Naish Hover Wing Foil Carbon Ultra 4’4, 40L 2022
Reviews / Wing Foil
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At A Glance
Naish has been at the forefront of design & performance since wingfoiling started over two years ago. I remember taking in every last one of Robby Naish’s words in his first YouTube video discussing the brand new sport of wingsurfing. There is no doubt that they have carried on that trend with the Hover Wing Foil Carbon Ultra. For a start, it’s available in nine sizes!
Starting at just 40 litres and going all the way to 140 litres, there is something for everyone. When Naish asked me which size I’d like to test, my eyes fixated on the 4’4, 40L version. That would be on the smaller side of wing boards I’d tried, I was excited to give it a go.
The Carbon Ultra is an update from the original Hover Wing Foil board. Changes to the board include an increased nose rocker, narrower tail, more overall rail curve in the outline, and more pronounced bottom shaping and concave. There are multiple foot strap insert positions, allowing three or two straps, and the ability to move them forward or aft on the board for your preference.
The smaller sizes; 40L, 50L, and 60L are designed with prone foil surfing in mind, whereas the larger sizes can be used as SUP foil boards, making your board more adaptable, should you buy one.
Why is it called Carbon Ultra you may ask? It’s all to do with the layup of the carbon which includes rail cap reinforcements and Kevlar patches in high-stress areas. Essentially it is lighter than the previous version leading to reduced swing weight, and in turn, higher performance.
Out of the box, the board looks quite simply glorious. The aesthetics are subtle & stylish, while the shape looks sleek & fast.
On The Water
Something to note before I start is that I’m not a heavy person, at 68kg this board is small for me but not unrideable. There are probably a few equations you could do, but taking roughly '30L' off your weight in kg would probably get you a similar experience to mine. If you’re competent at your sinker board starts you’ll want to try just that because this board is awesome!
I’ve been doing a lot of dock starting into small waves or into prone downwinders recently so I’ve become a custom to foiling on small boards. This has meant that the larger wing boards had become a little bit sluggish for my liking, the Carbon Ultra was the complete opposite. I genuinely felt like I was ripping around on a kitefoil board, turning on the wave, and pumping to connect them felt amazing due to the minimal length and reduced swing weight.
I thought the proportions of volume to length were spot on and would translate well into the larger sizes. I could feel that increased nose rocker, narrower tail shape, and concave hull allowing me to get on the plane and begin flight quickly. I was initially worried that the 4’4 length would be too short, but it wasn’t the case. Water starting was surprisingly easy.
Overall
Naish are going to have a hard time getting this back off me! A versatile board that, at the expert, smaller board end, will take your riding to the next level. Whether it be winging, prone foiling, or dock starting, the Hover Wing Foil Carbon Ultra 40L is an absolute weapon.
Videos
This review was in Issue 11 of Tonic Mag.
For more information visit NaishRelated
By Jack Galloway
