F-One Phantom Carbon 1780 2021
Reviews / Hydrofoils
5,790
At A Glance
F-ONE have been making incredible hydrofoils for years, Charles Bertrand joined the team as a naval architect with the sole responsibility of developing a hydrofoil program. These days he and his team develop all the boards and foils in the F-ONE range and his knowledge has been honed from years of developing foils for kite, SUP, surf and now wings.
The Phantom Carbon is new for this year, there are four sizes to choose from, we have the largest of the wings on test here, the 1780. Constructed using their Monobloc technology with pre-preg carbon the foils are really light but also very strong. The front wing has a built-in moulded half fuselage that marries to the tail and bolts through to the mast. This means there are no holes or bolts in the front wing, which massively increases the strength. The finish is incredible and everything fits together with no discernible gaps or manufacturing errors. We tested the set up with the aluminium mast, but there are carbon options too. The stainless steel bolts are of a very high quality and where they meet aluminium F-ONE have used heli-coils to ensure there are no corrosion issues but also so there is a strong connection.
There are various heads for the mast, so no matter what foil box or track system you have you can find an adapter to work. The goal of these new wings is to offer more glide and speed while still being incredibly manoeuvrable. Consider them more of an intermediate, expert wing compared to the entry-level Gravity wing. The 1780 is perfect for pumping, surf foiling, SUP foiling and wingsurfing.
On The Water
This is a fantastic wing under the surface, it’s got so much potential and will appeal to a wide range riders. While it is more of a performance wing, at this size it is incredibly forgiving, so don’t be put off if you are still relatively new to the game. Yes the Gravity wing is easier and even more forgiving, but this foil is so well balanced and easy to ride it has a lot to offer.
Coupled with a wing, it only took a few pumps and we were up and foiling in a light breeze, once you are up the speed of the wing allows you to accelerate and gain even more speed. The 1780 looks massive on the beach, the high aspect nature makes the span very wide, but while we thought that might make hard to turn it is quite the opposite.
As you engage the foil in a carve it responds instantly and tracks well throughout the move with no twitching or sudden movements, it is incredibly smooth throughout. The stall speed is also very low and this allows you to make a few mistakes and still get away with it. It’s the flowing smooth nature that really made us fall in love though.
It has all the lift and power you need while feeling smaller than it actually is. We thought it would be like driving a bus, due to its large wingspan, on the contrary, while it is so much more nimble than the shape of it would have you believe. As the wind really picks up it can become a bit of a handful, and it is definitely suited to lighter winds and heavier riders, but even in 25knots it is still manageable.
Overall
Beautifully made, the finish is incredible. It’s tough too, surviving the odd contact with the bottom unscathed. A large wing that is surprisingly manoeuvrable, it has incredible lift and plenty of glide, perfect for larger surf foilers wanting extra power in weak waves or the guys and girls looking to pump. We loved it in light winds when we were wingsurfing and were impressed with the top-end speed and the forgiveness it offered.
This review was in Issue 7 of Tonic Mag.
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By Rou Chater
Rou Chater has been kitesurfing for over twenty years, paddleboarding for the last six years, and was there testing the first wingsurfer from Naish in Tarifa when it arrived on the continent. He is passionate about riding waves and exploring new places. As the publishing editor, he oversees everything at Tonic but also our sister magazines IKSURFMAG and IMB. He's been on the water since he was born and has never looked back, in the winter you'll find him chasing swells in the Caribbean and during the summer he can be found all over Europe at various SUP, Kitesurf and Mountain Bike events getting features for the magazines.
