Sabfoil Medusa Pro 769 Review - First sessions and impressions

Testing the all new Sabfoil Medusa Pro 769. Unfortunately there was not enough wind for the 669 but subscribe to not miss out on my upcoming videos on this beautiful frontwing.
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[@MrJossBad]

I have the 769. Its incredible. So fast. So good in strong wind but I can use it with middle wind. I looooooooove it!

[@hoppline]

Same here !! Love it! If there was one wing to choose for all my winging it would be the 769. The 669 is even more fun, but definitely needs more wind......

[@jmmolinari]

Thanks! very nice review, I am looking fw buying the 669 for kite foiling... The low end wind for 75kg rider should be less than the wind needed for wing? what do you think? should it work fine?

[@hoppline]

Hey, yes exactly! For kiting you need less wing. I only had one session in the 669 but it's a blast! It's so free in any direction like no other foil I had before....insane!

[@jmmolinari]

wow! thats exciting, this is exactly what I am looking for.. I just bought an used foil with the 633, the wing is funny but too slow, I would buy a 679 or 699 but I think they will not be much difference, instead this medusa pro seems much more exciting for high wind , high speed, and surfing bigger, hope I am on the right direction!! thanks for your quick reply@@hoppline

[@hoppline]

@@jmmolinari Good luck and would love to hear some feedback once you did some rides!

[@pedromartins8828]

Nice review! How do they compare to blade series like blade 800? Is it worthy to buy another fuselage and try it?

[@hoppline]

Hey, unfortunately I never tried any of the blade series as speed was never my key goal. I could imagine that the blade 800 has a little more speed and the Medusa a little more lift and forgiveness in terms of stall and glide. The Medusa has all the speed I need and is by far my fastest frontwing, but for someone riding the blade it might be a step down in terms of speed.

[@pedromartins8828]

@@hoppline Thanks for your reply! It makes a lot of sense.

[@eduardodiazcano8915]

Great review! Nowadays I’m riding Sabfoils sharing them with my son (14yo, 55kg 170cm and growing up) who hasn’t ride more than 10-15 sessions on wingfoiling but he can gybe and jump easily onto a medusa W799/S425. Now I’m considering to buy for him his own FW and after watching your review I think he could enjoy the Medusa Pro but I’m on dude about wing and stab combo. Maybe 769 would be a good do it all Front wing and he could combine it with s399 (I own this one and I wouldn’t need to buy a new stab). Is it a good pairing? Maybe the combo 869 and 669 would cover the whole range. What stabs would mix better considering a good combination of fun and control? Is S425 too big for 869 just in case I’d add it to my nowadays set for medium wind? (I’m 180cm 77/79kg)

[@hoppline]

Hey Eduardo, I think it depends a little on the surf spots you are riding. At your sons weight and height the Medusa Pro 769 could indeed be a "one foil quiver" solution. The 669 takes a little more wind but also has lower stall speed, so you need more or less constant wind. At 55 kg the 869 might even be to big for him. For the stabilizer: I ride the 370 and like it, but a friend of mine prefers the 399. So he could easily start with the 399 and in case he wants something smaller, you could still get something new. The 425 would work on low wind days.....Hope that helps?!

[@eduardodiazcano8915]

Your advices are very appreciated. Now taking into account your words the 769 sounds perfect taking into account that at our local spot wind are quite gusty and water conditions are flat 80% of sessions (8-15 kts 30% and 12-20 30%) Thanks for all!

[@hoppline]

@@eduardodiazcano8915 Haha, my local spot is gusty, too but at least we get some tanker waves from time to time. I think your son will love the 769. It might take him a few sessions to get used to, especially in tacks and jibs AS the stall speed is lower, but kids learn so fast. Wish I was a kid again 😂

[@MrJossBad]

Your 425 stab is too big for using the 799. Take the 370 stab and youll see the potential of the 799... and so youll be ready for the amazing combination 769-370! Enjoy!

