Windsurf MagazineENSIS SCORE 5.2 2022 TEST REVIEW

ENSIS SCORE 5.2 2022 TEST REVIEW

THE VERDICT

A year older and nonetheless relevant, the Score’s design is both solid and dependable, delivering crisp power and a direct feel, making it a safe bet for years of winging enjoyment.

THEY SAY

“The SCORE is for everyone who wants to feel pure passion on the water – from discoverers to the pro. The ENSIS wings are well-known for their high performance and the SCORE will amaze you with its power and stability.”

WE SAY

The Score is Ensis’s mainstream wing, targeted towards all-round use in freeride, freestyle and wave riding. It was joined in the Ensis lineup by the Spin earlier this season – the brand’s ‘ultra-direct’ manoeuvre-oriented wing, which they describe as being for, “someone that already has a sense about the wind – ambitious beginners to experts, or for a smaller/lighter rider”. So, whilst we already tested the Score in last year’s review, it was felt it a more relevant wing to include again in this season’s test. Well-engineered, with plenty of consideration going into its form and construction, the Score was the first Ensis wing to have windows in its canopy, using an “exclusive tempered film”, reliably tested to withstand the rigours of cold Swiss winters whilst possessing a similar elasticity to the Japanese-made triple ripstop material used in the canopy (Tejin 3 x 3), for performance consistency. It comes supplied in a zippered rucksack bag, and a well-designed elasticated wrist leash, with an inbuilt safety tag and an extension for those that want a longer leash (attaching it to a waist harness for example). Also in the bag is a Max Flow adaptor that fits to a standard bayonet kite pump for inflating the Score. Recommended inflation is between 6-8 PSI, with all testers preferring the wing when inflated towards the upper end of this scale. The air is fed into the central strut via two 9mm hoses, both of which have a closure ratchet to isolate the strut whilst on the water in case of any puncture. Once inflated the Score’s outline and form certainly don’t look dated in any way, with a medium to shallow leading-edge profile, tight canopy and medium aspect outline. With Dyneema string incorporated into the leech and a high resistance thread (produced in the UK no less!) used throughout the wing’s seams, the Ensis is made to last.

Having tried Ensis wings for a number of years now, it’s easy to understand why they’ve been a popular sight around the UK’s shores. Offering a magical formula of stability, direct power and precise handling, they have been one of the benchmark wing brands in this fledgling sport, and whilst other brands’ products are catching up quickly, this Score is every bit as relevant one year on since we last reviewed it. Solid and stable in the hands, it powers easily and provides the impetus and lift to progress from knees to feet cleanly. As a gust hits, the energy is tangible, the Score’s rigid frame and tight canopy combining to issue direct feedback, whatever the pilot’s riding style. They can then choose to remain passive and let the wing do the work, or alternatively pump the wing and inject the energy forcefully into the board and foil. Much of the Score’s character is related to the brand’s trademark long and tight handles, with a shorter central one sandwiched between two longer ones for the front and backhand. As wind fills the wing, the rider’s hands naturally gravitate to a position on the handles where they’re aligned to control the power, which in itself can vary, dependent on the conditions, rider weight, riding style and ability. If you’re not used to the handles, they can feel quite hard, the external webbing of the handles abrasive even. But with time spent getting used to them, the benefits are certainly worth it, conveying a real sense of control and a direct link to the Score’s power. Up and going, the Ensis is stable and balanced in flight, accelerating positively in the hands and providing the constant drive to foil confidently on all points of sail. Its multiple windows are well placed and provide good visibility downwind, making it one of the safer wings to use in a crowded environment or around a surf break. In transition it depowers the instant the backhand is eased out and glides smoothly as it is manipulated through a manoeuvre. It’s not the lightest or flightiest wing in this test group, rather feeling reassuringly study to the touch, providing the confidence that it can withstand any punishment as you push your boundaries.