Our tips and explanations for buying the right Wing foil pack

After reading our article How to start Wing Foil, you realize that it is the easiest way to learn Wing Foil, and especially one of the most fun ways to have fun on the water compared to other water sports. You will find an abundance of equipment and packages dedicated to Wingfoil at very different prices.

Do you dream of flying on the water and surfing the swell without having to fight for crowded waves? It’s time to invest in a complete pack. But you still need to know how to choose your wing foil pack. It is to answer the recurring questions of our customers, but also to the practitioners who see our ambassadors evolve on the spots that we propose this article.

At Sroka Company, we are above all passionate people. Our goal is to share with you this passion, thanks to equipment that we have pleasure in developing and using ourselves, without being overpriced. We want to democratize efficient, durable and evolutive equipment at an affordable price.

In this article, we will only give you some ideas. All these advices are based on our experience and concrete technical elements, like the way we develop our foil fins or our boards. We illustrate all this with our equipment, to help you choose the type of equipment (wing, board and foil) that suits you best, and that will be able to evolve with you without confining you to beginner equipment or unsaleable later on. Finally, we will present our Wing Foil range, and explain our development choices, (including why we have been producing full sandwich boards in France for almost 10 years).

What type of board to start with?

SKY RIDER 6’3 and 5’8 (made in France) or SKY RIDER 6’3, 6’0 and 5’7 (made in China*)

120 and 105L with a chunky shape capable of offering stability and easy take off.

Sky Rider wing foil pack (rigid)

*As our production capacity in France is limited, we offer you new boards made in China

Inflatable boards for beginners

6 et 6'4 V1 et V2 gonflable

SROKA AIR 6’4 and 6’0 (V1 and V2)

155L (V1) 150L (V2) and 144L (V1) 140L (V2) with a voluminous shape to take off easily and be stable. The 5’3 can be considered for lightweights who already practice board sports.

Pack V1 available at 1499€.

V2 inflatable wing foil pack available at 2050€.

Discovering the wing, for the whole family

Winging with a suitable inflatable paddle (one fin behind and one in the middle to avoid drifting) is the best way to discover wind sports. The stability of the SUP will give you the confidence to start mastering the kite with ease. The whole family can get into it.

Click here to find out more about our Inflatable SUP + Wing pack. 

What type of board for intermediate level?

You already practice foil on another support (wind foil, surf foil, kite foil…) or wingfoil. It’s time to invest in an intermediate Wing Foil pack. With these packs, you will start to leave your comfort zone to discover new sensations. By reducing the size of your board, your pumping will be more efficient, your shifts more radical. Welcome to a new world. You’ll start to look at waves differently that you didn’t dare to surf before with your first-timer equipment. However, the idea is not to deny all the comfort that makes your sessions a pleasure. The equipment we offer in this category doesn’t require a water-start or an incredible technical level to allow you to have fun.

Hardboards intermediate level

SKY RIDER 5’8 and 5’5 (made in France) and 5’4 and 5’7 (made in China*)

105L and 90L depending on the size. We reduce the length and width of the board to facilitate pumping and maneuvering.

Sky Rider wing foil pack (rigid)

*As our production capacity in France is limited, we offer you new boards made in China

Inflatable boards intermediate level

SROKA AIR 6’0 and 5’3

144L and 115L depending on the size. The dimensions are reduced to offer more sensations without the navigation becoming too technical.

V1 inflatable wing foil pack available at 1499€.

V2 inflatable wing foil pack available at 2050€.

What kind of board to perform on?

You master the subject of Wing Foil, you sail whatever the level of the spot. You want to push your limits, play with the elements, fly over the swell trains. You know that you will need a smaller and therefore more powerful equipment to discover these sensations.

To get ahead, we advise you:

The Performance Inflatable Board

53 5'3 v1 e V2

SROKA AIR 5’3 V1 and V2

 

We reduce the dimensions to offer more sensations without the navigation becoming too technical. Its 115L volume allows to float even for big sizes.

