Ride Engine Moon Buddy 5.0 Review

The moon buddy comes in many sizes but the 5.0 is a great next level wing foil board.

The first thing to note is the graphic design. Nothing to do with performance but I have to comment on visually appealing this board is.

This board has a screwed vent plug. I do wish they had an automatic vent like many other brands have implemented but it's not terribly inconvenient to manual do it before and after your session. There are good options for strap inserts but I find that I prefer to ride strapless more often than not these days. They have a good balance of offering options without going overboard and adding weight to the board.

A unique feature is the finger well along the side of the board. This is a nice grip point when popping up and it adds some rigidity to the construction without adding weight. The traction pad is nice. Its easy to move your feet forward and back yet it offers more grip in the horizontal direction. It's lightweight and thin to reduce weight when wet.

Moving to the back of the board. There is a handle on the bottom. This is well balanced when you carry it with a foil but off balance without. There is a foil track system 90mm spacing standard. It is quite a ways back which is nice on this tiny board. The kicktail about the last 8 inches of the board, doesn't do much as far as getting on a plane but it helps you start. This makes the board ride a bit shorter than you would expect. Now this comes with a fin box to add tracking ability if you are using this as a paddle board.

The board has deep chines that allow for a smooth transition from flying to landing. These are really steep that make turning more maneuverable but detract from the stability. This also makes the board feel more narrow than it is.

The nose rocker is also quite aggressive making this board a better fit for more experienced riders who want something that rides really small. In chop, it would be harder for a new winger. Once you get up flying, this board is loads of fun, Its an absolute fun machine. 

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.