We have been working with AXIS for many years on their kiteboarding products. We had heard alot about the surf foiling project they were working on and earlier this year they launched their S-Series surf foil range. We did a soft launch a couple of months ago and feedback has been great! The range has now expanded with more wing options.
The AXIS S-Series Surf Foil was not the first to market and it is not the cheapest. It may just be the best system though! It is totally modular. The design team have put a lot of effort into making the system very stiff – which is essential for a hydrofoil. All the connections between the various parts need to be solid. The fuselage really embodies all of these design elements.
The spigot that goes up into the mast section provides a very solid connection. The larger size of the front wings requires for SUP or Surf, with spans well over 60cm put a lot of pressure on the fuselage. This is where the hammer head design comes it to help spread the load and again provide a more solid connection. The shaping and taper along the fuselage helps make this nice and efficient.
The Fuselage, rear wing, rear wing cover and hardware all come in your S-Series Foil Box. There is also a tube of tef-gel which is important when assembling your foil. This prevents the hardware from seizing. The foil box’s can be bought with either the 500 or 440 rear wing. The 500 is the most stable and easiest for learning.
There are currently 5 front wing options. These are built using a foam and carbon construction which makes them light and strong. They come with their own wing covers. The largest 102cm span wing is perfect for small waves, learning and downwind foiling. The mid sized wings are great for surfing and lighter riders. The more power in the wave, the smaller the wing you can get away with. Smaller wings also carve better. The 68cm wing also works well for kitesurfing.
Finally the mast – these are made of extruded aluminium, and although they look like every other aluminium mast – they are not the same. The extrusion thickness has been increased to ensure the stiffness required for surf foiling. They fit perfectly with the fuselage and the plate or tuttle mount. They are available in a selection of lengths, with 60cm and 75cm being the most common.
As the S-Series Foil is designed to be totally modular, you can swap front wings, rear wings, mast lengths and even plate or tuttle adapter at any time.