Boards with more length offer great advantages, especially in light winds, because they reach the necessary take-off speed faster than short, compact shapes (Here's an article on the advantages and disadvantages of mid-length boards). However, because the pack size can become an obstacle with increasing length, Ensis has developed the Waltz Air now has an inflatable downwind board in its portfolio.
Ensis emphasises that the model uses the highest quality construction available for inflatables on the market, in which cross-woven dropstitch fibres are fused under heat and pressure. The result should be an extremely stiff, highly resilient board that is up to 40 per cent lighter than conventional inflatable designs. On the Website of the manufacturer the boards are in fact specified at a very light 5.3 to 5.9 kilos. To create a rigid connection to the foil, Ensis uses a rigid carbon plate on the underside of the board.
The Ensis Waltz Air is now available in the sizes 7'0''x20.5'' (115 litres), 7'6''x22'' (135 litres) and 7'9''x23.5'' (145 litres). The scope of delivery includes a matching bag and pump. As the board is equipped with foot strap plugs, straps can be fitted as an option - however, these are not included in the scope of delivery. You can also find more information on the manufacturer's website.
