2024 North Mode Pro Wing Review

Welcome back to MACkiteboarding Wing Wednesdays with Tucker. Today I have a special treat for you: I am going to give you all the details and a review on the 2024 North Mode Pro. I've been testing the 4.8 and the 5.5m to start out with, and everyone that touches this wing loves it.

The North Mode Pro for 2024 is an extension of last year's Mode V1, so if you love that wing, you're going to love this one even more. I'll give you some of the details on this wing and why you might like it, followed by my review after riding it for about a month.

At first glance, this wing looks a lot like the V1 from 2023, but looks can be deceiving. There are some key improvements on this wing. While they didn't scrap the Mode and start from scratch, they definitely built upon what was already there. Since we love the Mode V1 so much, we're happy they didn't go back to the drawing board. The Mode Pro, really, is just a leveling up, not necessarily to fix issues because the Mode didn't have a lot of issues, but just to make it that much better.

Surf Handle

The front handle goes pretty much unchanged. If you're familiar with North wings, this is going to feel right at home for you. It's a nice, cushy, easy-to-grab handle with plenty of room if you have gloves on. It's got a little knuckle scuff guard underneath. It's fairly stiff for a handle that's not a hard handle, and it's easy to control the wing when you're luffing it.

Wrist Leash

It's just your standard wrist leash, but it does come included so you don't need to pick out another leash. This one does the job.

Inflation System

The Mode Pro uses the typical North Boston style valve with the hose end connection, so you don't need any kind of special valve adapter for this. It just plugs right into your hose end. It's got a nice, big dump valve, so when you're packing up for the day it empties out really quickly.

There is also a valve on the strut, so you have the option for isolated inflation that allows you to pump up to different pressures. On this wing, both the strut and leading edge take 7 PSI so, unless you want to soften the leading edge, you can just pump up with the One Pump system and leave the hose clamp open. If you did want to isolate the bladders, you can pump them up independently or use the clamp to lock out the bladder after pumping up so that one stays inflated if you do happen to have a bladder issue.

Handles

On the strut we have our large, long hard handles. These do look a lot like other iterations of the North hard handle, but this one actually has a carbon beam in the middle, so these are quite a bit lighter weight. This has helped reduce the overall weight of the wing and has it fly a little bit nicer off the surf handle. It's not a surf wing, but sometimes you want to surf, so having a bit more surf performance and a more stable luff, especially in lighter winds, is key, and they were able to do that with the carbon handles.

They're very comfortable and ergonomic, and you can hold them anywhere without a death grip. You can fingertip these and find that perfect position to balance the power how you want, depending on what the wind is doing and your personal preference. They're impossible to miss during a jibe or a tack or any other trick where you need to reach blindly for that handle.

Harness Line

I am riding a harness line with this, and a lot of other people will be as well because it is a wing that likes to go fast and ride with power. If you're only riding for a short time that's no big deal, but if you're going to go out there and ride all day long, it's nice to have a harness line so you can take some of the strain off your arms.

I found that attaching it at the back handle's front stanchion worked really well for one end of the harness line, and then somewhere between one and three inches up on the front handle, depending on what the wind is doing. If you're riding really overpowered, you might slide it forward a little to balance it out and not get over-sheeted where you have to fight the wing. Otherwise, if you're a little less powered, slide it down. You'll want to see what works for you, but that's a good starting point if you're going to be using a harness line.

New N-Weave 45 Material

When you first look at this wing, you might see the N-Weave material that we know well from the Mode 2023. For 2024, they've improved this material into what they're calling N-Weave 45. It's very much the same N-Weave that's durable, stiff, and lightweight, but they've added a 45 degree component with a cross-hatch pattern to it. It's an X-Ply backer on the inside of the N-Weave, and that gives it a more rigid, snappy frame with more consistent flex and profile. It's not going to twist as much as the previous N-Weave material did, so this is a nice upgrade that has everything that was great about the N-Weave material.

One thing I can tell you from riding this wing is that the N-Weave 45 has a snappier feel than any other wing that I've tried. There are other materials that are very stiff and direct, and those are great; they're efficient and they're fast, but when the N-Weave 45 does flex, it gives you this whip-back effect that's really active and creates a lot of power with a very lively feel on the wing.

