My #1 goal is to start connecting waves. I’m currently riding an HS1250 + 300 tail + 72cm mast (armstrong), but can only pump halfway to the next wave.
If I were to consider any brand / any foil, what’s the #1 easiest foil to learn how to connect waves and improve my pumping?
Beginner/Intermediate? I started two months ago but foil 7-10x per week. Just looking to progress as fast as possible!
Conditions 1-3 feet / point break
The name of the website should give you a little idea haha
But jokes aside the Unifoil progression series seem to be really well liked on the forum for their great pump ability, especially for their size, compared to other brands.
Most of the other top brands have some good gear on offer for prone foiling, off the top of my head Takuma kujira, Cabrinha H-series, cloud IX, North Sonar, GoFoil, F-one, AFS are all pretty good and I am probably forgetting some other really good ones
The feedback I have heard about armie stuff is that they are really wing foiling focused, and good at that, rather than prone foiling.
If you can find an adequate spot near you you could also try dock starting to work on your pump technique, it will translate really well into being better at connecting waves
Id work on your technique before spending thousands on more equipment.
That is the foil I learned to connect waves on, just stay up higher on the mast and try to carry more speed when coming off the shoulder. I liked my 1250 with the V tail and 195 as well. Helped with speed and more glide at speed.
This is good advice, I just haven’t fallen in love with the armie gear I bought (bought used from a friend).
I hate how the smallest wing breach on my 1250 kills my waves and I’m not sure I want to expand my quiver with armstrong yet…
Unifoil Progression 170.
Best deal in foiling option. Onofoil m800.
You do not want to expand your armstrong quiver.
200 will be out soon. Just lent it to a buddy who has only connected a few times. First run he triple dipped, first one ever. Was so cool to watch it. But the 200 doesn’t like bigger surf.
For a newish foiler, what would you recommend for a complete progression setup? 68kg
What waves are you in? It’s a good foil. It helps you to progress.
usually 1-3 feet, 10-12 second period, point break - usually at higher tide when waves are mush
2-3 is pretty big for foil. Because it’s a point break you can cheat and ride further out on the shoulder once you pop up. But regardless. That’s still the equivalent of chest to head high on a normal surfboard. 
so 170 or 140 progression for a 68kg rider haha?
Look for foils with a span of 915-960 mm and an area between 1100 and 1400 sq cm Lift 170, progression 170, Armstrong MA 1200, axis whatever, gofoil 1150, honestly it doesn’t really matter. These dimensions will get you pumping and linking and increase that wave time and increase your skills but still ride a wave. From there the differences are more style specific and this will get you the skill you need to make those decisions. Obsess over that stuff now and you’ll inevitably make the wrong decision and invest in the wrong thing. If your on armie get a wing that fits in this box and ride it then be prepared to switch down the line once you know what you like
The one problem with that is the Armie MA wings are widely said to not pump as well. While the progression 170 is wisely said to have an easy pump and ride much larger than it’s size.
I personally spent my money on the Ono Foil m800 and it’s very good.
Yeah but nobody who wants to learn to link waves should go out and buy an 800!!!
#'s don’t mean everything. It rides larger than the size makes it sound. It is competitive with a lift 170 which you recommended for example. I think it’s better personally. Owned a lift ha170 for a long time.
The other option is to go full on crazy and get an AXIS 910b.
Nah, for axis I would go spitfire 900.
I’m 75kgs and the spitfire 840 is my smaller wave foil, and can easily connect 4+ waves with it.
What conditions are you going out in? Even a little bit of onshore wind makes pumping back out much more difficult.
mostly 1-2 ft offshore wind, occasional 3ft days
That’s pretty small and being a point break probably shallow and not much of a shoulder or face to turn on. My guess is you are not coming off the wave with enough speed. The HS1250 should be fine for your weight and probably just needs more speed (higher cadence) and staying higher on the mast.
Have you considered just adding the new Armstrong pump wing and keeping the HS?
The Uni Progression has great glide and good pump, but it’s not a free ride - still requires some skill and effort. Also the tips are quite thin and not ideal for shallow rocky points. And then there’s the cost of a whole new rig.
Second hand takuma kujira 1210/1095 probably comes really cheap, one of the best pumping surf foils. If you want to spend more, uni progression would probably be optimal.
However 10-12 sec swell you will have to quickly transition to faster foils if you don’t want to be stuck on the face of the wave the whole time. Cabrinha does a decent job for intermediate level, fone sk8 a bit faster and technical, fone eagle even faster.
It’s all tradeoffs so you have to find the foil that matches your current skill level and makes you enjoy and progress. Once you feel like you max out the foil specs it is time to move on. If you surf often the cycle can be every year or half year. You can also stick to one setup forever and that’s also ok but I think you miss out on progression a fair bit.