More and more wingsurfers want to take their wings into the waves or tackle their first freestyle tricks. A few things are crucial for a wing to function ideally for these purposes:
Low weight:
The lighter a wing is in the hand, the more playful and effortless it is to manoeuvre. Last year, we tested almost 30 wings from many different brands - in the 5.0 square metre test size, the weights on the scales varied between 2.1 and 3.4 kilos. The heaviest wing is therefore almost 60 per cent heavier than the lightest. If a wing is particularly light in the trailing edge area, it also floats better in the air when travelling downwind from waves without sinking towards the surface of the water.
Compact outline:
The bottom line is that wings with compact dimensions usually rotate a little more quickly. Contrary to popular belief, however, the wingspan is less important than initially assumed. The shape of the wingtips is more decisive in this context. If the front tube bends sharply and the wingtips are pulled far back, the wingtips tend to drag in the water during rotations and also when pumping.
Flat profile
For freestyling, wings with a rather flat profile and a front tube that is not extremely thick have an advantage, as this results in a higher top speed and less drag when manoeuvring into the wind. Disadvantage: Flatter profiles require more pumping in the start-up phase and they are not as stable in the straight line as thicker wings - for this reason, beginners ride with Freeride and all-round wings usually better.
The top wings for freestyle & wave
New wings come onto the market almost daily and of course nobody can test them all. The following selection is therefore not exhaustive and there are certainly other models on the market that deserve to be mentioned here. We will continue to test the most important new products in detail and objectively and will therefore regularly add to the following list. However, one thing is certain: if you are interested in waves and freestyle, you won't go wrong with the following wings. Furthermore, the following overview does not represent a ranking, it is aalphabetical sorting.
The best wave & freestyle wings of the year 2023
The best wave & freestyle wings of the year 2022
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Manuel Vogel
Editor surf
Manuel Vogel, born in 1981, lives in Kiel and learned to windsurf at the age of six at his father's surf school. In 1997, he completed his training as a windsurfing instructor and worked for over 15 years as a windsurfing instructor in various centers, at Kiel University sports and in the coaching team of the “Young Guns” freestyle camps. He has been part of the surf test team since 2003. After completing his teaching degree in 2013, he followed his heart and started as editor of surf magazine for the test and riding technique sections. Since 2021, he has also been active in wingfoiling - mainly at his home spots on the Baltic Sea or in the waves of Denmark.
