In this article:
These sails are included in the test:
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Market barkers would be delighted with the freemoving sails in this group: a large portion of planing power is packed with a load of manoeuvre handling - and there is (yes, do I have to be crazy?) a little bit of freestyle and wave potential on top!
Whether more is always better is another matter. One thing is certain: If you are clearly focussing on wave, freeride or freestyle, you will always be better off with a special sail in the corresponding category. If, on the other hand, you don't want to commit yourself or - personal preferences aside - have to adapt to the conditions on holiday and are looking for a sail for flat water, bump & jump and occasional surf trips, then this sail group really does offer the ideal combination of handling, control and planing performance. And because freemoving sails are ultimately easy to rig and the trimming forces are limited, newcomers will also find exactly what they are looking for in this sail group. In the following test report, we reveal which brand offers you the best overall package.
Freemoving sails are the cheaper alternative to wave sails - and the better all-rounders." Manuel Vogel, surf editor
Masts - 430 or 400?
Compared to wave sails, freemoving sails are usually significantly cheaper, which is primarily due to the somewhat slimmed-down equipment. In line with this, we have only accepted "cheaper" masts with up to 80 per cent carbon content for the group. In the 5.5 square metre range, there is often a switch from a 400 to a 430 mast. This information can be particularly important when putting together your own palette - it may be possible to save a mast length.
Goya, NeilPryde and Sailloft are recommended and tested on a 400 RDM mast. The Goya Nexus B has a vario top, but Sailloft Curve and NeilPryde Fusion are also conceivable on a 430 mast due to the luff length of just over 430 centimetres. GA Sails, Severne, RRD and GunSails are recommended on the 430.
If the 5.5 is the largest or smallest sail in your range, you can sometimes save a mast length completely." Fabian Grundmann, surf tester
If a sail offers both lengths as an option, the following applies: With the short (and therefore softer) 400 mast, the sail is more damped and usually has a noticeably higher profile in light winds - this can be an advantage for planing and in the hands of lighter surfers (<70 kilos). Conversely, a long and therefore automatically harder 430 mast makes the set-up tighter. This can bring advantages in terms of pressure point stability, especially when heavy chunks (>90 kilos) pull on the fork.
Trim & Tuning
In order for the sail to cover the widest possible range of use on the water, the luff trim is still crucial. Printed trim markings such as those on Goya, GunSails, RRD or NeilPryde help even less experienced windsurfers to apply the correct tension to the luff. If there are no markings, the rough rule of thumb "Clearly visible loose leech between the top two battens" is a good guide. The boom trim of the test models is very different: While GunSails Torro, Severne Gator and the fairly flat RRD Move manage with a very moderate pull on the trim sheet, the GA Hybrid, the NeilPryde Fusion and especially the Goya Nexus B can be pulled flat in strong winds, as these models develop a lot of belly when close-hauled.
Equipment and the most important details
Many sails can come up with quite successful features and details. Compared to pure wave sails, freemove concepts use less grid material - and the dimensions of the monofilm are often slightly reduced. Exceptions are the foot areas, which are sufficiently protected on all models. The bottom line, however, is that no model stands out with its spartan features. The Sailloft Curve even looks more solid than average, and thanks to the extensive use of mesh material, you can take it out into the North Sea surf without batting an eyelid. The Goya model is also available on request in a cheaper version with a clear monofilm for around 90 euros - according to the manufacturer, this naturally has a somewhat lower UV stability.
The surf type recommendation
Just adding up the scores - this method is rather unsuitable for finding your personal test winner. Instead, you should look at which criteria are relevant to your requirements. And, conversely, which ones you can put on the back burner. With our following type advice, we want to help you narrow down the test group to a few models - within which you won't go wrong and can find your perfect sail based on personal taste, look and, last but not least, purchase price.
Type: newcomer to glidesurfing
If you are just starting to practise planing and loop surfing, this is the right sail group for you, because all sails have more than acceptable handling, no camber (profile braces on the mast) and are on average quite uncomplicated to rig and surf. You should pay particular attention to the following aspects in your search:
- Sliding propertiesHere we assess how well a sail planes even when ridden passively without pumping and in a medium trim. Sails that have a deep profile and a pressure point that is slightly further back generally make it easier for less technically experienced pilots to planing. Concepts that have a flat profile and require an active riding style, on the other hand, are penalised here.
