These freemove sails are included in the test:
All Freemove sails at a glance:
Manoeuvres without exertion, a little speed duel with friends and the occasional wave ride or freestyle trick: the wish list for this sailing class reads like a single maximum requirement.
But what our test has shown: Some sails really do fulfil almost every wish. We requested sails in sizes 5.7 to 5.8 for this test, but because the size gradations of the brands differ greatly, not all sails are available in exactly the same size. The test group includes sails between 5.6 and 6.0 square metres.
All scores are based 1:1 on our test results on the water and do not take sail size into account. It is certainly understandable that a 6.0 may not be in the top group when it comes to handling. Conversely, a 5.6 can often not quite keep up with its larger competitors in the planing duel. Nevertheless, the characteristics described will give you a good idea of where the strengths and weaknesses of each sail lie.
Freemove sails 2022: equipment and details
Masts used
Freemoving sails can be a much cheaper alternative due to their slightly slimmed-down features compared to wave sails. For this reason, we only accepted masts with up to 80 per cent carbon content for the group. Almost all test models are rigged on a 430 RDM mast. The only exceptions are the Loftsails Oxygen, which is recommended on a 400 mast, but also accepts a 430 mast thanks to the Variotopp. We tested the Point-7 AC-F with a thicker SDM mast, as the manufacturer does not offer RDM masts with less than 87 per cent carbon - it explicitly works with both.
Trim & Tuning
It is certainly pleasing that none of the test models with extremely high trim forces are out of the ordinary. Finding the right luff trim is still the key to covering the widest possible wind range in one trim and achieving a good combination of planing power and control. Printed trim markings such as those on Goya, GunSails, RRD, Loftsails or Point-7 help even less experienced windsurfers to apply the right tension to the luff. It is almost impossible to make a general statement about the right luff tension for the sails, as the manufacturers' concepts are too varied. Watch the video below for detailed trimming tips!
Equipment
Many sails can boast quite successful features and details. The material thickness of the test models is sufficiently thick overall. Nevertheless, differences cannot be denied. A Goya Eclipse and S2Maui Alchemy can certainly pass as fully-fledged wave sails, and nothing stands in the way of their use in the surf. Conversely, the models from NeilPryde and Point-7, for example, rely on visibly larger monofilm surfaces. However, you should get away from the preconception that "barred" always means "more stable". In the case of point loads, e.g. from a sharp object on the bank, the thickness of the film is the only thing that counts. However, small tears are usually better stopped by integrated threads. They can be patched with a sticker without the risk of tearing. The mesh on Goya and S2Maui is particularly high quality and tightly woven.
Freemove sails 2022: equipment and details
The surf type recommendation for freemove sails 2022
Simply adding up the individual scores - this method of finding your personal favourite is pretty pointless and is also the reason why we don't use any market-screaming "test winner" labels. Instead, we want to show you which sails are best suited to different types of riders based on the criteria we have assessed. Within this preselection, you won't go wrong in any case and can make your final purchase decision based on personal taste, look and, last but not least, the purchase price.
Type: newcomer to glidesurfing
If you are just starting to practise planing and looping, you are generally in the right place in this sail group, because all sails have more than acceptable handling, no camber (profile braces on the mast) and are on average quite uncomplicated to rig and surf. You should pay particular attention to the following criteria in your search:
Sliding properties
Here we assess how well a sail planes even when ridden passively without pumping and in a medium trim. Sails that have a deep profile and a pressure point that is slightly further back generally make it easier for less technically experienced pilots to planing. Concepts that have a flat profile and require an active riding style, on the other hand, are penalised here.
Driving stability
This term describes how easy it is to find the right angle of attack to the wind and maintain it while planing. If a sail is stable in the hands without the need for corrections to the sail position, this is ideal because it makes it easier for less experienced surfers to achieve a good top speed and glide safely through wind holes.
Manoeuvre handling
In principle, each tester keeps their own board during testing, only the sails are swapped. In this way, differences in handling can be felt immediately. To get a good rating here, sails should be easy to handle in manoeuvres such as power jibes, duck jibes, carving 360s and other classic freestyle manoeuvres, rotate quickly and have good batten rotation. Sails that combine a low dead weight with short boom dimensions, a flat profile and a pressure point that is further forward usually perform best here.
