With Aluula to the weight record - the Ocean Rodeo Glide on land:
We are used to pithy slogans from marketing departments, so we had the manufacturer's promise"40 per cent lighter than the industry standard" not overrated at first. On the test scales, however, the Ocean Rodeo Glide A-Series, to give it its correct name, did cause some astonishment: 1.85 kilos is an absolute peak value for a 5 square metre wing. This is made possible by a special laminate material called"Aluula"which Ocean Rodeo uses for the front tube and centre strut. This material is very light and noticeably stiffer than the standard material and should be filled with eight to twelve psi of pressure. This stiffens the structure of the wing, allowing the front tube and strut to be designed thinner and therefore even lighter.
You can find out what there is to say about the Wing's grip system, which other features are interesting and where we also discovered small weaknesses in the product clip on our YouTube channel .
On the water:
The Ocean Rodeo Glide Wing floats like a shadow on the way to the water's edge. With its thin front tube and rather flat profile, the wing is noticeably less powerful than other wings when ridden passively (without pumping). With an active riding style (pumping), however, the lower wind limit for take-off can be pushed to a competitive level. Because the Glide Wing is always very stiff, we recommend reducing the inflation pressure slightly, especially at the lower wind limit and in the hands of light surfers (<75 kilos) - 7 psi at the front tube and 10-11 psi at the centre tube are ideal. This makes the wing a little more elastic, which improves inflation. The fact that the weight of the Ocean Rodeo Glide is so incomparably low has a positive effect on inflation.
Our testers found the Glide's grip system completely convincing. Three fairly wide and comfortably padded handles are easy to grip during manoeuvres and allow you to move your hands sideways in order to waggle with even tension distribution. This makes the Ocean Rodeo Glide feel wonderfully light, even in a straight line, which enables effortless surfing. With its thin leading edge, the wing achieves a high top speed and therefore offers ideal conditions for powerful jumps and freestyle tricks, but also appears somewhat more agile and needs to be guided more sensitively in gusts.
Whether it's rotations such as 360s or "normal" foil manoeuvres, the Ocean Rodeo Glide rotates as if in fast motion and can literally be controlled with two fingers. In a neutral position, e.g. when drifting on the wave, the trailing edge of the wing remains in the air for a long time. Only when turning and riding swells do you sometimes have to actively turn the wing into the neutral (horizontal) position, as the glide has a slight tendency to tilt and sometimes does not level out properly on its own.
Conclusion:
The Ocean Rodeo Glide Wing raises the bar in terms of handling and manoeuvrability to a new level. For complete beginners, the Wing demands a little more when starting off, but if you have previous experience and can actively pump, you will soon be able to fully utilise the Wing's strengths - whether freeriding, trick riding or in the waves. The fast glide is ideal for fast foils with a high or medium aspect ratio.
Weight, manoeuvre handling, freestyle
Velcro on the leash a little short
Price
