Armstrong MA series vs Unifoil Progression - has anyone have tried both and can comment?
Im looking for wing for prone surfing weak wind swell. Currently riding Armstrong HS wings.
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What’s your weight?
From everything I have heard and read, the Armstrong MA wings don’t pump particularly well compared to many other wings.
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The MA1225 pumps pretty well and I love it for small waves. First wave on it I got my first quad dip. I’ve also towed on it and done multiple triple dips and a legit 5 for 1. The MA1000 is not as easy to pump (for me) and is the foil @mikepedigo thought was “virtually not pumpable”. I’ll add that both are excellent for winging in waves.
Can’t comment on the Progression but would love to try one.
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I have both the MA 1225 and the 1000. Been riding both surfing and winging for a couple months now and there both great in the proper conditions. Definitely a little disappointed in the pumping of the 1000, definitely interested in the UNI 140+170.
Where can I find the article or podcast that the 1000 was described as unpumpable? I know that Mike Pedigo is an excellent rider and he tests all different brands so I’m really interested in hearing his input. I’ve been 100% Armstrong from day one for almost 3 years, have a large pile of wings stabilizers and masts. The MA wings are the closest yet to feeling like surfing but if there’s something that surfs and pumps better I’m all ears.
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Wow, Thanks!
I’m not sure if I should be super disappointed I’ve invested all this time and money into Armstrong or happy that I can actually pump the MA1000 ok with a 50 fuse on a good day, considering what Mike wrote. It does surf really well and I was considering getting the 800, it will likely be a great surf wing but a pumping fail for me. I had a love hate relationship with the HA925 and it’s high stall speed when it replaced my HS 1250 hoping for better pumping. Now I replaced the HA925 with the MA1000 with the hopes of better pumping and more surf style, it definitely checked one box.
Might be time to try different gear just for peace of mind. Going to wait for feedback from people who ride the UNI Progression gear first before I drop another $2,500 on a new rig. Wish this activity wasn’t so damn expensive!
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Update: I can’t stand not knowing. I placed my pre-order on Saturday for the 140. 
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Can’t wait to hear your thoughts
I have been riding the MA1225 winging, behind boat on wake, and in waves by SUP since they first came out. I sold my 1550v2 i loved it so much. It’s a fun wing that’s fast, turny, and breaches well. My primary complaint is it’s pump… for me at 85kgs and on the 795 mast with 235 tail I can’t seem to get the pump to work well. Yesterday, I tried the Unifoil Progression 170 behind my boat and was immediately blown away by the easy glide, carve, and especially the pump of this foil 83 mast 13” tail and 0,1,and 2 shims absolutely fenomenal epic! For me this set up on the 170 is exponentially better in all ways on a small boat wave compared to the Ma1225. I was pumping circles around the boat with ease. I have never pumped that far and it was my first session on this wing. I have been an Armstrong fan boy from the start. Im gonna keep testing this Progression 170 in real waves and with the wing before I decide to sell the Armstrong kit in full. Just thought I would share from an average Joe perspective. 
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Seems bizarre that the MA doesn’t pump, anyone have any idea why not? Too much emphasis on breaching?
My guess is wingspan is too narrow, I was looking at specs this morning surprised how small the span is.
I don’t think so, or at least not with the span on MA1225 is 935mm which is bigger than progression 140 at 898. My guess as to what caused it is lack of testing with prone foilers, but I’m interested in the actual design aspects that caused it not to pump.
Yeah but are you ever actually going to use a 1225 for prone foiling? Thats pretty big. Span on 1000/800 which is what people will prone with is pretty narrow.
Lol I was joking that Armstrong only tests foils with wingers and tow-ins and never with prone foilers in common waves so we have no clue how it pumps back out until people buy it and discover after released
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They have prone riders testing the gear, such as Oskar from NZ.
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I use the MA1225 for prone and wake foiling. I think it’s a great foil and pumps very well. I set a new personal record for pumping down our no wake zone channel with it. The MA1000 is a fantastic surf wing (especially for winging in waves) and pumps just ok but not easily IMO. I’ve used the Prog 170 briefly behind a boat a couple times. It carves really well and I pumped it a long way this morning with a tailwind. The progression has great glide but I don’t know if it’s light years ahead of the Armstrong. Need to do more testing!
Edit to add that the 195 tail is significantly faster with less drag than the 205. I imagine the 235 tail is even slower. Change up your tail if you’re having trouble.
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Ok the span on the MA1000 is 850 which is still big for prone, same story?
If we accept that the pump is difficult compared to an otherwise similar spec foil, my question is why?
@Matt - What do you consider a suitable span for prone? The Florida crew is ripping all over the place on the Prog 140 and 170, which both have spans you’re saying are big.
Sorry that I was responding to @beepityboppityboop saying 1225 too big to prone, which I disagree with. I think the progression 140 is great at 898mm, before that the Axis HPS 880mm and I would happily prone a span like the MA1225 935mm especially in summer!
If we accept that the pump is difficult compared to an otherwise similar spec foil, my question is why?
This is what confused me:
I don’t accept the 1225 doesn’t pump well, for my style/cadence it pumps great. The 1000 is more difficult to pump but if you stay high on the mast it works fine for connecting waves, I just can’t flatwater pump it 1/4 mile.
Ok yes that was based on my experience on 880 axis which felt really big, but it is a dated wing. Progression 140 at 898 I would go smaller still for winter days, hence 850 feels likely “middle” to me. But thanks for pointint that out.
Ok that is interesting, from the comments I’ve inferred that the MA doesn’t pump that well, I presume that applies to the larger wings too? Largely based on this thread and the unpumpable comment
Does it pump as well as alternatives you’ve tried with similar span? It seems maybe the newer tails help, and tuning is very sensitive.