Forums > Kitesurfing Foiling

Zeeko Spitfire XLW vs. SUP type foil

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Created by emmafoils > 9 months ago, 25 Feb 2018
Youngbreezy
WA, 938 posts
21 Feb 2019 5:33PM
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I haven't sold the spitfire yet, I also haven't got anything to replace it yet.

I am considering a neil Pryde or axis setup. I would need 2 wings on either setup.

It might be a bad move as I haven't tried either set up yet and I am really loving the spitfire xlw. If it was just for kiting only I wouldn't want to change but I am mad keen to get in on some sup foiling this winter.

One thing that is great about the spitfire is it has really nice easy lift and I can ride it fairly slow but it also turns super tight and carves like nobody's business! I am kinda worried I won't be able to get the same sort of carving on a sup type wing?

This is the only foil I have really carved on before and one thing that is really noticeable is the amount of G- force when you go in for a hard carve. It's not throwing spray like carving on a surf board but I feel like I am getting significantly more g-force than on a surfboard. This observation is not specific to the spitfire but more an observation on foiling in general.

Do others also get this mad G-force hard carving feel.?

RAL INN
VIC, 2880 posts
22 Feb 2019 11:36AM
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Firstly from my own experience on the XXLW Spitfire is yes you can pump it but it seems to me to be a quick lift then forward pressure to get a down slope happening that builds speed up then quick lift to start again. To me this is slower and more relaxed than what I've seen on videos.
the XXLW goes slow so can't say the g force thing stands out except on a wave. The std Spitfire really is noticeable and sort of makes the feeling addictive.

Livit
WA, 542 posts
22 Feb 2019 1:23PM
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RAL INN said..
Firstly from my own experience on the XXLW Spitfire is yes you can pump it but it seems to me to be a quick lift then forward pressure to get a down slope happening that builds speed up then quick lift to start again. To me this is slower and more relaxed than what I've seen on videos.
the XXLW goes slow so can't say the g force thing stands out except on a wave. The std Spitfire really is noticeable and sort of makes the feeling addictive.


Are you talking about kiting or surfing? I have the XXLW and I can't see how you'd be able to pump it effectively on Surfboard or a SUP.

dafish
NSW, 1631 posts
23 Feb 2019 8:05AM
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Youngbreezy said..
I haven't sold the spitfire yet, I also haven't got anything to replace it yet.

I am considering a neil Pryde or axis setup. I would need 2 wings on either setup.

It might be a bad move as I haven't tried either set up yet and I am really loving the spitfire xlw. If it was just for kiting only I wouldn't want to change but I am mad keen to get in on some sup foiling this winter.

One thing that is great about the spitfire is it has really nice easy lift and I can ride it fairly slow but it also turns super tight and carves like nobody's business! I am kinda worried I won't be able to get the same sort of carving on a sup type wing?

This is the only foil I have really carved on before and one thing that is really noticeable is the amount of G- force when you go in for a hard carve. It's not throwing spray like carving on a surf board but I feel like I am getting significantly more g-force than on a surfboard. This observation is not specific to the spitfire but more an observation on foiling in general.

Do others also get this mad G-force hard carving feel.?



yup, the hard carving is what sold me on this design. It feels so solid and grippy.There is a slight more rear foot bias in the carve, more like the feeling you get on a surfboard, but not quite. I have been getting decent carves where I have noticed half the wing out of the water while the other half holds without breaching or skipping. Carving down the line with this setup feels like an excellent powder run.

RAL INN
VIC, 2880 posts
23 Feb 2019 5:56PM
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Livit said..

RAL INN said..
Firstly from my own experience on the XXLW Spitfire is yes you can pump it but it seems to me to be a quick lift then forward pressure to get a down slope happening that builds speed up then quick lift to start again. To me this is slower and more relaxed than what I've seen on videos.
the XXLW goes slow so can't say the g force thing stands out except on a wave. The std Spitfire really is noticeable and sort of makes the feeling addictive.



Are you talking about kiting or surfing? I have the XXLW and I can't see how you'd be able to pump it effectively on Surfboard or a SUP.


I'm using 90cm mast and this technique gets me through lulls for quite a distance with no power from kite.

Livit
WA, 542 posts
23 Feb 2019 4:09PM
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RAL INN said..

Livit said..


RAL INN said..
Firstly from my own experience on the XXLW Spitfire is yes you can pump it but it seems to me to be a quick lift then forward pressure to get a down slope happening that builds speed up then quick lift to start again. To me this is slower and more relaxed than what I've seen on videos.
the XXLW goes slow so can't say the g force thing stands out except on a wave. The std Spitfire really is noticeable and sort of makes the feeling addictive.




