Man i was all set to buy new F-one Strikes...aghhhhh first world problems!

Mikedubs said..
...I think depends on your conditions and type of riding. My spots have normally some degree of onshore wind and slow waves. The Strike v2 drifts great because of its lightness and design.
Mike

'zactly! The new unit looks awesome for reaching, just a shame they stuck with the same wimpy flexy little LE handle (at least there's a knuckle pad). It's a small quibble and a fairly easy mod but for my conditions and style of riding the LE handle and the drift quality is a big deal.

The main problem is likely to be getting the sizes you want in the US. Just like the slick last year (I finally gave up and happy I did), Duotone doesn't appear to give a crap about the US market.

Have been on the original 3.3m and 4m Unit for the last 10 or so months. About 12 sessions now on the new std 3.0m.

The good bits compared to the 3.3m:
Super rigid frame is heaps better to pump so gets me up earlier.
Once up on foil it pulls a lot harder, like a turbo kicking in.
Heaps better for jumping, higher and better hang time
Love the rigid handles, gives you a more direct feel and better control.
2 knots faster 2second peak and faster cruising speed
Points super high, like the comparison vid says. You can sheet in crazy hard and it doesn't stall.
Zero flutter in tacks or in general, can heel side tack in crazy strong wind now.
More efficient, just glides through lulls.

Bad bits for me, your experience may differ.

Not as stable flagged out on a wave, especially riding downwind swell. Tends to wallow around and the floppy handle doesn't help. I stiffened mine up with a plastic tube and racket grip tape which helped a lot but still not as good as V1. Maybe it's the extra weight of the rigid handles or position of front handle or just an aerodynamic compromise for all the good bits.

185 grams heavier than the V1 3.3m but I don't notice the difference on the water.

Felt a bit twitchy to start with but love the feel now, like driving a sports car compared to a Ford Falcon.

Flips over on the water a bit more.
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For me it's not a wing that I clicked with straight away, was seriously considering switching brands after the first session. Took about 5 sessions to work out the little quirks on a wave but it's a wing that gets better the more you use it. Once you start tapping into all the high performance aspects of this wing, the speed, up wind, jumps, tacking it's hard to go back.

With the upwind performance of the new unit my wave count is up but it doesn't have that same neutral feel as the V1 for me. A compromise I'm willing to make given all the positives so have the 4.0 on order in Alula. Can't get here quick enough, I struggle using the V1 4m after being on the new one.

Relapse, nice detailed review thank you.

your observations mirror my own. Got on my v1 3.3 and was it felt like there was nothing there to pull against. perhaps also due to used and bagged out as I seem to remember my wings having a lot of pop. my 4.5 v2 is such a positive feel... i do notice it's a little harder to flip over in the water and sometimes when flagged out it tilts to one side a little bit. haven't had any issues with it wanting to flip over on me though when riding.

After a few sessions love the Unit V2 with upwind, no back hand pressure, speed, good flagging except for light wind pumpability. Can anyone share their insight on the pumping light wind technique? Circular pumping? Fast in and out motion? Tips on the hand position farther apart better? Pointing the board further downwind? It was more intuitive with Slicks, Echo and Unit V1 but yet to figure out on the Unit V2 with the stiff canopy. Appreciate any feedback.

Relapse said..

Ingenuity said..
After a few sessions love the Unit V2 with upwind, no back hand pressure, speed, good flagging except for light wind pumpability. Can anyone share their insight on the pumping light wind technique? Circular pumping? Fast in and out motion? Tips on the hand position farther apart better? Pointing the board further downwind? It was more intuitive with Slicks, Echo and Unit V1 but yet to figure out on the Unit V2 with the stiff canopy. Appreciate any feedback.

Shorter faster pumps seem to work better for me compared to the V1 units, the new units seem to have a low speed threshold where the power kicks in. Short quick pumps to get board speed up then you'll feel the surge.

This is a very interesting remark. I have found the same to be true with the (very stiff) OR Aluula 5m - compared to Strike V1 and Slingwing V2 ...
Starting to wonder if those who compare the Strike and 2022 unit are using a technique that more fits the Strike when they claim better low end for the Strike as opposed to the Duotone ...

