The Naish Wing-Surfer MK4 Wing on land:
With a wingspan of 318 centimetres, our 5.0 Wing-Surfer MK4 is still compact, but compared to its predecessor, the "Wing-Surfer" ( HERE there's a test) has been given a slightly more elongated shape in order to be more balanced on the straights and more stable in the hand. The diameter of the front tube has also been increased slightly, which should improve stiffness and pressure point stability. Thanks to a deeper profile, the MK4 should now develop more power in light winds. The grip system on the Naish Wing-Surfer MK4 has been fundamentally revised - wider and more tightly sewn, the handles now offer significantly more lateral freedom, allowing you to choose the grip position more freely.
What changes have been made compared to the predecessor model and the model we also tested? Naish Matador and what small weaknesses we discovered in the equipment can be seen in this clip on our YouTube channel. Take a look.
Overall, some minor criticisms of the previous model have been sensibly revised: An additional valve on the centre strut now allows the wing to deflate more quickly, and there are now also small loops on the strut for the optional attachment of a trapeze pole. The window still offers a good compromise between transparency on the one hand, but still guarantees a small pack size on the other. The other equipment details, such as the seam covers or the protection of the wingtips, are at the usual high level.
The Wing is available for Online surf shop available .
On the water:
The Naish Wing-Surfer MK4 feels as if it has been cast from a single mould from the very first few metres: the profile appears firm, even when 90-kilo chunks pump up, the wing is by no means spongy. We would recommend that lighter riders (<75kg) only inflate the wing with around 7 psi of pressure, as the MK4 then feels a little more elastic and can be inflated more efficiently at the lower wind limit. The bottom line is that the MK4 is not an extremely powerful wing, but is more in the middle range in light winds, but can be inflated well and efficiently with an active flying style. The fairly compact wingspan prevents the wingtips from getting stuck in the water when pumping. Even in really strong gusts, the wing remains wonderfully stable at the pressure point, with hardly any noticeable load changes on the hands. The new grip system also allows you to move your hands sideways and thus always find a position with ideal tension distribution - which noticeably improves the freeride suitability compared to the previous model.
We particularly liked the Naish Wing-Surfer MK4 for sporty freeriding in combination with fast high-aspect foils, because on the one hand the Wing is very stable and controllable in the hand, but on top of that it also offers good speed potential. In manoeuvres, it conveys an all-round light and above all neutral feeling, without any disturbing life of its own. Apart from a few extremely weight-optimised wings ( Ocean Rodeo Glide , Duotone Unit ), the MK4 has nothing to shy away from in terms of handling. However, the wide but tightly sewn handles require very precise gripping during manoeuvres and therefore some practice. On the other hand, steering impulses are transmitted without delay and even in gusty conditions you always have a pleasantly direct contact with the wing.
The Naish Wing-Surfer MK4 also shows no weakness when riding small swells, where it doesn't quite achieve the neutrality of its stablemate, the Naish Matador, but still drifts along well-balanced.
Conclusion:
The Naish Wing-Surfer MK4 convinces as a complete all-rounder! Compared to the previous model, the adapted grip system and the changes to the profile and outline have resulted in significantly improved freeride suitability. Thanks to its good manoeuvrability and compact dimensions, the MK4 can also easily handle ambitious freestyle rotations and is therefore suitable for an extremely broad target group, from intermediates to freeriders and freestylers. Compared to the Naish Matador, the wind range of the MK4 is significantly larger, only those who mainly want to ride waves should orientate themselves towards the Matador.
Control, wind range, application range
Leash slightly under tension
Position of the front handle
