DOWNWIND FOIL

Downwind foiling means riding the swell with the wind at your back, over long distances, with a wing, a parawing or a paddle. Your foil has to glide and pump with little effort. Turning matters far less. Our advice is simple: new to downwind, ride the Enduro. Experienced, move to the Ultra.

Find your downwind setup in 2 minutes

Enter your weight, your level and your riding in the foil finder. You get one front wing, one mast and one stabilizer for your profile.

Which front wing for downwind foiling?

New to downwind: the Enduro

The Enduro front wing comes in seven sizes, from 600 to 1,300 cm². It was designed by Laurent Borgna. For downwind, we recommend:

• around 75 kg (165 lb): Enduro 1000;
• 85 kg (187 lb) and up: Enduro 1300.

For any other weight, the foil finder gives you your size.

Experienced: the Ultra

The Ultra front wing is our downwind wing, also designed by Laurent Borgna. It comes in 600, 750 and 900 cm². Its profile is built for low-effort pumping. Small winglets at the tips and bumps on the leading edge make the stall more progressive: the wing lets go more gently when you slow down.

Which mast, fuselage and stabilizer?

We recommend an 80 cm mast for downwind. From 80 kg (176 lb) with a front wing of 1.10 m span or more, take the UHM carbon mast. Below that, the HM carbon mast. The UHM Skinny carbon mast is thinner and adds speed. Watch your front wing's span: from 1.10 m span, we do not recommend a Skinny mast in downwind.

Behind the wing, the U Glide stabilizer. This range is made only for downwind: maximum glide, minimum effort. It also fits the Enduro.

• New to downwind: Enduro front wing, U Glide stabilizer, 80 cm mast, Fuselink Advanced fuselage or titanium fuselage.
• Experienced: Ultra front wing, U Glide stabilizer, titanium fuselage, 80 cm UHM carbon mast.

Which downwind foil board volume?

A downwind board is long. It helps you paddle or pump up onto the foil, then glide from one bump to the next. For volume, we recommend:

• New to downwind: your weight in kg + 30 L.
• Intermediate: your weight in kg + 15 L.
• Expert: your weight in kg. Never less, even for a pro.

Example: at 75 kg (165 lb), an intermediate rider takes about 90 L. Our downwind boards, the Blackbird Mid Length and the Blackbird Skinny, are made for experienced riders.

How do you start downwind foiling?

• Get some SUP and SUP foil experience first. You can practice your paddling on flat water.
• Keep your first runs short: 2 to 3 km is more than enough.
• For a first SUP downwind, look for a fairly steady wind of 15 to 25 knots, blowing in the same direction as the swell.

Read our article Downwind: how to get started.

Why AFS for downwind

• Our foils are made in carbon in our factory in Brittany, France.
• Enduro and Ultra front wings designed by Laurent Borgna.
• 2-year warranty.

Downwind foiling FAQ

What is downwind foiling?

You ride with the wind at your back and use the energy of the swell to fly over long distances. You can do it with a wing, a parawing or a paddle.

Which front wing for downwind?

The Enduro if you are new to downwind. The Ultra once you are experienced.

What size Enduro for my weight?

For downwind, we recommend the Enduro 1000 around 75 kg (165 lb) and the Enduro 1300 from 85 kg (187 lb). For other weights, use the foil finder.

What mast length for downwind?

We recommend an 80 cm mast: UHM carbon from 80 kg (176 lb) with a front wing of 1.10 m span or more, HM carbon below that.

What size downwind foil board do I need?

Your weight in kg plus 30 L if you are new to downwind, plus 15 L at intermediate level. Never below your weight.

How much wind do I need for downwind foiling?

For a first SUP downwind, a fairly steady wind of 15 to 25 knots, in the same direction as the swell.

Can I buy used downwind gear?

Yes. Riders sell their foils and boards on the AFS marketplace.

Learn more about downwind

• What downwind is, where it comes from
• How to get started in downwind SUP foiling