Axis Foils

[flkiter]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CH0IZtNjiqC/?igshid=1p88t85ta9acl

I'm guessing we're allowed to start giving some info on the 980 black series. I've been on it for most of hurricane season and it's been making the victory at sea type of days so much fun. This is a fast foil and it requires a +1 shim on the rear wing. The thing you'll get with this foil being fast is that it's super stable. I don't even feel the speed anymore until I wipe out and skip across the water till my leash stops me. I can drop into the biggest ocean swells I can find and not worry about getting closed out on them. The up wind ability has me passing wind surfers in speed and up wind ability. So getting back up wind to ride swell down wind again is effortless and fast. Very little pressure in my hands when winging now.
I'm not a fan of fast foils in kiting, always felt un stable and a lot of work. Not the same for the 980, it's stable at low speeds and just pure fluid feel at high speeds. I recommend helmet and ear covers when riding the 980. I'm paired on the ultra short and 370 rear.
You get really nice glide in the turns also so when you come off a nice swell, you can turn to head back to sea and you have plenty of glide before you need to get the wing in front of you to power back up. This glide in the turns really lets you crank around on the faces and skip the flat sections to the next drops. I recommend an 82 or 90 cm mast if you're ocean riding so you can get into the really steep stuff.
As a wing dedicated set up, the 980 handles everything I want for the higher winds. Plus the jumps have been great with the speed I can get against the wing.

[daswusup]

Nick, thanks for this review! Sounds awesome. Someone claimed on the Breeze that the new wing and fuse were 2X more expensive and that there was no compatability with other wings. Can you speak to any of that? I was hoping that foil prices across the board would start coming down like some brands have. I am awfully tempted towards A KD carbon mast and wings set up from Neilpryde for $1700. I love my Axis quiver but their prices are killing me. Eg- $240 for the 420 stab!!!!  Guess I'll just pick on of my kids to skip college.

[Dwight (DW)]

Someone claimed on the Breeze that the new wing and fuse were 2X more expensive...

Guy was being sarcastic

Only truth he spoke is...black fuse is designed exclusive to the HPS (High Performance Series) wings. Reason being, the HPS series is a very thin, very fast, class of wing. It needs a fuse with thin head, to match thin wings. Tails are compatible with black or red fuselage.

If you’re not into going fast, you won’t even bother owning the black fuselage. All the other new secret wings fit the red (original) fuse. No need to leave Axis. Most will still use red.

I’m back riding Axis again. I’m on black and HPS.

[winged surfer]

Hello Dwight,
I’m interested in how do you feel going back to something not full carbon.
What Axis wing are you using instead of the 1250 hs’ Armstrong?

[AGK]

Thanks for the 980 review, Nick!  Can you (or anyone else) comment on technique to get it on a foil when winging -- does it require a lot of forward speed and wing power to avoid stalling and collapse when starting, or can you foot- and wing-pump it up at slower speed? 

Thanks for any opinion or experience!

Andy

[Dwight (DW)]

Hello Dwight,
I’m interested in how do you feel going back to something not full carbon.
What Axis wing are you using instead of the 1250 hs’ Armstrong?

I’m on carbon. 86cm mast. Compared to 85cm Armstrong, Axis mast is stiffer side to side and stiffer in twist. Heavier mast, but that’s the price of a stiffer upgrade. Now with slotted base holes BTW.

You need the (thinner at the bottom) carbon mast and low drag 420 tail to extract the full potential of the HPS series in my opinion.

Axis HPS 980 (1218 sq cm) replaces Armstrong HS1250

Armstrong fire sale coming soon to the Zone.

[Admin]

That kit looks outrageous.  I am powerless to resist that.

[clay]

Looks fast, faster sounds fun.

With a span of 38" how is turning?   Surface piercing or face planting?

[clay]

Oh and Bill, wondering if you were able to get a square cut on the mast with mobile tools?  How?

[PonoBill]

Yes, I did all the work on the tailgate of my truck with primitive hand tools. the trick to cutting a straight line with anything remotely tubelike is to do several wraps of tape, lining the tape up carefully as you wrap. If the end of the wrap meets up with the start of the wrap without any wrinkle in the tape then it's close to exactly perpendicular, I make several wraps to give me a lip and then cut with a hacksaw, checking the backside occasionally to ensure I'm tracking. Keeping the hacksaw vertical and following the line carefully makes short work of it.

tapping the holes was equally primitive--I have my 3/16 hex drive impact driver with me, and a set of drills. I bought a 7mm 3/16 drive drill and a 8mm tap. Drilled the holes a little bigger (the stock holes are about 6.5mm) and carefully tapped the holes, making sure to break the chips frequently. I took my time and got a nice result.

[Admin]

When you guys have a chance please let us know the max thickness of the fuselage head. 

[Thatspec]

I'm curious if the 980 itself is thinner than 1.5cm? 

[cnski]

flkiter- You mention the 980 being everything you want for managing higher winds. What about light winds? Is there a wing in the HPS line you like for light wind? Something to replace the 1150 that is faster and higher performance? Have you rode the 1300 yet? Thx

[Admin]

I was thinking I could hold off until Baja but this new kit may get me out in the freezing cold Columbia next week.  Stoked to try it.

[Mike dubs]

I’m holding off on my 860/760 purchase until all this stuff drops. Be good to know the lower and upper wind range of this 980. Admin be good to get feedback on it from you when u ride it in comparison to 860.
Mike