Oahuwaterwalker said..KB7 said..I find this thread interesting but also amusing. I'm 85KG and have owned a V1 85cm mast for over 3 years for kite and wing foiling covering more than 18,000Km. That is 3 Atlantic crossings! I've switched out the fuse to A+ and bought and sold numerous front wings but the mast is the same. I wing almost exclusively in surf up to double overhead and don't experience any major control issues.
To be fair I don't ride any foil wider than the 925 and can see how the wide HA foils might cause issues but this idea that Armie standard mast is a "noodle" is a stupid statement. For most average weight riders this gear is a fantastically smooth ride, low maintenance, durable,light and ahead of its time and still streets ahead of most of the market.
I've tested most of the top foils and find Axis and Go foil a woody hard ride the only other foil I like allot is UNI which is one of the less stiff mast setups as it happens.
I think too many inexperience riders use inappropriate foils for the conditions on the day. When I get to the beach I check the wind speed, sea state and swell size before selecting either 925,725,1250 or 1050 but this takes time to learn when each works best. Try to ride a 1125 in 25 to 30 knots and choppy sea and you are not going to have a good time.
Now having said all this I'm very interested to try the new Armie high modulus mast to see if it's a solution to a problem I don't have. At over 2K AUD it needs to be better than just better.
However if Armies marketing said guaranteed to catch 50% less weed then I'm in.
I'm over in WA at the moment and can't believe how bad the conditions are here, bloody weed everywhere it's doing my head in.
I'm still waiting for the 935 to arrive here. But, for perspective, I thought I would add a little more clarity to what I'm after. The way I relate to my gear whether its in this sport or other Watersports (or guitars for that matter, lol) is that I'm always curious about what can be done to fully maximize the experience. As with all gear, some people pursue these kinds of rabbit holes, some don't. I have no doubt that a talented rider could do amazing things on gear from 3 years ago. That said, I don't think the V1 85cm is a bad mast, but I do think a stiffer more streamlined mast could have some benefit for me.
If I tried to unscientifically quantify what I expect from this mast change, I would say the 85cm mast is 85-90% of the way there. The gains I'm hoping for with the newer designs are in that 3-8% range. I'm not under the false assumption that I'm suddenly going to be riding like a pro.
What does that mean in practical terms?
-I'm hoping to add an overall 3-6kmph to my top end in speed for chasing down faster moving swell or getting to down the line sections. I know this isn't much, but based on current top speeds, it could make a big difference in certain moments. Essentially it would get me in the same speed territory as down the line windsurfing speeds (approximately 40kmph). I'm curious if those of you who have them are seeing any increase in top speed?
-With mast cavitation: I find it typically happens around 1-3 times per session. It's definitely not a deal breaker, but if it could be eliminated, I'd like that.
-I've read from a few people that the stiffer mast makes the riding feel more direct. The ride is great now, but "more direct" would be something I would appreciate. I'm also curious if and how the newer mast with change to attack impact pitch stability with smaller foils?
-I'm curious if the stiffer mast and new geometry will improve stability going through white water
Like you, I've owned a bunch of Armstrong foils 1850, 1550 V1, 1550 V2, 1250, 1050, 850, 925, 725, 525 plus the tails, 232, V, chopped V, and now the 195. I ended up selling everything except the 725 and 525. At 75kg, I can ride the 725 in as little as 10-12 kts with the right wing. If I proned or did SUP I would have kept the 925.
I 100% agree with you about riding big foils in too much wind or too much surf. Basically, that's not fun to me. One of the things I love about the 725 and 525 is that it's pretty hard to overpower them and foil out in anything under double overhead surf.
. I bit the bullet on the 935 as I wing 90% on the 85cm and SUP foil the rest of the time on the 72 V1 mast. I had a wing session on the 85 mast and 925 yesterday really trying to pay attention to the feedback through the rig and I just kept thinking "wow this rig feels slippery, fast, and responsive; do I really need the new mast?". The A+85 was a definite improvement over the V1 version. What I do feel is the numerous micro and macro adjustments that I make frequently which I've always put down to the usual hydrodynamic wobble and wonk affecting the rig. I've never felt it to be terrible, but reading reviews for the new mast it's likely I've adapted to the feel of the original and A+ masts so much that they feel pretty good in most situations. I'll be very curious to try the A+85 and 935 back to back to see how my feelings change.
Gonna whack my sons 725 on when windy this week coming. 
