High-Aspect vs Low-Aspect Foils for Wingfoiling

Comparison of a high-aspect advanced foil with a low-aspect beginner foil used for wingfoiling
Gong Fluid H XL
Year 2022
Wingspan 112 cm
Area 1500 cm²
Aspect ratio 8.5
Neilpryde Glide L
Year 2020
Wingspan 86 cm
Area 1500 cm²
Neilpryde Glide XL
Year 2020
Wingspan 100 cm
Area 2000 cm²
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[@glebov66]

Gong user here. I started on Curve XL, then switch to Veloce H, L and XL, this year I tried Ypra L (1000 cm2), I love it now. Took me 2 sessions to get used to small AOA, but after that it’s awesome feeling now. Love the speed it generates.

[@windaddict]

Oh cool! The Ypra S (XL) will probably be my next foil. What's your weight? And what windspeeds do you use your Ypra L in? How is turning with the Ypra?

[@Alejandro388]

your English is excellent, amigo!

[@windaddict]

Thanks! 😃

[@franpinyol8500]

great review and recommendations ! thanks

[@windaddict]

Thanks for watching!

[@DS-go8mn]

Great video, love the detail and depth of your Neil Pride description that's the exact Wing I learned on excellent beginner and even intermediate wing I find it's a super Pumper

[@windaddict]

Thanks! Absolutely, a great beginner and intermediate wing! With the big one you can come to a standstill almost and it won't drop.

[@ramiroibata4649]

Lots of info - thank you

[@windaddict]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jbaumann68]

Very well explained - thank you. I just recently startet wing foiling while I started kite foiling a year ago - so far, I did not bother about AR too much but I see it will become more important as I progress. Luckily my dealer recommended a rather high AR to start with so I hope I will not have to invest too soon in more advanced gear.

[@windaddict]

Glad you liked it! It really depends on what you want. If you don't need high speed / glide but enjoy a more turny foil, quick maneuvers and low stall speeds, a mid-aspect foil is probably the better choice!

[@wildhogget69]

Nice review and the steps you have taken to get where you are today. I started on Gong, I weigh the same as you and come from windsurfing background. I started on Gong's massive 2500cm, the progressed to a Fluid XXLS which was great. But finally left Gong and went to AXIS. Basically because AXIS puts so much research into the foils and very interchangeable. I ride the HPS1050 which is awesome on light days, choppy days and then for strong winds and bigger chop I go to the HPS880. But as you are aware the chop of the coast here in Costa Daurada/Brava can be quite difficult sometimes. Impressed you went into a race that's awesome. Last year I I visited Sant Pere Pescador just to pass by, and wow what a nice place for wingfoiling. 👍👍

[@windaddict]

Thanks for your comment. I'm sure that Axis makes great foils. The best foilers here (who tend to win the races) are mostly on Axis foils I believe. However for me it's all about value. I have to maintain 3 water sports now (windsurf, wingfoil, SUP foil), so I just don't want to spend any more money than necessary. This is also the reason why I will never get a carbon mast for foiling. (I would rather get a different front wing to expand the foil quiver). I am interested in the YpraS XL (1250cm²) for speed/races and maybe a Fluid H M (1000cm²) at some point for the really strong days. You should join the next race. In fall they will repeat the race at the Club Náutico Vilassar. It was really fun last year. Yes, St Pere Pescador is a great spot for wingfoiling. You get enough wind on most days. I spent over a month there last year and basically learned the wingfoil jibe there.

[@knightclan4]

I’m in the market for a beginner setup here in Oregon Can’t wait to get started

[@windaddict]

Awesome!

[@blooskyy7]

Great video. Currently using the Fluid LT (1250cm2) which is great in most conditions (100kg) except for the lighter winds, I'm keen to give the L-H a go!

[@windaddict]

Thank you! Yeah you should try the L-H. A friend of mine uses it and really likes it

[@pabloamade]

More videos man!!!❤

[@windaddict]

Haha, thanks! More coming up! Hope you're enjoying the Neilpryde foil!

