Axis 1180 Spitfire personal comparison to the 1401 Art Pro

Saturday 9 march 2024
Second run of the day and very interesting for me to see the difference between the axis 1180 spitfire back to back against the axis 1401 art pro in similar conditions.
The 1180 is more surfy but less economical, so is great for these short runs and also when powered up. Being able to surf the ocean in this way is unparalleled.
I left the paddle in on this video as requested by someone, let me know what you think about it… I know it is likely interesting to those working on graining Downwinding skills, but it’s not likely for everyone. I used to like seeing the paddle ups myself as I wanted to know everything about the runs I was seeing, are other struggling? How many attempts did they take to get up? Etc
Anyway, enjoy feel free to interact let me know thoughts on the vids as well as the content. What do you think of my riding? Any tips for me or ideas?
Be good, be safe, and get out there!
Rider weight/height 75kg 188cm/6’2
Ppc 2.8 surge
Ppc carbon adjustable paddle
Ppc mini travel pump
Axis 7’6 downwinder board
Axis 1180 Spitfire 50 skinny advanced+ ultrashort
Axis pro ultra high mod mast 80cm
#supfoil #axisfoils #downwinding #foiladdict #foiling #foilboarding #hydrofoil #foil #foilsurfing #foilwings #foilsurf #surfing #surf #kitefoil #kitefoiling #windsurfing #windsurf #supfoil #supfoiling #wingfoil #wingfoiling #naishfoil #duotonefoil #slingshotfoil #mysticboarding #liquidforcefoil #horuefoil #mfcfoil #foilacademy #foiltheworld #foilfun #extremesports #watersports #adventure #RobbieNaish #KaiLenny #LairdHamilton #jamescasey #james_casey #DamienLeroy #F-One #Cabrinha #RRD #NorthKiteboarding #Fanatic #Starboard #Slingshot #Ozone #Naish #Duotone #Airush #LiquidForce #Mystic #NPsurf #Axis #ppc #nzfoilcentre #newzealand #downwindfoiling #downwind #downwinddeflate #downwinding #supfoildownwinding

[@BrettWae]

Very nice!! Thanks for the upload!

[@garymccorry8843]

Loving the coverage of the chip in with slow j strokes to position board and so on. The commentary around equipment to match conditions and mood. Learning heaps, keep em coming 😊

[@downwind_drifter1040]

Thanks for getting in touch, it’s encouraging for me.

[@damien130970]

Great Vid and great answers in the comments, very helpful, thanks.

[@downwind_drifter1040]

Thanks for saying

[@AndrewBamfordOWP]

Thanks for this video. Its great to watch the lines you take. Helps me a lot

[@downwind_drifter1040]

Stoked to be helping creating the Stoke! In my recent vids I’m actually pointing out some lines, and in an upcoming one in the next few days I start really getting in to it while I’m doing my run. Check it out it hopefully you can give me some feedback and that the camera can show the waters features well enough. Thanks for reaching out and sharing the Stoke! 🤙

[@bigtone667]

Today's learning for me..... Winging in choppy conditions (1m lake swell) with big winds (35knots), the 1401 ends up being too poppy but 1180 is super duper smooth and it loves those 1m faces. And as soon as the wind backs down to 20 knots the 1401 rules again.

[@downwind_drifter1040]

Nice! 35kts! Thanks for your input 🤙

[@sadorno]

Sweet. I did my first downwind session last week on the SF 1100. 1180 is on order. Thanks for the video work.

[@downwind_drifter1040]

Awesome. How was it?

[@dcharlton07]

Nice! I got my 45 skinny and paired it with my 1201...WOW!!! What a difference, it really loosens it up and makes it go a lot quicker, almost like a got the nimbleness of a smaller wing without sacrificing too much of the glide. Rode flagged out for a lot of long rides. Thanks for these videos, they're helping a lot of folks out!

[@downwind_drifter1040]

Stoked to be helping. Nice to hear you made rear foil gains and I found the same too. When you can face buying another rear foil also get the 40… it will match very well with the 1201 and will be a nice quiver to have with the 45. Sell all your other rears. What were you using before the 45?