A single board to take everywhere on trips and on the spots, in all conditions.

The different constructions of foil boards

We recommend our article on the subject, right here, regarding materials. We don’t compromise on quality with Full Sandwich Carbon Fibre or Fibreglass Made in France. For the inflatable boards, we choose professional semi rigid PVC, and a carbon plate covered with PVC to avoid shocks and that the carbon does not heat up in the sun, damaging the glue.

On the technical side, we have chosen a light rocker to get through the chop, combined with a double concave hull that allows you to get back on the water easily if you hit the water. At the back, the cut out also allows you to easily get back into your surf. The outline of the board is chunky to ensure stability and a fast start in flight, but not too wide to prevent you from manoeuvring. Comment sont dessinées, fabriquées et conçues les planches de wingfoil The development of a Sroka foilboard

 

And the footstraps?

What about wing foil straps or not? But if you come from a windsurfing or kitesurfing background, don’t forget that wing foil is different. As for the boom, the rules are not the same. If you are a beginner, in the vast majority of cases, straps are a hindrance to progress by limiting your ability to catch mistakes and increasing the risk of injury to your ankles.

Choosing your board: to sum up

Comment choisir sa planche de foil en fonction de son poids, de son niveau, du volume et des dimensions de la planche

Choosing your Foil

All the answers to the questions you have to choose the foil that suits you best!

The parameters that influence the functioning of a Foil

The front fin

To put it simply, there are three families of front vanes, Low Aspect, Mid Aspect and High Aspect (here is a detailed article on aspect ratios). The Low Aspect are stocky, with a small wingspan. With their fighter-like shape, they are very manoeuvrable but their lateral stability, especially on small surfaces, sometimes leaves something to be desired.

The High Aspect is more elongated, like a glider wing. The High Aspect flies with the stability of an albatross. Pumping is effortless and the speed of flight is impressive. They offer an excellent gliding feeling. However, they are relatively technical and less manoeuvrable wings, often requiring the use of a shorter fuselage to compensate.

The Mid Aspect are forgiving, easy to handle and generate very good lift (we recommend the 1750 for beginners). They are a good compromise between the two worlds, especially if you can’t afford to buy one fin per spot and condition. If you are more resourceful, you can reduce the surface area of your kite (1250 for example) to manoeuvre on command without ever stalling in turns and waves.

Faire le choix de son ailette de foil avant

The mast

For beginners or those sailing in shallow, flat water, we recommend 70cm masts. They are the safe choice and falls will be less impressive than with longer masts. They are useful for surfing foils to stay in contact with the wave.

Capable of making a beginner fly as well as a more experienced pilot fly with a very good feeling, the 80cm mast offers an excellent versatility. It is the safe choice for a first investment.

For those who really want to perform, who surf big or who sail on very rough water, we recommend a mast of 90 or more. You will be able to angle the mast flush with the water to get as close to the wind as possible. These masts are not for beginners as they are less forgiving of mistakes.

Guide pour choix longueur mat wingfoil

The different constructions of Foil

The full carbon foil is expensive and fragile. On the other hand, it is lighter and more responsive, and requires slightly less maintenance than an aluminium foil. Aluminium foils are often cheaper, stronger and stiffer if well constructed. Carbon has excellent torsional strength but less rigidity than aluminium (hence its use for windsurfing masts), unless it is built very carefully and often very expensive. The price of a carbon mast can be five to ten times higher than an aluminium mast.

The aluminium foil has the advantage of being more modular and transportable with easily interchangeable parts, as carbon foils often use a ‘T-bar’, a part that joins the fuselage and mast. The aluminium foil, however, will be heavier.

 

Choose your High-aspect front wing

Our high-aspect foils are designed for foilers who already know how to foil, and who are looking to evolve to seek more speed, more glide and more finesse in flight. Our range is divided into 3 wing sizes: the 950 Speed, the 1190 Speed or Lift, and the 1350 Lift.

