The foils I demo'd and why I landed on Cloud IX

[B-Walnut]

This was a bit of a make or break year for me. I was kind of over winging and ready to go back to kiting. Just wasn't enjoying it. Unfortunately, I broke my ribs at the start of the season and couldn't kite, but could still wing, so I doubled down. I started hunting for what I felt like was the best surf foil with the most friendly user experience.

I don't have profound thoughts or in depth reviews on any of these foils. I think that any/every demo is a mere glimpse at what a foil can do. I simply want to share some brief thoughts. I hunted around for demos until I found something that suited me. I did not pay for any of these demos, when I finalized my choice on Cloud IX I paid for them.

Takuma Kujira 1210/1500
This is what I learned on and felt stagnant on. I would argue these are the best priced beginner foils on the market since they are all being dumped for kujira 2 stuff.

Kujira 1440
Big and slow, hard for me to turn.

North, high aspect foils.
I couldn't successfully ride these. The stall speed and takeoff speed was so high that I gave up after a few rides.

Unifoil progression 170 and hyper 250.
Progression 170, slowest stall speed and earliest lift of any foil I've ridden. Slow on foil as well.
Hyper 250, couldn't figure this foil out. Always felt out of control for me.

Lift 150 hax.
This is the most disappointing demo I had. I am fairly certain this is a well loved foil, but it was really poor conditions when I tried it. I'll note that it had nice lift for a high aspect foil but I turned away from it since the roll felt a little sluggish.

Lift, big surf foil, no labels.
Had what felt like zero glide and was extremely hard to get on foil. Rode this for a beginner who was struggling to learn.

Naish, big and old.
Rode this for a beginner who was struggling to learn. It was fine for straightline beginner riding. However, turning was very difficult and it makes sense that a beginner would blow their jibes.

Slingshot Hover Glide Apollo
Rode this for a beginner who was struggling to learn. Quite twitchy in the roll. Made sense that they kept tacoing.

Code Foils 850s
Super fast foil, probably the fastest I had ever ridden. It was surprising how sensitive it was with speed and acceleration. If you are in the energy pocket of the swell, it takes off super fast. If you're not, it slows down quickly. I could not, however, figure out how to pump this foil. Every time I tried to pump it the foil seemed to collapse down.

Foils I still want to try: Axis Spitfire and F-One Sk8

Cloud IX fs series. Rode the full range from 550-1780.
These foils just felt like home to me. Good low end, good glide and speed, most important to me was the carve/surf feeling and these foils rolled better than anything I have ever experienced. I'm a surfer, and this is the first time I ever felt like I was actually surfing on foils. I could say a lot more about these but I'll just leave it at that for now. I've got 65 sessions on mine so far this summer and for the first time ever my wife says I come home happy after winging I also can't imagine pulling my kites out again. Quite the 180 from the beginning of the season.

If anyone has any questions or wants to expand the conversation on any of these foils feel free to shoot away with questions/comments and I'll try to let you know what I can about these. I am most prepared to answer Takuma and Cloud IX questions, everything else will be a little more shallow of answers.

[StellaBlu]

What is your size, wind conditions, and which size Cloud IX did you land on?

Many of those foils you tried are quite large and intended for big people and/or low power (1440, H2 250, P170).  The Lift and Code are very different from the others.

Good to get a view of a wide range of options.

[B-Walnut]

What is your size, wind conditions, and which size Cloud IX did you land on?

Many of those foils you tried are quite large and intended for big people and/or low power (1440, H2 250, P170).  The Lift and Code are very different from the others.

Good to get a view of a wide range of options.

Good questions:

186lbs.
I ride in 10-40 knots in the gorge.

The unfortunate thing about demos is that in my experience, you typically don't get a huge selection to choose from. So, those just happened to be what was available in the last few months. I was really lucky to get access to the whole Cloud IX lineup.

The foils I landed on:
I learned to downwind paddle on the fs1780 and once I got myself sorted I downsized to the fs 1350 w/157 stab for paddling and lightwind days.
If the swell is waist high and smaller, I typically ride the fs1000 w/177 stab.
If the swell is chest high and bigger, I typically ride the fs850 w/157 stab.

The fs1150 was good, but felt slower than I wanted. Beginner/intermediate friendly. I paddled that for a bit before the fs1350.
The fs700 is super fun, feels like a high performance shortboard, it needs solid swell and wind to ride.
The fs550 was super reactive, I didn't ride it as much since it had a higher stall speed than I wanted. It's meant for big wave surfing so it makes sense that it needs some go juice when winging.

[Hdip]

What part of Ventura do you live in.

Nice writeup.

[B-Walnut]

What part of Ventura do you live in.

Nice writeup.

Haha

My wife is from down there but we live in Portland now.

[exiled]

Did you ride any of the Kujira II, or just the originals?

[B-Walnut]

I'd like to but no, seems like they have tried to hold those back so they can blowout the sales on the kujira 1 at the moment.

[Dontsink]

Hi B-Walnut.Nice review.

I ride Takuma Kujiras (v1 980 for wing and 1095 for surfoil).

Are the Clouds Fs good at pumping when surfoiling?

I am 70kg/154lbs and was considering the 850 for everyday winging and 1000 or 1150 for surfoil (i ride mostly small waves).

[B-Walnut]

Hi B-Walnut.Nice review.

I ride Takuma Kujiras (v1 980 for wing and 1095 for surfoil).

Are the Clouds Fs good at pumping when surfoiling?

I am 70kg/154lbs and was considering the 850 for everyday winging and 1000 or 1150 for surfoil (i ride mostly small waves).

The 850 is a great wingfoil. I think it pumps reasonably well and it's incredibly snappy/surfy even with an 86cm mast on it if you like the longer mast for winging.

If I was choosing between the 1000 and the 1150 for surfing I would go 1000 unless you are talking super small waves. I think the 1000 pumps great but is significantly faster than the 1150.