Best Foil Assist for Winging, Prone, and Downwind | Foil Drive or FLITELab?

With the release of the FLITELab AMP, you might be wondering how it compares to Foil Drive and whether one is better for you. Cole has experience with both and is ready to share his insights into which he would choose for different foiling disciplines.

What's the Difference Between Foil Drive and FLITELab?

First off, what are they? Both are foil assist products meant to help you get up on foil and then turn off so you can do your thing, though the Foil Drive can be ridden as a full-time eFoil as well.

Foil Drive has a remote, a main unit that mounts between your board and mast, and a motor with a propeller that mounts anywhere on your mast. You can use any board and foil you want with it.

FLITELab's AMP has a swappable jet motor cartridge that slides inside the back of their range of custom boards, and the controller mounts in the nose of the board. There is nothing to attach to your foil. While you do need to use a FLITELab board, you can use any foil you like.

Which Is Better for Winging?

For winging, FLITELab's AMP is much easier to use since the controller is mounted in the board rather than something you have to juggle in your hand along with the wing. While you're on your knees, you press the button, and then there's a delay to let you get up and focus on the wing as the jet kicks in and boosts you up on foil. Foil Drive is working on a solution for wingers, but for now, you'll probably enjoy the FLITELab more.

Which Is Better for Prone Foiling?

The answer isn't quite as clear-cut for prone foiling. It really depends on how you like to surf. Both will work equally well for paddle assist. You will feel like Superman paddling out into the lineup. Both will also help get you into the wave.

Once you're up on foil in a wave, your experience will be different depending on which assist you're using. Since FLITELab's jet is in the board, it won't work when you're on foil. Foil Drive has the motor on the mast, so if you're falling behind the wave or losing speed, you can drop down enough to get your propeller in the water without coming off foil and get a boost.

On the other hand, you do lose some of your mast to the Foil Drive motor. When you're pumping, you can dip the motor into the water and feel a little drag from it. The FLITELab's mast is completely clear, and with the motor's weight carefully balanced over your mast, you'll barely notice it's there when pumping. And duck diving is a blast.

Basically, if you're looking for more of a raw feel with a clean mast, choose the FLITELab. If you want an easier time, like to get a boost while on foil, or are still learning to prone, you might like the Foil Drive better.

Which Is Better for Downwinding?

Downwinding is also a bit of a toss-up on which one is better, and comes down to personal preference. There's a lot to be said for having your entire mast clear like you do with the FLITELab. You can lay down turns and pump as you please without having to try to keep a propeller out of the water.

However, there's more room for error with the Foil Drive. Just drop down a little and pull the trigger for power. You can get back upwind while on foil. If you're still progressing, then any time spent on foil is going to help you train.

What If I Want to eFoil?

This one is easy. The Foil Drive has different lengths of cable available, so just choose one long enough to mount your motor low so that it's always in the water, and off you go! The FLITELab has no eFoiling capabilities since the jet won't work when you're on foil.

Which Has the Better Battery Setup?

This one's pretty much a tie. Both brands put a lot of time into developing high-quality batteries that are going to get you through your whole session, and Cole didn't have to end a session early with either one.

Another feature that's important to a lot of people is whether you can travel with your battery. FLITELab's battery comes in two pieces that click together, with each piece being airline-friendly. You can also choose a similar setup for your Foil Drive.

Which One Is Easier to Set Up?

Setup is a breeze with the FLITELab. You slide the jet cartridge into your board and secure it with a screw and twist-lock the controller into the nose. It's so refined that many people won't even realize you have a motor. Attach your foil as usual and you're off.

There is a lot more to getting your Foil Drive ready, especially your first time out with it. It isn't difficult by any means, and anyone can do it, but it does take more time. You'll want to watch a video and have your instructions handy so you don't miss any steps. You can get an integrated mast to cut out some of the work and have a more finished-looking product, though.

Does Skill Level Matter?

Yes, Foil Drive is definitely more beginner-friendly since you can boost with your board in or out of the water. The FLITELab is unpowered anytime you're on foil, so staying on foil is completely up to you and you'll probably fall more often if you don't have a lot of experience foiling yet. The more you're on foil, the faster you'll progress, so the Foil Drive is our pick for newer riders.

If you're an intermediate rider and don't need top-end performance and just want to spend as much time on foil as possible, you're probably going to have more fun on a Foil Drive, especially for prone and downwind.

If you're an advanced rider and you don't want to lose any performance while pumping and turning and only need a little kick to get up on foil, then the FLITELab is a good pick. Your mast is clean, and the motor is housed inside your board, so there is zero extra drag. Even the added weight has a minimal effect since it's so well balanced over the mast.

In Short...

Both the Foil Drive and the FLITELab are great, well-thought-out products that have their place on the water. Although they have a similar function, they're also quite different from one another and have their pros and cons, depending on what sort of rider you are. Both are a bit of an investment, so if you're not sure which one is right for you, we're happy to chat and help you choose the one that will let you make the most of your sessions.

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