FEEDBACK: CURVE XXL

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Wing

30 may 2023 0

It may be designed for the same use but performances are really something else as Pierre discovered while testing the new Curve in wing foiling.

Wing foiler: Malo, GONG team rider, with the Curve.

“New Curve XXL (Stab Fluid Pro 45, Lemon 5’2, Plus 2023 6m). I am ~97kg for 1m93…🐣 I took advantage of a few tests of wings going on in the area (thanks Yohann Roussel and GONG Galaxy!) to try lots of new toys. This evening, a slightly side-off wind between 8 and 20 knots (close to the shore it was rather 5-15 knots), tiny left overs of last night’s swell, sunshine and a furious desire to Surf Foil or Wing Foil depending on the wind. The size of the swell decided for me: Wing foiling! This new XXL Curve, 104 cm, 1600cm², has nothing to do with the old 120, neither in thickness, nor in chord for that matter. It’s almost small once mounted on the board, even compared to the Curve XL-T (102cm, 2100cm²) that I had for a long time.

In the water, just a little breeze is enough for it to take off, we are between the old XXL and the XL-T, but we immediately feel the difference in handling, speed and glide. It goes faster and above all you don’t have to think about turning, it makes super smooth turns and nothing disturbs it, the tacks go in slow motion, the jibes just as much, even when you’re going faster than the wind and end up with back winded sail (which slows you down 😅). I could catch some nice waves when I put the hammer down (it can go fast, but that’s not its strong point) then when actually surfing: it’s smooth. As long as you stay high on the wave you can surf super soft waves. The natural speed without forcing approximates the speed of the wave, so no real need to generate speed. It accepts turns with angle and lets itself be led into good ample carving. You can also cut your turns short and turn on the spot. It gets going again with a pumping stroke at 90°, it’s quite funny.

When it gets hollow, it’s very very predictable.

The wing stays on its trajectory, no ejection or touchdown. The height of flight is regulated very easily with great smoothness, so we can concentrate on surfing. We are not overwhelmed 👌. The low speed is impressive, we have the impression that we are going to stall at any moment, yet it survives all the lulls. The support remains frank and precise: I came out of lots of small waves very close to the edge without wind, in fakie and I managed to keep the flight with no pressure in the wing and small pumping strokes until I found a gust to change feet.

I was expecting to be quite slow after testing the Curve XXL-H but it wasn’t the case… I must be flying 1 knot slower in top speed, but we feel that the wing is at full throttle. It does not matter, because the pleasure is elsewhere with this wing: all about curves and smooth flights,… I think the low take-off range is a bit better on the Curve XXL-H though, but it’s hard to say. This session confirmed my pre-order… I can’t wait to receive it, as well as the M…

I’m sure this wing will help me progress in surf foiling in the tiny summer conditions 🤩”