2023 Ozone Flux V1 Wing Review

Jeff and Tucker are excited to introduce Ozone's Flux V1, a brand new wing in the lineup. They've had some time on it in the water and are ready to share their first impressions.

A New High-Performance Wing

Tucker: It's a really exciting time to do a review on an Ozone wing because, let's be honest, the lineup has been a little stagnant for the past year or so. They had the Wasp V2, which is a great step up from their V1, but the V3 was just a slight modification of the V2. It's a great wing, but it's also very middle-of-the-road, very versatile.

Jeff: I learned on the V1 Wasp. That was actually first time I took flight.

Tucker: Yep, and it did the job, but it's awesome to see them evolve and step out of that middle-of-the-road territory into high performance or maybe an intermediate-plus kind of a wing. Those people that are really going to like the Flux are looking for racing, high speed riding, and power riding performance. Their R & D team came up with some unique ideas and pretty cool solutions. It's a cool step up from what they have with the Wasp V3.

What's the Flux Designed to Do?

Jeff: That's what they marketed it for- the race/jump/speed crowd, and that was my experience. I have only ridden the 5m, but I was impressed. The thing that jumped out at me was the speed. Whenever you think of race or jumping with a wing, obviously you think it's got to handle the high end well, and after my experience riding it, you can ride it powered up. It was more wind than I normally would ride on a 5m. I was up in the 22 - 24 knot range with a 5m, where I'd normally drop down to at least a 4m. Powered up, I think it's in a sweet spot.

Jeff: On the flipside, if you know how to pump efficiently, the low end is fine. I had no problem getting up after the lulls when I came down off foil. But the speed is really what stands out to me when you drive upwind with it. I'd say it's definitely better than average driving upwind, but when I found that sweet spot, I was blown away by the speed. That's what they market it as, and that's what I experienced. It's a very, very fast wing.

Tucker: Yeah, from the get-go they're designing this wing to be fast. It's a quick profile; the foil section is quick, it's very low drag, has good upwind and good VMG, which are all positive things for racers and anybody that wants to ride powered, overpowered, or in even in gusty and inconsistent conditions.

Materials and Construction

Tucker: They've really gotten creative with materials on this wing. It's stepping away from your standard canopy into a premium canopy with multiple weights, depending on where they're laid out. They've updated the panels to spread that load and resist bagging out so that the wing keeps its shape longer. You're also getting a stiffer, more responsive wing, like you experienced. When you have more power, more pressure, and more strain going into those materials, it's important to reinforce that so that you can do those things without deforming the wing and ruining that shape that they've carefully crafted. They've definitely nailed it with the different canopy weights, stiffnesses, and upgrades in the canopy.

Tucker: In spite of that, it's not too heavy for a wing that's this stiff and rigid. It's really quite light compared to some other options out there. The frame is similar to a Duotone SLS type of material, a lighter, stiffer material, so it's a nice upgrade and what you want to use if you're leveling up to a wing that's going to take that kind of power and abuse. It's also a pretty affordable option since they're not getting into the really expensive stuff, so it's a wing most people could afford to have a quiver of.

Jeff: Definitely. I think the canopy is laid out in a radial pattern and, in riding, believe it or not, it makes it very stable and smooth. We keep seeing using the words "race" and "high speed", but I've been enjoying riding the waves with it. I even have a little raw spot on the second knuckle from flagging out the wing so much, though it's not a bad problem to have.

Jeff: We had a great day here this past weekend, and so I rode it a lot of miles. The handle was comfortable but a little soft for my liking. I just have to have more input when I'm flagging it out behind me and holding the leading edge. But going back to all the material upgrades they did on it, and the canopy and how they designed it, it's very stable and smooth.

Tucker: Yeah, when you get lit you can just tell. It doesn't fold and it's not twitchy. With this wing, you can really lay into it and it holds its shape. I would say it even gets better, like they pre-engineered the bit of flex that does happen. It locks into that powered riding and then you find that sweet spot. It flies best with that load and stress into the frame, and it really seems to hit the boosters at that point. It's one of those wings that you can ride a little underpowered; it's still got some good popping power and it's got decent lift, but it hits its sweet spot once you hit the upper end of its range because that's what it's been designed to do.

Handles

Jeff: Let's hit some of the features. I love the diameter of the handles.

Tucker: They're two long handles, and they're a little offset inward, just to line your wrists up with your elbows and your forearms, which is a bit more comfortable.