  • The 950 Speed is designed for the more experienced foilers who are looking for a faster and more gliding feeling. If you already have a SROKA High Aspect or Classic foil, you will immediately feel the acceleration. Your cruising speed will be significantly increased and your top speed will have no limit. Some of our riders push it to 26kn (almost 50km/h). With its 240cm2 stabilizer, you will keep lift for medium wind conditions. Choose the 180 stabilizer for stronger winds and to reveal the full speed potential of this wing.
  • The 1190 Speed and Lift are all-rounders. They offer the best glide/speed/lift ratio. Both wings have exactly the same ribs, except for the thickness, which is slightly higher on the Lift, to generate more lift. Choose the Lift if you want to sail more often in light wind or surf foils in small conditions (more pumping than the Speed). Choose the Speed if you want more speed. It will start very slightly later than the Lift, but will gain in cruising speed and top speed.
  • The new 1350 Lift is a real downwind weapon. Its ultra high aspect ratio (9.5) will allow you to glide endlessly over almost imperceptible waves. It will surprise you with its easy manoeuvrability and its ultra smooth start in very light winds. Indeed, its Lift profile allows it to start as early as a classic 1750 (8kn are enough for a 90kg weight with a 6m2). As the wingspan increases, the lift increases and the drag decreases. The advantage is that you will have a wing that takes off very early, without sacrificing speed and glide. The 1350 will be efficient for wingfoil, surf foil, down wind, and is also a real pumping machine. No matter what your level, you need an HA 1350 in your quiver: everyone can use it, and everyone can have maximum fun with it.

Choosing your foil: to summarise

Guide to choosing the right foil

How to choose your wing

All the answers to the questions you may have when choosing your wing and wing size!

The different constructions of Foil

To put it simply, there are two types of shapes:

  • If you like to twirl freely, we recommend a chunky shape that will have the advantage of being compact and manageable.
  • If you’re looking for the thrill of exhilarating top speed under control, while still having great stability in the surf, go for a longer wing (with more span).

Wishbone or inflatable centre batten?

Boom construction is very rare. So rare, in fact, that only one brand offers it. It’s true that you can place your hands freely in it, but it’s non-folding, bulky and heavier. Your carrying comfort will suffer, especially if you’re going on a trip. It’s also more dangerous if you fall and hit the boom head-on or hit your board deck with it.

If you’ve taken up wingsurfing partly to get rid of the old world of heavy and complicated rigging, and you’re looking for a kite that can be forgotten while sailing like a trunk, then the inflatable centre batten is the right option. Before making your choice, you should imagine that you will be sailing with your arms over your head for the whole session. After a couple of hours, we are absolutely convinced that you will appreciate the extra weight, the lightness and the ease of use.

What’s more, you can’t imagine a simpler set-up. One pump and you’re done. In less than two minutes, your wing is inflated and all that’s left between you and the pleasure of flying. And once the session is over, or if you are suddenly caught up in the urge to travel, transporting the wing is even easier. All you need is a bag to fit the wing into any luggage or car boot. It’s up to you to choose the best option to suit your sailing style and desires, but we sincerely believe that the choice of inflatable is the one that best suits the spirit of the Wingsurf Foil, with its simplicity, the freedom it allows and its user friendly aspect never seen before in water sports.

How many handles?

Some brands continue to cover the central slat with handles. Others go for simplicity, with a front handle and a back handle. The right question to ask yourself is: what do I really need? If you want to fly gracefully in light winds, have hours of fun in big conditions without being physically abused, or have total freedom in the surf, you’ll need a light wing. The lighter the wing, the less help it needs from you to carry itself, and the more freedom you have to move.

Experience has also shown us that we always place our hands in the same places, regardless of the number of handles. So why bother with weight, weak points and confusing handles? For all these reasons, we choose to have only what is really necessary on the wing: three comfortable, wide and solid handles. One for the front hand, one for the back hand and one for the surfer located on the leading edge. Some of the weight saved is reinvested in carefully placed reinforcements, so that it is really useful and not just a selling point.

