Wing Foiling vs Kitesurfing: The Growing Sport
We’ve spoken to many people about the benefits of water sports on your mind, body and wellbeing, and we’re always the first to promote trying water sports for the first time. But what if you’re a seasoned warrior in water sports? What if you’ve ticked kitesurfing, and you want to try something new? This blog aims to discuss the benefits of wing foiling vs kitesurfing. We want to cover all the bases: accessibility, affordability, thrill factors and safety. While you might not be considering wing foiling over a sport like kitesurfing, it offers a unique set of advantages.
Accessibility
It is generally agreed that wing foiling is easier to learn than kitesurfing. The wing foil wing is easier to handle on the first attempt and kitesurfing can sometimes be a little daunting to begin with. All the harnesses, bars and lines can be confusing to understand, and you’ll need a fair bit of strength and endurance to control the kite at first.
Transitioning from kitesurfing to wing foiling can be an unfamiliar experience at first, but you’re already in an excellent position to wing foil with ease compared to a discoverer of water sports. You’ll have the skill set required to understand the majority of techniques, as well as the safety knowledge and a lot of the right equipment. It’s just about getting to learn wing positioning and controlling the hydrofoil. You’ve already got your helmet and life jacket, so you’re ready to fly!
The access you get to wing foiling is a huge part of its charm. You can just about jump into any body of water, even if it’s surrounded by rocks and trees. This isn’t always possible with kitesurfing as you’ll always need wide open spaces to launch the kite, as well as someone to launch it for you! Wing foiling is considered simpler, more liberating, and its convenience sets it apart from many other water sports. Instead of spending all your time driving to wide open locations with plenty of wind, you can have a session in your local body of water, in most conditions, allowing you to focus on time on the water. Read our ‘Where To Wing Foil’ blog for tips on the best locations. It’s also advantageous in that it’s very easy to tackle a ride in light wind conditions. Even with winds as low as 10 knots, you can get flying, and on many lakes and beaches, you’ll find a tenacious wing foiler making the most of it. You can even depower your wing and have it trail behind you when there’s very little wind, and practice pumping to keep yourself moving. For those zero wind days, your newfound foiling skillset is the first step along the path to pump foiling which opens up a whole new sport and even more launch spots, read our ‘The Adventure of Pump Foiling’ blog to find out more.
The equipment can also affect ease of accessibility. A kite is typically larger than a wing, and on top of that you’ll need a bar, lines, harness, and board. The convenience of wing foiling is compelling, you don’t have to wear a harness, just pull on the wing and go. It requires a wing, a board and a foil. All of which are easily stored and travel-friendly, fitting into a fairly small bag. Wing foil boards are generally larger and very buoyant making the learning process easier for a discoverer of water sports. The downside of this is that it means more space is used up in the car, and it can be slightly bulkier to carry to the shore.
Affordability
When it comes to affordability, the two sports are generally quite similar in cost. While kites tend to be twice as expensive as wings, wing foil boards are more expensive than kitesurf boards, which balances things out. Quite often you’ll also find that a two-wing quiver will cover a wider wind range than a two-kite quiver, so you’re getting better value for your money with the wing sets. Another consideration is that since kitesurfing is an older water sport, there is more scope for finding older kites at a lower price, whilst wing foiling equipment is newer. Despite the slight difference in equipment price, many water sports enthusiasts are switching to wing foiling locally and spending less money travelling to areas that may be more attractive for kitesurfing.
Instead of travelling to popular destinations like Mexico, Brazil and South Africa, individuals can seek the thrill of the flight by wing foiling much closer to home. Regardless of the water sport you invest in, you’re doubtless getting better value in these wind sports than you would in boating or motorboat sports; whichever you go for will ultimately be down to personal preference!
If you’re looking for new wing foiling equipment, check out all our wings here..
Thrill Factors
Both of these sports provide endless excitement and the chance to continually improve your skills. However, kitesurfing and wing foiling differ in terms of power, speed and suitability for various conditions.
Kites, with their ability to generate more power, allow big airs and intense thrills. The board is generally a lot smaller which gives the scope to perform more complex tricks and jump higher, making them a more common choice for riders looking to push their limits. Nevertheless, this increased power comes at the cost of complexity and safety. Learning to control a kite can be more challenging, and kites can be more dangerous if not handled properly.
