Slingshot 2023 Foiling Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Foiling 2023 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Slingshot
Interviewee: Brand Manager Wind/WIng

Is the wingfoil fad boosting all the foiling disciplines (kiteboard, wind foiling, foil surfing, foil SUP…)? Or did the wing cannibalize the market?

You definitely saw some of peoples disposable income moving from kite foil or windsurf foil into the new and exciting sport of wing. But all the disciplines are still going strong especially as so much of the foil gear crosses over. One new sport is just one more reason to buy that sweet new foil!

Price points used to be a major barrier for the democratization of the foiling activities. Is that still true?

Well you really have 2 groups now. One is the price point focused aluminum foil market, where cost is still super important especially for folks jumping all in and getting kitted out for the first time. The second group has been foiling for a while and they have done their research and know exactly what they want. For this group, price is less important than availability and getting exactly what they want.

Do you do packages (hydrofoil + board, and possibly wing/kite)? Please explain why you do or do not offer packages.

We promote the package deals a lot with wake, as those people tend to be totally new to foiling and just want something they know will work easily for people. We suggest packages to our retailers (gear that pairs well together) but it is ultimately up to them to create the packages. We like to let the dealer have control of this, especially in the past couple of years where supply chain issues were a factor.

The modular foiling setup grew in popularity, making it possible to ride in multiple conditions and to adapt to various disciplines. What is your take of this trend?

We went all in on modularity with our Hover Glide foil package, every component was compatible with all other components. This was a big reason it continues to sell so well. People love the fact that they can upgrade and tweak their ride to their style. We kept full modularity with our newer Phantasm foil platform, it is for sure the way to go since so many wings work for a wide variety of sports applications.

What are the highlights of your 2023 hydrofoil offer?

We have two new series of front wings coming out: The E-Series (Easy) comes in 3 larger sizes, get you up on foil at low speeds and just makes everything easy with downturned wingtips for safety. The G-Series (Glide) wings unlock that pump and glide feeling of frictionless freedom that keeps us all hooked on foiling. They offer a ton of multi-sport compatibility for anyone looking to maximize pump and glide without sacrificing low-speed get-up and go. The larger wings give you more glide and increased pumping efficiency while the smaller sizes are more reactive in the turn for tighter carving.

What are the highlights of your 2023 foilboard offer?

Our new Wing Craft V2 boards are all new shapes that come in an expanded array of sizes: 50L,60,70,80,90,105,120,140. They were designed to plane as quickly as possible with hard rails and a flat bottom. The new Wing Craft has ample volume in front of your front foot and provides an outstanding balance that keeps the nose from pearling during aggressive pumping or accidental touch downs. Our new LTF (Learn To Fly) inflatable boards. They come in both 180L 6’0” and 210L 6’6” and are the one board you need to teach yourself and your friends how to wing from the first rides to full foiling. They can be used as both a twin fin board with keel fin or as a foil board. They offer a carbon bottom plate that delivers incredible stiffness when using the foil, and you can remove the foil and install the included twin fins in the foil tracks and then install the included sUPWINDer keel fin in the slot in front of the twin fins. Now you have the perfect board to teach people how to wing and stay upwind before they move to full foiling.

Our new Manticore wing foil boards come in 90L, 105L and 120L. They are durable compression molded board that comes at a great price point. Designed to be forgiving and quick to get up on a plane with a very flat bottom shape, giving you more time to progress your foil skills. They feature both Tri-footstrap and inline front foot options as well as a bottom carry handle and extended foil tracks that allow you to perfectly place the centre of lift of any foil. These boards will provide incredible value and durability in a timeless shape.

Do you fiddle with new materials/alloys as far as wings/masts are concerned?

We have definitely been testing different aluminium alloys for fuses checking the stiffness and corrosion characteristics. For masts, we are constantly tweaking layups and using different carbon fabric to increase stiffness and reduce weight. That tinkering never stops at Slingshot.

What is the added value of your brand concerning Retailer Support: Education (online/physical), POS in shops, Clinics, etc.?

We just released our new Foil Academy online www.foil-academy.com
Foil Academy is a free comprehensive online instructional course designed for user-friendly foil progression in a safe and structured manner. We break the learning process down to the basics and cover all the skills and knowledge you will need to become a proficient foiler. Slingshot’s industry-leading riders and designers cover everything from basic foil behavior, design and hydrodynamics to getting up, riding, surfing and advanced transitions. As you follow along with the course, you’ll learn valuable skills, tips and tricks that you can apply directly to your in-water progression.

The wake and wing academies are live now and we will be releasing the kite, and windsurf modules shortly. These in-depth courses offer everything you need to know to pick your gear, assemble it and all the lessons you need to become a proficient foiler.

Key Products:

LTF (Learn to Fly) Board

This inflatable board with its big stiff carbon bottom plate can be used with either a foil or with twin fins in the rear and a centre sUPWINDer keel fin. It packs into a small rectangular carry case and includes a pump as well as twin fins and a big sUPWINDer keel fin. You can take this board anywhere and teach your friends from their first day with a wing to their first flights on the foil. The stiff carbon foil plate on the bottom delivers hardboard like foil pumping performance.

LFT.FOil

Phantasm Glide Series Wings 800,900,1000

The G-Series (Glide) wings unlock that pump and glide feeling of frictionless freedom that keeps us all hooked on foiling. They offer a ton of multi-sport compatibility for anyone looking to maximize pump and glide without sacrificing low-speed get-up and go. The larger wings give you more glide and increased pumping efficiency while the smaller sizes are more reactive in the turn for tighter carving.

Glide-Series Wing

Manticore Wing Foil Board

Our new Manticore wing foil boards come in 90L, 105L and 120L. They are durable compression molded board that come at a great price point. Designed to be forgiving and quick to get up on plane with a very flat bottom shape, giving you more time to progress your foil skills. They feature both Tri-footstrap and inline front foot options as well as a bottom carry handle and extended foil tracks that allow you to perfectly place the centre of lift of any foil. These boards will provide incredible value and durability in a timeless shape.

Manticore