Armstrong Midlength Review

[@hughjones9629]

Chris your prone skills have gone through the roof pal - looking good!

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

thanks mate, look forward to scoring a sesh with you sometime

[@matthewlarman6148]

Thanks for the review. I only prone and would say I am beginner / intermediate - just starting to link waves. Surfed for 35 yrs but only started foiling 12 months ago. Weight is 87kg. Am considering the 45L but a bit concerned about the thickness and how narrow they are? Would you recommend if you are only interested in prone?

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Thanks for watching. I feel it's an amazing prone board and gets you paddling into much fatter lumps and for sure increases sessions. I'll always want one in the quiver, but i do still choose a shorter, more traditional shape when the wave quality is good or I'd want to push harder turns. It's a good 2nd board - which you'll use a lot. size wise - at 17" wide the 45L is very narrow and take off not so easy. With your experience you would adapt, but I'd only recommend the smaller 2 sizes for intermediate-advanced riders, where as the 18" wide 55 more user friendly for most levels

[@frenijffels]

Great review! Awesome spot!

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Thanks for watching. Here is fun for sure

[@grahamreed8443]

Spot on. I concur entirely, owning the 55L at 67KGs. So fun to prone and wing! What is your weight?

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

55L feels like a golden crossover size for both sports. Great for both. I’m about 80Kg.

[@gaborgyulai5417]

hi, where's this spot? Nice surf, looks cool

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Newquay, Cornwall, UK. Theres some glory spots round here

[@abitofthisabitofthat1]

Awesome and honest review. For a beginner to intermediate wingfoiler , would you recommend this board with the higher litrage 85L, 100L if im 74kg?

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Err, probably not if you are a total beginner, the narrow width makes it tricky to get in position, especially in choppy water. So it’s more of a 2nd or even 3rd board. If you are coming from sup or windsurf you might be able to get away with the 100L which is quite a bit wider, same if you are up and foiling already snd looking to shrink boards. But otherwise I’d recommend a wider option to begin with, like the Armstrong FG wing, then update to the ML later down the line

[@DownwindFrother]

Hi Chris and Tom. Have the 45L with Code gear and loved it for prone in small clean easy chip in conditions. Have struggled with stuffing the pop ups in more turbulent water or pitchier conditions though. Regarding Code mast position on the board, what number has worked well for you? Thanks

[@FoilWays]

What’s your weight?

[@DownwindFrother]

@@FoilWays 73kg

[@FoilWays]

​@@DownwindFrother Thanks. I have a 65ML but I think I would need the 55ML for prone. I'm 84kg. By the way, I've been riding mine with a Code 850S / M Fuse / 130 R Tail. My mast is just front front of number 4. Ever so slightly back from center. Just did a 2 hours wing session on it. It does work bang on center, but my stance is wide, so right at center I tend to have my front foot right at the edge of the pad. With it a little further back my front foot is in a better position.

[@DownwindFrother]

@FoilWays thanks so much for the info. I've heard there is some rake in the Armstrong boxes and it's recommended to shim the front bolts when on non armie gear. Do you shim the front bolts?

[@FoilWays]

@@DownwindFrother Nope. No mast shim. I've ridden Axis and Code on this board, and also Armstrong (briefly) and not for one second have I felt it needed adjusting. Note that I normally ride Appletree board which have a deck at 90 degrees to the mast, so that's what I'm used to. I haven't measured angles on the ML, but it feels and looks perfectly fine.

[@bobakwillis-jones3434]

@poseidonwatersportsuk Hi Chris, great review. Sounds like great crossover board, curious what your preferred Armstrong board for winging in +17kn wind with big seas. Thanks Bob

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

She’s a beaut. Still works great in +17kn and I’d probably choose the ML for a DW / bump chasing wing sesh or for flat water carving. For hitting waves I personally prefer a shorter, squarer styler sinker with the mast track further back. I’d choose the FG wing or surf in a small size.

