You posted this just as I was writing this
Simple bullet points with the pros & cons listed under the clickbait posts would help me. As much as I dislike the thought of AI , if it could sum up the video into a few points that would be good.
The oter rant I have is, just because you have a go pro doesn’t necessarily mean you need to clog up facebook with your videos. It’s as bad as people posting what food they had for dinner.
YouTube has a summarise button at the bottom right of the screen.
The transcript button is also critical. These big youtube vlogs with no chapters or organization of any sort that expect you to watch an hour plus of vid to get a few notes on 1-2 things you are interested in are brutal. Click the transcript button, search for relevant terms, watch that, move on.
Since I don’t watch many reviews my only other real dislike is when a reviewer labels an entire product line as next level, game changer, whatever, but only tested 1 size, doesn’t disclose the size, and doesn’t disclose the other parts of the system (board, foil, location, wind speeds, amount of time spent using it, etc.). A review calling a 5m a game changer doesn’t bother me but claiming the whole line is epic does.
I’ve had an idea bouncing around for a while…
We’ve got 70+ foilers in central Florida with all different skill levels and gear. The one thing we all have in common is we live somewhere with pretty terrible wind and waves. We have advanced riders, intermediate riders, and obviously beginners, so finding tons of gear to try and swap is easy.
I’ve almost always bought last year’s top gear used through the classifieds. It seems like that’s where some of the best values are.
I was thinking it could be fun to start doing reviews focused specifically on the used market. Stuff like what last generation foils are still incredible buys, older mid length boards that still hold up, parawings that are worth picking up used, and just highlighting gear that’s a great value instead of always chasing the newest release.
My only hesitation is whether the production side of it is worth it. Filming, editing, and putting everything together takes sooo much time 
On the contrary - my best performing YouTube videos are hour long unscripted downwinders where I ramble to a gopro (with almost zero edit time / planning).
Kind of frustrating when comparing it to a shorter video that took some time to make. But I think there’s a niche for more authentic less scripted content.
Great idea. Reviews in hindsight, not a review of what has just been released on the market. A return to some gear from a few seasons, with the present context, and taking into account the overall direction of the sport, the evolution of skills from the reviewer also. Something along the lines of “Should you get a cheap GoFoil NL160 kit in 2026?”
Or also reviews of gear that fell through the cracks of the usual reviewers, something like the Takoon Zenith parawing v1, which someone will inevitably stumble upon in the used market, and will make the mistake of purchasing… “Should you get a cheap Takoon Zenith to start your journey into parawinging?” With the answer being a resounding F*ck No!
Lots of interesting topics to cover, but that takes a fair bit of effort
Naish morph
I feel like, for foils, the wing designs got pretty dialed around 4 years ago and since then EVERYONE makes a good foil, and outside of mast stiffness/efficiency stuff it was mostly about the numbers - hitting exactly the span, aspect ratio, etc. Now everyone has even been shamed into making a good mast.
True that! As an example, I looked for a used code 850 S for some time and nothing. A foil going into its third season. Settled on an 810 X, also great!
It seems like new foilers just drown in options and most are scared-off by it. This is why you need a shop or an expert to help you buy even used gear, but many brands are going “direct-to-consumer” to stay afloat. I foresee this industry consolidating.
If a few of us join in, we can fix all the foiling video titles:
“Most insane trick with this new foil saved me $1000/month on car insurance”
to
“Pump and turn impressions in F-One Sushi (pro/180lbs/HH Waves)”
Just grab the dearrow browser extension. It fixes so much of youtube! https://dearrow.ajay.app/
I’m also considering doing a foil techniques / review channel of old gear / asking foilers how fast light wind really is. I’d like to see more comparisons of old gear.
Rider skill / weight / wind / waves / salinity / temperature / etc matter so much, so most reviews aren’t very helpful.
It’s been interesting to watch major dealers who are obviously trying to sell us new stuff, regarding what they are NOT reviewing…there have been a couple pieces of gear I was very interested in, but couldn’t find reviews for even after the stuff had been out a while. In once case, I finally had a private exchange with a well known reviewer who said “nobody in the shop liked that board…too sticky” and they never did a review that I could find…it seems like sticking to reviews of stuff they are psyched about is a decent strategy (if that in fact is the case)…
The 850S might be the best foil ever made. I’m not sure I could sell mine, it is so versatile. I doesn’t do anything better than any other foil, but it does everything almost as good. And it is the best feeling foil I’ve ever ridden. I don’t see them for sale either
lol me too, I ended up buying a 720s this week, on a hand me down No limits v2.
Amen brother! I to am tired of the small gimmicks for big cost shameful behavior out there. I like a stable and comfortable board that is constructed like a tank. I want the same out of my mast and wing. If I need to loose a few pounds of weight I can take a 
before I ride or eat a little Less at Taco Bell. So I like bamboo construction (super tough), aluminum mast (universal like Cedrus is best), a tough wing (let ya know when I find this) and a board that’s 6’1” to 4” x 25 to 27”. I don’t want to be stuck somewhere and not have a board that’s floats me! Not the industry direction but I don’t want something to snap or sink when I get in trouble. A few pounds is not worth it!!!
Maybe a different answer is to look to more universal gear. One board quivers, universal mast, foil that covers a large range of conditions. These things exist but it’s always the lightest or fastest or “game changer”. I suggest more conversation with other riders on the beach. Most will share what they experience and even usually will let each other try something that is really good. I also think influencers should be required to do more demo’s of the gear they solicit. If you ain’t willing to stand by it I ain’t gonna buy it!
In terms of things that last, bombproof and worry-free, I’d leave aluminum masts aside. Needs to be taken apart regularly, rinsed, mess with tef gel on fasteners… It’s not been a worry free ride for me, at all. Also bent, also developed slop at the plate interface,…
Inversely, GoFoil masts (and fuse) have been completely bombproof. They could be left assembled for years and would never develop any issue.
Wings built like a tank is a bit more problematic, weight and balance is really a critical part of performance equation there, and it looks like no matter what, the canopy will get a beating after intense usage. Strongest built I’ve had, by far, has been the North Mode Ultra. Canopy does not stretch, but your rotator cuffs do. Strong and long lasting, but unfortunately not necessarily my first choice for how I want to ride.