When you're pumping up on foil, you get that snappy pump, and as you're riding powered it doesn't often deform. Even when it does, it's very smooth and reactive; it definitely pops back and gives you a very lively feel, which is really special about this wing. I think it's part of what's contributing to the improved low end performance on these wings versus the V1.

I can't say enough good about the N-Weave 45. I've ridden it on the Loft Pro, which has been one of my favorite light wind wings, and now I've ridden it on the Mode Pro, which has quickly become one of my favorite wings out on the water and definitely one of the most versatile, useful wings in my quiver, so I'm super stoked on this one so far.

Part of the reason they've gone to the N-Weave 45 is because it's more accurate in the manufacturing process when they're putting everything together. That might not seem like it matters as much to the end consumer if the factory has to be more attentive, but it makes every wing that comes out of production that much closer to the blueprint that they've spent so much time designing. Having a material that's easier to work with is going to result in better wings off the line.

Canopy

North has changed the canopy from the ripstop in the V1 into what they're calling the Matrix canopy. This is a proprietary North design that's been developed specifically for winging. The Matrix canopy is a stronger material with less elongation. It is slightly heavier, but not by much, and you get stiffness and longevity in exchange.

A stiff canopy equals performance. When you're riding powered, you want a canopy that's not going to stretch and elongate and warp. You want something very stiff and strong with a stiff frame to support that so you're not getting any weird shapes from the wing to decrease the efficiency of the wing or spill off power. This canopy definitely does that. It contributes to that poppy, snappy response that we feel with this wing, all the way through the range from light end up to seriously overpowered riding. You also get improved upwind performance and apparent wind generation. That is a key component of the upgraded performance of the Mode Pro.

You also get longevity. Wings aren't cheap these days and everybody's wallet is pinched, so you want your wing's performance to last long after you buy it, especially if you're somebody that's riding overpowered all the time. With the Matrix canopy combined with the N-Weave 45, you have a more rigid wing that's going to resist elongation and premature wear. When you're riding these wings seriously powered up where they're most happy, you're going to find that they are going to last a lot longer than if it were a traditional ripstop canopy. The Mode Pro aims to make that performance last longer so that, even hundreds of hours of use down the line, it is still giving you top-level, race-winning performance. It also retains less water so it doesn't get as soggy if you're in the water for long periods. It even looks cool with a silvery, almost reflective look to it.

Performance Changes

They definitely gained some low end in the 5.5 and the 6.8m sizes. Part of that is because they've increased the dihedral slightly. They also increased the foil section a little on the bigger sizes of the wing. That gives you some more low end grunt and lift as compared to the Mode V1.

What's Stayed the Same?

Other than those key changes, a lot of what you're seeing in the Mode Pro is very similar to the V1. It has a similar outline and even a similar race window configuration, which is very easy to fold up. They did a really nice job of not killing the Golden Goose, as they say.

Should I Size Up?

We always recommended sizing up a full meter with the V1 because those wings like to ride powered. They pull forward so much that they're not an easy wing to get up and get going in really underpowered conditions, so we always encouraged everyone to size up and treat your 5.5 like a 4.5m and your 7 like a 6m.

I would say that's not necessarily true with the new version. They've gained a lot of low end, but not so much that it's lost the high end performance, and as a result, it's gained some downwind speed so that when you are running or racing downwind, it has more grunt and more pull to really amplify your speed. Because of that, it's got a little bit wider sweet spot as to how you need to hold the wing into the wind than the previous Mode. I've been really stoked.

Compared to your more powerful wings out there, I would still suggest sizing up by about a half meter, and then you're going to be really happy because these wings love to ride powered. Since it is a very compact wing, it's easy to size up without feeling like you're flying this humongous wing.

Size 4.8 and smaller are still very much a super speedy wing where they didn't really add any grunt or low end to those sizes, so I would keep riding those a full meter larger than you would think in a lot of cases, especially if you're somebody that rides powered or rides smaller foils on a smaller board where you might need a little bit more oomph to get up.

Who Is the Mode Pro For?

