High-Aspect vs Low-Aspect Foils for Wingfoiling

Comparison of a high-aspect advanced foil with a low-aspect beginner foil used for wingfoiling

Gong Fluid H XL
Year 2022
Wingspan 112 cm
Area 1500 cm²
Aspect ratio 8.5

Neilpryde Glide L
Year 2020
Wingspan 86 cm
Area 1500 cm²

Neilpryde Glide XL
Year 2020
Wingspan 100 cm
Area 2000 cm²

Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
License code: PHCVYJDMKAPTVEIH

[glebov]

Gong user here. I started on Curve XL, then switch to Veloce H, L and XL, this year I tried Ypra L (1000 cm2), I love it now. Took me 2 sessions to get used to small AOA, but after that it’s awesome feeling now. Love the speed it generates.

[jbaumann]

Very well explained - thank you. I just recently startet wing foiling while I started kite foiling a year ago - so far, I did not bother about AR too much but I see it will become more important as I progress. Luckily my dealer recommended a rather high AR to start with so I hope I will not have to invest too soon in more advanced gear.

[DS-gomn]

Great video, love the detail and depth of your Neil Pride description that's the exact Wing I learned on excellent beginner and even intermediate wing I find it's a super Pumper

[wildhogget]

Nice review and the steps you have taken to get where you are today. I started on Gong, I weigh the same as you and come from windsurfing background. I started on Gong's massive 2500cm, the progressed to a Fluid XXLS which was great. But finally left Gong and went to AXIS. Basically because AXIS puts so much research into the foils and very interchangeable. I ride the HPS1050 which is awesome on light days, choppy days and then for strong winds and bigger chop I go to the HPS880. But as you are aware the chop of the coast here in Costa Daurada/Brava can be quite difficult sometimes.
Impressed you went into a race that's awesome. Last year I I visited Sant Pere Pescador just to pass by, and wow what a nice place for wingfoiling. 👍👍

[knightclan]

I’m in the market for a beginner setup here in Oregon
Can’t wait to get started

[moosebump]

Thanks for the video. I'm a similar weight (90kg) and also looking to get foiling more on light wind days so the discussion is really useful.
I am on a lake where there are many of 8-10 knot days, where i just slog, and only a few 12-15 knot days where i really can get going. My main goal is to get flying on the lighter (8-10kn) wind days.

When acquiring my current set up I went for maximum lift and was not really aware of the drag issue. So my current foil is a Slingshot Infinity 99cm which has 2300cm2.
I have a 6.9m Naish wing and a Slingshot Shred Sled 7', 143L board. Admittedly the board might have been a mistake as it is a 3 in 1 that has a mast track for windsurf foiling. It is wide and slow and needs a good amount of power to get going.

But my question is, if i got a new board (narrower downwind style) to make it easier to gain speed, would I be ok with my low aspect foil?

I guess I don't understand how speed and lift trade off. My foil should have lots of lift to get up on foil even at lower speed. I get that it would be harder to pump, have less glide and move slower through the water. But since it should have lots of lift, shouldn't that still work at low speeds?

Should i be trying a new board first? or a new foil? (not really wanting to swap both!)

[HADDEN]

Hi. I’m using much smaller High aspect foils in everything except the very lightest wind. 500cm. 650 cm. 750cm 1000cm and 1250cm. I’m 75 kg. The big high aspect foils don’t turn so nicely. Something slightly lower APR is good for waves on bigger foils. I started on 1340 cm.

[franpinyol]

great review and recommendations ! thanks

[stephens.]

Hey!. Just saw your video. I started with a very similar foiling quiver. Started with the Slingshot Infinity for kite and Neil Pryde for Wake. I wanted to try a carbon mast so I purchased the Neil Pryde 75 Carbon. I also upgraded to the HP Front wings, HP 19 & 22. When I decided to start wing foiling i used the NP set up with the HP 22. I was looking into other Foils and came across Gong. I ride in a choppy bay area and wanted to go to an 85 mast. Other brands, like Armstrong, Fone, were double for the carbon set up. I bought the Carbon Mast, Front Wing--Curve XL, rear stab and fuselage for under 1k. I then bought the Fluid XXLT front wing. Brought my winging to the next level. I got sidelined with a neck injury that required surgery ( not from winging) so i will not be back in the water for another 2 months (hopefully). In the meantime I purchased the Fluid XL H same as yours. Cannot wait to try it. Also bought the Veloce LT i figured for the really powered up days. Any tips on using the Fluid XL H?
Thanks Steve

[virom]

would you start again from the beginning - which of these foils would you select as first and reasonable for long time?