[@hoppline]

@@MrJossBad YES !! Totally agree! The Flat S370 works great and the S325 works even better for me. A little more unstable, especially in pitch, but once you get used to it, it feels so free and carvy !!

[@marks9991]

i have the 899 and thinking of upgrading to the 869 pro as allround wing for 6.0 to 4.5 (i weigh 80kg). I have the 93mast, 703 fuselage and 430 stab. Maybe get the 370 stab then for stronger winds? would that work? And for super super light days I think of getting a 1350 leviathan with a supdownboard like the Sab Torpedo 100l.... what do you think?

[@hoppline]

Hey, you would be amazed how much low end the Medusa Pro have!! The 869 is nice but I know a lot of people your weight that prefer even the 769. For low winds you could go Balz 909. The 1350 Leviathan is great for pumping but in my eyes to slow for winging. I tried it and did not like it. I much more prefer the Razor and Razor Pro for light and ultra light wind. With your set up you would have to invest into a new fuselage for the Razor series, so you might be better of waiting for the Leviathan Pro. It will give you way more speed and still early lift and super good low end. The Torpedo is great. I have a torpedo 90 liter with a 975 Razor Pro on a 85 Piuma mast as my ultra light wind set up.

[@watomi007]

Thanks for the Review. Maybe you had more wind (stronger) and you could spend more time on the water. Where do you see the high end of the 769? I‘m currently riding the 899 as my low wind wing (65kg) starting at 10-12 knt and riding it till about 18-20knts. Therefore I‘m looking for a new front wing for stronger winds 18-25/27. So I look into a 2 wing quiver as someone else has written already and I’m not sure if for the stronger days I should get the 769 or the 669? Any suggestions are much appreciated.

[@hoppline]

Hey, yes, spent some more time on the medusas and as far as I can tell now the difference between the 769 and 669 in higher winds is not so much the low end or lift (as you have enough wind anyways) but far more how they ride and feel. Both perform very well, the 769 is a little more on track in terms of stability and feedback and the 669 is absolutely free in any direction. The 669 really feels like riding on a ball head if that makes any sence!? I never felt so free on any frontwing before, but at the same time this takes more skills and concentration. Hope this helps......

[@watomi007]

@@hopplineThx for the info. Well, then i will go for the 769. i thought I might be to light (65kg when wet 😊) for the 769 in 6-7bft. But when you think there is not much lift-difference between them but rather more stability on the 769 vs looser on the 669 then i will go for the 769. (and as we know, everyone has its own preferences and slightly different setups feel differently for everyone - just find your setup and have fun - for example, i never liked the 799 and therefore have the 899 and ride it up to 20knt if not even more but then it gets really tricky to handle it)

[@hoppline]

@@watomi007 Totally agree with what you are saying !! Unfortunately testing stuff yourselves is still the best way. The Medusa Pro really changed the way I judge frontwings by the cm2 number. With modern shapes surface area is not that important anymore. Take a look at my shorts feed and you will find a video of me pumping a 938cm2 frontwing and it was more or less first try. Never thought I could pump a wing that small. Guess we all have to change the way we thought about foils which means even more testing (-:

[@kitesurfmexico3377]

do you use sabfoil stab in slingshot fuse? I remember that in another video of yours, you said that it is not compatible

[@hoppline]

Hey, take a look here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3uqnHeEfJWKnbcsi=igGOHTP95GhLQgFH

[@hoppline]

In this video I am explaining everything in detail. Sabfoil and Slingshot are interchangeable to a certain degree. I personally would not go beyond the Leviathan 1350 in terms of applied forces and torque.

[@CrisDaos]

I Weight 65 kg with a 5.7 Ozone Wasp and a 70lt board , having usually 10-12 knots of Wind in our lake, which medusa should i take? Wm769 o 869?

