Year to be buying a surf foil it would seem, spoilt for choice:
Announced or released:
Rumoured/Leaked:
Guesses:
Any I’m missing? (not every foil company, just those to release a “surf specific” foil this year)
I’m most curious about North as a relatively new option with very strong engineering and product background.
What about Cloud 9? Their FS model seems to be generating excitement. Not sure when it was released. Even if it wasn’t in 2023 it sounds like a top contender currently.
Not to hijack this topic, but let’s add to the fun with top draft choices - what are you most likely to buy or want to try?
It’s pretty tight for me across Uni, Cloud 9, Lift, and Cab. But M8 hardware is the tie breaker (not sure what Cloud 9 uses):
#1 Uni Progression 140 and Hyper 2 170
#2 Cloud 9 FS 700 or 850
#3 Lift whatever new HA thing or size they come out with but somewhere in the 120 to 150 range. Tied with Cab in something around 800
Weight is 85 kg.
150lbs and less: lift and Cabrinha
175lbs: Uni
200lbs: gofoil and axis
Onofoil M800. Best deal in foiling. 
I’m at 140 lb. I’m 100% sure to get a new foil set up in 2023 with this likely ranking:
1: Unifoil Progression 140
2: Lift 150?
3: Takuma upgrade as a long shot
I already have Lift and Takuma gear.
I’m a 100kgs, am on gofoil but would like to demo unifoil or cloud 9, just not sure they’ll be strong enough, any feedback on this?
Just bought Unifoil quiver for prone and wing. I am 90kg.
Mast- 75 and 83 Katana
Wings: Vyper 170 and 190; Hyper2 170 and 190
Fuse- 27 and 33
Tail; 13’ 3 pack and 18’Race
I ride a 4’6” Amundson Fire Bolt for prone and a 4’9 Dwight Fisher custom wing board…
Coming off of Lift. Main issue with Lift is they don’t offer enough optionality. I feel like everything is geared toward their eFoil business. Otherwise loved their stuff. Before Lift I had all the Armstrong 1st generation equipment. Their bigger wings wobbled at the connection points. They told me it is made to wobble a bit. Then came out with A+ system and I angrily exited the family.
Back to UniFoil. I freaking love the gear! Super high quality design and material. The Vyper is a next level surf wing. The Hyper 2’s are rocket fast, still roll very well, and ride smaller than their size. I THINK I love the Katana mast. You give up a bit of glide and weight but I do think I like the benefits of the extra stiffness. Makes everything feel very connected and receptive. Anyway, just my latest thoughts… can’t wait to get back out in the Gulf Coast mush!
Great idea!
I’m ways away from buying anything until I’ve had a back to back and dust settled.
1 Unifoil progression 140 - team nearby and probably best suited for UK waves, and with everyone on one it will help with dialling tuning
2 North/Cabrinha - big money companies so their pricing is aggressive and I like the sound of the North mast
3 Axis because I have that setup but tempted for a new feeling. I’m hopeful that because James Casey surfs well and has relatively punchy waves in Aus he would have influenced (past tense!) a much refined ART/HPS merge that goes well in punchy surf, and also DW capable.
Wildcard - Reedin demo down the road I’d like to try
I think I’ll wait till @TooMuchEpoxy to try unifoil and cloud 9 and hear his verdict, we’re similar weights and he puts foils to the test and if they work for him then there’s a good chance they work for me. i was going to try cab but he broke them so not an option now
I’m hearing this from a few folks about the Ono 800. 
Howzit, I’m 100 kg and been winging with Cloud 9 FS 1000 and 1150 - jumping and landing hard for a few months. They are solid - they changed the design to have front wing molded onto a half fuselage, rather than a bolt on front wing. I’ve been super impressed with the glide as well. Hope to try the Uni Vyper soon as well-my buddy rides the Vypers and he boosts even bigger, but weighs a bit less than me, he’s loving their setup. Either way both have M8 Torx head screws, which I think are now a deal-breaker if a foil set has M6 screws. Other brands I’ve tried have not necessarily held up as well to the abuse.
I’m a 100+kg and I was lucky enough to ride the hyper 2 170 today wingding 20kn, with 75cm normal mast and short fuse. It took me a bit to get use to the ride as normal kit is gofoil. It’s a super smooth, reliable ride and the turns are great even pressure throughout and it’s fast too. Only got to ride for an hour but first impressions where great and definitely in my top two choices either Unifoil or Cloud 9 for 2023. The progression 170 looks great.
A mate has the cloud 9 so going to try that next, we are spoilt for choice in 2023!
Not on my list at the moment! I say buy and try and flip it if you hate it! Shit even if you break it everyone’s warranty is so good you just flip the replacement! TBH I think nothing of throwing away $400 on buy-ride-sell, probably done 4 in the last year… Just don’t be one of those idiots trying to get full price out of used gear! A PERFECT used foil is at most priced at 80% of current retail. Down from there. My target time on market is a week, price drops $50 a week after that.
I fully agree. It’s essentially a rental fee. If you buy the brand new hotness and price it right it sells fast. When you hold onto a foil for a year then it’s basically worthless, so might as well buy and sell quickly.
F-One Skate is in the leaked 2023 catalogue so definitely an option -although unfortunately no precise launch date. Btw great to see Adam Bennetts and Jack Ho riding this brand which is not so much on the radar (here).
I didn’t realise but I guess he is riding the Eagle in most of those clips? Both look interesting.
Here is the link to the French forum which has the catalogue. Maybe I need to chop my Tail, board and stab.
Edit: English auto translate version below
Adam Bennet’s said in an Instagram comment somewhere that he has all the sk8’s and liked the eagle’s better. Then in his next post was on a sk8. So who can tell what he’s up to these days.
Thanks - lots of images of Mr Bennetts Sk8 setup on that feed. Crazy thing though is they are launching a fixed stab/fuse option. Certainly efficient but some might be put off not being able to shim.
Doesn’t look like the new takumas will shim either. Not really liking this trend.