[@dcharlton07]

@@downwind_drifter1040 Thanks, I was using the 375 progressive

[@downwind_drifter1040]

Sorry for late reply KZbin is glitching and not posting comments… That’s a bit upgrade!

[@avinashbikha]

Interesting detail there about the PPC travel pump! I've been thinking about a pump solution and ideally there is a bicycle style hand pump.. hold with 1 hand and pump with other, with a wing pump hose. But i guess the PPC travel pump is the best available solution. Great video and commentary!

[@downwind_drifter1040]

Thanks for commenting. It works well for me, Id like something even smaller but I don’t think it is realistic. You don’t want something tricky or fragile when you are trusting your safety to it.

[@Stev-0_The_Foiler_69]

Great comparison between the 1401 and 1201 and 1180! I have the 1300 and 1201 plus I demoed the 1180 and your insights resonated with me. My use cases are pumping, downwinding, wake thieving and surfing on a SUP and prone - using Foil Drive and Winging for those foils. The Foil Drive is great for testing foils and I love the 1300 as it is user friendly when learning to pump and has easy lift, the low stall speed lets you learn how to pump out of the hole - which is key skill to learn. My demo on the 1180 left me spellbound - to have the surfy turns on a fairly big foil! I want something a bit bigger than the 1180 - but just as surfy for Foil Drive DW sessions in Auckland harbour and to squeeze out more battery run time.

[@downwind_drifter1040]

Thanks for sharing. It kind of sounds like you need the 1401… it isn’t as turny as the 1180 but it does do cool drawn out turns, it surfs like a long board and given what we do and where we do it it is a great fit. Are you using an advanced plus fuse? And what rear do you typically use?

[@Stev-0_The_Foiler_69]

​@@downwind_drifter1040 I'm using Skinny 360/45 on Ultra Short Advanced Red for the 1300 and Crazy Short Advanced on the 1201. am after a foil that doesn't exist right now. It needs to be ideal for extending Foil Drive battery run time on low volume prone boards and a hybrid SUP foil DW foil board for Wake Thieving / Pumping/ DWinding. So it needs the ease of lift and pump ability for beginners of the 1300, the speed and glide of the ART Pro and the surfy turns of the 1180. I have had a word with the designer...

[@M3W3Y]

Great video! Looking at trying the pack down with the wing. What brand is your dry bag?

[@downwind_drifter1040]

I could tell you the brand so that you could avoid it… mine is falling apart, it’s aztron 40L My friend Sam uses a 30l and they look to be identical side by side. I have a new one coming tomorrow I’ll report back with my thoughts on it, I’ve jumped up to 55L it could be too big but I just want to try it. Don’t go out too far for your first attempts as the extra weight and shifting of the bag is tricky when first starting, but stick with it as I personally now dont notice the bag at all. It is an excellent way to dw, good luck

[@coreygalea2819]

Loving the clips mate. Out of curiosity what size is your dry bag? Would it fit a 3.5m wing? About to drop some cash on either the 1401/1201 or 1180 so your insights here were valuable appreciate it!

[@downwind_drifter1040]

40L bag, it would for sure fit a 3.5 but it will likely be tight… dry bags seem to be notoriously narrow. What will you use the foil for?

[@coreygalea2819]

@@downwind_drifter1040 It will be for my first crack at bay runs and eventually the ocean. Currently sup foiling and winging the png1150 which is what I learned on just looking for something a bit livelier. Based on your clips and commentary I get a sense that it’s the Art Pros for speed and glide and the Spitfire for turns and low end. I’m about 90kgs with gear and currently riding a 6’9 aviator elite. Still love to wing so will probably get a smaller foil for that as well as bigger surf days but trying keep it to a 2 wing quiver and work out which will be my bigger wing for the DW stuff.

