Next board after sky wing 5'2

reinhaun

Hi there, I use the sky wing 5'2 at the moment, weighing about 75 kg. in open seas I still find the 85 liters quite comfy getting up and home especially when it is gusty or the wind went down. I am totally consistent in jibes and getting more and more consistent in tacks as well as getting more into swell riding. I use the 1250 free wing mostly and tried the 1000 but liked the 1250 a bit more for its forgivingness and early going at the moment. question now: Is there a any advantage for me in upgrading to the style (SLS?) and if so should it be the 75 then or 85 again? I don't want to step down too early though although long term I feel the 75 should be it. Maybe my pumping also still is not good enough yet 😉? thanks for advice and best regards frank

craig

Hi Frank, I weigh the same as you, 74-75 kg, have however been winging since 2019 so I used to have the 85 and 75 in my quiver, in the meantime I spend most/almost all my time on the 4'9"/65L, as I like to jump and the smaller board makes a big difference in rotations. However for flat water/light winds where I live in Munich/Garda, I will often take the 4'11" Sky Style/75L as it is so much more comfortable for starts/if the wind drops.

So I would really recommend you to go down one size to a 75L, the 4'11" is a bit more compact than the 5'2" you have and should be no problem in terms of flotation, the smaller boards are actually easier to pump as you sink the board slightly when doing the pump movement, vs a higher volume board which sticks to the surface.

reinhaun

Thanks Craig, ok and what would you say is it worth the sls over the "standard" and how do they compare to the Fanatic TE vs the Board I have looking at weight and durability? I do not plan to jump a lot but like light boards 😉

craig

Hi there, SLS is virtually the same as TE, although we are constantly updating the layups as the sport develops. So a similar weight/stiffness/durability. What it is "worth" is always a question of priorities - a lighter board will almost always feel "better" or have more performance, but a standard version is also a good product. Just a question of budget/needs?