We also add two V-shaped handles. They allow you to sail in overpower or underpower, to have a freer hand placement and to always fall back on a support during manoeuvres. They tend to become more common.

Why a taut spinnaker on the trailing edge, and what trough?

If you want a wing that is nervous, responsive, more efficient and able to pick up the slightest gust and turn it into power, a tight trailing edge is the way to go. For those of you who are used to intense high speed sailing, we recommend that you give it a little slack to ease the flow, just as you would on a tensioned board sail. A sail that is too tight will quickly become unmanageable in gusts.

The distribution of the panels is crucial for maintaining the profile when sailing.  If they are carefully placed, drag will be greatly reduced and the wing will be much less physical. You will feel as if you are one with your equipment, which will increase your enjoyment tenfold.

Choosing your trough depends on what you need on your favourite spot. If it’s a super powerful kite that can get you going in a hurry, go for a big hollow. On the other hand, it will saturate relatively quickly, lose stability at high rpm and become very physical at high speed. If you are looking to reach a higher maximum speed, choose a flatter sink. Your wing will generate a little less power at low rpm, but will accelerate endlessly like a dream, while giving a much better feeling of stability and control in the high range.

Windows or not?

The windows in the sail would be practical on saturated spots… which is far from being the case at the moment. You should also be aware that windows make the wings heavier and depending on the quality of the materials used can be a weak point. If you opt for a windowless wing, it will force you to raise the sail to look downwind. The choice is up to you, depending on your needs.

Choosing your wing: to summarise

Which wing surface to choose according to your level and size

Our Wing foil packs

In a package, every element is of fundamental importance. Take the best board in the world with a cheap foil and you will never get off the ground. Choosing the right pack will save you the frustration of having a completely technically inaccessible or too soft material.

At Sroka Company, we are above all a team of enthusiasts and practitioners. Our goal is to share this passion with you. We are proud to use the material we propose here. We don’t want you to sail with materials that will fail after 10 sessions or to pay for marketing and so-called revolutionary innovations that are not. We want to offer you top-of-the-range equipment at an affordable price, making sure that each practitioner finds a package that perfectly matches his expectations. All our equipment is plug-and-play and versatile, delivered with their leash and a carrying case for the foil.

Beginner level

Intermediate level

Advanced level

To go further

We make sure that our packs are as versatile as possible, knowing that the investment is substantial. Our goal is not to make you buy a foil every year and to support your development over the very long term, we have made sure that our foil is fully modular, with parts at a reasonable price.

Here are all the possible customizations of your Wingfoil pack, depending on your needs:

The different foil parts:

Boards and Wings:

We also support you with various articles and tutorials! Find out how learn to Wingfoil, the surf-foil-operation or yet the choice of your spot in the section News and Tutorials from our site!

If you have any questions or want to share some time spent on the water with our community, feel free to join your Sroka Sessions Facebook group!

FAQ

In the Sroka inflatable packs, we have the board, the wing and the foil. In addition there is a board leash, a wing leash, a carrying case for the foil, a carrying bag for the board and the complete pack, protective covers for the carbon fins, all screws and bolts, tef gel, a pump with an adaptor to switch from the wing to the board, user manuals, a neoprene handle to carry the board and a repair kit.

In the Sroka hard wing foil packages, you will find the board, the wing and the foil. In addition to the board and wing leash, protective covers for the carbon wings, a carrying case for the foil, all screws and tef gel.

Sroka’s wing foil packages are perfectly suited for beginners and are designed to be taken up immediately. Our wing packs are also very upgradeable. It is possible to adapt all the front and rear wings to the foil supplied in the pack, including the most powerful ones.

Yes, like all our products and their components, Sroka packs come with a two-year guarantee.

We refer you to our detailed article on how to choose the right wing foil pack.

It takes about 24 hours for your pack to be prepared and one to three working days for delivery in mainland France.