As far as the sensation goes, I’m definitely more critical of low quality powder since frequently foiling in what equates to essentially perfect bottomless glide through any water conditions. But living where snow is plentiful and waves are minimal or a long drive away keeps me stoked on powder snowboarding. The exploration, complexity and scenery in the snow covered mountains is hard to beat with so many terrain opportunities for airtime or freestyle.
That would be very different though if snowboarding was less accessible and waves were nearby. It’s insane how long people drive and how much they spend just to wait in line most of the day.
Turning on a Foil might have snowboarding beat, but I don’t think foiling will replace the feeling of effortless landings in deep powder, unless there’s some crazy new foil design that engages perfectly and immediately like you never left the water. I might be moving to the ocean once that happens lol.
When a storm comes, foil the frontal wind, then ski pow and then foil the clearing wind. Perfect storm. I don’t blame you guys who have to go on trips and spend a bunch of money and hope for good ski conditions being over it. I live in Reno NV. We kinda have everything here. Tahoe can have epic winging and DW conditions 20-30 days/year. There are days when shore pound is too big to get a wing foil kit through. Washoe Lake blows 150-200days/year. I have to drive 4hrs to ocean for proper waves, but foiling windswell has lowered my need for ocean trips considerably. If I ever leave Reno, it will likely be Maui, or HR.
Yeah it’s kind of ruined it for me. Grew up in Salt Lake City and a longtime LCC skier too! Now live in Rhode Island (5 years) 1 block from the water. My quality of life here is so much better than back home. Even in a 5/4 with 5 mm gloves 4-5 months a year. Really nice to get a sesh after work with no driving. That canyon road blows. But I sure miss a good graupel wind buff day!!
snowkiting has a critical flaw: it’s too close to paragliding and therefore extremely dangerous.
I know someone who was paralyzed snowkiting and lots of people are killed/paralyzed paragliding.
It’s just too tempting to boost off a hill and soar high in the sky
What we are talking about here, hydrofoiling, is child’s play compared to the true upper echelon of flow state extreme sports: base jumping, proximity flying, speed skiing with a paraglider, etc. As I said previously I used to live in SLC and lots of people move there to pursue these sports, the newspapers have weekly deaths especially from paragliding and base jumping.
One of the reasons hydrofoiling is so great is that it is safe flying!
As a California coast person, foiling has reduced my interest in driving 4 hours to snowboard in the Sierras. I still love to be out in the snow and the views that come with that, especially at Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly resort, but I don’t go as much. That said, “Sierra Cement” is not the powder you speak of even though I have enjoyed that on very cold days at Jay Peak in Vermont.
I know this is “a thing” in my mind, though. I thought of the same thing when I realized I was less interested in booking lodging in Tahoe. Later, now, I’m thinking about it more as I consider a dry suit that would make winter wing foiling even more attractive to me.
GREAT problem to have! I am thankful to have time to consider life trivia of this nature.
One thing I have noticed is that foiling all summer seems to improve my powder snowboarding. There’s so much precision in a foiling carve that keeping your weight just right for an efficient/perfect powder carve is comparatively way easier. Also, the rapid forward/backward hip movement to trim your foil while riding waves/swell makes similar trimming in powder a breeze.
Haven’t really noticed the other way around, but don’t really have a way to gauge it having snowboarded for way longer before starting foiling.
@FoilyMcLipshitz how is the winging on Washoe? Only windsurfed there years ago and remember it being quite shallow/murky but powerful swell for such short reach.
Absolutely ruined me as a surfer, definitely get the powder day glide and I have a world class wingfoil spot 5min from my house.(that is absolutely responsible for me ditching countless drinbly surf sessions)Every “novelty wave” that we used to day dream about surfing on a rare swell has suddenly become accessible and rippable on the wing foil. It is second to none in my life.
I wouldn’t say it ruined surfing, I just get torn worse than a personality disorder when there is mediocre surf and good wind. So I found the middle ground and batter myself in the waves with the foil and wing. However, I have surfed three times in the last 9 months. It doesn’t get world class often here but instead of driving myself an hour or two for a crowded point break or a hollow beachie, I just foil. And what a back up plan to have in the trucknif the wind kicks up and the surf goes bland!!!
Jumping a foil is gnarly and it’s all I want to do. pull loops and 360’s as well as ride the biggest ugliest piece of windswell I can find are my current goals. It is truly endless stoke as we sail to the next set and do jot sit and wait. Endless powder glide = endless stoke. I literally feel like a cave man walking into the water holding a surfboard now !!
It definitely has ruined me as a surfer as well as a snowboarder(utah last year was absolutely unreal! 5’ snow in 4 days and it kept coming!!) but has turned my balance savage in the “old sports”
But as far as longevity and frequency of use,
The month of May had me at 32 wing foiling sessions. And they were all absolutely amazing sessions. Two years in a row, May is the month for us here!!! The wind and waves seemed endless for a bit!
It HAS ignited my skateboarding game consistently though! If I wingfoil prior to setting foot on a skateboard I AM A FREAK!!! The balance is the sharpest ever. Suddenly doing things I never would have dreamnt of.
Foiling does indeed crush you but the refined after affects of climbing this sports learning curve have me hooked for life. And basically dropped every boardsport to run after this dream, whatever it is, I just wanna wing chuck and pray!!
Best vibes! We didn’t ruin anything. We have just evolved!!!
Up here in Eastern Washington state, I used to hope for early November snow and lamented when it thawed in March. Now I’m stoked when we have unseasonably warm temps in the winter because usually with instability comes wind; and the deeper lakes don’t freeze and can be downwinded as well. We surf river waves (standing waves) all winter, make the trip to the gorge when possible, and ski as a last resort. The biggest draw to foiling besides the obvious is the learning progression. I’ve tried to replicate that by monoboarding and now learning to telemark but the whole mindset is “I’m crosstraining for the upcoming foiling season.” This has helped me keep the stoke of skiing going when there aren’t any other options. 6/5 wetsuits, 8mm booties, hoods and gloves are the norm for the Inland Northwest crew.
Yes, ruined anything having to do with snow (for now). I used to think that having my mountain bike and a snowboard living in the mountains was the cure all, until I tried sup surfing and sup downwinding. Then four years ago came wingfoiling and then bam… along came paddle foiling. Forget about it… no more snow for now.
I am thankful to have time to consider life trivia of this nature.
The biggest draw to foiling besides the obvious is the learning progression. I’ve tried to replicate that by monoboarding and now learning to telemark but the whole mindset is “I’m crosstraining for the upcoming foiling season.” This has helped me keep the stoke of skiing going when there aren’t any other options. 6/5 wetsuits, 8mm booties, hoods and gloves are the norm for the Inland Northwest crew.