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Kite foil vs. windfoil

 
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KenB

Since 10 Sep 2019
17 Posts

 



PostSun Sep 05, 21 5:12 pm    Kite foil vs. windfoil Reply with quote

If anyone in the community has experience both with kite foiling and windfoiling, could you please share your thoughts about the similarities and differences? I've had a few discussions with windfoilers, who describe downwind windfoiling feeling like skiing powder. How about kite foiling?

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Wind Slither

Since 04 Mar 2005
2571 Posts
The 503
METAL



PostMon Sep 06, 21 6:43 am     Reply with quote

I'd say anything on a foil is like an endless snowboard powder day. The longer your mast, the deeper the pow!

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nosbocaj

Since 19 Jul 2014
28 Posts
Portland
 



PostMon Sep 06, 21 4:52 pm     Reply with quote

Right off the bat it's going to be easier to jump in to with no prior experience. With kitefoiling, you'll need to learn how to kiteboard to the point of being an advanced rider before you even go out on a foil. Then you need to go through the painfully frustrating experience of combining the two. With wingfoiling, it's all rolled in to one. Wingfoiling is nice too because you have a big floaty board in case you get in any trouble. If things go south, deflate the wing and paddle in. Not quite that easy kitefoiling...

As far as the sensation goes, there's no real difference. Foiling is foiling, as far as I'm concerned it's amazing however you choose to do it. Of the two, I prefer kitefoiling, but they both rock. I just don't want to buy another set of gear!

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Singlemalt

Since 21 Jun 2015
460 Posts
White Salmon
Obsessed



PostMon Sep 06, 21 6:49 pm     Reply with quote

Wait, wind foiling or wingy-dinging? Windsurfing rig with a foil added underneath?

Or that expensive wing ding thing all the cool kids and old dudes are doing?

Or kite foiling?

I’d go with whatever gear you already ride and add the foil. Everything is better on a foil. Apparently, even windsurfing is back in business because of foils.

If you already Kite, grab a foil and board, call Joe the kiter, and get out there for a lesson. Good news is there are lots of great foils out there on the used market.

Windfoiling, you’ll probably need a foil ready board and a bigger foil.

Wing dinging, from what I’ve heard, eats cash, and gear is in short supply. I can wait until there’s deals on used stuff.

I can see the allure of the wing ding....folks are really getting it now. No lines, easy to launch and land, big foils that glide forever at low speeds, and they rip upwind.

Is there a budget for this idea? Not that it matters once that first hit of the foil rapture grabs your brain...

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wylieflyote

Since 30 Jun 2006
1634 Posts
Puget Sound & Wa. Coast
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PostTue Sep 07, 21 7:23 am     Reply with quote

Singlemalt wrote:

Wing dinging, from what I’ve heard, eats cash, and gear is in short supply. I can wait until there’s deals on used stuff.
.


$$
Friends are wondering when I'll make the leap to winging. But one big negative seems to be that I'd first need a beginner board for 6 weeks of sessions, and then spend more for a normal board? Happily kite foiling for now, and waiting for a 2nd hand market to flood.

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Kip Wylie

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moondog

Since 15 Aug 2007
697 Posts
white salmon
Addicted

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PostTue Sep 07, 21 8:28 am     Reply with quote

I became a wind ding in June. I kited for 20 years, foiled for 3 years and windsurfed for 25 years. Consequently the transition went quickly, I was in the waves at the Hatchery by July 22.
I started with all used gear and one new F1 4.2 wing for the low, low cost of $3500. My Moses mast and back foil wing for kiting were transferred to winging. I bought a used Moses 790 front wing. Started on a 125 liter used Naish board, a month later a 110 used Quattro, and a month later a used 95 Naish.

I went to a heavy duty Moses 82 mast because I heard the kiting mast will not hold up and flexes too much. I now have the 4.2 for 15-25, an Ozone 3m for 25-35 and an F1 6m for 12-18. This covers the Gorge pretty well except 35+ wind days.