[@BrendanTregear]

Great video. My first kit I bought is a mid aspect 1400sq cm wing (I'm 75kg) and I definitely feel like I'm behind on the skill level needed for this wing (still learning foil gybe) so I'm looking at switching to a big low aspect wing to learn on.

[@windaddict]

Hi Brendan! Thanks! 1400 is probably a little small to start with. But you are not a heavyweight like I am, so 2000 would probably be too big for you. Maybe you can find something in between.

[@lindz151074]

Apparently the slower foils are easier to learn to jibe because the are slower and you don't get backwinded, so once I can jibe I think I'll want a high aspect 😊

[@lindz151074]

Is that a Naish mid aspect you've got?

[@RfQuintella]

Nice video.. I’m currently debating if I should upgrade my foil and this video was helpful. Currently riding Moses 1100 (2100 cm2) and find it too slow sometimes. I have a kitefoil background so I guess my learning curve with the big foil was faster than anticipated. My weight is similar to yours so probably something around 1500cm2 might work better

[@windaddict]

Hi Rafael. Glad this was helpful! Sounds like a 1500 would be better for you! If you are after speed, I would go for a high-aspect

[@moosebump99]

Thanks for the video. I'm a similar weight (90kg) and also looking to get foiling more on light wind days so the discussion is really useful. I am on a lake where there are many of 8-10 knot days, where i just slog, and only a few 12-15 knot days where i really can get going. My main goal is to get flying on the lighter (8-10kn) wind days. When acquiring my current set up I went for maximum lift and was not really aware of the drag issue. So my current foil is a Slingshot Infinity 99cm which has 2300cm2. I have a 6.9m Naish wing and a Slingshot Shred Sled 7', 143L board. Admittedly the board might have been a mistake as it is a 3 in 1 that has a mast track for windsurf foiling. It is wide and slow and needs a good amount of power to get going. But my question is, if i got a new board (narrower downwind style) to make it easier to gain speed, would I be ok with my low aspect foil? I guess I don't understand how speed and lift trade off. My foil should have lots of lift to get up on foil even at lower speed. I get that it would be harder to pump, have less glide and move slower through the water. But since it should have lots of lift, shouldn't that still work at low speeds? Should i be trying a new board first? or a new foil? (not really wanting to swap both!)

[@windaddict]

That's a good question. First of all: I am no expert. So you may also want to ask for advice from some of the gear providers. Here my perspective: Both your foil and your board seem to be targeted towards beginners or very heavy foilers (heavier than you are). If you are still a beginner or early intermediate that gear might be perfectly fine. It will allow you to get up on foil very easily without the need for a good pumping technique IF you have enough wind. Also the stall speed is very low, so you can really learn maneuvers well on it. The 8-10 knot range you are looking for is where it gets really complicated. To get into that range (and even below 8 knots) I think the best choice are high-aspect foils with fairly large wingspans (e.g. Gong Sirus) and narrow downwind style boards that you mention. However that is a completely different ballgame. You will need to have good pumping technique and need to be able to balance on a very narrow board. It would be a huge difference to your current setup. And this type of gear is expensive. I haven't tried this setup yet, but I have experience with high-aspect foils (the one from this video). I don't know how well a downwind board would work with your large low-aspect foil. You can try but it is definitely a compromise and may not give you the wind range you want. Likewise an extreme high-aspect foil wouldn't really fit well with your 143L board as you need to generate enough speed to take off with a high-aspect. So I'm afraid there may not be an easy solution to get you flying in very light winds right away. If I had to choose I would get a narrow board first and try it with your foil. A good intermediate step could be to get a second hand 110-120 L board with a second hand high-aspect foil similar to the one I am using (Gong Fluid H XL), i.e. a more conventional size that doesn't need specialized HM masts and doesn't break the bank.

[@moosebump99]

@@windaddict Thanks for your quick reply!

