120 accommodate different conditions and tidal states . But appreciate more gear equals more cost .
Paddles As with standard SUPing , you should consider your SUP foiling paddle . It needs to deliver efficient power from standing , so it should be an efficient design . It also needs to be strong as it can suffer knocks when foiling . But this shouldn ’ t be to the detriment of weight . A tough but lightweight carbon paddle is usually the best route .
I favour a narrow , teardrop-shaped blade that ’ s full carbon . The narrower blade allows me to paddle with quick , powerful strokes at high cadence . In tandem with pumping ( a foiling skill you should aim to learn ) and a low stall speed foil , I can leave the water ’ s surface almost immediately on an anklehigh wave .
I will also say that a slightly shorter paddle helps – which may be contrary to what you were thinking . The shorter paddle shaft length allows me to hunker down on take off . When up and foiling but still needing a few short , sharp paddle strokes to stay elevated , the shorter shaft length allows me to pump the board / foil down , stick the stroke in , release and come back up to full ride height without efficiency loss . The bottom line with SUP foiling paddles is : don ’ t overlook them ! A paddle is your engine . acquired the skills to make foils with higher stall speeds work . Hi aspects mostly require more oomph from the wave , rider input , and a more refined way of riding . If you ’ re torn between choosing a hi or low aspect foil , I ’ d suggest going down the low aspect foil route to start with . You can always swap it out later down the line .
Foils aren ’ t just made up of front foil wings , though . You also have the foil mast , fuselage and tail wing ( stab ). Don ’ t get caught up with the techy details at first . You can start playing around with different fuselage lengths and tail wing sizes ( if you wish ) when you get better . A longer fuselage will give more manageable pitch ( nose to tail up and downs ) control . Whilst bigger tail wings will deliver more overall foil stability and leverage for early flights .
Foil mast length will come down to your most ridden spot and how deep the water is . I swap between 40cm and 60cm ( mostly 60cm ) depending on how big the waves are and where they ’ re breaking . Be aware that the shorter your foil mast , the less leeway you have . Riding high on the face of a wave , for instance , will mean you ’ re far more likely to experience breaching of the front wing ( over foiling ) and suffer crashes as a result . You could have a selection of foil masts to
Leashes There ’ s much talk about SUP leashes and quick-release belts in tandem with coiled styles , and this is a significant safety point when discussing SUP generally . With SUP foiling , you should also pay attention to leashes .
Some riders do wear straight surf style leashes , and I find these have an annoying habit of getting tangled around the foil . Therefore I opt for a coiled waist leash . This brings the leash up onto the deck of my board and reduces drag and the risk of snagging . Being attached to my waist means I can pull it off if need be – in an emergency . A quick-release belt and coiled leash will also work .
One BIG reason to wear a SUP foil leash is not to have your SUP foil kit blasting away from you , shoved shoreward by waves or white water . You shouldn ’ t be foiling near others – especially when learning . Occasionally , however , water users may put themselves in the shallows of the area you ’ re riding . And you don ’ t want to hit them . So wear a leash most definitely !
SUP foiling conditions ( for learning and progressing ) As I said at the start of this article , the reason to SUP foil is because of the additional efficiency , speed , glide and overall length of