[@bobakwillis-jones3434]

@@poseidonwatersportsuk hi Chris, how does the 65ML compare (to 55ML) for you in stability in choppy conditions, performance, etc for mostly winging. Thanks, Bob

[@youdigsurf]

Do you think it's could be a more polyvalent alternative for a fone foil than the fone ml, i hear you saying the Armstrong ml had a tail rocker , is located on the foil box too like fone board ? They really had a clever idea with this board with the prone wing usage.

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

I feel the Armstong ML and F-one ML had a very different design brief. The f-one is a super efficient wing board that packs a bunch of volume into a compact design to make average conditions more fun. you can get going easy but still throw it around at most riding levels. The Armstrong is a true discipline crossover (in the right size) and if you are looking for something to do both - it's the one. It compromises low speed stability by being narrower, having tucked rails and sweeping the tail rocker dramatically from behind the track, but these aid it's ability to perform for prone as it paddles super well and springs off the water when pumping up. But - to wing the small sizes you'll want to be and intermediate+ winger.

[@123jacquesattaque]

Thanks for the review mate! For prone surfing only, would you prefer the 38 or 45 over the 55 liter? How would they differ?

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

The 38 and 45 feel more lively and I’d prefer the ride, but they are 17” wide (rather than 18”), so the paddle in is tougher, especially in turbulent water, and your hand and foot placement is much more crucial to accuracy on pop up, so generally quite a bit harder. I’d look at the 38 and 45 as advanced boards, the 55 is for all Levels

[@123jacquesattaque]

@@poseidonwatersportsuk good stuff, thx. I'm a bit considered about the thickness of the 55, I have a feeling the smaller and thinner boards will feel more connected to the foil.

[@franotregaskis8661]

Great review

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Thanks for watching. Have you got one yet!?

[@onquarter]

I feel like all of those prone waves would have been easy to paddle into with a super tiny board. But the paddle back out I’m sure is much better with the big board.

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

You’re not wrong. 5.38 might have been a struggle. But the camera never came out on the average days so editing with clips we had. Good thing is that this board can handle the good and the bad. 🤙

[@onquarter]

@@poseidonwatersportsuk Fair enough. Thanks for the great content!

[@foilosophy]

What's your choice front foil when winging on the mid length?

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

All depends on the water conditions. In the Armstrong range the HA is my go to, in a size as small as conditions allow, its range is amazing. When it’s pushing fast or critical I’d aim to switch to a small MA to enjoy its limitless top end. So many other brands that rip too. Front foils is a big subject, Feel free to give us a shout and can give advise anytime 🤙

[@kikoyouth]

Hi! Can you duck dive the ML55? And if so, how heavy are you?

[@grahamreed8443]

@@kikoyouth I can get my 55L under mellow white water lines and just under a high tide shoulder high mid period wave at 67kgs.

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Hey, for sure. it took a little technique development and not super easy, but totally doable. Have pushed it under some solid days pretty drama free. Just have to really sink the nose then push hard on the tail. I'm about 80kg

[@Stefan-Foil]

Great review👍 I have same board and are same weight. Yes a great crossover prone and lightwind winging board. Agree with everything. Use a fg48 compact wingboard as my go-to 90% of wing sessions. the ML55 is my wing session saver and prone board. Downside is that it sticks /is draggy after the landings when jumping and not as direct feeling as the wingboard being longer and thicker. Use the ml55 also With Anchorman and a big HA1080 and its a great match with this board, can easily recover while pumping (if you check my channel its at 0:56)

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

yess, Armstrong did good with making this so versatile and easy to get going, and their other performance boards still shine in their field so well

[@allanwhite8564]

At 80kg do you find this board duck drivable?

[@poseidonwatersportsuk]

Totally doable. Take a little technique development and not super easy but once you got it figured you can take it out solid days pretty drama free. Just have to really sink the nose then push hard on the tail.

[@allanwhite8564]

@@poseidonwatersportsuk thanks, all my handy spots are beach breaks so good to hear.