[@stephens.9748]

Hey!. Just saw your video. I started with a very similar foiling quiver. Started with the Slingshot Infinity for kite and Neil Pryde for Wake. I wanted to try a carbon mast so I purchased the Neil Pryde 75 Carbon. I also upgraded to the HP Front wings, HP 19 & 22. When I decided to start wing foiling i used the NP set up with the HP 22. I was looking into other Foils and came across Gong. I ride in a choppy bay area and wanted to go to an 85 mast. Other brands, like Armstrong, Fone, were double for the carbon set up. I bought the Carbon Mast, Front Wing--Curve XL, rear stab and fuselage for under 1k. I then bought the Fluid XXLT front wing. Brought my winging to the next level. I got sidelined with a neck injury that required surgery ( not from winging) so i will not be back in the water for another 2 months (hopefully). In the meantime I purchased the Fluid XL H same as yours. Cannot wait to try it. Also bought the Veloce LT i figured for the really powered up days. Any tips on using the Fluid XL H? Thanks Steve

[@windaddict]

Hi Steve! Thanks for your comment! You have an impressive quiver. Seems like we started in similar ways. The Neilpryde Glide foils are great for starting and improving, but at some point you just want more performance out of the foil. Have you noticed any difference with the carbon masts? I have always been on alu masts. Gong is great value for money as you say. The Fluid XL H is amazing. In the last video I posted you can see how I was struggling with it the first day. But the second day was already much better, video coming soon. It takes some getting used to in the jibes compared to more conventional foil shapes. And in light wind you have to pump for longer and more pronounced with your legs to get up on foil. But once you are up, can REALLY go upwind hard on it. Wishing you all the best for your recovery from surgery!

[@stephens.9748]

@@windaddict I really like the Carbon mast from Gong. I just have the regular one though and not the high modulus. I saw the the other video you did. did you ever take the Fluid XL H out in higher winds? Was wondering how it would do in the 20-25 Knot range with a smaller wing? Thanks for your input btw.

[@windaddict]

In that video the wind actually went over 20 knots I think. That's why I was so overpowered with the 6m² wing. But no, I haven't tried the Fluid H XL with my smaller wing (4m²) yet. We rarely get wind this strong at my homespots. Towards summer we will do some trips north towards Costa Brave and Leucate in France. There we typically get much higher windspeeds. Ideally with strong winds I would like to use a smaller front wing. I hope I can get my hands on the Gong Ypra at some point.

[@stephens.9748]

@@windaddict The person from Gong I deal with loves the Ypra S. That is going to be my next one. Thanks for all of your input. Cannot wait to use the Fluid XL H.

[@PalmStaff]

I saw these comments after I posted, so I got some answers already here. 😊 What’s your thoughts about the difference between the Neil Pryde foils vs the ones from Gong. I really like that you have the specs so available on the Gong website so you know more about what you’ll get. Interesting choice to add the Veloce LT to your quiver after the Fluid XLH, I would have thought they’d be quite alike when it comes to getting up on foil. But I also guess it curves easier. I’d love to hear your comments on that. Hope you’re back on foil soon.

[@HADDEN67]

Hi. I’m using much smaller High aspect foils in everything except the very lightest wind. 500cm. 650 cm. 750cm 1000cm and 1250cm. I’m 75 kg. The big high aspect foils don’t turn so nicely. Something slightly lower APR is good for waves on bigger foils. I started on 1340 cm.

[@windaddict]

Thanks for your interesting comment! Yes, my next foil for wingfoiling will be a 1250 cm² high-aspect I think. But in general I don't feel the 1500 cm² is too big for me, especially in light winds.

[@HADDEN67]

Yes I think 1250 cm is the most useful size for our weight. This week I tried a GT 1400 cm wing in really light wind it was pretty good.

[@dengordo]

My first foil was Glide XL too! Easy to get going but not the most stable and actual glide wasn't too good lol (I'm 82kg) I've tried Veloce HL but I found it too wide (95cm) and it was breaching in jibes a lot even with 100cm carbon mast and in terms of speed I can push Fluid L almost as fast but not so much glide as HA foils. So I'm either not ready for ultra high aspect foils or they are for a specific use case like wave surfing. Good video

[@windaddict]

Hi Den! Thanks for your comment. The Glide XL was great for learning for me. Glide was terrible, but to to me it seemed stable. Interesting to hear your experience with the Veloce H and the Fluid. In my first sessions with the Fluid H I had issues with breaching (you can see it in my videos) but I am getting more used to it now and it's less of a problem.