If you categorise yourself as an "up-and-comer", the following models should be on your shortlist (sorted alphabetically): GA Sails Hybrid, GunSails Torro, Loftsails Oxygen, NeilPryde Fusion, RRD Move, Sailloft Cross, Severne Gator
Type: Sporty freerider
Have you outgrown the beginner stage, are a confident glider and like to go full throttle - preferably on fast freeride or freerace boards with a single fin and a 4-loop setup? Do you enjoy a speed duel with friends more than manoeuvring and jumping? Then sails that combine good stability with high speed potential are ideal for you. Therefore, in addition to the "riding stability" aspect already explained, pay attention to the following criteria:
Speed medium wind range
Sails that load up noticeably after crossing the planing threshold make it easier to exert pressure on the fin with a constant basic pull on the sail hand and to accelerate noticeably in gusts. Sails with this power characteristic often also glide noticeably better in wind holes. With the necessary body tension (and a little courage), you can then let your freeride board fly fully over the fin and thus achieve a high top speed. Manoeuvre-oriented sails with a pressure point further forward are often just as fast when fully powered up, but in wind holes and on the cross you cannot maintain the pressure on the fin and thus the free planing of the board for as long - you will lose ground.
Control
To assess this aspect, we do not trim the sails completely flat, but rig them in a medium trim, which also guarantees a reasonable level of glide performance. If the pressure point of a sail moves backwards quickly in gusts or there are noticeable load changes on the arms, this results in deductions.
So if you categorise yourself as a "sporty freerider", your hit list would be (in alphabetical order): Loftsails Oxygen, NeilPryde Fusion, Point-7 AC-F, RRD Move, Sailloft Cross, Severne Gator.
Type: Manoeuvre surfer
Do you mainly surf in flat water and bump & jump conditions? For you, windsurfing means duck jibes, carving 360s and the occasional classic freestyle trick or even front loop? Do you also like to really step on the gas, but mainly on manoeuvre-oriented boards in the freemove and freestyle wave categories?
Then the sails that best suit your requirements are those that have good manoeuvrability, i.e. are light and agile in the hand, rotate quickly and have a low dead weight. You can get over the fact that these models may not be among the most powerful and fastest overall - the supposed speed advantages of the fastest sails in this group can only be realised on sporty freeride boards with single fins anyway.
The following selection of sails combines very good handling with decent performance (sorted alphabetically): GA-Sails Hybrid, Goya Eclipse, GunSails Torro, Point-7 AC-F, RRD Move, S2Maui Alchemy, Sailloft Cross, Severne Blade
Type: Surf surfer
Do you also like to surf in small surf or swell when the opportunity arises? Do you use multifin boards in the wave, freestyle wave or freemove categories as your base? Do you expect your sail to feel light in manoeuvres, rotate smoothly and be agile in the hand when riding waves? In this case, sails with a slightly shorter boom and a pressure point further forwards are best suited to you. It is also important that the sails are processed and reinforced accordingly - large monofilament panels and thin material thicknesses are not the way to go in the surf.
In principle, it is also worth taking a look at the group of pure wave sails, you can find them here in the test . In the size 5.6 to 6.0 square metres, and if you also want to use your sail often in flat water, you will also find suitable representatives with top handling and taker qualities in the freemove category tested here. These are (in alphabetical order): Goya Eclipse, S2Maui Alchemy The GA-Sails Hybrid, GunSails Torro, RRD Move and Sailloft Cross as well as the Severne Gator are also suitable for surfing with minor compromises.
If you have been able to categorise yourself into one of the types of surfer described, you can make your final selection based on the individual descriptions and grades, which should enable you to find your personal test winner and avoid bad purchases.
Difference between wave sails and freemove sails
How big are the differences to pure wave sails, which could also be considered in the 5.7 size? To answer this question, we used a wave representative, the Naish Force 5 in 5.7 square metres, as a comparison. The boom size of the Force 5 (176 centimetres) does not differ significantly from some freemove concepts, but the pressure point is noticeably further forward. As a result, the Force 5 requires more technique and a feel for the right angle of attack in order to get planing comparably early. If you have this, you will start planing about as early as with the Goya Eclipse or S2Maui Alchemy - so most freemove sails will start noticeably earlier.
