North Sails Ice 4.7

Conclusion: The tightest sail of the test, very agile and controllable, but also a little more demanding.

[SEGEL] NORTH SAILS Ice 4,7 : [Tester] Manuel Vogel : [Spot] Langebaan/South Africa

On land: The North sail looks particularly solid, with a thick film and lots of reinforcements. The new protector has become really fat and stable. The loose leech is more focussed on the top area, which is why the trim markings have been moved closer together. However, with a luff setting just below "max", you already cover a very wide range without having to trim. Sensible prints - such as the different fork settings for different mounting heights - demonstrate attention to detail.

On the water: The Ice is perhaps the most aggressive wave sail in this test: direct, very tight, but also agile right into the strongest wind range. In gusty choppy winds, it plucks a little harder from time to time at the start, but if you position it correctly with feeling, it rewards the somewhat more technical input with a light ride and effortless surfing in a wide wind range. Excessive pull on the back hand doesn't seem to exist in the world of the Ice, it remains stable for longer than you can hold a 4.7. Alongside the Hero, it is now the more technically demanding, more specialised sail, which should appeal above all to good wave surfers who like precisely this direct riding feel.

Web: www.north-windsurf.com

Mast used: North Platinum RDM 400 cm, IMCS 19, 1.60 kilos, 100 % carbon

Price: 739 Euro

surf measurement

Sail weight: 3.62 kg

Mast weight: 1.70 kg