KT Surfing is backed by Keith Teboul, one of the most renowned shapers in the windsurfing industry. However, the wing designs are realised under the leadership of Jason Diffin, who has also made a name for himself in the windsurfing business as a sail designer.
On land:
The KT Wing Air is available in the sizes 2.0/2.5/3.0/3.5/4.0/5.0 and 6.0 m2 and in two colour variants. At 318 centimetres, our test size 5.0 had a comparatively small span in relation to the surface area. In contrast, the centre strut of the Wing Air is quite long at 215 centimetres. The thick diameters of the front tube and centre strut are also striking, as is the canopy material, which appears robust and thick throughout - which also explains the slightly higher weight of 2.80 kilos. When inflating, you use two valves, so you have to change the plugs once. However, deflating is very quick. In any case, the handle system, which has extremely long but tightly sewn handles, is special. This allows the lateral grip position to be varied perfectly, although you do have to grip more precisely during manoeuvres to avoid missing the grip or accidentally catching one of the transfer trades. The covers on the seams and wingtips look rock solid, so the wing should survive a skate session without any problems.
We also present the KT Wing Air again in a short clip on our YouTube channel before. Click inside!
On the water:
The KT Wing Air feels balanced in the hand when first pumped up and benefits from its compact wingspan, which largely prevents annoying dragging of the wingtips in the water. The wing has a nice stiffness and has no tendency to feel soft or spongy even in the hands of heavy surfers (>85 kilos) - on the contrary. If the wind is at its lower limit, you can reduce the recommended inflation pressure by one psi, which will make the KT Wing Air inflate even better. In any case, the Wing provides a lot of power and delivers a lot of basic pull and a stable inflow after take-off. This makes it easy even for less experienced wing flyers to find the right angle of attack and a stable flying position.
The fact that the Wing Air is not one of the most playful wings on the market is the other side of the coin, a feeling that is also confirmed in manoeuvres. Although the compact wing rotates quickly when foiling with the wind or riding waves downwind, the small additional weight on the long centre line is noticeable, causing the trailing edge of the wing to sink towards the water earlier. The speed potential is rather moderate - probably due to the deep profile.
KT Wing Air - the conclusion:
The Wing Air impresses with solid features, plenty of power and a stable flight position, especially for freeriding and, thanks to its neutral flight behaviour, also for drifting on waves. The low profile slows down the speed on the straights and when manoeuvring upwind; freestylers who want to accelerate with fast high-aspect foils will find more potential here with other wings.
Equipment, gliding power, neutral drifting
Speed potential
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