Wing foiling, on the other hand, offers the thrill of complete weightlessness and adds a third dimension to your riding as the ride height must also be managed. Instead of riding on the choppy waters, you’re tuned into the hydrofoil submerged in the water while your board floats above the surface. You can also ride waves completely depowered with the wing behind you offering a different kind of experience compared to kitesurfing, which requires constant power through the lines. Wing foiling downwind is a breeze and allows for speeds that most kitesurfers can only dream of; keeping tension in kite lines while riding downwind is a tricky balance to achieve.
Additionally, wing foiling is particularly well-suited for gusty, offshore winds and narrow beaches, where kites become unsafe to fly. Regardless of the weather, we witness our riders doing amazing tricks and picking up great speed when they take flight, check out some of our most recent adventures on our Instagram page.
Safety
Wingfoiling is often considered the safer option compared to kitesurfing. The wing stays close to your body and can be easily depowered, which significantly reduces the risk of injury. In contrast, kitesurfing is far less forgiving. Kites generate a lot of power, and with lines typically ranging between 22-27 metres, they create a large power window. Since riders are hooked in, failing to react quickly to changing conditions can result in being flung, dragged, or seriously injured. This is why choosing the right location is crucial for kitesurfing.
Wings, on the other hand, can feel less daunting, allowing riders to depower completely when necessary. For beginners or those who are less experienced, the wing undoubtedly provides a more predictable and manageable experience. While wing foiling is generally seen as a safe sport, it’s important to take precautions to minimise the risk of injury. Always wear a helmet and a buoyant impact vest, and be mindful of your surroundings.
Even though kitesurfing is seen as the more dangerous sport, its technology has advanced significantly since its early days of two-line kites and limited depower. As the sport has evolved, the technological enhancements have primarily focused on improving safety. Early adopters of kitesurfing will notice a stark difference between the kit now and the gear used in the sport’s formative years. By contrast, wing foiling has already seen huge leaps in design and materials but, as the sport is inherently quite safe, the improvements have been driven by performance.
One of the most significant advantages of wing foiling is its low-impact nature, unlike kitesurfing, which can put a strain on your knees and joints. Wing foiling allows you to glide effortlessly over the water, even if it’s very choppy, as the contact point to the water is below the surface, so you’re less exposed to the texture of the water. The gentle impact on your joints can help you stay active and enjoy water sports without exacerbating existing conditions.
Kitesurfing is known to be a high-impact sport; you’re constantly bouncing across the water, absorbing all those shocks into your body. Anyone coming from a kitesurfing background will be amazed by the sheer weightlessness of wing foiling. The reduced physical stress on your body makes wing foiling an excellent choice for people with knee or joint pain, as well as those who have artificial knees or hips. At any wing foiling spot, you’ll see an age range from kids through to retirees, all exploring this amazing new sport together.
Wing foiling and kitesurfing both offer exhilarating experiences, but they cater to different preferences. Wing foiling is unique in its ability to give a rider the sensation of complete weightlessness and gliding above the water. It can be all about cruising if you want it to be, or you can also put your energy towards learning tricks and pushing the limits. Kitesurfing is generally very hectic, you need to be powered up all the time to keep the kite flying and don’t get to choose what gear you’re in until the wind tells you!
Wing foiling’s accessibility in many locations, coupled with its suitability for various wind conditions and gentle impact on the body makes it a great option for discoverers and kitesurfers looking to try something new. Kitesurfing, on the other hand, offers a different set of thrills. You need to be powered up the whole time to keep you and your kite out of the water, with very little option to cruise gently if that’s what you’re hoping for. Tricks and jumps can be higher but the impact on your body will also be far greater. If you’re familiar with kitesurfing and enjoy the adrenaline rush, you might find wing foiling a rewarding new challenge and another sport that opens up even more days on the water.
One of the standout features of the wing foiling community is its welcoming and inclusive nature. There’s always a wide variety in the demographic of people who practise it; it’s a sport known to be suitable for people of all ages and fitness types and many wing foilers come from a kitesurfing background, bringing their passion and experience to the sport and it doesn’t take long for them to become completely foil-brained. This creates a supportive and encouraging environment for both new and experienced riders.
Get in touch with ENSIS today if you’re looking for a new challenge!