Windsurf MagazineDUOTONE S_PACE 7.8 2022 TEST REVIEW

DUOTONE S_PACE 7.8 2022 TEST REVIEW

THE VERDICT

With incredible versatility in its application, the S_Pace is a light wind powerhouse that can easily adapt to wind foiling and has enough top end stability to embarrass even the most dedicated slalom engine around a course in the right hands.

OVERVIEW

The S_Pace is Duotone’s ‘Performance Cam’ sail, sitting between their world leading Warp_Fin race programme and their no-cam E_Pace (tested last month). Like the E_Pace, this three cammed contender is classed by Duotone as a ‘3 in 1’ design, highlighting its intended range of use from a marginal wind powerhouse to high wind race-winning potential and also for use in wind-foiling. It boasts the use of the brand’s new Hyper Cam 2.0 – specially designed with an ability to adjust its length and relation with the batten it sits on, even whilst fully rigged, eliminating the necessity for any spacers. Lifted directly from the Warp, Duotone proudly state it “optimises rotation and increases performance”. Housed inside the sail’s Aero Sleeve Design 2.0 (referring to the luff sleeve, which is widest at batten six before quickly tapering above the boom), designer Kai Hopf has focussed on maximising performance, whilst still making the S_Pace practical in real world instances such as waterstarting. Available solely in one bright eye-catching colourway, the S_Pace sports all the brand’s latest concepts and features, such as the factory calibrated and pre-tensioned iRocket 2.0 battens, and the Visual Trimming System (VTS) on the outhaul, which requires the use of a new VTS tailed boom – another innovation to try help the consumer and enhance tuning accuracy and success. Rigged for test on a Platinum 460 cm SDM, the Hyper Cam 2.0s are effortless to roll onto the mast once downhaul is applied hand tight. With full tension then applied, the leech falls away smoothly down to batten five, the extent of tension guided by the VTS in the upper panel. With a moderate luff curve, the S_Pace displays a good deal of depth low down in its draft, yet set back from the leading edge, before quickly tapering and softening above the boom. It’s a fine-looking sail, well-considered and detailed in appearance and construction.

BRAND CLAIM

“The most versatile performance cam-sail with the biggest wind range you will find!”

PERFORMANCE

Rigged for light winds with less downhaul and outhaul tension, the S_Pace generates a good amount of bottom end power, its moderate luff curve and skin tension allowing for easy pumping to punch the board forward and release it from the water’s grip. Once going it settles into a comfortable stance, feeling long in the boom and providing plenty of useable feedback through the back hand. It glides through prolonged lulls effortlessly and provides plenty of low-end torque to keep wide-style freeride boards on the plane. Switching to the lower clew eyelet and onto a foiling board, the S_Pace is equally at home, its pumpable nature again coming into great use to make the most of light summer airs. The centre of effort in the S_Pace is forward yet high in the draft, providing the ideal lift to loosen the board up and get it fizzing. And as the wind increases any movement in the sail’s balance can be countered with an increase in downhaul and outhaul tension. There’s a massive tuning range available, and time should be spent tweaking and experimenting to fully appreciate its potential. One aspect that remains constant throughout, however, is the S_Pace’s wonderful rotation, its cams some of the smoothest and silkiest as the sail is repositioned mid-transition. In overpowered conditions and adopting a blasting role, the S_Pace doesn’t possess that natural slippery feeling of some others, yet maintains impeccable stability and has more than enough performance for most.