[@downwind_drifter1040]

@@coreygalea2819 well to start anything will feel amazing compared to the 1150… so you cant go too wrong. You’re sense is mostly correct the only thing I’d add is that the 1401 has more bottom end than the 1180. The 1401 is still my go to foil when it’s light, I’m talking 12-15kts bay run with 4-5kms of fetch at the start point. That means I’ll have my best shot at getting home with my legs intact. After that I’m starting to consider the 1180 for fun factor, but I have a lot of experience now and I’m looking for more surfing on my runs. Back when I was more fresh it was about getting to the end of the run with as much foil time as possible, and that stage lasts a while. If you’re regularly getting light winds like mentioned above with limited fetch I’d for sure go for the 1401 as you’ll have more options for days to go out and you’ll find that foil fun regardless. It’s slick and fun and can be tuned a bit with rears and stance changes. It is the linking machine to get from a-b. If you’re regularly getting 18-20+kts with some fetch then perhaps the 1180 becomes an option. It is an easy foil to use but requires energy as it is not so slick through the water and drags… nothing like the 1150 though. My guess is you will sell the 1150 once you get used to the slightly faster and slicker foils. I still rarely use the 1201, I feel like the 1401 almost covers it and I’ll put on the 1180 instead in the case of bay runs. If I’m in the ocean with massive fetch, I’ll still use the 1401 up to similar wind speeds, and then would likely again go to the 1180 before grabbing the 1201 but that is preference and the two foils cover similar ground with the 1201 having a bit more high end but not a huge amount. And then if it’s cranking in bay or ocean conditions at the moment I grab the 1030spitfire, I love this foil… just big enough to be pumped by me I can use it in bigger waves and bumps and the smaller size removes some of the drag issues of the spitfires. The 1100 could slot in there somewhere but I seem to go from 1180 and stick to that until the 1030 comes out. I hope that helps. Feel free to ask any specifics I’m happy to try help.

[@coreygalea2819]

@@downwind_drifter1040 this is so helpful mate much appreciated. Thanks for taking the time. Loving the content, keep enjoying the water! Cheers

[@AdamsHadEnough]

I can fit a 3.5 into a 35L bag without issue. I have even squeezed a 6.0 in, but haven't tested if it stays dry.

[@jsibleytube]

I’m 70kgs, beginner level. I have the Axis 7’6”. Is the 1180 appropriate for me for DW and wing? Too big?

[@downwind_drifter1040]

For me it’s a mix of things to pick the right foil, off the top of my head I’d say mostly it comes down to experience and conditions. With the right experience you can make lots of gear work even when it might not really be suitable, but that gives you more options If you’re a beginner that limits you options to what works for you and then you also will have to consider the conditions. Being underfoiled is the worst thing almost anyone can do so I’d say it’s best to size up to make sure that doesn’t happen. I don’t think the 1180 could ever really be considered too big until conditions are getting heavy, so like 20kts plus and even then it can be still made to work depending on skill level. So without more info I’d say you’ll be safe getting the 1180 as it is a great foil for winging and dw and will let you link bumps in a lot of wind speeds. Slowing you to gain experience. If you give me more details, what sort of body of water, general fetch distance and what you’re currently riding foil wise and able to achieve currently, I could maybe help further. Long answer sorry… short answer is the 1180 is a good versatile foil. Thanks for reaching out

[@griffinbrungraber9498]

@@downwind_drifter1040 Your pumping looks so effortless, especially for such a long board! It seems like you pitch the board much less than most pumpers I’ve seen. But maybe just camera angle?

[@downwind_drifter1040]

@@griffinbrungraber9498 it’s not effortless but compared to how I started the pump journey it is far more efficient. I believe I pitch the board much less than others I have seen, so I think that observation is likely correct. It’s a good pump for building speed if you already have some momentum or are on a wave. It doesn’t work so well I’m flat water… so I have to change style for that. I’m currently working on actively changing my pump and incorporating my foster water pump stance to my ridding stance. Hopefully this should show in some videos I’ll put up soon. And to finish, I think any point your board towards the water is lost energy, and keeping the foil flat is good for dw. Thanks for reaching out.

[@griffinbrungraber9498]

@@downwind_drifter1040 Thanks for the explanation. I’d love to see better footage showing the different pump techniques, but I don’t know a good way to film it yourself. It would also be interesting to try to measure board angle during pumping. Maybe with a GoPro? It should be visible as telemetry data for GoPro, hero, eight, and later, cameras. As long as the camera is mounted rigidly to the board, you should be able to get some pretty good good data to compare.

[@downwind_drifter1040]

@@griffinbrungraber9498 I don’t think I’ll be able to accomplish that 😅 I’ll try get more drone footage in the future, there’s some more coming. That might pick up different styles better. Thanks for reaching out