Cabrinha ​Crosswing X2 Review

We were able to get our hands on the  Cabrinha Crosswing X2 for testing this month. Right out of the gate, it's clear this is an upgrade from the first gen Cabrinha wing which, to be honest, was our least favorite. For the second generation, they have done their homework and made a great competitive wing.

The wing has a lot of power for its size. I had the chance to test this on a gusty inland lake with lulls of 14 and highs of 25. When pumping the wing, I found there was a lot of consistent power that can be generated by this wing.

The wing is balanced in your hands and it has a lot of lift. Even when holding it by the leading edge handle it hovers and carries it's own weight well. I will say, it's not the lightest wing I've used, but it feels lighter than average while in use.

The power delivery is smooth and intuitive. It's not on-and-off or spongy.

Let's cover a few minor details and specifics I noticed.

The Leash

First up is the leash. I found that the attachment point was great from a learning standpoint. It brings the wing further up, allowing for easier access to the lead handle. That said, this was a downside for me. The standard attachment point makes the wing fly and crash when you are swimming out with your wing. That can be really annoying when paddling out. To solve this, I moved the leash up to the luff handle and extended it with some line pigtails. I might even consider using a different manufacturer's leash such as F-one. Another detail I found is that the leash cuff is a bit small on this one. When wearing a thick wetsuit, I do not have much room left to velcro this down. If you have thick wrists, you'll want to consider attaching the leash to your harness or waist belt. On a positive note, the leash cuff is removable so you can attach the leash to something else, such as a waist belt without the extra bulk that the cuff adds.

The Inflation System

Something I love about this wing is there are two boston valves- one on the leading edge pumped to 6.5 psi and one on the dual boom pumped to 11psi. This is an interesting idea as the ideal boom is stiffer than the leading edge and this solves a huge problem of over-inflating the leading edge and risking damage to achieve the correct boom rigidity.

Some people may not like two points to pump up but I prefer this system, mostly because it's so fast and easy to dump the strut. Something that has been a pet peeve of ours is how long it takes to deflate some manufacturer's boom.

The Harness Line

Cabrinha nailed the harness line placement on this wing. It's perfectly balanced for riding hooked in. It does not take any muscle from your arms to ride with it in the correct position hooked in. You can even go a moment with no hands or riding one-handed. The harness line is not included with the wing; I'm using our Universal harness line.

The Trailing Edge Battens

These are made to reduce flutter. I found they do a decent job but not perfect. When you get powered up on this wing, there is still a bit of flutter. It didn't impact performance but the sound can be annoying.

On a side note, the canopy stays tight, and paired with the flow between the boom and the canopy you get a great deal of efficacy from this wing. This is something that we've seen on many second gen wings: tighter canopies and better aerodynamics.

The Dual Boom

This is unique to Cabrinha with the high PSI dual boom. It really allows the wing to maintain power while pumping. The inside boom curve makes the wing ergonomic, allowing better hand positioning. It's a small detail that makes a big difference for those longer sessions.

The Handles

They use long, rigid handles on their boom. They are stiff and have no flex in the grip. They are easy to grab and easy to share while making transitions or doing tricks. They also allow for micro-adjustments while riding. They leave a good deal of room too if you are wearing thick gloves in cold water. They are easy to grab even when you are not looking. It's actually hard to miss them!

It's almost like having a solid boom that can be packed down easy. My only gripe is the connection points do have some flex in the forward and back direction. I think most riders will not care, but having tried so many wings, I wish this was a little tighter tolerance. Preferring a tighter connection, I like to ride with my hands on the inside of the handles where the handle connects to the wing via a stanchion. For me this is not only the most comfortable place, but it eliminates that bit of give.

All in all, I feel that Cabrinha has come a long way with this wing and I had a lot of fun with it. I'd classify this as a great starter wing that someone could grow into! Final thoughts: Cabrinha has gone the extra mile with the graphics and materials. Their top notch materials and attention to details certainly translate to a higher qualtiy product.

Tucker Vantol

Mackite's resident surf and "Hydrofoil junkie." You can either catch him on the phones or on the water at dawn testing new gear. He is proficient at a myriad of sports, a shaper and passionate about getting his water time. When he discovered kiteboarding it took over as his predominate sport. The same could be said about hydrofoiling.