Windsurf MagazineAFS WILF 5.0 2022 TEST REVIEW

AFS WILF 5.0 2022 TEST REVIEW

THE VERDICT

The first wing from AFS, the Wilf, needs to be inflated beyond its recommended PSI to really appreciate its potential. A clean and straightforward wing to use, it packs a surprising amount of power and response, being both light and balanced and retailing at a very competitive price.

THEY SAY

“After multiple prototypes and tests, the WILF uses a new shape and the latest materials to obtain one of the lightest and most durable wings on the market.”

WE SAY

Alien Foiling System (AFS) have entered the hand-wing market for 2022, to compliment their extensive board and foil lineup. The Wilf is now available in four sizes and is said to sport all the reinforcements required to withstand use in the harshest environments, with Teijin T9669 ripstop material in the canopy and plenty of abrasion patches in vulnerable areas. Inflation is achieved through a single bayonet valve on the inside of the leading strut, feeding the central strut via a closable tube. There’s also a dump valve on the other side of the central strut for easy deflation, with easy pack-down into a well-designed rucksack. The Wilf 5.0m is clearly marked for a maximum inflation of 6 PSI, although we have been reliably informed by AFS and their UK distributor that this is “to account for ‘dull to sunny’ pressure effects”. It’s a welcomed intervention as it corroborates our feelings, having tried the wing. At 6 PSI, the Wilf feels a little soft and spongy in the hands and didn’t really provide the power or structural stability we’d have hoped for. Increase the pressure to 7 or 8 PSI as suggested by the UK distributor, and the story is very different.

Despite possessing the same quoted surface area, the Wilf is visibly quite a bit smaller than the other wings on test here. It possesses a shorter than average wingspan and quite easily the shortest central strut length, giving it a decidedly high aspect outline. The leading edge sports a medium dihedral profile, whilst the canopy tension is medium to tight. With this in mind (and once inflated to 8 PSI), we have to say we were mightily impressed by the amount of bottom end power the Wilf can generate in light winds. It does require some rider input and a good pumping method, yet feels positive and purposeful in the hands, capable of repositioning quickly for a high cadence technique. Once in flight, the Wilf feels super light and balanced, its two handles simplifying everything and allowing the rider to focus on their own riding. The handles themselves were popular amongst the team, with a stiff internal structure and external padding, providing both good connection and comfort. What is more, they were in exactly the right place, ensuring the power of the wing felt balanced and controllable at all times. It’s an efficient wing, pointing high and gliding smoothly through lulls, whilst in a parked position it sits easily, feeling light and manageable as you pump the foil or ride a wave/swell-line. In transition the Wilf’s light weight and neutral flight whilst above head were also notable, the handles easy to reach and the wing responding well to pumping to inject some power, if any speed is lost upon exit. The wrist leash supplied is a plastic surf leash style with an inbuilt swivel to stop it twisting, and whilst it did its job adequately, some found it got in the way during transition, and is certainly not long enough to connect to a waist leash.