On land:
The Fly is intended to appeal to the widest possible target group, from beginners to wing pros, and is available in 14 (!) sizes (1.4/1.8/2.2/2.5/2.9/3.3/3.6/4.0/4.3/4.7/5.0/5.4/5.7 and 6.0 m²) and in two colour variants. We were able to extensively test the 4.7 square metre size. Overall, the Fly Wing has a lot of fabric tension in the front area. The material is then cut loosely in the rear edge area and is supported by small mini battens. Two handles have been screwed to the segmented centre strut, these have a pleasantly thin diameter and offer the option of moving your hands sideways with millimetre precision to get a perfect grip at the pressure point. NeilPryde uses a SUP system for the valve, which has to be plugged once when inflating. On the other hand, the air is released very quickly when deflating.
The fittings look high-quality, the seams in the wing tip area are covered, the front handle is stiff and has a good grip.
In addition to the test report, we also present the NeilPryde Fly in the form of a short video on our YouTube channel. Take a look!
On the water:
When pumping, the Fly Wing is quite stiff, and in light winds you can fall below the recommended inflation pressure by one psi - especially as a light surfer (<75 kilos). Overall, the NeilPryde Fly Wing offers a good amount of power, especially when pumping, the profile works very efficiently and allows an above-average early take-off. The Fly is also impressive at the other end of the scale, in strong gusts, where the pressure point in the tightly pre-tensioned profile stabilised by small battens remains stable for a long time. We also liked the handle system: the handle protrudes far forward and allows intuitive gripping in manoeuvres, the power transmission to the wing is very direct. This makes it easy to control the wing in manoeuvres, regardless of whether you are practising jibes or rotating through freestyle tricks. Keyword "rotating": Thanks to the slim cut wingtips, the Fly Wing can be manoeuvred comparatively effortlessly, and you hardly notice on the water that the Wing is not exactly one of the lightest models on the scales. Another positive aspect is that if the Fly is only guided by the front handle, it quickly becomes neutral and drifts along nicely - the best conditions for having fun in the waves.
NeilPryde Fly Wing - the conclusion:
The NeilPryde Fly Wing convinces as an absolutely successful all-rounder. It doesn't stand out from the specialists in any category, but overall it offers a good mix of light wind power, handling, control and neutrality when drifting. This makes it suitable for freeriding with thick low-aspect wings, for tricks and also for trips into the waves.
All-round suitability; good grip system
NeilPryde Fly - the review:
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