NEILPRYDE FUSION 6.1M 2013 TEST REVIEW
NEILPRYDE FUSION 6.1M 2013 TEST REVIEW
THE LOW-DOWN
The Fusion is NeilPryde’s freemove sail line, designed to be a jack-of-all-trades and deliver freeride performance in everything from flat water to bump ‘n jump conditions. It’s available in either standard (tested here) or full X-ply HD construction.
AT A GLANCE
5 battens with 3 micro leech battens
Moulded tack fairing as well as moulded clew and head protection.
Large mono film window.
Critical X-ply and 4-way yarn armour web reinforcement
Tool-less batten adjustment
This is a classy looking sail, with bold and colourful graphics that are printed in-between the laminates of the sail for better longevity. This standard model has fairly minimal reinforcement but there is an HD version if you’re hard on your kit.
RIGGING
A super-simple and hassle-free sail to rig and tune. The Fusion 6.1 rigs on a 430 mast and we tested it with a NeilPryde X9 RDM, although it’s compatible with either SDM or RDM depending on your preference. We found it tuned mainly on outhaul.
PERFORMANCE
It has a very neutral, balanced feel that’s very easy to control. There’s plenty of pull that feeds in softly to get going and so acceleration in lighter winds was no problem, even for heavier riders and the power was present from bottom-end to top-end. The scope of wind range is good and it’s a very comfortable sail for blasting around on especially as it showed good speed. Although it has a more freeride-orientated shape, it’s also easy and fun to hurl into manoeuvres, with the light and balanced handling great in both smooth water gybes or bumpier, jumpier conditions. A highly capable sail with plenty of power to drive a large freeride board around and throw-about enough to enjoy on smaller freestyle wave boards too.
THE VERDICT
The Fusion is a super user-friendly sail and a great forgiving freemove option that’s powerful and quick on the straights as well as easy in manoeuvres. If you want a hassle-free six metre for blasting around your local spot and having some fun around the corners, you’ll find this one hard to beat. Suitable for any level of freerider, in particular, entry-level sailors looking for a quality all-round sail.
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