Windsurf MagazineDAKINE CYCLONE WING 5.0 2022 TEST REVIEW

DAKINE CYCLONE WING 5.0 2022 TEST REVIEW

THE VERDICT

The Cyclone may be Dakine’s first-generation wing, but what an entrance into the winging market! Powerful and direct in nature, it flies beautifully, whilst its handle design was liked by all who tried it.

THEY SAY

“We designed the Cyclone wing to be ultra-versatile and handle any conditions you can throw at it. This wing has stable drift when on the wave or going downwind. This extremely rigid design allows you to get up quickly and go. This stiffness also will enable you to power through gusts and jump to the moon with confidence.”

WE SAY

This is the first foray for Dakine into the winging world – a brand with plenty of heritage and reputation, under the new ownership and guidance of Cabrinha. As a result, there is no surprise that there are similarities in fittings and features between the two brands, from the handles’ structure to the leash and bag supplied. The Cyclone’s shaping, construction and panel layout is also very similar to the Cabrinha Mantis, such as the shallow dihedral in its leading-edge profile, yet its wingspan is quite a bit less, giving it a lower aspect ratio. Recommended PSI is seven and it needs this at the very least, with inflation through a ‘Sprint’ valve on the main strut, which feeds the air to the boom strut through a single tube. The valve itself has a neat little cord incorporated, so that you can tether the pump’s safety leash during inflation.

On the water the Cyclone really impressed with its power, stability and manoeuvrability. It has a rigid structure and whilst not necessarily one of the lightest on test, it flies really well in the neutral position and transfers power smoothly once engaged. The two long handles on the boom strut are particularly worthy of note, providing firm connection and direct feedback, whilst allowing the rider to move their hands without letting go of the wing at all. The form and structure of handles really is such an important feature when contributing to a wing’s feel and performance, and we think these ones offered by Dakine are some of the best on the market. That said, the handles on our wing were slightly squashed at their rear fixing (we suspect as a result of them being compressed whilst the wing was rolled). Initially wedge shaped and cantered to the front, their form can be altered so that they sit parallel to the strut, through a little massaging and manipulation prior to launch.

In light marginal winds, the Cyclone’s tight front canopy and stiff structure provides the spring and response to punch the power into the board and release it from the water early. It accelerates quickly in the hands and continues to drive forward in gusts, providing excellent top speed and pointing ability to cover ground in comfort. The large windows provide some of the best visibility of all the wings on test and the Cyclone offers supreme control in gusty winds through its dependable form and excellent handle structure. In transition, its shallow dihedral leading edge means that it flies neutrally above the head into the wind, making tacks clean and straightforward, whilst the response is there to pump your way out of the manoeuvre, should your speed drop. And whilst riding or gliding, the Cyclone sits and parks well, the solid structure of the neutral handle providing the control to correct any wobble in its stability. The leash supplied is elasticated and works well, with a buckle wrist cinch, rather than the snap bracelet Dakine have developed as an aftermarket item. It works well and is a good length, although the leash often gets caught on the exposed Velcro of the wrist cuff (especially during transition), dramatically shortening its length, just something to be aware of. At the end of the session, the Sprint valve is a little fiddly to unscrew and release, as we found it hard to get traction on the serrated teeth of the valve’s perimeter. Once undone, deflation is not the fastest, without a dump valve present, the air only escaping from the central strut via the adjoining tube. On the plus side, the duffle bag supplied with the Cyclone is excellent, using a dry-bag closure method, and several straps to help compress the contents.