The Mode Pro wing has a lot of cool stuff going on, and they've hit the nail on the head. They've designed this wing for high performance and speed, so it's a race-winning product that you can take to a serious race and be competitive.

Going beyond that, this wing is for anyone that likes to ride powered and appreciates a fast, efficient wing where you can push the limits of speed. If you're somebody out there ripping around fast and want something with good upwind velocity that builds a lot of apparent wind off of your board speed amplified by the efficiency of the wing, this is what you're looking for.

We also found a really interesting niche for the Mode Pro. Anybody riding in really gusty conditions is going to appreciate this wing because it has so much range. A normal wing is going to get overpowered fairly quickly when you hit that top end. With the Mode Pro, you can just keep pushing it further and further, and as long as you have the skills and your foil is quick, you can just keep ripping this wing.

It's still very comfortable because it doesn't have that stump-pulling grunt that's going to rip you off your board if you're riding seriously overpowered. It just keeps pulling forward and creating that forward speed, so if you know what to do with that speed, whether driving it harder or upwind or handling it or just sheeting out a little bit, this wing is going to cover a lot of range for you.

In fact, I ride the 5.5m anywhere from 15 to the mid-30s. Now, it's not perfect for every riding style in that. Am I going to go out and do high-end freestyle in those kind of conditions? No; you need a bit more specific power range for that, but it's really impressive for freeriding or riding waves.

Anytime you don't need a very specific, technical power, this wing has a lot of range from the low end (if you know what you're doing) all the way up into a serious high end, so it definitely covers a lot of territory. For anybody in gusty conditions where you have this huge variance of wind, the Mode is going to handle that.

You can also expand the low end of this wing if you're using a downwind board. I ride a downwind board for light wind and find that I can ride the 5.5m in fairly light wind with that. I can do really well with the 6.8m in the lightest wind because it's creating that boardspeed and apparent wind even before I lift off on the board. That forward pulling creates a lot of apparent wind and makes it really fun and easy to ride on those lighter wind days with a light wind board that's going to take off efficiently.

Tucker's Review

As you can probably tell, I'm really stoked on this wing. The Mode was one of my favorite wings last year, and it is definitely the kind of wing I would choose if I could only have one wing in my quiver. No matter what the day throws at you, the Mode is going to tackle it. You could go out and ride freestyle, and then you can ride waves, and then you can go win a race, and then you can go out and freeride with your buddies. The Mode is a very versatile wing and it covers such a wide territory that it's rare that you're ever going to have to pump up more than one during the day.

In terms of its dedicated niche performance, I would say it was definitely designed for race performance, and you don't get that kind of performance without focus. Coming off of that, anybody that wants to ride fast, appreciates good upwind ability, and wants a really comfortable wing to fly overpowered is going to enjoy this. It's not a wing that makes you feel physically exhausted when you're riding overpowered; it's very easy to fly, very efficient, and it makes your life easier when you're riding powered up and fast.

It definitely makes the most of the fastest foils out there, and a lot of times I would say the wing wants to go even faster than your foil will allow. I don't ride the super tiny 500 cm stuff, but a lot of times it feels like the wing is ready to go faster than you're willing to or than your foil will allow, so that's pretty special.

As I mentioned before, it's got a ton of range, so you can rig one wing and you're going to be happy. It's a compact wing, so it's very easy to maneuver around for freeride and freestyle tricks. It slides into the wind very easily. Some wings kind of drag into the wind or feel really heavy in your hand when you're luffing it. This is not one of those; it flies into the wind very easily. In the larger sizes, you can slide your hand a little further forward towards the front of the stanchion when you're going into a tack or if you're driving hard upwind, and that's going to help it fly even cleaner into the wind without nosediving because this wing, again, wants to go fast.

One thing I like most about this wing is its overall feel. It's very stiff and very responsive. It does have a little bit of flex in it: just enough to give you a soft, predictable feel. It's enough to smooth out all the little bumps and lumps and differentiations in power, but it's also very snappy so when that wing does reflex and pop back, it gives you a very active performance and feel, especially when you're pumping. It just snaps right back at you with every bit of power that you put into it.