[@lindz151074]

Could the Neil Pryde be aimed more at wind winging because the sails have more power or something?... They do seem really thick 😊

[@windaddict]

Other beginner wings can also be thick. I guess they want them go go slow on purpose. But yeah the Neilpryde also works for windsurf foiling

[@milinger9025]

Hi, and thanks for that video, still much too little on the market yet! I (72kg) started last year and had about 100 sessions until now. I started with the 2200m2 fone gravity and was super happy with it, because i do it on a lake with partly low to middle winds and sometimes heavy weather conditions. I bought the 2000m2 gravity for the next step, but I've got the same speed issuses as the 2200m2 - at the speed of about 12kn, my foil is super hard to control and doesn't feel as it wants to go faster without crash. My Question is: To go faster than 10kn do i have to buy a full strong wind setup (1000m2 foil, 4m2 wing etc...), or is there an option for these middle wind conditions(about 15kn) - to get up at 12kn wind and to get fast at 20kn??? I'm curious about your answer ;)

[@windaddict]

Thanks for your comment! At your weight and with 100 sessions under the belt you should easily be able to go down to smaller foil sizes. With my Fluid H XL (1500cm2 high-aspect) I get up to a speed of 16-17 knots in light winds (10-15 knots of wind) and I am not even trying hard to go fast in the chop I am usually in. I weight almost 90kg. There should be plenty of options of faster foils around 1250 - 1500 cm² which still allow you to get up in light winds. If you speak to Gong advisors they will tell you that if you are after speed, the type of foil matters. I.e. a Gong Veloce (H) or Ypra will give you high speeds, but you don't have to get them in super small sizes to reach that speed.

[@milinger9025]

@@windaddict thanks, that helps me a lot!!

[@PalmStaff]

I liked to hear your thoughts about these foils. It would be nice to hear even more about what changed in your way of surfing with the new wing; how much harder is it to get up on foil, or is it just harder? What mast length do you use and out of what material? I started on a Gong X-Over XL and then bought a Curve XL-T which was too similar to the X-Over, I should have gone directly to the Fluid XXL-T which would have been a keeper for light wind days, even after I “master” it (I think 😊). So now I wonder if I should buy the Fluid XXL-T or go straight to the HA Fluid in XL, or XXL to soften the transition to these foils. But I really do want to be able to go out in in the lower wind range and therefore really want to hear how much harder it is to get up on your HA Fluid. I use a Hipe Pro 5,6 which I really like but I should have chosen a smaller one in retrospect. I use the 85 cm aluminum mast (Gong v2) and haven’t felt any urge to pay the extra money for benefits I’m not aware exist, so here’s another thing I’d really like to hear more about; if you use a carbon mast and your thoughts about it. You did a great job explaining everything in the video so I’m thrilled to hear more. /SP

[@windaddict]

Hi Staffan. Regarding how much harder it is to get up on foil: If you are powered up or overpowered it isn't really harder. Only with light wind it becomes harder. Then you need to have good pumping technique (especially with the feet). In one of my upcoming videos I will talk about that and show some footage. Overall it is harder to control the pitch, i.e. I have more touchdowns and the foil reaches the surface more often. But I am sure with time I will learn to control that better. Regarding mast: I use the 85cm aluminium mast (Gong V2) like you. I don't see the point of getting a carbon mast really. In the German windsurf magazine "Surf" they compared aluminium to carbon masts for windsurf foiling and the difference was tiny. For a 100cm mast maybe it is a bit better. But I would much rather spend my money on other gear (i.e. different foils for different conditions). If you already have experience on two different foils, then I would recommend going for the high-aspect foil now. Patrice Guénolé, the Gong owner explains the high-aspect foil range in a video. He says that getting up on foil takes a bit more effort / pumping but the wind range is the same. Going out in really light wind is also a priority for me. That's why I have a Gong Superpower 9m² wing. In an upcoming video I will show how I use it with the high-aspect foil. I have yet to take that combination out in super light winds though. Thanks a lot for your positive feedback, really appreciate it!