- Driving stabilityThe term "sailing stability" describes how well the angle of attack to the wind can be found and maintained while planing. If a sail is stable in the hands without the need for corrections to the sail position, this is ideal because it makes it easier for less experienced surfers to achieve a good top speed and glide through wind holes.
- Handling in manoeuvres Each tester keeps their board during our test rounds, only the sails are swapped. In this way, differences in handling are immediately noticeable. If you want to impress with manoeuvre handling, the sail should be easy to handle in manoeuvres such as power jibes, duck jibes, carving 360s and other classic manoeuvres, rotate quickly and have good batten rotation. Sails that combine a low dead weight with short boom dimensions, a flat profile and a pressure point that is further forward usually perform best here.
If you categorise yourself as an "up-and-comer", the following models should be on your shortlist (sorted alphabetically): GA Sails Hybrid, Goya Nexus B, GunSails Torro, NeilPryde Fusion, RRD Move, Sailloft Curve.
Type: Sporty freerider
Those who already glide safely and like to go full throttle on fast freeride or freerace boards with single fin and a 4-loop setup belong to the "sporty freerider" type. Here it's all about small speed duels with your mates and less about manoeuvring and jumps. Sails that combine good stability with high speed potential are ideal. Therefore, in addition to the already explained aspect of riding stability, pay attention to the following criteria:
- Speed medium wind range Sails that become noticeably charged after crossing the glide threshold, make it easier to exert pressure on the fin with a constant basic pull on the sail hand and to accelerate again in gusts. Sails with this power characteristic often glide noticeably better even in wind holes. With body tension, you can then let your freeride board fly fully over the fin and thus achieve a high top speed. Manoeuvre-oriented models with a pressure point further forward are often just as fast when fully powered up, but in wind holes and on the cross you cannot maintain the pressure on the fin and thus the free planing of the board for as long - you will then lose ground.
- ControlOn the water, it's usually a matter of finding a trim that guarantees a reasonable level of planing performance and still doesn't allow the pressure point to shift in gusts. Sails that cover a wide wind range have a clear advantage here, as annoying re-trimming is then not necessary so often. It is precisely this medium trim that we try to tease out during testing.
So if you categorise yourself as a "sporty freerider", your hit list would be (in alphabetical order): GA Sails Hybrid, Goya Nexus B, GunSails Torro, NeilPryde Fusion, Sailloft Curve, Severne Gator.
Type: Manoeuvre surfer
If you enjoy manoeuvres such as duck and backwind jibes, carving 360s or classic freestyle tricks such as the Vulcan or Spinloop, this group is perfect for you. Some models complement each other perfectly with manoeuvre-oriented boards in the freemove and freestyle wave categories. If this appeals to you, then the sails that best suit your requirements are those that have good manoeuvrability - i.e. are light and agile in the hand, rotate quickly and have a low dead weight. The most playful models are often not among the most powerful and fastest representatives - which you can get over in this case. The supposed speed advantages of the fastest sails in this group can only be realised on sporty freeride boards with a single fin anyway.
The following preselection of sails combines very good handling with decent performance (sorted alphabetically): GA Sails Hybrid, Gun-Sails Torro, RRD Move, Sailloft Curve, Severne Gator.
Type: Surf surfer
Whenever possible, do you let off steam in the surf or swell? Accordingly, do you favour multifin boards in the wave, freestyle wave or freemove categories? Do you expect your sail to feel light in manoeuvres, rotate smoothly and feel playful in the hand when riding waves? Then sails with a slightly shorter boom and a pressure point further forwards are suitable. It is also important that the sails are appropriately processed and reinforced, as large monofilament panels and thin material thicknesses are less ideal in the surf. At this point, the wave sail test in surf 1-2 2023 should be mentioned, where there are certainly numerous suitable models in sizes 5.4 to 5.7 square metres. However, if you often want to use your sail in flat water, you will also find suitable representatives with good handling and robust equipment in the freemove category tested here. They are (in alphabetical order): RRD Move, Sailloft Curve, Severne Gator.
If you have been able to categorise yourself into one of the types of surfer described, you can make your final selection based on the individual descriptions and grades, which should enable you to find your personal test winner and avoid bad purchases.
Strengths and weaknesses of the test sails at a glance
During testing, each tester keeps their board, only the sails are swapped. In this way, strengths and weaknesses become clear, which we always show in a rating scale.
All Freemove sails 2023 in the individual evaluation
Click here for the detailed test results of all wave sails:
