Game Changers

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say many of us are tired of seeing and hearing the "game changer" label that is slapped on new gear that must be purchased. Speaking for myself, I pretty much ignore any sales pitch trying to ride the game changer hype train.

That being said...

I have experienced the true "game changer" numerous times in foiling. Pieces of gear that completely altered my experience and understanding of how this whole game works. Here's my game changers, not my all time favorites, but legitimately the pieces of gear that dramatically altered my experience:

My first ever game changer:

Kalama Barracuda v1 8'x21"x111l 

I bought this board when I decided to quit winging. I was completely plateaued so I was going back to kite surfing and was going to learn DW SUP for foiling. With this board, the reliability of my takeoff with tiny foils and tiny wings was unreal. I went from being frustrated on a 1200 foil to ripping around on a 550 foil with my "big" 3.5m wing. My entire understanding of what the point of foiling was and what it could be changed dramatically. Since then all of my board choices have focused on finding optimal efficiency for my sails, foils, and style.

2nd game changer, the wing:

Ocean Rodeo Glide AA 2.5m and 3m. 

I nearly lost my mind when I demo'd this wing. It was so far beyond anything else that I had ever ridden and was so perfect for my riding style that I was never able to look back. For the most part I always considered the wing to be a nuisance. Something that I tolerated while I pursued my surfing. I just wanted the wing to rip me out of the water and then quietly sit to the side. This wing though, so powerful, so light, so stable. It altered my perspective completely and became a dance partner, a best friend on the water. It was a shift from me seeing the wing as nothing but a tool, to seeing it as the best toy ever. Something I welcomed into my experience instead of kept at arms length. I haven't been able to find any wing on the market that has come anywhere even close to the weight and stability of Glide AA and I don't even look anymore.

3rd game changer, the mast:

AFS 75cm skinny UHM. 

I had used aluminum masts, carbon masts, universal masts, custom masts. Nothing was special. Then, out of odd circumstances I bought this mast. I had no concept of what 12.8mm thickness and a 100mm chord could do for me. I couldn't comprehend the maneuverability and glide benefits. Getting this mast unlocked my first ever LEAP forward in foiling. EVERY foil I used it with worked better in one way or another. My favorite foils had huge, obvious benefits while my other foils had more subtle upgrades that it took time for me to realize. Now, I can't go back, I won't even bother foiling on something thicker and deeper chorded.

That's it that's all:

If you're wondering about foils and tails... I've never experienced a game changer foil. I've ridden a TON of really cool, super fun foils, and tails, but none of them immediately and dramatically altered my foiling experience. The closest would maybe be the Enduro 700 which I refer to as a "cheat code" front and the Ultra Glide 41 tail which unlocks transcendent glide on my Silk 1050. But, neither felt like they re-wired my understanding of foiling.

I've said it many times before. The biggest game changer is knowing yourself, your style, and how to identify gear that can serve you. Once you've got those things sorted out you can trust your intuition on a lot of purchases and are a lot less likely to be sucked in to the marketing hype train.

How about everyone else?

What gear broke your understanding of foiling and re-assembled it into something better, with dramatically more potential? 

Drop a comment below, and I'll see you at the river.

Bryan Lee, M.S. Experiential Education.