When planing, it is more difficult to put pressure on the fin with the Force 5 even in light winds due to the pressure point being further forward. If you are travelling on freeride boards with a single fin, you will not be able to get as much speed and upwind performance out of your board as with the more powerful freemove sails. Nevertheless, it has to be said: Even with a Force 5 you can surf fast, the control is fully competitive and in manoeuvres everything turns into the opposite anyway: whether front loop, helitack or duckjibe, the compact dimensions of the wave sails, the usually flatter profile and the pressure point position mentioned above ensure noticeably less powerful shifting and rotating.
surf conclusion: The transitions between a freemove sail in this test group and wave concepts such as the Naish Force 5 are fluid - a Goya Eclipse or S2Maui Alchemy could conversely also take part in a wave sail test. If you primarily want to heat up with a single fin board and mainly ride power jibes to turn round, you will get noticeably more out of a real freemove sail. However, initial freestyle tricks, wave rides and rotation manoeuvres such as duck jibes or spin loops are usually a little less powerful with wave sails
All Freemove sails 5.7 to 6.0 in the individual rating
GA Sails Hybrid HD 5.6
(luff 435 cm, boom 180 cm, weight 3.62 kg, price 759 Euro)
The Hybrid HD grows with its tasks: Below 5.2 square metres it was tuned as a power wave sail, above 6.4 square metres as a freerider with more power, and in between as an all-rounder. There have also been minor changes to the leech tension, window size and outline compared to its predecessor. The equipment with the perfect protector and solid materials leaves nothing to be desired. On the water, the Hybrid offers a great mix of stability and agility and even if it is not an absolute powerhouse, it loads up well in the planing phase and pulls even less experienced surfers quickly over the planing threshold. On the straights it is wonderfully cushioned and comfortable in the hand, and trim adjustments are hardly necessary even in gusty conditions. In jibes and duck jibes, the profile changes sides almost silently and loops or first freestyle tricks such as Spock or Vulcan are also possible with the comparatively agile and light sail without any problems.
surf conclusion:The great strength of the Hybrid is that it has no weaknesses! The range of use is wide, both for heating on freeride boards and for manoeuvre sessions and loops on small thruster boards, the Hybrid is a clear recommendation.
Plus: Area of application, handling
Neutral: -
Minus: -
Goya Eclipse Pro 5.7
(luff 440 cm, fork 173 cm, weight 3.62 kg, price 850 Euro)
The rather compact boom dimensions and large grid foil already give you an idea that the Eclipse Pro was designed as a power wave sail. Despite the sophisticated mix of materials, the sail is one of the lighter models on the scale. The Eclipse wants to be rigged with a lot of visible loose leech, a marking in the top helps to find the trim. The sail also needs some basic tension on the boom, so it is not just "hooked in" loosely like other models. The Goya has a very damped effect in use, pulls a tight profile, which provides good planing power, but also requires some guidance to find the right angle of attack. In strong gusts, the Eclipse needs to be kept in shape with more trim sheet tension, but it rotates and shifts in manoeuvres such as duck jibes, loops or even normal jibes to the point of tongue-snapping and secures the points victory in this group.
surf conclusionThe Eclipse convinces as a handy and agile board for manoeuvres, jumps and real surf waves, ideally in combination with manoeuvre-oriented freemove, freestyle waveboards or even waveboards. Not bad for freeriding on flat water either - but not the top tip either.
Plus: Handling & manoeuvres, equipment
Neutral: Somewhat trim-sensitive
Minus: -
Gun Sails Torro 5.7
(luff 442 cm, fork 178 cm, weight 3.72 kg, price 539 Euro)
The Torro has been serving its purpose faithfully for 15 years and, as with the GA Hybrid, the large sizes have been optimised more for planing power and speed, while the smaller sizes have been optimised more for handling and manoeuvring. A trim mark in the top of the Torro also helps you find the right luff trim, and the further adjustments to the respective wind range are pleasingly small on the Torro - the wind range in one trim is correspondingly large.
In the planing phase, the sail stabilises immediately despite the rather short boom and is well balanced in the hand - even less experienced surfers will find it easy to quickly cross the planing threshold and get good top speed out of the sail. Even when powered up, the Torro's balance is particularly impressive: the pressure point remains stable for a long time and impacts are pleasantly dampened. And what about manoeuvres? There are no weaknesses here either, the GunSails is light in the hand, rotates nimbly through duck jibes, loops and planing manoeuvres and is a lot of fun even for ambitious surfers.
surf conclusion: The Torro has what it takes to be a mass sail - it works for heating on fast freeride boards, but also as a playful manoeuvring sail for use on manoeuvre-oriented freestyle waveboards. Only in real surf do you have to make minor compromises
Plus: Range of use, wind range, price
Neutral: Protector
Minus: -
Loftsails Oxygen 5.8
(luff 426 cm, fork 188 cm, weight 4.17 kg, price 765 Euro)
Despite a compact mast length - a 400 RDM mast fits - the Oxygen was also given six battens in the 5.8 size. Together with the more than solid equipment, this is reflected in a slightly higher weight on the scales. The Oxygen manages with little trim sheet tension over a wide wind range.
