The challenger comes straight from the wave pool in a pink-coloured outfit. The NeilPryde Atlas is not a good freemove sail, but a genuine power wave sail. So the comparison is exciting. It performs brilliantly to astonishingly well in two categories in particular. The flat and rather soft-looking profile shifts at lightning speed in manoeuvres and is the easiest to direct, backsurf or submerge. The sail and batten rotation around the mast remains almost imperceptible. It always appears agile, but is never really steady in the hand.
When planing, a profile is created that generates a surprising amount of propulsion, allowing the NeilPryde Atlas to rescue you from tricky wave conditions, and on flat water you get the horsepower you need to quickly reach speed for the next move, even in medium planing winds. This works better with a little more sail feel, because the sail reacts very directly to too much pull from one hand - if you have little or no gliding experience, this may slow you down.
Sails for waves and flat water
However, if the NeilPryde Atlas is set up properly, it pulls away almost earlier than a Severne Convert - But then the speed duel is quickly over and the Atlas glides well, but not at the speed level of sails from the freeride class. As a wave sail, it is naturally not optimised for top speed, but for handling and manoeuvring. However, because it planes well and holds the centre of effort securely between the hands in strong winds, surfers who have outgrown the intermediate stage can also use it on freemove boards without any problems.
The slightly less high sleeve opening also indicates that the sail should not be surfed on wide freeride boards. However, if you are looking for a sail for real waves and regular flat water sessions, the NeilPryde Atlas is a sail that combines the best handling with sufficient planing power and control. In the HD version, it is equipped with X-Ply throughout and all other features are also at a high level.
Surf summary of the NeilPryde Atlas
For surfers without speed ambitions who can live with two or three km/h less top speed, the NeilPryde Atlas offers a good alternative with sufficient planing power, excellent handling and real wave suitability. Because it is light-handed and agile, but less stable in the hand, we would recommend it to intermediates within the NeilPryde range for Fusion guess.
Super handy in manoeuvres, fully wave-compatible
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Agile instead of stable, less top speed
Technical data NeilPryde Atlas HD 5.8
- Sail weight: 3.4 kg*
- Mast weight: 2.2 kg *
- Sleeve opening: 101 - 148 cm*
- Mast used: NeilPryde SPX 70 430 RDM; Model 2024
- Price: 979 Euro
- Info under: neilpryde.com
*surf measurement
