Windsurf MagazineRRD X-WING 7.8 2022 TEST REVIEW

RRD X-WING 7.8 2022 TEST REVIEW

THE VERDICT

With some time spent tuning to get the rotation smooth and find the sail’s sweetest set, the X-wing is a high-end racing thoroughbred with the speed, drive and stability to cope with the most challenging conditions.

OVERVIEW

The X-Wing is RRD’s ‘Pure Race’ sail, and has undergone some significant refinements for this season, with a higher aspect ratio in the larger sizes (8.4 and 9.0) to make it “the ultimate slalom sail for both fin and foil”. The profile of the X-Wing has been modified, with a shallower entry at the leading edge for more efficiency, moving the draft back with the intention of keeping the fin loaded in lighter airs. The leech profile has also been altered with a tighter head and lower section, and more looseness through the mid-leech. The concept is to improve drive through the lower leech, whereas the tighter head is said to improve control in the most extreme gusts. The twist and movement through the mid-leech then maintains the speed and slipperiness of the Y27’s predecessor. Rigged for test on the brand’s performance Dynamic Pro Comp mast, the X-Wing sets with masses of skin tension, its cams rolling onto the mast smoothly, whilst its luff sleeve is easily the widest within the group. Interestingly, it only displays a moderate amount of luff curve compared to others in the group, tuning the downhaul according to the guide in the upper panel, so that the leech falls away significantly through its mid-panels. The battens are a mix of carbon and glass tubed, their batten pockets integrated to maximise the symmetry in the sail between tacks, whilst the window panel is bisected by the brand’s familiar stretch control seam, incorporated to improve stability. With the tack strap tensioned to increase the profile in the bottom panels, it’s a good looking sail and certainly looks like it means business.

BRAND CLAIM

“Over two years in development the Y27 X-wing takes our racing programme to new levels. Our team demanded more drive in the sail whilst keeping the excellent top end speed and control of the previous version.”

PERFORMANCE

Despite only possessing a moderate luff curve in comparison to others in the test group, the skin tension in the X-Wing is extraordinary, making the sail feel stiff in both rotation and marginal wind response. There is little feedback through the back hand to play with and little flex or movement to make it useful for pumping. Instead, the X-Wing is put to best use when exposed to powered and overpowered conditions, providing the impetus and drive to really appreciate its capabilities. Firstly, make no mistake, this is a full-on race sail! It thrives on being loaded and, by return, bestows the rider with the stability and slippery efficiency to charge the most power-hungry slalom board. Compared to the other full-on race sail of the group, it takes a little more input, tweaking and experimentation across the wind (and dare we say upwind too), yet off the wind it’s a match for any. There’s plenty of potential to play with and tune … something we didn’t really have time to fully explore during our test period, but the performance we managed to extract from the X-Wing was impressive and kept us captivated for more. In transition its rotation remains stiff, requiring rider intervention to get the cams to rotate fully. Though we’re sure that with time spent tinkering with the tension, we could soften the rotation and find the X-Wing’s sweetest settings. If you’re looking for race winning performance and steadfast top end stability, there are few that can rival the RRD.