The Duke is characterised by Duotone as a Jump&Ride sail. According to our test experience, this fits very well. The short boom - twelve centimetres less than on the NeilPryde Fusion and the centre of effort further forward ensure very agile handling - in flat water as well as in moderate surf waves. We have trimmed the sail to "max" on the luff and tightened the outhaul so far that the batten above the boom still touches the side of the mast. Numerous trimming instructions are printed directly on the sail, and you can mark your favourite luff setting with a small Velcro strip and a viewing window in the mast protector. With the Silver mast we tested, the markings on the sail for the harness lines did not fit perfectly, so we had to mount them much further forwards.
Agile freemove wave feeling
On the straights, the Duke's characteristics are similar to those of the NeilPryde FusionThe Duotone E_Pace is lightly damped, stable in the hand and yet with an agile freemove wave feeling. If you are looking for a sail primarily for heating on a (small) freerider, you should take a look at the Duotone E_Pace. The Duke, on the other hand, is perfect for the freemove or freewave class. It looks very compact and grinds quickly in the jibe. The battens cover some distance around the mast, but this is very soft and almost imperceptible. The high-cut lower leech and the short boom tempt you to do duck jibes - the sail makes you want to manoeuvre and is better suited to playful bump & jump surfing than choppy water bolts.
However, if you push the sail through strong chop at top speed, you will also notice a little more movement in the wide sail top. Even if the Duke can't quite keep up with the very freeride-orientated sails in the group in terms of speed, it feels subjectively just as fast. Similar to the NeilPryde Atlas the mast cut-out reaches a little less far up - a sign that the sail is less intended for 75 centimetre wide freeriders, but rather for FreeWave&Co.
Surf summary of the Duotone Duke
Despite measuring only 5.8 square metres, the Duke keeps up well when planing. It is therefore recommended as an agile manoeuvring and bump & jump sail with very good, smooth handling. From intermediate to strong wind manoeuvre surfers, it is a very good choice, only lacking a little freeride feeling for pure strong wind heating.
Handy & comfortable; manoeuvre & small wave
-
-
Technical data Duotone Duke 5.8
- Sail weight: 3.65 kg*
- Mast weight: 2.1 kg*
- Sleeve opening: 101-148 cm*
- Mast usedDuotone Silver 430 RDM; Price: 489 Euro
- Price: 969 Euro
- Info under: duotonesports.com
*surf measurement
