SUP FOIL

SUP foil experts: our brand offers top-of-the-range equipment, expert advice and French carbon production for optimum performance.

Discover the unique SUP foil experience, where the glide turns into flight with every stroke of the paddle!
All about sup foil
SUP foil, and more recently SUP foil downwind, are revolutionizing the world of foil and water sports. By combining the glide of stand-up paddling with the flight of a foil, accessible in swells and waves, this discipline offers a unique experience combining glide, waves and speed. Whether you’re an intermediate or an expert, looking for performance or adrenaline on SUP downwinds or in the waves, there’s a range of products to suit all levels. And in a wide range of weather conditions.

Want to buy a top board with exemplary stability? Discover the new AFS models, including Whitebird and Blackbird. In fact, all our boards are high-performance and designed to maximize flight efficiency, even in moderate swell conditions.

But how do you master the starting technique? Follow this comprehensive guide to choosing the right SUP foil pack and finally getting started without the hassle!
What is a sup foil?
SUP foiling involves riding a Stand Up Paddle board fitted with a foil under the hull. The foil, with its carbon front wing, generates lift that literally sends you flying over the water. And to help you, you need a paddle to row and help you take off.

Downwind foiling is a discipline that allows us to propel ourselves with the swell of the open sea, preferably with a tailwind (or sometimes side shore), for long, committed runs and surfs, where every bump becomes a natural springboard. In addition to paddling, you need to use the pumping technique to take off more easily.

There’s also SUP foiling, which involves surfing the waves that break.

The SUP wing foil is another variant, where the rider sails on a board adapted to stand-up paddling with a wing in his hands (instead of an oar).

Finally, on flat water, you can practice pumping, still using an oar to pick up speed. However, you’ll need a prone foil board. And a very long-span foil to keep you flying as long as possible, while pumping with your legs.
Who is the sup foil for?
No need to be a pro! You don’t need to be a paddle or foil expert to supfoil. It’s a discipline that can be practised with the right equipment and materials, and which allows intermediate wingfoilers as well as experienced wingfoilers to ride. With the right board, a long fuselage and a stable front wing, even an intermediate rider can make rapid progress.

Courses given by specialized schools, or towed departures by boat, are highly recommended at the beginning, as is wingfoil. Check out online tutorials, of which there are many these days. This will give you a better understanding of balance and pumping, and enable you to handle your first flights with confidence. That’s why even a foil beginner can be introduced to SUP foil.

In addition, remember to wear protective gear (helmet, impact vest and neoprene suit) for your own safety.
Which foil to choose for SUP foil and downwind foil?
The foil is powered by a hydrodynamic force generated by its front and rear wings. When you pick up speed before you’ve even taken off, it’s this force that lifts you above the water, enabling you to fly with incredible glide stability and speed.

A foil is made up of several components (and it’s not necessarily a full-fledged surf foil that you need for SUP foiling):

the mast (75-85 cm on average), made of aluminum or carbon, depending on your budget and rigidity requirements.

a fuselage between 65 and 70 cm is recommended: a shorter carbon fuselage is more playful, while a longer fuselage provides more stability. Our new Fuselink fuselage is recommended for even smoother gliding.

the carbon front wing should have a low to medium aspect ratio (between 6 and 8 for beginners): this will help you maintain flight once launched. Large wings of 1500 cm² or more are ideal for beginners. And for an advanced wingfoil rider, you should choose a foil with an aspect ratio between 9 and 11 for more lift and speed, with a surface area of around 900-1200 cm².

the carbon rear wing: the larger it is, the more control and stability you gain, a plus in the learning phase. Minimum surface area 180 cm².
Aspect ratio
An important concept to take into account when choosing a wing is the Aspect Ratio. The aspect ratio is the ratio between wing chord and wingspan. It often starts at around 6 and goes up to around 14. Generally speaking, foils with a low to medium AR (Aspect Ratio) have a slightly thicker, rounded shape. They offer enhanced stability, excellent manoeuvrability, high lift and easy take-off at low speeds. Foils with a high AR are thinner and longer, which reduces induced drag. They offer exceptional glide and increased speed. The greater the foil’s aspect ratio, the higher its performance, with greater finesse and higher glide potential. However, they require a faster minimum speed to take off and generate lift. For the same surface area, a foil with a high aspect ratio will make wider turns than one with a lower AR. So, to get started in sup foil, we’ll tend to recommend a front wing with a low or medium aspect ratio for quick and easy take-off, ideally between 6 and 7. With practice, you’ll be able to move towards wings with higher aspect ratios.
Which board to choose for sup foiling?
The board is also a central element. For long downwind sessions, a generous volume (+ 30 to + 40 liters in relation to its weight) is ideal. The new mid-length boards have an elongated, narrower shape designed to guarantee a better planing start and a better flat glide to gain speed, and are also more stable. In addition, their hull is designed for a better transition between rowing and flying to optimize starts in swell or on a wave. Or in the light wind on a wing foil (SUP wing board).

Two constructions are available:

Inflatable boards (air): easier to transport, but less rigid. And too light in stronger winds.

the rigid board: better performance in general.

Before riding SUP foils in bigger ocean downwind conditions, start by sailing in a small swell…
How do I get started with sup foiling?
Above all, choose a safe spot: watch out for tides, rocks, underwater slabs and sandbanks! A 1 m swell with a period of 9 to 10 seconds is perfect for learning. Avoid hollow waves and close swells, preferring long undulations to learn to read the water and set your starts.
Where to buy SUP foil equipment?
Today, specialist stores and brand websites such as AFS foiling offer a wide range of products. You can also find second-hand equipment. If you’re looking for a special price, a board and foil package will be the best choice to get you started. However, our team will always be there to point you in the direction of the recommended retail price if you want to buy equipment in parts, especially foils.

Need a good deal? Don’t wait any longer, we’re offering you the complete Downwind Access package with the Whitebird board (available in 7’8 or 8’2) and the Enduro 1300 cm² foil with bag.

Or enjoy a long downwind with the new AFS Blackbird V3.

SUPfoil and downwind is more than just an outdoor activity, it’s a sensation of total freedom. Just as windsurfing and kite-foiling, for example, revolutionized water sports in previous decades, today the foil has largely found its place: flying noiselessly, surfing the swell or the waves to experience intense sessions, that’s what many passionate riders are now looking for. It’s fair to say that SUP foil is indeed an innovative water sport.

All you have to do is find your gear, perfect your pumping technique and go! Pro or not, the most important thing is to have fun!