VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK • 2024 Wings
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2024 Wings

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2024 8:21 am
by slake
Not a gear head so was hoping to tap into the BWD knowledge as I'm not following new gear closely. Any guidance on getting replacement wings? Anyone using Armstrong XPS?

Re: 2024 Wings

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2024 10:23 pm
by TunaCan
They look unreal - would like to put a quiver of these together.

Re: 2024 Wings

Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2024 8:41 am
by Alex White 2626
I haven’t heard many complaints on them. Nice price.
All about canopy tension, rides smoother in all points of sail and through transitions.
I have recently been riding the glide a by ocean rodeo, and yes canopy tension and aluula is pretty awesome, stiff and light. Aluula May allow for longer life span also, won’t get get blown out and saggy so fast.
Carbon/hard vs soft handles are much more responsive as well.

Re: 2024 Wings

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2024 1:41 pm
by slake
Well I was somewhat in the hunt for a larger wing, so I picked up a 6.1 m XPS, and while I was at it a 3.5 m. At some point I'll likely get the one in-between (4.6 m). So far very impressed. Lots of small details are thought of, asides the big picture stuff (ie. the XPS). Will be interesting what the canopy is like in a year. I thought my 'year-old' wings were tight when I got them, they are now, for sure, baggy. I still have some 2021 Duotones, and I can wing with them, but they are even looser than the year-olds.

Small details:
-Good bag, with serial # in card pocket
-Nice window material, and positioning on the wing when held in near vertical LE position
-Good factory roll with protection
-Labelled/logo'd repair kit
-Wrist leash with swivel, that has a bomber connection to the wrist part (unfortunately I'd rather just yank it off as I'd rather put it on my waist but for now I'm just using it)
-Spare carbon battens in tube, in tube holder that is part of the bag

Point is a lot of thought went into small items, some not important (like a logo), but clearly a lot of care and thought was taken in putting together a package. My comparison is receiving new Duotone wings, which were pretty dialled too, a few years ago. I felt the Armstrong was a little more dialled.

Riding the 3.5 and 6.1 m so far in ~5-30 kts. I was lit up at 30 kts with 3.5 m. It was more like survival sailing, than playing around. There might be a reason to have one of the small wings for really windy conditions...but baby steps for now. Having fun with the two I have. I also was out with the 3.5 m in around 15 knots and once going it was a lot of fun, so definitely some range. I'm enjoying working on transitions with a tighter canopy. Not sure about other advantages but it just feels better when it is tighter.