I'm looking for my next foil setup and testing here is limited so I'm a bit lost. Hope you can help me with some real world experience. I'm now riding a Gong fluid LT form gong with alu mast, a MA foil 1250 cm2. I like this foil, quite fast and carves well. I want to upgrade to carbon mast and a do-it-al foil, not to complicated. Glide/speed and good turning are important. Also getting up in lighter winds is also nice.
I also checked Gong, but they offer such a big range and update their foils so fast that I don't think it's the brand for me. Also if I go for their HM mast and pro wings the price goes up, and warranty is maybe more complicated with their direct sales model. I want to buy something I can stick with for a longer time and maybe add an extra front/stab in time. The sport is expensive enough and I just want to buy something that is well thought out and tested.
Two contenders for me are now the North MA series (1200) and the Slingshot (G900).
I'm 85-90 kg and ride mostly lakes and for the future maybe the ocassional ocean trip. Winds here are between 14-30 knots. Weekend warrior, jibing good, some tacking.
Anyone has experience with both these models? How do they compare?
Or maybe a whole other sugestion in the same range? Thanks so much!
Consider the Slingshot PTM926, it's very much an easy MA foil.
They come up used with HM masts fairly often. The 400 stab is very easy to use when getting started.
The downside is they don't have any big pump foils if you want to go that direction. But all the T6 mounted SAB front wings fit which is a huge variety.
While not from North or Slingshot, I can highly recommend the F-One Seven Seas. I'm riding the "older" version and like it a lot. It's very easy to ride but does not limit me in any way. I'm riding in pretty much the same conditions as you (Lakes, occasionally Mediterranean sea) but I usually start going out from 10 knots upwards. I'm finding the Seven Seas to be a very good "do-it-all" foil. I'm using the 1400 for winds from 10 knots and the 1000 from 15 upwards. The 1400 is also pretty good for riding small windswell on lakes.
The 1200 Seven seas could be a really good fit for you and you'll probably find a good deal for it as the new version just came out. Or if you want to buy new the 2024 updated version is probably also very good.
Thanks for your replys! Update is that I found a shop that has the G-series and PTM-series in test. And another shop has North in test, they have the SF series, but I'm also curious about that one. Tomorrow we have about 20 knots here, so I hope I can pick them up and have a testride! If anyone is interesed I'll soon post an update about these 3 foils
Interesting you want to leave the biggest foil ecosystem on the market because they have such a big range. If the demos don't work out (you may they do though), you may want to consider a Veloce H series wing like the L or XL (on sale 20% off) and stay with your mast or go carbon. ????
Gong is still in the back of my mind, they have really competitive prices for sure. The fluid LT has been a great foil for me, and an absolute steal pricewise. I'm curious about the testing tomorrow. If it feels different and how the finish is. The Veloce H looks nice, as does the curve H.
I have a Veloce H-L and at 95kgs it's just a bit too aggressive for me, if I had flat water for going fast I might enjoy it more. It's extremely efficient once you get foiling and easily goes faster than windspeed. It's possible that the tail I have for it is just a little too small for me. It's a Fluid M I believe.
The PTM926 feels very familiar after having an original Gong Veloce XL, they are similar with the PTM having less glide but breaching way better. One of the newer Gong wings with similar thickness to the Veloce XL would be nice to try.