Cabrinha Crosswing X3 5m 2022
Reviews / Wings
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At A Glance
The X3 is Cabrinha’s 3rd version of the Crosswing and it has come with a ton of improvements. The most obvious is the eye-catching double strut, something that is unique in the wing industry.
The Crosswing X3 is designed to be a high-performance do-it-all wing. The R&D team has increased the leading edge diameter to produce a stiffer frame overall. Stiffness in wing design leads to two things: better light-wind pumping and more control in strong wind conditions, but I’ll discuss that later on in this report.
The wing features new wider handles to allow small adjustments to hand placement, much like you would on a boom. The whole canopy has had a redesign to allow improved low end, balance, linear power delivery, and upwind performance. The Crosswing X3 retains its high-quality high tenacity dacron, nanotech ripstop, and kevlar wingtip reinforcement.
While unpacking this wing it was immediately clear that the product in front of me was built to last. Cabrinha has been making exceptionally high-quality kites since the inception of kitesurfing, those 20+ years of experience are only a positive thing when it comes to wingfoiling. You know what you’re getting and that’s a valuable thing when parting with your hard-earned cash.
The Crosswing comes in a rather exceptional 9 different sizes! Ranging from just 2m all the way to 7m, Cabrinha has got you covered no matter your size or prevailing conditions. In fact, I reckon the 2m would be an exceptional 'grom' wing.
On The Water
It doesn’t happen very often, but I immediately felt comfortable and at home on the Crosswing X3. The wide handles meant I got my hands in the perfect spot in no time at all, this really is a game-changer and we’re seeing more & more brands take up the idea. I used this 5m wing in some pretty marginal conditions with the 5’0 Code & H1000 under my feet.
The point mentioned above proved to be true, the stiff airframe of the Crosswing lead to a super responsive & effective feel when pumping up onto foil. It took no time at all even in the lulls which were probably only 10-12 knots.
Overall, the wing felt light, powerful, and balanced. Manoeuvres had a natural feeling and when in free-fly mode, the Crosswing was stable & predictable. This allowed me to focus on my positioning on the wave/bump, and nearly forget I was holding a wing at all (which hopefully you’ll see in the attached video).
So, what about the double strut? I’m a big fan, it felt really cool having a ‘boom’ that wasn’t so cumbersome as some really thick struts. I believe it allows for a more purposeful canopy shape and I’d even go as far to say that you get a bit more visibility between the two struts through the windows, which can only be a good thing.
Overall
Cabrinha has maintained its high standards and designed an extremely high-quality wing here. It was an absolute joy to ride the Crosswing X3, if you’re looking for an easy-to-use, powerful wing to meet all your wave & freeride needs then look no further, this one is for you. The overriding quality here is stiffness in the frame, leading to power at your fingertips, right when you need it.
Videos
This review was in Issue 12 of Tonic Mag.
For more information visit CabrinhaRelated
By Jack Galloway