The big N-Weave 45 strut is rock solid. It transfers the energy from the handles into that and throughout the canopy. It's really direct and everything that's happening in the wing happens very quickly and with responsiveness, so it is a very high performance-feeling setup, but also very easy and comfortable to ride.

Tucker's Nitpicks

I don't think I really have any complaints, especially when taking into account that this is a wing that's designed for racing. You'd have to step outside of its intended purpose to find stuff you don't like. Is this the lightest wing on the market? No. Is it lighter than average? Yes. But if you want the lightest of the light, you'll be looking at something like an Aluula wing. The AA Glide is is the lightest wing on the market right now, but the Mode Pro isn't designed with that intention, and when you're riding powered, it doesn't matter that much if your wing weighs a few ounces more.

It's designed to be ridden powered, designed to be ridden fast, and it does all of those things with the best of the best. It's a bold statement, but I think it's the best wing I've ever flown upwind. It's very fast and wants to build apparent wind and speed even when you're driving upwind, and when you bear off a little bit and go for that broad reach, man, this thing just accelerates and keeps going.

I think they've done an awesome improvement on the downwind performance, especially if you're a person that's not racing but just cruising around. It's really easy to go hard upwind and get stuck upwind on these wings, so having a wing that can also get you back downwind quickly is fun and gives you a little bit of extra performance when you're boosting on the lighter end of things.

When you're doing something like wave riding where you want to whip into the wave and get that boost of speed turning into the wave or to get you past a section, this wing is super versatile. It jumps huge as long as you have the speed to pair with it. Don't expect to go out there crawling at 6 mph and do a jump, but if you get this thing up to speed and you fire a jump, it goes big and fast, especially if you're ramping off a wave with that kind of speed. It's volatile; you go big for sure, so watch out.

Conclusion

When viewed through the lens of what it's used for, it is a 10 out of a 10 in my eyes. I'm excited to ride this wing more, and I'm definitely going to fill my quiver up with them.

It surfs really well considering it's not a "surf wing". I'm totally happy with it. If you're riding in light winds downwind, it's always a challenging situation. One thing you can do is to hold it from the front end of the handle like a pistol grip. That's going to give you a bit more leverage over where the wing is headed and help you tilt the wing up if you need to when you're driving straight downwind with a lot of speed and there's no wind to hold the canopy up.

This wing is quite well balanced, but I would say it doesn't luff quite as well as the dedicated surf wings. As somebody that does a lot of riding waves, it's something I'm sensitive to, but it's not a reason that I would choose to abandon the Mode. In fact, I would ride this wing for anything any day and be quite happy with it.

It also backwinds really well. Not everybody does that, but I find myself backwinding a lot just for fun when doing different kinds of jibes and tacks or pushing into waves. Backwinded can sometimes be a fun way to get into waves, especially with an onshore downwind situation. This wing flies really great backwinded. Some wings don't for one reason or another, but this one does. It has good power and it rides fun that way.

While this wing is built to be ridden powered, it can be ridden underpowered, especially if you have good technique. But it shines most when it's ridden powered to overpowered, and even extremely overpowered. That's where the performance is most apparent. So if you're out there picking a size, generally you're going to size up.

If you're a new rider and you want to step right into the Mode Pro, do it. Just make sure you're getting a big enough size to suit the kind of wind that you're going to get, otherwise you might be a little disappointed with the wind range you're going to get on the low end.

I can't wait to ride more sizes, especially the really small sizes. They did rework the sizing a little bit, so rather than a 7.0, they have a 6.8m this year. I would say the 6.8m has every bit of low end that the 7.0 did, and maybe even a little bit more. They've added some more sizes in the middle like the 4.8m. That's going to be a really popular size, but they've also added a 3.5m on the low end to cover those nuking days, and lighter weight riders as well. That was a big ask from a lot of riders last year, so that's where the 3.5m comes in, and that should handle everything into the totally nuclear territory for the most part.

Two big thumbs up to the North team for taking an already fantastic wing and bringing the level up and addressing any areas that they could to make the wing better. I think they've really nailed it with the Mode Pro.

If you have any questions, we'd love to hear from you. This has been Tucker with MACkiteboarding, and we'll see you next time.

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