[blooskyy]

Great video. Currently using the Fluid LT (1250cm2) which is great in most conditions (100kg) except for the lighter winds, I'm keen to give the L-H a go!

[BrendanTregear]

Great video. My first kit I bought is a mid aspect 1400sq cm wing (I'm 75kg) and I definitely feel like I'm behind on the skill level needed for this wing (still learning foil gybe) so I'm looking at switching to a big low aspect wing to learn on.

[lindz]

I'm on a Naish 2400cm low aspect (120kg)... Only been out a few times with not too much success yet (I can get on foil a bit on port tack but hardly at all on starboard) but got a Foil Drive now which I'm hoping will steepen up that learning curve hopefully also doing some more efoiling on it too(including goofy foot)... I'm wondering already though how soon I should start trying a high aspect... I'm guessing it might be useful at different stages of different sports because I want to do winging and sup hopefully on my big inflatable wing board, thinking jibing and catching waves should be learned with the beginner wing but then move to HA 😊

[RfQuintella]

Nice video.. I’m currently debating if I should upgrade my foil and this video was helpful.
Currently riding Moses 1100 (2100 cm2) and find it too slow sometimes. I have a kitefoil background so I guess my learning curve with the big foil was faster than anticipated.
My weight is similar to yours so probably something around 1500cm2 might work better

[dengordo]

My first foil was Glide XL too! Easy to get going but not the most stable and actual glide wasn't too good lol (I'm 82kg) I've tried Veloce HL but I found it too wide (95cm) and it was breaching in jibes a lot even with 100cm carbon mast and in terms of speed I can push Fluid L almost as fast but not so much glide as HA foils. So I'm either not ready for ultra high aspect foils or they are for a specific use case like wave surfing. Good video

[tansuakar]

Mid aspect 2500cm2 or low aspect 2000cm2 for a 76kg beginner? Living in a high-wind spot. 2000cm2 one is aluminum, 2500cm2 is carbon. I am inclined to get a 2000cm2 one, but I would like to know your opinion too. Thanks ;)

[PalmStaff]

I liked to hear your thoughts about these foils. It would be nice to hear even more about what changed in your way of surfing with the new wing; how much harder is it to get up on foil, or is it just harder?
What mast length do you use and out of what material?

I started on a Gong X-Over XL and then bought a Curve XL-T which was too similar to the X-Over, I should have gone directly to the Fluid XXL-T which would have been a keeper for light wind days, even after I “master” it (I think 😊).
So now I wonder if I should buy the Fluid XXL-T or go straight to the HA Fluid in XL, or XXL to soften the transition to these foils.
But I really do want to be able to go out in in the lower wind range and therefore really want to hear how much harder it is to get up on your HA Fluid.

I use a Hipe Pro 5, 6 which I really like but I should have chosen a smaller one in retrospect. I use the 85 cm aluminum mast (Gong v2) and haven’t felt any urge to pay the extra money for benefits I’m not aware exist, so here’s another thing I’d really like to hear more about; if you use a carbon mast and your thoughts about it.

You did a great job explaining everything in the video so I’m thrilled to hear more.
/SP

[thorstenpausch]

Wow. Tried the fluid H L and M. Extremely strange nervous behaviour even in flatwater they took on every movement from little windwaves. Veloce H seems to be the wings of choice for my friends if they stay with gong. They work well and I guess Ypra S is great aswell. With the fluid H its really easy to get on foil, two pumps more and you go. Going fast on swell with a 1500 seems impossible to me... Sorry to say that 🙊

[eduardomello]

Which of the 3 do you like best for turning and carving? Thanks!

[milinger]

Hi, and thanks for that video, still much too little on the market yet!

I (72kg) started last year and had about 100 sessions until now. I started with the 2200m2 fone gravity and was super happy with it, because i do it on a lake with partly low to middle winds and sometimes heavy weather conditions. I bought the 2000m2 gravity for the next step, but I've got the same speed issuses as the 2200m2 - at the speed of about 12kn, my foil is super hard to control and doesn't feel as it wants to go faster without crash. My Question is:
To go faster than 10kn do i have to buy a full strong wind setup (1000m2 foil, 4m2 wing etc...), or is there an option for these middle wind conditions(about 15kn) - to get up at 12kn wind and to get fast at 20kn???

I'm curious about your answer ;)