Whether it’s windsurfing, surfing or even wing foiling – with the wrong board, getting started is harder than it needs to be. It usually comes down to three basic questions: Should I buy an inflatable board or a solid hardboard? How big does the board need to be? And which type of board is best for me?
1. Hardboard or inflatable?
Much like stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), there are two general types of board used in wingsurfing: boards with a fixed shape, known as “Hardboards”, or inflatable designs, including “Inflatables” ... Hardboards allow for a great deal of fine-tuning in terms of shape, whereas the possibilities with inflatable designs are limited by their construction.
Inflatables can be particularly useful with large board sizes, as the advantage of their small pack size cannot be denied. The smaller the wingboard used, however, the more this advantage diminishes. With a 90-litre board, the difference in pack size between a hardboard and an inflatable is often only 40 to 50 centimetres; however, with the inflatable design, you often have to accept compromises in performance: For instance, the rounded edges of inflatables sometimes tend to get stuck a little during the take-off phase, which means you need either more wind or more pumping to get airborne. Bottom line: if pack size is your top priority, go for an inflatable! If you can live with the larger pack size, go for a hardboard.
2. The right board size
To take your first steps on the water, your board needs to be big enough. At professional wingfoil schools, you’ll usually practise handling the wing on a large longboard or SUP first, and only then move on to a foilboard. If you’ve got previous experience with foiling – for example, from windsurf foiling, kite foiling or SUP foiling – you can start straight away on a foil board.
Longboards & SUPs
Anyone wishing to use a SUP for their first attempts at wing surfing should bear in mind that the board requires a centre fin to minimise sideways drift in light winds. Specialised WindSUPs allow you to fit a centre fin. With standard SUPs, this option is not usually available. However, you can get round this by retrofit centre fins that you can simply strap round the board.
In terms of size, typical all-round SUPs measuring between eight and eleven feet in length are ideal for practising. These usually have a volume of between 200 and 300 litres, providing plenty of buoyancy so that even heavier beginners to wingfoiling can stand comfortably on the deck.
Inflatable wingfoil boards are well established on the wingfoil market, even in smaller sizes ranging from 70 to 120 litres; these can then be fitted with a foil. Due to their construction, the shapes of inflatables are somewhat limited, which is reflected in part in slightly poorer light-wind performance, but also in slightly lower stability. For this reason, you should always choose an inflatable wingfoil board that is 10–20 litres larger than a comparable hardboard.
Inflatable boards are always a bit more unstable than hardboards. You should therefore choose an inflatable that’s 10 to 20 litres larger
Wingfoil hardboards
Rigid wingfoil boards are available in sizes ranging from 30 to 150 litres. The same applies here: it shouldn’t be too small when you’re just starting out. The size of board you need depends on your previous experience (e.g. windsurfing, kitesurfing, SUP, pump foiling, etc.) and your body weight.
Type 1: Beginners with no experience of water sports
To have fun on a pure wingfoil board, beginners with no prior experience of other water sports should follow this rule of thumb to ensure they can get started reasonably safely:
Body weight + 70 to 80 litres = recommended board volume
It’s a good idea to have your first go at a wingsurfing school, as they have large-volume boards available. Buying such a large board doesn’t make much sense. You run the risk of it being too big for you after just a few weeks, as the learning curve is very steep at the start. So: hire first, then buy!
Type 2: Beginners with previous experience
Anyone who already has experience of other water sports such as windsurfing, kitesurfing, surfing or stand-up paddleboarding is well placed to take off in wingsurfing within a few days. But the same applies here: to master the take-off, the board must have sufficient volume! A rough rule of thumb is:
Body weight + 40/50 litres = recommended board volume
An 80-kilo surfer with some previous experience should therefore choose a wingboard with a volume of at least 120 to 130 litres in order to learn safely.
Type 3: Beginners with foiling experience
Anyone who has already gained experience on a windsurf foil or kite foil board will get the hang of a wingsurf board within a few hours and can start out with less volume than complete beginners with no prior experience. The rough rule of thumb:
Body weight + 30 to 40 litres = recommended board volume
Type 4: Experienced wingsurfers
Once you’ve mastered the basic manoeuvres such as Jibe and Turning point If you’ve got the hang of it and want to broaden your horizons into wave or freestyle riding, you can switch to a smaller board with a faster foil. The aim is then to ride a board that provides just enough lift to get you off the water but feels nice and small and compact once you’re airborne. A rule of thumb that combines the potential for jumps and tricks with a minimum amount of lift for light winds is:
Body weight ± 5 litres = recommended board volume
3. Compact or elongated – this type of board makes sense
Last but not least, you should ask yourself which type of board makes sense for you. There are several categories of board on the market, and we’d like to briefly explain their pros and cons:
Compact wingfoil boards
When wing foiling really took off in 2020/2021, the first boards to hit the market were quite short, measuring between 5 and 6 feet in length. The advantages: compact, lightweight handling in the air. However, short boards require more wind or better pumping technique to get airborne. Anyone who is just learning to wingfoil and still regularly falls whilst practising basic manoeuvres is therefore more likely to find short boards under 5’5’’ in length a disadvantage. If, on the other hand, you’re good at pumping, have mastered safe manoeuvres and are already practising your first jumps or freestyle tricks, a compact shape is an advantage.
Mid-length boards
Since 2023/2024, the mid-length board category – with boards measuring between 6 and 7 feet in length – has been making a growing impact on the market (You can find a basic article and reviews of mid-length boards HERE). Derived from the even longer downwind boards, these long, stretched shapes offer major advantages, particularly in light winds: even with less-than-perfect pumping technique, mid-length boards can still pick up speed easily – which is worth its weight in gold, especially in typical light-wind spots. If your main aim is to get up and running early and enjoy relaxed freeriding and manoeuvres, mid-length boards are ideal.
The right board for learning wing foiling – Summary
- Inflatable boards are a hit for their compact pack size, whilst hardboards excel in terms of performance
- To start with, choose a board with enough volume! For inflatables, go for one that’s another 10 to 20 litres larger than hardboards
- Compact/short wingfoil boards are agile and manoeuvrable in the air, but require more wind or pumping to get airborne
- Longer mid-length boards are the best choice for light wind conditions
You can also find all our tips on wingfoil boards in the video:
Manuel Vogel
Editor surf