FANATIC FLOW FOIL 1500 REVIEW

FANATIC FLOW FOIL 1500

Check out our test teams review of the Fanatic Flow foil 1500 which was featured in our August 2020 edition of Windsurf Magazine.

WEBSITE: http://www.fanatic.com/

PRICE: FLOW MAST AND FUSELAGE: £629.00 / FLOW WINGS 1500/215: £649.00

THEY SAY

“The new 1500 is the ultimate weapon for the light breeze. Same as the 1250, this wing is inspired by our easy and forgiving surf foils, with insane glide and real surfing behaviour, but in a faster profile adding speed and excitement. Flow Foil 1500 (Light wind weapon): earliest lift and insane glide – surf inspired.

WE SAY

Following the success of the 900 and 1250 last year, Fanatic have extended the Flow series for 2020, with the introduction of the 1500 and 1000 front wings. The 1500 (tested here) is focussed on getting going as early as possible, whilst the 1000 is their performance all-rounder. Instead of pursuing the niche race windfoiling market, Fanatic have aimed squarely at the freeride/recreational sector, lead in design by Ken Winner. The Flow foil range is intended solely for windfoiling, whereas the brand’s extensive Aero foil series caters for prone-surf foiling, wing foiling and SUP foiling. And it’s worth noting that the components of the two programmes aren’t compatible.

The Flow series has evolved around a modular system, whereby you choose your mast and fuselage setup before opting for your front wing size (the back wing consistently remaining the standard 215 cm²). The most popular (and recommended) mast/fuselage size will be 90 cm/90 cm (tested here), but there is also a 75 cm mast / 90 cm fuselage option, should you wish. And when buying the sets, the foil bag comes with the mast and fuselage, whereas the wings come with individual padded covers as standard. Foil assembly is very straightforward, the aluminium fuselage forged with tracks and grooves to help locate the mast and wings precisely. All the bolts locate easily and the internal helicoid-threads provide a secure and confident fit. The mast head has an integrated pedestal plate / track system as standard; if you wish to use a Tuttle head fitting, an adaptor is required for an extra £55.00. Fully assembled the Flow 1500 is not light at 6.45 kg, and yet, as we have found in year’s past, foiling is one of the few corners in the sport where a race to achieve the lightest results is not absolutely necessary. Stiffness is key, and this well-engineered Flow setup offers it in spades.

On the water, the 1500 has a similar ease and practicality to its nature that we recall of the 1250 tested last year. As the board’s speed across the water increases, the lift comes on smoothly and progressively, making it effortless to anticipate and control. A great tutor for the uninitiated, it has a measured and dependable nature, feeling directionally secure and without a hint of twitch or stammer to its feedback. The tall mast is a bonus as the rider learns to control their flight height, and the response to weight change remains measured and sedate at all times. Accelerating serenely to a respectable top speed, there is no discernible loss in velocity compared to the 1250, yet the early lift and intuitive glide through lulls that the 1500 has is a real plus. Its ability to retain lift at critical angles is also noticeable, particularly in transition or manoeuvre, where it continues to fly as speed is dissipated, granting the rider with time and security to master technique.

The Fanatic windfoil programme has come a long way since its inception and this 1500 extends the offering well. Super easy and trustworthy, it provides one of the easiest routes into the world of foiling for all rider weights and abilities, whilst retaining its rightful place in an experienced foiler’s recreational quiver, for early lift and plug-and-play glide. And once the 1500 is mastered, the Flow series furnishes you with accessible stepping-stones to compliment it, in the 1000 or 900 wing setups.