With its wide outhaul and slightly deeper profile, it sets off with a vengeance as soon as it is hauled tight. When planing, it stabilises perfectly and is very stable in the hand - corrections to the sail position are largely unnecessary here. Pressure point stability and wind range in one trim are at the absolute top level. This makes the Oxygen ideal for freeriding and really fast, with hardly any other sail in this group you can get so much pressure on the fin and let the board fly freely over the chops. In manoeuvres, the loftsail is slower, as expected, and the foot is a little bulky with duck jibes and the like. Ideally, the sail should be used to carve powerful race jibes and come out of the turn at full speed.
surf conclusion: A rocket sail that is ideal for motorising fast freeride or freerace boards and can easily be used for a windy race at the Defi. Not a suitable option for multifin boards and waves
Plus: Speed, control, wind range
Neutral: Handling
Minus: -
Neilpryde Fusion 6.0
(luff 444 cm, fork 191 cm, weight 4.03 kg, price 749 Euro)
Back in the Pryde range is the Fusion, which is also available in a latticed HD design and is intended to close the "gap" between the Atlas and Ryde models. The Fusion has a longer fork and a comparatively low profile. The angle of attack can be found immediately, the sail feels full in the hand and easily establishes itself in the top group of the best gliders. On the straights it always offers a noticeable ground pull on the back hand, which makes it easy to put pressure on the fin and let the board fly over the chops.
In strong gusts, however, minor load changes are noticeable with the mast used and you always have to make corrections to keep the pressure point in check. The use of the higher-quality SPX 90 RDM mast brought a noticeable improvement here. In manoeuvres, the Fusion is best suited to classic jibes with a lot of speed, as it delivers a good basic pull, but conversely does not rotate as easily and agilely as the models designed more for manoeuvres.
surf conclusion:The Fusion tends more towards freeride and scores as a fast and planing sail, ideally on freeride or freemove boards with a single fin. For tricks and waves, the Fusion noticeably lacks agility, here you are certainly better served with the Atlas.
Plus: Gliding; driving stability
Neutral: Control
Minus: -
Point-7 AC-F 5.9
(luff 440 cm, boom 190 cm, weight 3.70 kg, price 609 Euro)
The AC-F comes with an SDM mast, but a thin RDM mast also works in the sail. Apart from the poor mast protector, the equipment is impeccable, a trim point helps to find the right luff tension and the lengthening measurement is printed on the lower leech in 1:1 scale. Due to its very flat profile at the front, the AC-F needs noticeably more wind to exceed the planing threshold - the sail should therefore only be attached loosely to the trim sheet and not tightened with force.
When powered up, the AC-F stabilises very well, is balanced and extremely stable in the hand and becomes hellishly fast. The holding forces remain pleasingly low in a straight line, and you can largely save yourself the trouble of correcting the sail position and instead concentrate fully on accelerating. In manoeuvres, the Point-7 suits carved race jibes around the ton noticeably better than tricks such as duck jibes or carving 360s due to its long fork and basic characteristics that are generally optimised for freeriding.
surf conclusionFast and with endless control, the Point-7 is ideal for ambitious freeriders and stoked riders who enjoy racing with friends more than going out in the waves or jumping on multifin boards.
Plus: Speed, control
Neutral: Gliding
Minus: Protector very short
RRD Move 5.7
(luff 434 cm, fork 182 cm, weight 3.73 kg, price 926 Euro)
The Move already scores points on land with its flawless equipment: a marking in the top points the way to the right luff trim, the materials make a solid impression and the mast protector is easy to fold and close. Despite a rather short boom size of around 180 centimetres, the Move stabilises immediately during the start-up phase and makes it easy even for less experienced riders to quickly find the right angle of attack to quickly cross the planing threshold. Even when powered up, the sail is well-balanced and has no pressure point wandering in the hand, the damped profile absorbs chop comfortably - another reason why the Move can be ridden really fast.
