Advanced Surf Foil Packs

Below our selection of the best advanced packs for surf foiling find our advice on how to choose your equipment and cope with your sessions.

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General

Foils need no introduction as they now equip almost everything that moves on water, from boats on open ocean races as the Vendée Globe, to kitesurfing or SUPs, and of course surfing.

Surf foiling is a fabulous sport that complements surfing and quickly becomes essential to increase the number of sessions. It is an accessible sport provided you start in the right conditions with an adapted gear. Here are our tips for choosing the right equipment.

How to choose your pack

Which board?

The board is a key element in surf foiling. First, to paddle efficiently and get up without shaking, because you can quickly be punished for a failed take off. Then to go back to the peak without losing your shoulders. Finally, because a good foiling board conditions your balance and how you feel in the air. Your choice will be largely guided by what you already use to surf every day. But keep in mind that this board is intended to help you take off on waves of 30 to 50 cm at first, waves with little energy, so a board with a minimum of length and volume to paddle and start the most easily possible. If you are already good at surfing, and your everyday board is a shortboard with a volume of around 30L, you can go for a model of around 5′, but with more volume (at least 10 to 15 liters more) than your everyday board.

Understanding the different shapes of foil surfboards?

  • The Matata is certainly the most compact shape in the range, wide and very short, it is chosen for its compactness. A beginner foiler but very good surfer will be able to use it as a first board, but taking care to keep some volume. For an advanced foiler, it is a logical next step.
  • The Lethal is the most radical of all, both in shape and size. It should be reserved for good level foilers.

Understand the techno EPS

The new techno in vogue is EPS (expanded polystyrene). Known and exploited for decades in other sports, it is finally making its place in the world of surfing. Overall it’s like PU but lighter and more lively. It can therefore be reinforced more than a PU at equal weight. And that’s a real plus. The board is dynamic because the epoxy resin is more lively than the polyester. Lighter and more solid, so a great techno that remains pretty with its material effects and the visible foam blank under the transparent fiber.
The monolithic EPS is light, dynamic with a lot of liveliness, and strong. On the other hand, repairs take longer (24 / 48h) and the foam blank drinks water if the shell of the board has suffered a bad ding. Its price is accessible.

EPS is the lightest construction. Inertia is reduced to its maximum, to optimize in-flight control. The EPS version is not made for jumping, and therefore does not have footstrap inserts.

What size of front wing?

On the flat, we tend to think that the bigger the better. With moderation though, but yes, it’s often the rule.

Here is a view of the ideal weight of the rider for each wing and each use:

  • Curve M for under 65kg in normal waves and under 85kg in height.
  • Curve M-T for under 70kg in normal waves and under 95kg in height.
  • Curve L for under 75kg in normal waves and over 85kg in height.
  • Curve L-T for under 85kg in normal waves and over 90kg in height.
  • Curve XLS from 75 to 90kg in normal waves.
  • Curve XL from 80 to 95kg in normal waves.
  • Curve XL-T over 90kg in normal waves.

You’ll use a bigger foil in lower ranges, softer conditions. And conversely a smaller foil in those recommended for stronger conditions. The important thing to remember is that the choice of your front wing depends on your size, which requires lift, and your average speed, which generates lift.

When pumping from dock start or beach start, we recommend the wings as follows:

  • The M, the MT, the L: forget. It’s of no interest.
  • The LT: less than 55kg.
  • The XLS: less than 65kg.
  • The XL: less than 75kg.
  • The XLT: less than 95kg.
  • The XXL: above 95kg.

To sum up

For very good level of surfing:

-> Matata EPS Curve Surf Foiling Pack: Definitely the best compromise between performance and simplicity. An ultra compact and light board to facilitate pumping and working on carves. It will accompany the rider throughout his progression.

-> Lethal EPS Curve Surf Foiling Pack: The ultimate pack for strapless performance. The Lethal is the ultra perf board for more powerful waves and expert / pro level. It’s a narrow board for fast paddling and no latency in turns! Coupled with the Curve foil, known for its mania and ease of use, you carve hard without worrying about stalls.

Experienced: Your level allows you to choose your gear outside of full packs to optimize your quiver.

Which foil mast?

The mast size commonly used in surf foiling is 65/70cm, but to start smoothly and feeling more in control, you can do your first sessions with a shorter mast of 45 to 55 cm. You will familiarize yourself more easily with the sensations of flying, and you will gain confidence more quickly with a more docile foil.

The main constraint in surf foiling remains the water depth. In fact, to start well in surf foiling, it is necessary to favor small waves, from knee to hip high.
In these types of conditions, for the waves to break, there will be very little water. So, to get off to a good start, you should favor a 45 / 55cm mast. It will make the first straight flights go smoothly without constantly hitting the bottom. It is also more reassuring, because as soon as the foil rises you quickly lose your bearings, no longer knowing exactly how high you are. A short mast will limit this feeling. It is also more reassuring in the event of a fall, the board will not turn over completely, thus limiting the risk of falling on the foil.

As soon as the first flights are mastered, we then move on to a bigger one. This is a relatively short step in the progression, but necessary for good progress thereafter.
Once the take-off has been mastered, a 65cm mast will be preferred, to be able to gain angle in the turns, but also to have sufficient height when pumping.

Positioning of the foil?

The more advanced the foil, the more load-bearing and powerful it will be.

The more you move it back, the slower the take-off will be.

An advanced foil also offers more pivot while a foil set at the back of the boxes offers more stability.

Thus, it will be necessary to privilege the control for the first sessions, therefore moving the foil back as much as possible. Take-offs will be smoother and more gradual. Thereafter, each surfer will adjust his foil according to his sensations, his stance, but also the conditions and the front wing used.

You will find graduated indications around the US rails on all our boards, so it is very easy to keep the same setting or to change it. So feel free to experiment with different settings.

Which leash?

The leash is important for your own safety and the safety of others. A classic straight surf leash equal in length to your board or a 5’5 ankle coiled leash are preferred. The latter will have less tendency to wrap around the foil, or to get stuck in the stab.

And like any leash, it should be inspected regularly, and replaced if it shows any signs of wear.

Even if the foil has become widely democratized, it is a support that can still scare the other practitioners in the line-up, so there is no need to add more by surfing without a leash 😉

What spare parts?

Nothing could be more annoying to arrive on the spot, to see perfect conditions, and to realize that we are missing one or more screws, or that being in too much of a hurry, we just screwed up the head of the screw. Consider that the screws are consumable and must be changed regularly, and ideally have some in spare.

We also advise you to protect your Alu foil against galvanic corrosion by using Tikal Tef-Gel. This will prevent the formation of blisters on the metal surface and reliably protect against corrosion by galvanic currents between different types of metals. You will also avoid jamming your screws, and you will have a much better tightening torque.

What quiver?

If you’re interested in surf foiling, it usually means you’re quite open-minded, having tested many shapes with the idea of ​​always taking better advantage of the conditions of the day. Either way, now is a great time to take an interest in other things so that you can spend even more time on the water,

The first ones to get into foil surfing are generally surfers, but not only. It is interesting to see how surfers who switched to surf foiling, then went on to practice wing foiling to do the same thing as surf foiling but on windy days. And thus discover the world of the wind.

Therefore :

A wing quiver to do the same on windy days?
A SUP to go for a cool stroll or with your family?
And of course other front wings to continue to exploit all possible conditions in surf foiling. Our catalog of spare parts will allow you to upgrade your foil without any limit.

The time you spend on the water on one boardsport will enrich your practice of the other. Nothing replaces experience, the time spent at sea, the variety of weather conditions, sharing with the elements and friends.