I have 5.5 Dlab unit and have been foiling from 12 knots to 22knots so far. Yet to find the top end limits of this wing. I found the handles and the wing design dramatically improves my heel side and toe side tacks, after two sessions I am foiling away from 90% . Love going into a heelside to toe side tack at top speed, the wing easily transfers to the other side allowing you to power out on the foil. Best wing I have used so far. Looking forward to progressing my skills with the 2022 units. Also have a std 4 mtr 2022 unit, yet to try as the 5.5 has such a big range. Might be my 23 to 35 knot wing. I am 100kgs on a 94ltr board on and Armstrong HS1250 wing. wingfoiling is awesome

jondrums said..
Has anyone ridden both and could compare the 2022 unit to the slick (besides the obvious difference of a boom)? I'm on the 4.5 slick now and enjoy it - looking to grab a 5.5 either unit or slick.

I have been on 2021 5m unit and sold it expecting my new 2022 unit to arrive but after extensive delays was lent a 4.5m Slick to use in the interim. I have used the Slick for over two months now ( just got my new unit but yet to use it) and im really not a fan of the slick, it is terrible at flagging compared to the unit. It constantly drags and catches the tips whereas the unit drifts perfectlly. Slick was certainly stiffer and found the 4.5m matched the bottom end of the 5m unit and for me that was about its only positive.

Very different wing shape Slick & V2 Unit . I'm very used to the Slick and got caught out few times on the V2 Unit picking the wing tip on the water as it carries a lot more gunt on the tips pushing it down if not ready for it plus the pointer shape grabs the water more compared to the square end of the Slick . Not a super big deal just needed some getting used to. the V2 Unit definitely doesn't backwind like my 6m Slick and has a much smaller diameter leading edge but having said all that I've stuck to my Slick even the windows have stretched to sh!t . I'll wait till later in the year I'm sure DT is revamping the Slick , I'm just a boom guy.

Any info on the weight of dlab? Couldn't find anything.
How is the stitching job on dlab, double or 4x?
Anyone had a chance to compare it 1 to 1 with ocean rodeo glide A?

Can anyone compare the dlab to an echo 6m or any echo size? Would it have more or less low end to get on foil? I suppose it would pump better as it's stiffer? I'm thinking of going down a half size in the upgrade to the dlab.

Duotones website says:
9 to 18knots for the echo 6m
6 to 20 for the dlab 6m
7 to 22 for the 5.5m dlab

Can anyone confirm it's more powerful than a same size echo?

ArtemN said..
Any info on the weight of dlab? Couldn't find anything.
How is the stitching job on dlab, double or 4x?
Anyone had a chance to compare it 1 to 1 with ocean rodeo glide A?

I have the unit dlab 5 and 4. Waiting for the 2,5 normal that never comes.
A lot of people speak about the lightness of the dlab. It's light but no more than a strike for example. weight of the unit dlab 5 = weight of the strike 5 = 2,15 kg.
The unit dlab is the stiffest wing I tried far away even if the recommended psi is low.
It's a good point but I am surprised when I read the stiffness makes the wing better in the pumping. It's usually true with the majority of the wings but with the unit dlab is too much for the pumping imo. Actually with the 5 I put 1 psi less in the really light wind. Like this the wing can flex a bit and come back. (It can help also for the strong winds)

Actually because of that "good flex" for me the strike is still better in the light wind. The strike stays a bit easier in the air in this type of wind Where I like more the unit V2 it's for the moves. The stiff handles make that you have much more precision and it makes the jumps and the tacks for example easier.
The change of the side during the tacks is really easy and smooth. You can feel also during the tacks that the wing lift. Once you know it it's an advantage.

The handles are slim so we can navigate with the finger tips. For me it's something important to be relax all the time. That's why before I was using the strikes.

A stupid thing but also if you have in the light wind a small board that dive it's easier with one hand to direct the wing and to get up.

In the surf, the wing is stable in the free fly.

Also the wing can handle a lot of wind (more than the strike V1).
if this feedback can help people to do the right choice.
(Sorry for my poor english)

I am hoping to replace my Unit 2021 4m2 and 5m2 with only one 2022.you guessed it a 4.5m2. Any one did that and regretted it or loved that choice?

i love my 4m2 but riding small board (50L, 80kg/1.8m rider) can be challenging to get on foil. I find the 5m2 too big and often hit the water with it trying to get on foil which slows me down. My hope is that the 4.5m2 will be the best of both world but worried it may turn out as a bad choice.thoughts?

ArtemN said..

Size wise the 5m wing is probably a bit smaller (more like 4.5 m2 comparing to other brands) but enough power.

Some brands.

The Duotone sizing matches Ocean Rodeo for sure, and I think F-one too.

Ensis is over sized, and probably all the other brands designed by Damien (PPC, WingRide, Reedin)