Despite its simple handling characteristics, the RRD Move is by no means sluggish or even boring, but always offers the necessary degree of agility to effortlessly perform rotational manoeuvres from heli tack to spin loop. The RRD is therefore not the most powerful, lightest or fastest sail, but is at a very high level in all individual disciplines, making it a great all-rounder.
surf conclusion: Suitable for fast freeride boards, but also for manoeuvre-oriented freemove and freestyle waveboards - a successful all-rounder!
Plus: Wide range of applications
Neutral: -
Minus: -
S2Maui Alchemy 5.7
(luff 436 cm, fork 178 cem, weight 3.34 kg, price 805 Euro)
Judging by the materials used, the Alchemy can easily pass as a fully-fledged wave sail - there is no shortage of fibre-reinforced grid material here. Nevertheless, the S2Maui is one of the lightweights on the scales. Only the protector seems a little spartan. The Alchemy turned out to be a wonderfully damped sail in the test, which offers a lot of comfort in rough conditions and, despite its rather flat basic characteristics, pulls a full belly when close-hauled. This means that it needs a little more guidance to find the right angle of attack to the wind, but the bottom line is that it pulls passably well over the planing threshold. As the wind increases, the concept requires the fork trim to be adjusted a little earlier in order to stabilise the pressure point. The sail's showpiece is clearly its handling in manoeuvres. Thanks to its low weight, shallow profile depth and fairly short boom, it establishes itself as one of the absolute leaders in gybes, loops and even initial freestyle manoeuvres.
surf conclusion: Duckjibes, carving 360s, spin loops and sometimes even a wave ride - the Alchemy scores particularly well with manoeuvring fans for whom easy handling is more important than the last ounce of performance.
Plus: Manoeuvres & handling
Neutral: Somewhat trim-sensitive
Minus: Protector
Sailloft Cross 6.0
(luff 446 cm, fork 186 cm, weight 4.02 kg, price 829 Euro)
The freemove sail from Sailloft stands out with its large-area grid material, the foot is flared quite widely. The cross, which is designed as a 6-lattice in sizes over six square metres, copes well with moderate loose leech between the upper two battens over a large wind range. The tight profile scores with a large wind range, trim adjustments are kept to a minimum even in changeable conditions, as the pressure point remains reliably in place. The Cross stabilises immediately in the planing phase and offers plenty of planing power - a characteristic that also benefits less experienced planing surfers. Because it always offers a little ground pull on the sailing hand when powered up, you can put good pressure on the fin and let the board fly sportily over the choppy waves. Apart from the small size disadvantage, you can also feel the slightly higher dead weight in manoeuvres - the Cross is therefore better suited to long carved race jibes and power jibes than twirling and rotating.
surf conclusionThe Sailloft Cross convinces as a planing, controllable and fast sail, especially for sporty freeriders who like to speed across the water at full throttle. Those who focus fully on manoeuvres, waves or even freestyle will find the Cross a little too sluggish.
Plus: Control & wind range
Neutral: -
Minus: -
Severne Gator 5.7
(luff 435 cm, fork 174 cm, weight 3.25 kg, price 834 Euro)
With its short fork and full grille, you could almost buy the Gator as a wave bike. However, the first grip test reveals that the material is quite thin, a flyweight of 3.25 kilos is not easily achieved. The cut-out is long, even particularly tall or small surfers will hardly reach the limit here. The quite damped profile loads up well in the planing phase and immediately conveys a freeride feeling. When powered up, you can always feel a constant ground pull on the sail hand, which allows you to exert good pressure on the fin and accelerate powerfully up to a high top speed. The Gator requires pleasantly few trim adjustments and the wind range in one trim is above average. The Gator is also fully convincing in manoeuvres, where it benefits from its low dead weight and a pressure point that is well forward and allows the sail to rotate quickly. In duck jibes, the wide foot is sometimes a little annoying.
surf conclusion: The Gator is and remains a successful all-rounder that is just as much fun for sporty heating on freeride boards as it is with manoeuvre-oriented multifin boards for jumping and tricks.
Plus: Speed, wind range, handling
Neutral: Material partly quite thin
Minus: -
All the features and details of the 2022 Freemove sails in the video
The complete test of the 10 Freemove sails from SURF 5/2022 including overview tables, data and grades can be found here as PDF for download->