All new gear with 2 wings for this sport is going to be in the $5000 range, but it is very easy to sell gear when you grow out of it. The main reason I took it up is twofold, launch anywhere and no lines. I had two kitemares on my foil last year and 0 on my wing this year. I'm 70 so I had to lower the risk reward ratio and am very happy with the results!

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moondog

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wylieflyote

Since 30 Jun 2006
1634 Posts
Puget Sound & Wa. Coast
XTreme Poster



PostTue Sep 07, 21 8:43 am     Reply with quote

moondog wrote:
I'm 70 so I had to lower the risk reward ratio and am very happy with the results!


I too am 70 (+). My question is: After our long active lives of shoulder abuse.... Is winging sending more stress to your shoulders than kiting? I have at least one torn rotator that hasn't bothered me enough for the knife yet.

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Kip Wylie

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moondog

Since 15 Aug 2007
697 Posts
white salmon
Addicted

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PostTue Sep 07, 21 9:34 am     Reply with quote

Yes winging is much harder on the shoulders, back and knees than kiting. All three need to be in good shape. The good news is that winging is a great cardio workout unlike kite foiling!
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moondog

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kitebot

Since 20 Feb 2007
251 Posts

Obsessed



PostTue Sep 07, 21 11:00 am     Reply with quote

I used to kitefoil, and still windfoil and wingfoil. All three are fantastic. I came into them with strong windsurf and kiting backgrounds. Kitefoiling is the most difficult to learn, even with a kite background. Things can go wrong in a hurry, but when they go right, most of the time, it's fantastic. I would still do it as it has the best low-end of the three, however where I live the beaches are least amenable to it. I would say that kitefoiling or winging feel more like powder snowboarding than windfoiling, though windfoiling is pretty incredible too. I would choose based on your local spot's windspeed, surface conditions and launches.

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shred_da_gorge

Since 12 Nov 2008
1249 Posts
Local, not Low Cal
XTreme Poster



PostTue Sep 07, 21 10:19 pm     Reply with quote

I started windsurfing in '91 and kiting in '07. Two years ago I bought a Slingshot Converter and Cabrinha foil setup that I started learning kitefoiling on in SPI, TX, but this past summer bought a SIC Marlin 7'8" convertible that I've been windsurf-foiling on several times now (same foil setup - Varial Medium). Still a beginner at both foil disciplines and plan to wing eventually, as well as downwind SUP foil (TJ and Rod are my inspirations in that arena!).

I appreciate kitebot's insight! I invested in windsurf-foiling mainly to avoid ES sandbar crowds especially as a kitefoil beginner (plus I already had a garage full of windsurf gear). I had borrowed my neighbor's big setup (Slingshot Dialer + Infinity 84) and was on foil starting to build confidence on my first day. Alas, kitefoiling progression hasn't been as quick. I had thought it would be, given the kite lifts you, but I'm finding that pressuring the windsurf mast is helpful in fine tuning the body positioning that I'm essentially unlearning from years of back foot pressure and leaning back to counter the force of windsurf sails and kites. Maybe it's just me, but I kinda feel like windfoiling is like kitefoiling with training wheels!

I don't think I'd compare either to riding powder; I feel like foiling is just that - a cool new feeling of its own. I'm finding even on filled-in kitesurf days I'd rather go up to the hook, rig a 3.5 or 4.1, and thrash around a bit while losing my way downwind to LJ or the ES then walking back to my van.

I've found many folks at LJ to be super friendly and helpful and willing to share knowledge, and wing- and windsurf-foiling clearly don't have the cultural division like windsurfing and kiting had (...both been cancelled? ;-). Also I've had midweek kiting days at the sandbar this past summer that were absolutely miserable due to crowding - even got in my first kite tangle - can't imagine my kitefoiling would have progressed with confidence given how crowded I feel like this summer was.

Only (minor) thing about windsurf foiling is maybe a little more gear tweaking of mast base and foil mast placement. Oh, and I had to go out and buy an uphaul.

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