Airush FreeWing V2 Overview

This is Tucker from MACkiteboarding with Mr. Jeff, and today we're going to talk to you about the Airush Freewing V2. We'll start with an overview, and then we will do a quick review.

Overview

Tucker: The Freewing V2 from Airush and Starboard is a very nice do-it-all wing. It's really compact, and the frame itself is quite thick and stiff, so even as a heavier rider, I can ride with more power and it's going to hold its shape, which is really nice. When you're pumping, especially in light winds, you can definitely feel that transfer of power, so it's not flexing and losing power.

There are some nice windows not only in the front so you can see what's up and in front of you, but also in the rear so you can see if somebody's coming up from downwind and behind you. It's a really useful window, but also not so big that they're going to bag out early or be cumbersome to fold and fit in the bag.

The loop-style handles are comfortable and stiff, and they are really nicely and ergonomically placed. I always like to use the outside ones when I'm pumping and getting up, and then when I hook in and ride I use the middle ones to cruise and chill. The V handles are kind of small, so they don't do a lot of good unless you're riding a wave, or maybe if you miss that front handle in a jibe or a tack, you can grab that instead, which is nice.

It's got a nice rope-style harness line and a wrist cuff, which is included with the wing. It does the job, though it might be a little bit small for my wrist in cold weather and a 6 mil wetsuit, but on a normal day it works really well.

It is a one pump inflation, and it has a clamp in there so you can isolate your bladders. It's got a Boston style valve that uses a fat tip adapter for pumping it up. The bigger sizes, I think the 6m and larger, have the boom dump valve on the strut, so that helps you empty out all that extra air when you're packing up to go home.

Review

Tucker: 

I would say it's a great do-it-all, versatile wing, especially for new to intermediate riders. Being compact, it's really easy to handle and easy to pump in those lighter wind days. It doesn't get in your way. This is a 6m and the wingspan is that of most 5m wings.

It's a lightweight build with the double ripstop canopy, so it flags out nice and stable and is very durable, but not to the point of overkill. It's just a really easy-to-ride, comfortable, smooth-riding shape that gives you easy up-and-go type power. It's not finicky about sail angle, and it builds apparent wind well so it's just a nice, blended performer I think anybody's going to be really excited about. Jeff, you just got off this. What do you think?

Jeff:

First of all, it's a good-looking wing, which is just kind of a bonus, but my takeaways with this: solid wing. I'm a budding intermediate and I've got high stoke on the sport, and as soon as I got up and riding on this it felt very stable. I used the front grip on both handle sets initially, and they felt properly placed. We had some gusty conditions, and I just felt stable on this wing, so I have to agree with Tucker. Beginner/intermediate, wonderful wing; it is confidence-boosting.

It has pretty good balance. When I did my first turn, it didn't feel overly cumbersome for such a big size wing. I've been riding the solid boom as well as the two rigid handles, so this was a change for me. I hadn't been out in a while, but I think Airush did a nice job on their placement with the loops. It felt really good.

Another thing which I really haven't been focusing on is the windows. We had a little onshore wind this morning, so a lot of people were trying to tack and get out in the same spot. I like how long the windows are because I didn't have to move the wing much, and I had just enough view to make sure that we were staying clear of each other, so I think they did a nice job on the window placement. Windows are not a must on a wing unless you're in a busy area, but it's kind of nice.

Overall, I felt like it had smooth, stable power, even in the gusts. I didn't feel a lot of hand fatigue, and we've been spoiled here- this is my third day on the water. This wing felt stable, smooth, and took all the gusts really well, so I'm excited about this. It's a solid wing for sure.

Tucker: 

I talked about the compact shape, and there are a lot of good reinforcements in this wing. If you're somebody that's going to start winging on a skateboard, a SUP, or a snowboard or skis, this is an awesome wing because you can ride a bit bigger wing. Being that it's properly reinforced, you can tap a wing down on the cement now and then and not really worry too much about it, so it's a good design. It's a good wing for anybody that wants a lot of versatile performance, especially if you're a new rider getting into the sport.

This has been Tucker and Mr. Jeff with MACkiteboarding.com. Enjoy the stoke.

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