2024 Duotone Unit Long Term Review | Is it really that good? | Alex Mertens

[@heavyweather]

There is a print that closes the gap between the handles. The Handles arr detachable. You can also switch the aluminium handles on the 22 and 23 Unit for carbon handles/boom.

[@alex-merts]

For sure! I’m just saying would be awesome if duotone would actually officially release one :)

[@TaylorBaum]

man, this guy sure knows his gear. Shout out to the 4.5m D/lab for having the power of a 5.5 and the weight of a 3.0

[@alex-merts]

Dude we need to get some foot straps for this guy

[@uweweinkauf3603]

Great review. I have been using the Unit and the Slick. Love them both. I do prefer the Slick in gusty and choppy conditions and for light wind (4.5x). It's more powerful and I like the power in the centre more than forward (like the unit). Coming from Windsurfing also I slightly prefer the Slick. However, the convenience of an integrated boom or 2 larger handles is also great. I am still deciding ... ;)

[@peterheirmanster]

Try the Gong Droid UPE Aramide (719€ for 2m2 - 1019€ for 6.5m2): The one that Malo uses. That will change your mind.

[@alex-merts]

Keen to give this wing a go! Heard a lot about it, just haven’t gotten to try!

[@kelamikam]

I have Unit Allula 3.5 2022, 4.5 2023 and 6.0 2023. The wings are amazing and I frankly can't imagine better wing with two exceptions. I ride every day 2-3 hours and all the all my wings have lost the handle wrappings after just few weeks of use. Also, the front handle for flagging in the waves is too soft and does not allow for easy hand wing control while flagging because the handle just bends too easily. Additionally, the edges of the handles are sharp and punctured through my board on impact. Duotone, instead of redesigning and improving these wings, please just fix the problems with the handle wrappings and front handle. This should have been fixed after these problems were noted in 2022. It is 2024 and two models later these initial problems still have not been fixed.

[@postbustersfencing]

Same with the Slick. The problem is the seam running along the back, right were my grip is greatest. This year I installed the boom upside down, the seam on the front, and the loosening of that seam stopped.

[@alex-merts]

I totally forgot to cover the front handle!!! Great reminder bringing that up. Totally with you there! Also strange with the handles. I’ve had these wings since September and still haven’t had any degradation to the handles at all really. I’ve been told that handle problems should be getting addressed… but who knows when that will come 🤷🏽‍♂️ frustrating yes…

[@AkSeapilot]

Just want to say it was really great meeting you and your family at Mr. Fish this last winter.. thanks for the nice review. The longer front handle seems like it would be good for one handing.. i use a harness when i am not going downwind.. Does that work ok with the longer front boom? I also want to also compliment you again on being so humble for such a talent on the water. One of the days im gonna try the footstraps and delve into the beginner stuff of your great content on freestyle winging.

[@alex-merts]

Appreciate your kind words 🙏🏽 and hopefully see you again in Baja this winter! Maybe next time on the water and not just for fish tacos haha. for harness lines, it’s definitely doable, but I don’t think the long front handle is going to be great for it. Honestly the shorter handles are better for that kind of thing. Don’t feel pressured to jump on the straps! Just have fun on the water ;) that’s what matters!

[@wylankaochari9768]

You should do a video on straps for freestyle like how to be secure for tricks

[@Wingmad]

Awesome, totally agree with your dream👍

[@IslandPerfection]

to good, well said!!! Please make more vids

[@alex-merts]

Appreciate you! And thank you! What kind of content would you guys be interested in?

[@IslandPerfection]

@@alex-merts How about shims/ mast shim or stabilizer shim

[@flarmedia1459]

I have Unit Allula 2024 in 4,5 and 5.5.and ventis allula 2024.in 7meter.best ever

[@alex-merts]

Awesomeeee glad you’re loving them!

[@cacawachi]

why our head in the video and not the wings?

[@ashleydavis614]

I'd have to diagree about flagged stability on a wave - the slick has much less stability than the 2024 unit, it's all over the place. I am able to ride both wings back to back and the slick 2023 has never been better on a wave than the 2024 unit, it's significantly more prone to flipping over, one of my buddys has all 2023 slicks and he hates them, he's swapping to F-One because they are so bad on a wave, he has way more issues than I do with 2024 units riding in the same conditons.

[@alex-merts]

Personally I haven’t taken these wings out in breaking waves regularly. My perspective is coming from swell riding with onshore wind rather than wave faces. I’ll have to venture into more conditions to really get a more wholistic view over these things. And the fone wings are pretty awesome. I’m just not a fan of the loops. I know they just came with a boom wing 👀 that looks pretty sweet.

[@ashleydavis614]

​@alex-merts F-One wings flag well, just don't expect them to last. DuoTone wings are a lot more durable.

[@Leonvanbergen]

Long term review of a 2024 product 😂😂😂

[@alex-merts]

😂 clickbaity yeah I know haha. Remember these wings came out in September last year!

[@thorstenpausch8056]

Long Term Use: disappointed of the Unit 2024 in 4.0 It looses a lot of its original tension on the trailing edge. It is so sad, fourth generation and they have not figured it out :-( Compared my wing, used about 100 session (it's a lot, but come on) to a newer wing, used 20 sessions, it's kinda drastic. Less power, more flutter, more weirdness. Maybe the Dlab works better, have a Unit 5.0 2023, still looks great, but Allula starts to do its white spot thing. Also using the Unit 3.0 2024. Here the trailing edge also starts to loosen up. They are testing the wings for max! 50 sessions I guess and then they go into production. The mod3 is great, the wing is great, the handles are clearly too big on the 3.0. Should be sized down, also to save weight. Not shure if I replace the 4.0 to a Dlab if they becomes more affordable. But most other brands have the same issue. It's still not a windsurfsail, very sad to replace after a few month again and again. You are sponsored, that's the solution 😅

[@alex-merts]

In general it’s a problem with the technology in place for the wings. They are trying to use softer materials like in kites for something that should be as stiff as a windsurf sail. All wings will blow out especially if you ride them LIT up all the time and often. Unfortunately I don’t think alula will help here. Totally with you 100% and even though I am sponsored, I still pay for a lot of my equipment! Unfortunately the industry doesn’t have that much money in it, so free gear is not as common with riders as you think 😅

[@scottseale]

Really enjoyed the 2023 Unit 5m, but was disappointed with how fast the leech and trailing edge loosened up drastically. Noticeable performance reduction. Still useable but a let down of its former self!

[@p0l0us]

Quality of Duotone is very poor. I own Unit 6m with hard handles and another wing for two sessions. I'm mainly kiting and sometimes foiling, so let say the Unit 6m was 15-20days out of the bag - always packed after use of course. The strut bladder started leaking first session around handles location. Second year, another holes appeared in the strut, valve dismounted (glue failed) so I had to buy new bladder. The main bladder split in the seam, and of course valve glue is failing. Stitching is becoming hairy even I never let it slide on beach or something. I own couple of 10 years old kites extensively used for 5 years, falling, crashing and I never had such issues and I still use some of them. Duotone is just crap in "long term quality" in my eyes. I would rather look for different, and likely cheaper brand and save some money by not paying their marketing cheats.

[@michaelmoore-bk3ft]

Remember its a paid review. Look at forums that show the weak points on these wings. Ill give you a hint.....ha#$@=s. Love Duotone, but its an issue

[@heavyweather]

I don't understand the hint.

[@alex-merts]

Yes handles definitely have a problem. I personally haven’t ran into any, but I’ve seen injuries to myself and my board from them. I definitely could’ve gone into more detail on specific issues, but I was cutting on time! I’ll go more in depth in the future for the sake of clarity!