FLITELab AMPJet Overview with Evan Netsch

Cole had a chance to meet up with Evan Netsch from FLITELab in LA to check out the new RAW and AMP releases. There's been a lot of curiosity about these, especially the AMP. It's sort of an eFoil, but it's in a class of its own. What is it, how does it work, and who is it for?

What Is the FLITELab AMP Board?

The AMP is a board with a cavity for a jet cartridge in the rear. Having the propulsion inside the board leaves your foil completely clear of any sort of propeller, so there's zero drag and pumping and foiling feels completely normal. Control is hands-free. There's a puck-shaped controller called the Launch Pad in the nose of the board, and you can program that for different disciplines like prone surfing, winging, and downwinding.

How Does the AMP Work?

Nestled between the foil tracks inside the back of the board is a long cartridge. There are two batteries that snap together in the front, and the jet is in the back. The cartridge is watertight and slides right out so you can buy multiple sizes of boards without paying for a jet in each one.

Each battery is 142 Watts, which is within the limit set by most airlines. Each person can bring two of these, which is just what you need to run the jet at full power. There is a lot of tech inside the batteries to keep them functioning safely and at peak performance.

When you connect the batteries together and drop them into the jet cartridge, you'll hear a beep. Thats means it's turning on. Put the watertight end cap on and slide the cartridge into the board. It'll pair automatically with the Launch Pad controller at the nose of the board while you secure the cartridge in place with a screw. That's it- you're ready to jet!

The Launch Pad is waterproof and wireless. It not only lets you control your boost, but it also tracks your session with all sorts of fun stats. A really cool thing about this is that you can swap out your jet cartridge with a foam blank for an unpowered session, and the Launch Pad will still track your stats.

Want to feel like Superman? Hit the button for the paddle assist and you'll fly back into the lineup. Press another button to boost into the wave. You can have different presets for each of your disciplines. For example, you might want a longer delay before the jet kicks in while winging since you need time to get to your feet and get your wing situated. For prone, you might want just a short burst to get into the wave. Each mode lets you have presets where you decide the delay, how much power you want, and how long you want it to last. It's great for fine-tuning it to your conditions, weight, riding style, etc.

Of course, the jet only works while the board is in the water, and it knows when you're up on foil and shuts itself off. This is a great battery-saver, and it helps keep you stealthy too! With no propellers or cables anywhere, just an inconspicuous nozzle in the back of your board, most people won't even realize you're on a powered board.

Who Is the AMP For?

The AMP is for anyone who likes to foil and would sometimes like a little boost to get into a wave or to get up on foil in marginal conditions. You'll catch waves you never could on a traditional prone foilboard, and you'll catch more of them. You'll have longer wing and downwind sessions because you won't get as fatigued trying to get up on foil.

It really does excel in the waves, even the smaller sizes. You click a button, you do a couple paddles, and suddenly you're in the wave, whether that's an offshore roller during a downwinder or something that's closer to shore.

Riders of any skill level can appreciate the AMP. Advanced foilers will love that the foil is completely clear of any added drag. The weight of the batteries is centered over the foil, so there is virtually no extra swing weight. It's quite a high-performance setup.

Foilers who are new to prone will drastically reduce their learning curve. During the demo session, Evan had two people who hadn't prone foiled before. One was an experienced foiler who didn't have the skills to paddle out to the wave, while the other had only eFoiled. Both were catching waves within an hour, a milestone that takes some people a whole season to achieve. The AMP simply lets you catch more waves with less fatigue, and that's going to accelerate your progression.

The AMP also lets you prone on a smaller board. The range goes from 4'2" to 5'8". A beginner isn't going to be able to paddle an unpowered 5'0" board in, but with the AMP they can easily use that or even the 4'8".

Wingers can really appreciate the hands-free control. Foil assist is a big help on light wind days, but it can be tough to juggle a wing and controller. The AMP lets you focus on handling the wing, plus you'll be able to use a smaller wing since the AMP will get you up and you'll only need a wing big enough to stay on foil.

What's Cole's Take?

You expect big things from a product that's been in development for a few years, but Cole's expectations were still blown away once he got his first ride. Everything was well thought out, and there wasn't anything he'd change. It opened up so many possibilities, making marginal conditions into great sessions. Cole loves introducing new riders to prone foiling, and the AMP really excited him with what it could do for wave rookies. He can't wait to use it to get more waves on a smaller board.

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