Foiling is still relatively new to many and it can take a while to wrap your head around the multiple variables involved. It doesn’t matter if you are a complete newbie or already a foil veteran, sometimes it can be a real dilemma to choose between so many different foil wings.

But don’t despair just yet, we are here to help you out.

Basics

Let’s start with some basics that you should consider before getting a foil.

Having already some experience in surfing, windsurfing or kitesurfing is a great advantage when starting to foil, as it already gives you some knowledge on positioning and balance.
Foiling requires more accuracy in terms of the positioning of your body and feet and is less forgiving when it comes to mistakes. In case you are totally new to the sport, we recommend taking lessons with an instructor, as this will help you to progress faster, safer and prevent demotivation due to slow progress.

Keep in mind that your weight is an important factor when choosing a foil, the heavier you are the easier it is to ride on a bigger foil. Especially when beginning you want to go for bigger and more stable foils, that allow you to progress. As your skills improve you can start to foiling on smaller and more manoeuvrable foils. 

Side note: for more "How to" content, check out our Youtube channel. 

Before you start, you should get to know the different elements. A foil is made up of separate parts:

A front wingA back wing also called the stabiliser or 'stab' for shortA fuselage that connects the two wingsA mast and top plate that connects all the parts to the board.

Long fuselage vs. short fuselage

The length of the fuselage also has an impact on stability and performance. 

A longer fuselage will lend more stability while a shorter fuselage will bring the front wing closer to the stab and thus will allow for more manoeuvrability and it will bring much more dynamism in the pumping and in the handling.

Your level will determine the length of the foil mast you choose. The size of the mast can vary between 40cm and over 1m.

Keep in mind that the shorter the mast is, the easier it will be to start, given that a shorter mast stays closer to the surface of the water. So when starting, we recommend you choose a mast of about 65 cm. It is a perfect length for beginners as it will allow you to handle small waves and also means you won't need to look for a spot with very deep water.

If you already feel comfortable on a shorter mast you can start improving your skills with a 75 cm or 85 cm mast.

Surface Area

The surface area is commonly measured as the projected surface area in square centimetres and is the main indicator of lift the foil will generate. If you hold a torch/light over the foil, the projected area is the area of the shadow projected by the wing.

Profile

While thicker profiles are designed to generate more lift at lower speeds and are more forgiving during the flight, foils with thinner profiles are much more sensitive and take more skill to use, however once mastered they generate less drag and allow for higher speeds and more manoeuvrability.

High aspect vs. low aspect foils

The aspect ratio of a foil is the ratio of its span to its mean chord. It is equal to the square of the wingspan divided by the wing area. High aspect ratio foils generate less drag and allow for an endless glide, however, they need higher speeds than low aspect ratio wings to take off and avoid stalling.