[@hoppline]

Hey, I guess you could get on foil with the 769 but maybe the 869 might be more fun overall. The Medusa Pro are great and I am amazed by how well they ride, but stall speed is still a little lower than on high aspect foils. So in your case, if the wind drops down to 10 knots a few times a session you might stall and have to start again. You could pump to the next gust but that's pretty exhausting after a while (-: . I myself often ride to small frontwings just because I love the loose feel and try to compensate with more foodwork, but in the end that's up to your personal preference!!

[@Rufus-OG]

Hi, great review 👍🏻. How does this compare to the Onda 835?

[@hoppline]

Hey, unfortunately I don't own an Onda frontwing, but I think both, the Onda and the Medusa are part of the Medusa Pros heritage and development. I think the Medusa Pro is a modern, more wing orientated version of the Onda. Maybe you get a chance to test the Medusa Pro and if those, let me know how you went !!

[@Rufus-OG]

So I tried out the 769 back to back with the Onda 835. They’re surprisingly similar which is amazing considering the 769 is 200cm2 smaller. I found the 769 a bit pitchy compared to the Onda in chop. The Onda took the win there for me. I have the 669 on demo now and first impressions it rips. Need to try again maybe move the mast forward to compensate as the wing is designed further back - it lacked a bit of steady lift and glide. What rear stab do you use? I’m using for S380 stab for windfoil on Phantasm gear.

[@hoppline]

@@Rufus-OG Hey, thank's for your feedback!! I really appreciate! I feel the same about the 769: It's pretty free in the pitch, like in any other direction, but the frontfoot pressure stays the same over pretty much the whole speed range. So it's well predictable and good to control. I prefer the 769 on a 710 Slingshot Phantasm fuselage, so maybe a little longer fuselage makes it more stable in pitch?! According to the 669, just like you I only had some short sessions, most of them gusty with not enough wind. The 669 definitely rips, is super free in any direction but like you said, has less lift and glide. I think it really accelerates on windy days.....need to do more testing (-:

[@hoppline]

And for the stabi: I use the PS340 from Slingshot.....

[@dirkboellaard6550]

Hi, at the moment I have a medusa 899 frontwing and I want to change it to a smaller size. Im into freestyle already a bit doing frontside 360 and toeside 360. Should I change to the medusa pro 869? The thing is that I saw the volume is so much more les than for example the medusa 799 and I wanted to know if it is much more difficult to ride or if it's just the new school of wingfoiling? Thanks already!

[@hoppline]

It's a little different and might take some time to get used to and to find the right foil and foot placement, but it's hot harder. If you know how to start the frontwing more active with a little bit of pumping with your wing and frontwing you should be fine. Size does not much matter for this wing. I had a friend with the same concern as you, stepping down from the 899 and 799 and he got the 869 and 769. After just a few questions he is more or less constantly riding the 769 and even thought about selling the 869 !!

[@dirkboellaard6550]

Thanks so much for the reply! In how many knots can you get the 769 starting? Im using a 70 liter board and weigh 70kg!

[@hoppline]

@@dirkboellaard6550 I use a 60 liter board with 63 kg and I can get the 769 started in around 10 knots. Start takes some effort but once up it stays up. 12 knots is were the fun begins (-:

[@yesmate24460]

Excellent review I'm now tempted to replace my w945 for the pro 869 for speed and surf in lighter wind , What's your thoughts on the difference I'd experience between 945 and 869 ? I'm a wind foiler !

[@hoppline]

Hey, I don`t wind foil, but if speed is what you are after, the 869 will definitely deliver. Should be noticeable faster than the 945. Overall I think the Medusa Pro is a modern, more refined version of the Onda. The Medusa Pro 769 quickly became my go to foil for wingfoiling, even in very low winds !!

[@yesmate24460]

Thanks for your reply ,yeah that's was my thoughts. Good stuff.

[@mogthedog]

Hi, I also use the 945 and looking to change down a bit, I'm 90KG. I have no interest in flat water or freestyle only waves. did you get the 869? what do you think of it for waveriding

[@yesmate24460]

I did get the 869 but only had session on it so far it fast but need more time riding to assess on wave. It felt nice and loose with 399 stab.

