The NeilPryde Fusion looks like a single mould in almost every trim. And this is particularly easy to find: The luff tension is adjusted with loose leech to somewhere in the range of the two trim points and only tightened quite moderately at the outhaul. Then - in contrast to the Atlas - Even when lying on land, the profile in the battens is still recognisable and the lower battens are slightly next to and not behind the mast.
If you look at the boom length of 1.91 metres (Atlas 1.78 metres), there are clear differences to the Atlas wave sail even before the first contact with the water. In terms of features, the NeilPryde Fusion - which is only available as an "HD" version - is no slouch and marks the upper end of this group with a large X-Ply foil. But don't be fooled, because on closer inspection the upper blue panels turn out not to be a grid foil, but a solid laminate printed from the inside.
Simple and comfortable for all riding abilities
With the comparatively longer boom, the NeilPryde Fusion is smooth and stable from take-off to planing to top speed, it can be put down on the deck very well for sporty and fast freeriding and is therefore particularly easy and comfortable to surf - regardless of your riding ability. During manoeuvres with full sail shifts, the sail with the longer boom naturally rotates a little more gently, but then quickly switches back to propulsion after the sheet in, which pulls you out of the jibe quickly and makes planing easier.
Nevertheless, dedicated freestylers would probably rather go to the Atlas The NeilPryde Fusion is easy to grab, but for fast jibes or relaxed duck jibes, the sail shifts and rotates more than fast enough. The battens change sides smoothly and the sail always provides a pleasant level of damping. For speed duels on larger freeriders, the freeride sails NeilPryde Ryde (six battens) or even the Speedster are certainly the faster choice, but the better compromise between still good performance and very good handling on smaller boards can be found in the Fusion.
surf summary of the NeilPryde Fusion
The NeilPryde Fusion appears almost inconspicuous in the test because it has no weaknesses at all. It performs everything you would expect from a freemoving sail and does so in a particularly uncomplicated and comfortable manner. It goes into planing gybes with a good pull and comes out again powerfully - virtually with automatic planing.
Stable, uncomplicated, comfortable, gybe handling
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Technical data NeilPryde Fusion HD 6.0
- Sail weight: 3.7 kg*
- Mast weight: 2.2 kg *
- Sleeve opening: 105 - 149 cm*
- Mast used: NeilPryde SPX 70 430 RDM; Model 2024
- Price: 869 Euro
- Info under: neilpryde.com
*surf measurement
