I’m a code foil rider, 180 lbs winging in mostly marginal swell with the 1250r + 151r tail + medium fuse + 75cm plus mast. I am really enjoying the style of this foil, it’s effortless to glide for huge distances with my wing flagged out, like a true long-board.
I’m shopping for my second foil to cover bigger days where the 1250r is just to much. I am really eyeing my trip to the gorge in July as well, where the 1250r will be in my bag, but likely stay dry.
What is a good foil in the code range for hood river?
Given that I like the R range, should I just size down to around an 880, or are the R range not suitable for the gorge conditions?
if youre able to ride the 1250R easily (its not the most maneuverable or user friendly), then you should stick with the R. The S is either for wave turning or ease of use, while the R is for pure performance, once you get hooked on the R, its hard to look back at the S and respect yourself riding it. MAke sure you get one of those 100-120 high aspect tails, thats a game changer
The 120r is better in every way than all the other tails. Better glide, pump, turn, and no difference to low end. I changed brands so never got to try anything smaller but I surely would be riding the 100 if I was still on code.
At 190# I’ve been very happy with the 980S as a one foil quiver for the Gorge. It’s occasionally a little big in the short sections of runs where the swells are the biggest but more than makes up for this through the smaller stuff. Pair with a 120R or 135 tail.
You’ll never use a 1250R here. I have a 1075R I never use
There is really not much point to the R series in the Gorge, They are rideable of course but there’s no need for that much performance here and you miss out on the great turning of the S.
I avoid commenting on every reply of yours but this is funny enough to break the restraint
The code S range is the best value surf foil range in my opinion. The 850 980 and 1130 are all delightful surf foils.
I have no idea what @Meow is getting at but if you want to learn to Turn which is without a doubt the most important skill in foiling, you cannot do better than the Code S for good value
Note that the 100 race and 120r tails are totally different tails. Don’t accidentally go and buy a 100 race thinking it’s just a smaller version of your 151r.
Iʻve ridden most of the Codeʻs wings at this point. Up and riding, Iʻd happily ride the 720s though 1130s. Theyʻre such good all-rounders. I agree with what others have said, if I was stuck with only one in all conditions and Iʻd probably go 980s.
That said, on small barely breaking waves, I enjoy an R wing too because I (personally) canʻt roll consistently at those low speeds without dipping my rails in. I trade some of the roll for more speed, glide, and pump. I recently traded my 1130s for a 960r for this.
As far as tails go, Iʻve been experimenting more with tiny tails. The 720s is the only wing I can really S-turn the yaw hard with med fuse and 150AR. Iʻve chopped 2cm off each side of my 120R and even on the 1130s I was able to start swinging the back out, kinda like Yvonne here. I agree with others, in everything but big firing conditions, I prefer the small R tails over the 150AR.
All I was saying was that the 1250R is the most difficult, technical foil to wing from code. I ride the Rs all the time and I’m not confident enough to use a R to wing (although im happy with the new orca), I prefer the S over the R for winging all day long. But if you are actually good enough to comfortably wing a 1250R, then you would be doing yourself a disservice by riding an S, which is user friendly and best all around. Its kind of like saying if somone is already winging a fireball 1750, than going lower aspect, easier on a smaller wing would be not giving yourself the credit and potentially slowing down your skill porgression . But I may have misunderstood the rider’s level if its his ‘first foil ever’ or something.
Man people are WILD. Winging a monster wing like that what a world! I mean I’m trying to think when I would even use that, like 5-8 kts? Pump Up on foil In glassy conditions while holdining a wing?
For winging this is SUCH an extreme giant light wind high aspect thing it seems BONKERS to waste a trip to the gorge without dialing in a more middle of the road wing. Get a 980s(or an 850 if you’re under 190 lbs). For me, the 980 even is a bigger, higher span wing than I would EVER even prone, much less wing, and this is from someone 200lbs in a small wave not crazy wind spot, but coming from that crazy monster more than a meter span INSANITY it’s a giant leap towards reality.
I consider the 980 to be the dead center middle of the winging foil market, mid-high aspect. Right around 1000, very vanilla.
even if you live someplace which no wave or wind and that monster is the only way to foil get the smaller S wing and get someone to tow you on it to get some Feels before that trip.
I’m sorry for this brutal response but I have been dreaming of a trip to The gorge since I was a 13 year old Windsurfer in 1999 and this prompt sent pain through my entire body!
Really enjoying the 850s in Gorge like conditions. High wind, slow steep organized bumps one on top of another really don’t require super high aspect wings. A 680r or 770r would probably wing well, wouldn’t want more span than that winging.
When I rode a 12 AR 845SQ wing from another brand I could go down the line really easily from one side of the river to the other with long glides between bumps, but turning on the same wave was difficult - I’d breach, outrun the wave, come off foil if I lost my speed. I do so much better on the 850s - can turn on one wave or glide to a new one and spend way more time on foil.
The 860R is the worst foil to wing on, period. It goes great as a downwind pump foil. Maybe you’d like it at the Gorge for those days that are barely windy enough? The 850S is a decent foil for winging. The 980S is too big for a 180lb’er. You must be using the 1250R at Lake Isitevergonnabewindy.
I would disagree. 860R is joy to wingfoil. I also have the 720S and when conditions are lit and open ocean swell is solid, this foil is awesome. But once the wind lightens up or the open ocean swell backs down, the glide of the 860R is great. That is if you want to flag out and cruise without wing power. I also have been loving it on the parawing. Paired with the small fuse and 120R tail, really fun. I haven’t tried the 770R and keen to, but until then I the 860R gets the most water time for me.
That said, I have been out on it in large swell and/or mixed up conditions and it was a lot to handle.