[@wiepkejan]

Nice subject! I have following foils: curve XLT, fluid xxl, veloce XLT, fluid Lt, fluid ha l. Ultimate low wind: curve XLT better for ultimate low wind then fluid xxl. Curve XLT is easier to get on foil. Mid wind: i like my veloce XLT. Very easy wing, easy to get on foil, nice to improve my jibes because it is easy. Mid / high wind, fluid h Lt vs fluid Lt: normal fluid Lt, easier to turn, fluid h is sensitive and I find my jybes harder with fluid h. It is a nice challenge to foil it. But the speed sensation with fluid h Lt is addictive! So you could ask your selfe: do i want an easy foil? (Fast Fluid) or challenging foil (even faster fluid h). I am completely stocked about winging. Enjoy your time on the water!

[@windaddict]

Wow, great summary! We are collecting some pretty good information about Gong foils in this comment section!

[@thorstenpausch8056]

Wow. Tried the fluid H L and M. Extremely strange nervous behaviour even in flatwater they took on every movement from little windwaves. Veloce H seems to be the wings of choice for my friends if they stay with gong. They work well and I guess Ypra S is great aswell. With the fluid H its really easy to get on foil, two pumps more and you go. Going fast on swell with a 1500 seems impossible to me... Sorry to say that 🙊

[@windaddict]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Fluid H! It's more nervous if you transition from a low-aspect foil, but already in my second session with it (see latest video I posted) I was quite happy with it. I still have to get more consistent with the jibes. I will share my experience in upcoming videos. One thing the Fluid 1500 is very good at is going upwind. You can take crazy angles, even in light winds. I am very curious how an Ypra (S) compares to it though.

[@thorstenpausch8056]

Ja, sorry in comparison with other HA foils. But you get used to everything ⭐⭐🤗

[@eduardomello9460]

Which of the 3 do you like best for turning and carving? Thanks!

[@windaddict]

Both Neilpryde Glides are great for turning

[@lindz151074]

I'm on a Naish 2400cm low aspect (120kg)... Only been out a few times with not too much success yet (I can get on foil a bit on port tack but hardly at all on starboard) but got a Foil Drive now which I'm hoping will steepen up that learning curve hopefully also doing some more efoiling on it too(including goofy foot)... I'm wondering already though how soon I should start trying a high aspect... I'm guessing it might be useful at different stages of different sports because I want to do winging and sup hopefully on my big inflatable wing board, thinking jibing and catching waves should be learned with the beginner wing but then move to HA 😊

[@windaddict]

Hi! I would be very careful switching to high-aspect too early. I had about 50 sessions under the belt before I made the switch. I basically was very comfortable (almost bored) on the beginner low-aspect foil and had a fairly high success rate with jibes. Now on the high-aspect foil my jibe success rate is far lower and I am slowly making my way back to jibing consistently. There are also more sporty mid-aspect foils (with less thickness than beginner foils) which can be a good option.

[@tansuakar89]

Mid aspect 2500cm2 or low aspect 2000cm2 for a 76kg beginner? Living in a high-wind spot. 2000cm2 one is aluminum, 2500cm2 is carbon. I am inclined to get a 2000cm2 one, but I would like to know your opinion too. Thanks ;)

[@windaddict]

I learned with a 2000cm² low aspect. And I weigh 90kg. So 2000 is more than enough for your weight. You even say high-wind spot, so even less may work out. Best thing is to ask the advisors from your chosen foil brand. They will know best which gear works for your weight and skill level.

[@Hotwire_RCTrix]

You made some claims at the end that you hadn't tested. Maybe you should do that before making assumptions as this could be misleading.

[@windaddict]

I understand your point. However, I had done research on the setup and talked to Gong advisors. I didn't claim that this video was a review. You should watch my other videos in which I comment extensively on my experience with the new foil