Are you talking about kiting or surfing? I have the XXLW and I can't see how you'd be able to pump it effectively on Surfboard or a SUP.



I'm using 90cm mast and this technique gets me through lulls for quite a distance with no power from kite.


That's what I thought, you're talking about kiting, not surfing or suping. I don't think the pumping technique works with this foil on a surfboard or a SUP.

RAL INN
VIC, 2880 posts
24 Feb 2019 11:10AM
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Maybe this is not pumping.






Livit
WA, 542 posts
24 Feb 2019 10:21AM
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RAL INN said..
Maybe this is not pumping.







Video please! I think this is just momentum

griffon727
1 posts
30 Aug 2019 8:52AM
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There is a new Canard SUP style foil about to hit the market that you can pump. Check it out, Onofoil.com, they also have videos pumping it and surfing it. It looks pretty rad, but it's not out yet. Hopefully soon! They have a kitefoil out that looks pretty fun though.

dafish
NSW, 1631 posts
30 Aug 2019 11:47PM
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The Onofoil looks interesting. One thing about the SP wings is that they both have lift, where this new foil though Canard, has more of a standard flow of stabilization.

Youngbreezy
WA, 938 posts
31 Aug 2019 10:23AM
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I will be able to post a valid update on this subject soon.

I have sold my spitfire and got a NP with large and medium wing.

I have been really loving sup foiling on the large wing but I haven't had a chance to try the medium kiting yet. I am looking forward to being able to really glide along waves and drift the kite

Frothing!! I will post soon

Youngbreezy
WA, 938 posts
30 Sep 2019 1:16PM
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Well I am about 8 sessions in on my NP glide medium with 65cm mast attached to axis MV 125, winds all in the low to mid teens, open choppy waters with small waves and bumps. I am 100kg intermediate,7m airush wave 9m airush ultra.

Well overall I am really loving the NP for kiting. My main aim with foiling is surfing bumps or waves and carving. The medium wing is 75cm x 1262 square cm of projected area and I feel like it has the perfect amount of lift for me for kiting. I can ride really slow and really surf even the tiniest bumps but I can also ride it quite fast and hammer up wind. The foil is very smooth, easy and predictable. The mast and all the connections are really strong and rigid which gives it a really solid stable feeling underfoot. One thing that is great about this wing is its easy predictable lift and good speed range. I find i can really get some speed up and it doesn't feel like it wants to pop out of the water or hit a specific top end speed.

In comparison to the xlw I feel like it is a much better choice for what I am trying to do. With my weight the xlw didn't have quite enough lift for the sort of riding I am doing. Being able to ride slow and stay up on the wing is really helpful when negotiating shallow areas and white water. Also having a wing with a lot of lift has meant that the seaweed is not as much of a problem. It's still annoying but it doesn't stop me dead in my tracks as much. One thing I hadn't anticipated was how much being able to really generate propulsion through pumping is useful even when behind a kite. Often if I have hit a flatspot through a gibe I can pump my way out of it or when I am riding toeside I will often pump to build or maintain speed instead of sining the kite. Upwind is also better on the big wing, it was already really good on the spitfire but having so much lift I can really point high into the wind to the point where I am almost dragging my kite behind me( this only happens with the wave not the ultra). The spitfire always felt a little power hungry, I have definitely dropped a bracket down in my kite sizing/wind range. The 9m ultra now feels almost too big and powerful most days, I will be on the hunt for a 3 to 4m for summer.

The big thing where the spitfire wins out is in the carving, you can really lay it over and carve hard with a lot of back foot drive. As I stated previously in this thread it's really quite a special feeling and I don't think I will be able to replicate it on the NP wing. I will be getting a longer mast for the NP which will help but I don't think it will ever match up for balls to the wall carving. Overall the spitfire xlw is a more performance wing but its also less stable and doesn't have the lift I wanted for my weight. I think for a lighter rider it would be a perfect option for a high performance free ride rig but for me I am happy I made the change.

The main reason I made the change was that I wanted a rig that would take different wings so i could use it for sup foiling aswell. I did really like the spitfire and I was worried I wouldn't be happy with the change but now I can clearly see the advantage of the extra lift for my weight and riding style.

I would highly recommend either setup. If your around 80kgs and want to ride hard and shred then go the spitfire xlw. If your a bit heavier and want to surf the bumps better and have a easy smooth ride the NP glide medium is a great choice



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"Zeeko Spitfire XLW vs. SUP type foil" started by emmafoils