My Personal Wing Foil Gear
Cabrinha Mantis 2025
I’m loving the new Mantis! The latest updates include redesigned hard handles, lighter and stronger materials and larger windows for better visibility. The Mantis is very stable in a neutral/flag-out 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. 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 wing 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!
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 ‘24-’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 more modern gear!
Cabrinha 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.
Cabrinha Swift Foil Board
Cabrinha’s second-generation Swift board is a high-efficiency design for wing foiling and more! After the first Swift launched last year, we heard many reports of riders sizing their wings down or pushing the sport into ultra-light wind conditions (5-10 mph is possible!). I’ll have the 5’10” 80L & 6’3” 100L this season for personal use and demo, and I’m really looking forward to learning the new sport of “parawinging” as well. All 5 sizes are great for wing foilers of various sizes and wind conditions. If you’re unsure of which size is best for you, please feel free to reach out!
I am 6’1”, weigh 175 lbs and use the 80L 5’10” model for my personal wing foiling. I’ll break out the 100L 6’3” board for light-wind wing sessions, but my primary use for that board will be learning to parawing and downwind in the Gorge this summer! The Swift has a very efficient shape for easy takeoff from the water surface and builds board speed effortlessly. Throughout ‘21-’23, many foilers noticed that their DW SUP boards worked very well in light wind but were lacking in durability. Cabrinha was one of the first brands to recognize this, and created Swift in a more durable, wing foiling-optimized construction.
Footstrap inserts are new for 2025! 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. Like last year, the Swift’s deck features deep concave around the front foot position to help control the board and initiate turns.
Beyond wing foiling, the 2025 Swift boards have been designed and tested for downwinding, prone and foil-assist disciplines, too! I consider the largest 3 sizes best for downwinding, smallest 2 best for prone, and any size for an electric foil assist. While these aren’t officially marketed as SUP foil boards, I’ve seen plenty of team riders and ambassadors paddle up the larger 2 Swifts onto foil with ease!
Cabrinha H Series Foils
H Series front wings are a high-aspect design and turn very well compared to other high-aspect wings I’ve used. For most wing sessions, I ride with a H850 front wing, 84cm mast, 276 fuselage and a V180 tail. 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 the 276 rear fuselage (shortest in the range) has become my daily driver. Short fuses require less input to turn and increase your maneuverability, although they will noticeably decrease your stability while riding and can also make the initial water start onto foil more challenging.
The V180 tail pumps really well and is my go-to rear wing when using the short 276mm fuselage. If I’m looking to maximize top speed, I’ll ride the low-drag H180 tail, and the latest version allows you to trim the wingtips to a 150 sq cm size. I love my “Chop Shop” H180 tail and use it on larger swell days with the H800 and smaller front wings. It includes the rear fuselage as one integrated part, and is the same exact length as the medium 346 alloy rear fuselage. I’ve been loving my H180 tail as-is, and only plan to cut it down once I’ve started to put some dings in it.
The 84cm mast provides plenty of clearance in waves, without feeling like it’s too tall or sacrificing any stiffness. The hollow carbon mast is incredibly stiff and light weight, and also is available in 74 and 94cm sizes. For prone, downwinding, and winging in light wind or shallow water, I’ll use my 74cm mast. The 94cm size is great for kite foiling and a popular choice for wing foil racing too! After using aluminum masts for my first couple years of foiling, I feel just as stable on the newer hollow carbon mast no matter how hard I try to push turns in the waves.
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. This 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. Instead of wearing the leash on my leg, I remove the velcro calf 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. 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. You can also loop the velcro cuff around the back of your wing harness or a waist belt, rather than remove it.
