortest in the range) in addition to my daily driver, the 346. . I use a 180 tail which has very little drag and helps you turn easily.
Dakine Solo Wing Harness
I started using a harness while winging once I was able to consistently tack, gybe and ride with either foot forward. This is only used while going upwind and allows you to take the load off your arms and conserve energy. I am able to take my back hand off the handle completely while hooked in and this allows me to stay out on the water for hours at a time without getting tired. When getting in the water, the Hanger Hook folds on its side and I am able to lay down and paddle on the board. There is a polyurethane tube across the back of the harness and this is my preferred connection point for my board leash. I recommend waiting to use a harness until you have mastered the basics of wing handling so that you can dial in your muscle memory and use the wing efficiently.
Dakine Foil Board Floating Board Leash
Wing foiling requires a board leash and I prefer the Dakine coil leash. The leash is 7’ long, 1/4” thick and has floats to keep it at the water surface and away from your board, wing and wing leash. Instead of wearing the leash on my leg, I remove the velcro cuff and connect the Dura-cord line directly to my wing harness (or waist belt if I’m going downwind without harness) so that it sits behind my back. This keeps the leash out of my way and allows me to ride comfortable with either foot forward. 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.