Jeff: On the elbows, the handles have a little covering which makes them kind of soft if you want to hold them there. I should have done that more than trying to flag it out so much.

Tucker: And if it bumps your board or your head, it's not going to be too bad. I can't think of a time where my front handle has hit my head or anything, but I suppose it's possible.

Jeff: I did notice that the handles kind of slide in to the material.

Tucker: Yeah, there are two pockets, and a tab that slides up under that pocket so that, when you inflate the strut, it locks in. You can remove the handle and replace it if you want to. I don't know if they're going to have different handles or if it's to take them out for travel, but it does have a little shift when you're pumping. You don't notice it when you're riding powered, but just when you're pumping, it does sometimes give a little wiggle, maybe a quarter inch.

Jeff: You can hear it, too. It gives a little high pitch "whoop" as you're pumping it hard.

Tucker: It's plastic so I don't think I have any concerns about durability, but they do move occasionally when you're pumping. It's nothing that's overly concerning, but just something to note.

Inflation System

Tucker: The inflation system is a Boston style valve that takes the fat pressure tip, not the narrow one. It also doesn't take the hose end like a lot of the Boston valves do. You inflate the leading edge and the strut independently, which I'm a big fan of. You won't have a dump valve on the strut anyway, so you might as well have an independent inflation to make things simple and lightweight.

Jeff: It's not easy to find the PSI. It's included in all the writing, and the first time I used the wing I had no idea what PSI was. I mean, I'm getting a little old and can't see, but still, it's hard to find.

Tucker: It's going to change per size, too. But they have a really good range of sizes, 2.4 to 6.5m with all the increments in between. Those seem well thought out, rather than a standard 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5... they really thought out the range. You can usually skip a size in a quiver if you're not too fussy about having the perfect performance and size for every situation. If you're a serious racer, I think you would want every size, though.

I can't say enough about it. I'm super stoked on it.

Jeff: Oh, I am too.

Is the Flux for Me?

Tucker: Quite a few of our customers have been really happy. They range from Average Joes like us, out there speeding around for fun and riding waves and jumping, all the way to competition level racers that are really making it go, and they've been really impressed with the Flux as well.

Jeff: I would say a beginner could use this wing, but I think you need to know how to pump a little bit or ride a little more overpowered.

Tucker: If you're a beginner, size up about half a meter to make sure that you're riding powered because you're not quite as efficient yet.

Jeff: But it's a solid, smooth, comfortable ride with a lot of speed. It does come with a waist leash. I put it underneath my harness. It's good to know it comes with that because it doesn't come with a wrist cuff.

Tucker: We do sell an Ozone wrist cuff, or you can use whatever you'd like there.

Jeff: I'd say Ozone did a good job. I've been getting on it a lot and I wouldn't hesitate to buy one for my quiver.

Tucker: And you're pretty happy with the full quiver of them, in terms of a high performance, racing wing.

Jeff: Yeah, and they're good in the waves still.

Surf Performance

Tucker: I think it's probably one of the best-surfing racing wings. The North Mode is another racing wing and is a phenomenal, but maybe not quite as good in the surf as the Flux because it's a little heavier. The Duotone Slick D/Lab is pretty capable as a speedy racing wing and that one surfs pretty well too in the D/Lab construction, but it is pricey. I think the Flux is a good option at a lower price point for the performance it can offer.

Jeff: I'm stoked on it.

Nitpicks

Tucker: Yeah. I don't think I can come up with any big complaints about the Flux. Just note that you need the correct pump adapter. And there's that little shift in the handles, which really doesn't affect performance, but if you're somebody that's really nitpicky about that, it's an interesting quirk.

Jeff: The leading edge handle is a little soft for my liking, and obviously I have a scar to prove it.

Tucker: But you were out there for a long time, and you had a good time and it didn't ruin your experience.

Jeff: Not at all. It's not a bad thing to complain about, and maybe somebody else would have the opposite opinion. But it's very soft to the hands when you're holding it, and it's forgiving, so nice job, Ozone.

If you have any questions, hit us up with chat, give us a call at the shop, or email us. We're here to help you out and get the right sizes and setup for you.

Shop Ozone Flux

MACkite Subscription Links:

YouTube  |   Instagram  |   Spotify Oddcasts

Contact MACkite Below:

800.622.4655  |   Kiteboarder@MACkite.com  |   LIVE Chat Messenger