[@hoppline]

@@mogthedog The Medusa Pro all turn very nice and on a dime! The Onda is similar, but I think the Medusa Pro 869 turns faster and is a little faster overall. The Medusa Pro 869 has good glide, but the pumping feels different. It's less surface area to work against so it's more pumping "forward with speed and in the flow" if that makes any sense. So I guess it would be a very good option for a step down!

[@aminefadous5875]

Did you try tapping the holes of the 710 to accommodate T8 screws?

[@hoppline]

Not sure what you mean by tapping!?

[@aminefadous5875]

@@hoppline drill the holes bigger then use a tap(to redo the threads of the screws)

[@hoppline]

@@aminefadous5875 Hey, thanks! Got it! No, did not try yet and it's a pain we even have to think about or do this!! I wish all mast to fuselage and fuselage to frontwing connections were the same, at least within the Sabfoil cosmos. But it's not and it's something I don't. The other day I went on a sessions and brought two different setups, both on M8 fuselages and it turns out, they were using different screw length. So I had to drive back to get the right screws. Now that I ride the new Piuma system in addition it's getting really confusing and I have to sit down for a minute and concentrate and plan what to pack and what not.....

[@aminefadous5875]

@@hoppline can we chat in private my sister lives in Essen and I might be visiting soon are you on Facebook?

[@stanleyg.4063]

Hei , have now a Spitfire . Did you tried it in waves ???

[@hoppline]

The MEDUSA PRO or the Spitfire?

[@stanleyg.4063]

@@hoppline yes I mean the Medusa pro

[@hoppline]

@@stanleyg.4063 Hey, yes, but only small waves. The Medusa Pro carves very well and has excellent speed to keep up with any wave but compared to high aspect wings it's missing a little glide. It's not a problem in the wave at all if you keep the Medusa at speed but pumping and connecting waves is easier on other frontwings. I still love the Medusa pro in waves as it gives me a really surfy feeling with radical cuts and most of the time I have a wing anyway to get me out to the next wave (-:

[@ywata6676]

Hi, thank you for your nice reveiw. I am ordering biggest MedusaPro WM869, and it will be arrived within this week. As your comment, WM669 would be worked in 14 knts wind speed. Does it mean combo with WM869 & WM669 (without WM769) can cover properly almost wind conditions, light-medium-strong wind ? Based on your experience with middle size MedusaPro WM769, how do you think about this combo ? (My weight is 60kg)

[@hoppline]

Hey, sweet you are gettin 2 Medusa Pro soon. Normally I would say that the Medusa Pro are not made for light wind, but at your weight (similar to mine) the big Medusa could really be a "one frontwing quiver" with a very wide range. Also having a 669 will probably do exactly what you were asking for - covering the whole range. It all depends on your starts and foot work. Getting on foil with smaller wings takes a little more effort and technique but once you have that dialed in you are rewarded with more speed and agility. I used the Slngshot PTM 930 and PTM 825 as a combo and 90% of the time I would ride the 930. I think this combination is really close to what you got yourself and it is the best quiver I had so far. And just in case you feel that the 869 is to big at some point and you want to step down to the 769 I think they are really easy to sell again. As far as I know they are sold out right now.....good luck with the Meduso Pro and let me know how your went!!

[@ywata6676]

@@hoppline Thx for your detailed reply. Now I am using WM999 for very light wind, and WR780 for medium-light wind. WR780 is good to adjust speed with swelling, but bit slower for 631cm2. Maybe, I will manage smaller surface front wing in light condition... That I hope :)

[@hoppline]

@@ywata6676 Stabilizers also have a bigger effect than most people think and are perfect for tuning!

[@ywata6676]

@@hoppline I have 4 sabfoil stabilizers, S425/S370/S399/S376. For my new WM869, S399 or smaller one will be combined.

[@hoppline]

@@ywata6676 Top, nice quiver! The S399 is sweet and the S370 works really good aswell and will loosen up the set up on days with a little more wind, before stepping down to the 669 (-: