Choosing Your First Wing Foiling Board
Wing foiling can be demanding on the body, and having the wrong equipment can only make it harder. Choosing the correct board when starting your wing foiling adventure is crucial to a smooth and successful discovery. Much like other parts of the necessary wing foiling equipment, the board you need will vary depending on your experience, skill, weight, ambitions, and foiling conditions. Considering all of those while choosing the perfect board will allow you to focus on enjoying the sport, making your learning experience much quicker and more fun.
Volume is your friend
When you first decide to take to the water you’ll need to find a board with a decent amount of volume; especially if you’re relatively new to board-riding water sports. A higher volume generally results in a floatier board, making it more stable and easier to stay up. More stability is ideal for beginners, so make sure to look for a board with roughly 30 – 40 litres of volume more than your weight. For example, someone weighing 80 kg should look for a board with a volume of around 120 litres.
Ultimate stability thanks to the Concave Outline concept
ENSIS boards are known for their concave outline design. This unique shaping concept results in an extremely stable and forgiving board range. Once you accelerate and fly, the concave outline and the compact shape keep the board going in the desired direction. The concave deck shape gives you all the stability and control you need. Dancing unlimited.
ENSIS RECOMMENDS: If you’re looking for a board with lots of buoyancy and a high volume, we recommend looking at our bigger-sized ROCK’N’ROLL, TWIST and ROCK’N’ROLL AIR boards. ENSIS wing foil boards are known for their reliability. Thanks to the unique concave outline used on all our boards, ultimate stability and easy take-offs are guaranteed.
If you are an experienced watersports enthusiast, or as your skill level increases, you may look to decrease the size of your board. Less volume generally makes the board lighter and easier to control; ideal for someone looking to start getting air or gaining considerable speed.
If you already have experience in the water, such as windsurfing, SUPing, or surfing, you are considered to be a pre-foiler. You have a better understanding of the ocean and weather conditions, allowing you to read waves and wind. You may be able to start with a smaller, more manoeuvrable board as you are already used to finding your balance in the water. However, if you are completely new to wing foiling, we wouldn’t recommend going any smaller than a board with equal litres to your weight (80kg = 80 litres).
Inflatable vs hard boards
In recent years, more people have been reaching for inflatable boards when it comes to water sports. Thanks to their compact design, they tend to be considerably lighter, easier to transport, and more convenient to store. Inflatable boards have all these features, without sacrificing durability, making them a firm favourite for keen travellers, or those living in small spaces.
At the start, when getting to grips with wing foiling you may find yourself wiping out a lot. It is therefore worth noting that an inflatable board will not hurt as much as a hard one if there is a collision.
In comparison, the rigidity of a hard board gives it an advantage in rougher water and weather conditions. With features such as a carbon-reinforced foil box, hard boards are typically built with a more robust design. Without the need to be inflated, a hardboard undoubtedly gets you in the water quicker; however, you will need more space for storage and transportation.
ENSIS RECOMMENDS: At ENSIS we have engineered the perfect inflatable board for wing foiling. Our ROCK’N’ROLL AIR board, provides all the benefits of an inflatable board, whilst featuring a concave outline, giving you great control while launching and flying. The ENSIS ROCK’N’ROLL Air range has a built-in large carbon fibre track plate (75 cm) which provides a direct board-to-foil feel and responsive foiling performance. As an added bonus, this board comes as a set with our ENSIS TRACKSTER foil. This combination has been perfectly curated for easy take-off and smooth riding. Last but not least, the whole setup including Board and Foil fits into a practical high-quality bag.
Accessories
When investing in a new wing foiling board, you’ll want to make sure you keep it safe and damage free both in and out of the water. Much like other water sports, you will need a leash for your wing foiling board. Leashes connect the board to your leg or waist; avoiding losing your board, collisions and damage by ensuring that it doesn’t shoot off when you wipe out, especially if you are in the ocean, or foiling in a busier area.
When it comes to transporting and storing your board, we recommend getting a board bag. Not only do they provide another layer of protection to prevent dings, but they allow you to carry your board, foil, and any accessories with more ease. When purchasing an ENSIS ROCK’N’ROLL board, our high-quality board bag is included in your delivery.
Foot straps are definitely a necessity when it comes to wing foiling. They allow you to stay connected to your board, no matter the strength of the wind. You will need foot straps if you are getting into jumping and taking your wing foiling to the next level. It is important to make sure your foot straps are comfortable and correctly adjusted, which is why ENSIS straps are padded, with a memory fitting and a screw system.
If you have opted for an inflatable board, then you’ll also need a pump. Making sure your board is properly inflated is vital to a smooth and easy wing foiling discovery. If it isn’t properly inflated, the board will be unstable on the water and may bend under the weight of the rider. We recommend getting a Double Action Pump HP2. Not only do they ensure fast and comfortable inflation, but they are also designed specifically to provide the right amount of air pressure for the perfect ride. The ENSIS ROCK’N’ROLL Air boards include the ENSIS double action pump in your delivery.
If you are a multi-disciplined rider, someone looking to save a little space, or looking for the ultimate family one board solution, then you might want to look for a board that has more than one use. ENSIS has specifically and carefully designed the TWIST 1Board5Sports to fit your every need. Built for wing foiling, windsurf foil, windsurf, SUP foiling, and SUPing, the TWIST 1Board5Sports allows you to take to the water in many different ways. Providing you with the freedom to ride however you may feel; conditions pending, of course.
The team at ENSIS have poured their heart and soul into creating some of the industry’s most innovative and exciting wing foiling equipment, and that is only echoed by our fantastic crew of team riders.
We recently caught up with Maaike Huvermann from the Netherlands who has been riding with ENSIS since 2021 and is a great asset to the team. We asked Maaike what her favourite thing is about ENSIS boards:
What is your favourite ENSIS Board?
My favourite board is the ENSIS ROCK’N’ROLL 57 liters.
Why is it your favourite?
For me, this board and its size are the perfect combination to enjoy my wing session to the fullest. It has enough volume to get onto the foil easily in a wide variety of conditions and provide a stable landing, while also being small and light which makes rotations very easy when flying around.
What conditions do you usually ride in?
I like to ride in a variety of conditions, every day brings a new challenge. But I prefer around 10 – 15 knots. These conditions allow for some relaxing cruising, going on tours around the spot and providing enough power for some freestyle moves.
What is your favourite thing about being part of the ENSIS team?
My favourite part about being part of the ENSIS team is seeing the enthusiasm and passion from everyone in the team. People share the stoke, are always trying to improve and strive for the best, and most of all, everyone is cheering each other on and helping where possible. This mindset is something that is unique to the brand.
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If we have piqued your interest in wing foiling and you would love to learn a little more, then please don’t hesitate to reach out, or head to your nearest ENSIS store.
