Armstrong Foils Forward Geometry Wing Surf Board 4’10 2021
Reviews / Wing Foil
2,520
At A Glance
The attention to detail with all Armstrong gear is next level, and this board is no different. There has clearly been a lot of time put into the development of this board to create many unique and effective features.
I’ll start with the ‘Forward Geometry’ design, what Armstrong has essentially done here is install a longer box into the board. You’ll notice that most surf foiling ride their foils as far forward in the box as possible, to improve manoeuvrability, response & reduce swing weight while pumping. The problem with that is that it leaves no extra room to play or adjust your settings, what if it needed to go further forward? The longer box in the Armstrong Wing Surf Board means that there is plenty of room to find the perfect foil placement for you. The other innovative feature here is that the 320mm mast tracks are carbon fibre, stronger and lighter than the plastic boxes you will see in most boards.
The board features a recessed deck, this brings you closer to the foil for better handling, it also means that the rails have a good ridge shape that are easy to hold onto. This could be just carrying the board but also good for duck diving when prone surfing. I believe it is this unique concept that makes the board look a little flatter and wider than other boards of the same volume.
From the nose to the tail the shape has been meticulously planned, an extended waterline, aggressive nose rocker & innovative tail shape are all designed to increase acceleration and speed. The board features the bold Armstrong colours and is light & strong with a foam core with multiple PVC reinforcements, Dual Carbon stringers, and covered with carbon fiber & Dyneema cloth.
On The Water
I tested the board wingfoiling in a range of conditions from flatwater to waves. While it is designed for wingfoiling I do not doubt that it would be a great board for prone surfing, dock starting, or wake foiling. I used the Armstong HA925 & 4.5m A-Wing while testing this board, see test reports for those two in this issue.
First impressions… what a board! Despite the low volume and small foil I was using, I found acceleration & therefore take off very quick. Proving that the innovative shape & design of the board mentioned above is effective Once flying the board was an absolute joy to ride, it’s the closest thing I’ve felt to the manoeuvrability of a kite foil board whilst winging. The recessed deck is noticeable, it gave me such a direct feel, particularly when free-flying the wing and carving on the waves. When riding longer masts, in this case, an 85cm, the closer you are to the top of that mast the more control you have.
I used the lightweight footstraps that came with the board. A great addition to the board here is the number of placement options you have, alongside the longer mast track this gives you a huge number of options to the geometry just right for you. The footstraps come as standard with titanium bolts, incredibly lightweight, strong, and rust-resistant. This is standard across all of Armstrong’s hardware, really impressive to have such high-quality materials that will lengthen the life of your equipment.
Boosting airs felt great on the Wing Surf Board, while the pop might come from the foil, the lightweight design of the board allows for extra height, and upon landing the double concave to flat shape meant that I would very quickly pop back up on foil. It surprised me how many times I was able to save it when in the past I’d have fallen in.
This board is the largest of the Wing Surf options, with the two smaller boards being 4’0 27L & 4’5 34L. Having got to grips with the 39L edition I’m super keen to try the 27 & 34L, especially as prone or dock start boards. I get the impression they’d be awesome, with the lower volumes making them even more manoeuvrable & playful.
Overall
Armstrong has created an exceptionally high-performance board here, made with the best materials creating a high-quality finish & feel. It’s a joy to ride, with early take-offs, great turning ability, and an incredible connection to the foil with the sunken deck. This sport has come so far in just two years and Armstrong is at the top of the wingfoiling market with this creation. If you want to take your winging to the next level, this is the board to do it.
This review was in Issue 10 of Tonic Mag.
For more information visit Armstrong FoilsRelated
By Jack Galloway
