Five days of continuous jetting - with this guest present, we were able to thoroughly put the eleven freeride sails through the wringer in exactly the same way as most freeriders would. With extensive comparison rides with identical boards (Tabou Rocket Plus 133). In between, you hang on to one or two race surfers - which also explores the limits - plus lots of jibes and, of course, gliding, accelerating and gliding through. In the end, it was above all the riding experience that made the difference, even more than the pure riding performance. Because at least a good top speed is possible with all sails - but with some this is achieved easily and with a lot of pleasure, with others with bite and stamina. And on short strokes with lots of gybes, the sails with a gentle rotation then emerge at the top. You can find our "selection" based on this at the end of this text in the "Type recommendation" section.
AN LAND
Sections and profiles
Six to seven battens are standard in this size and class, only RRD enters the race with five battens less stabilised. One batten is often designed as a "cross batten" - diagonally through the boom. This makes the often seen cuts with the "jag" on the clew possible in the first place. This batten also stabilises the profile of sails that can or should be surfed with little outhaul tension. The GunSails in a classic cut shows that it is also possible without. Normally, this batten configuration without cross batten requires some tension on the clew (Ezzy and RRD) to stabilise the profile, the Gun sail is a - functioning - exception and remains tame even with a loose line. Ezzy and Point-7 already show the clearly different trim concepts. While the Ezzy has a very elastic, comfortable profile with a very wide trim path that is tensioned and stabilised at the boom and thus also offers the option of maximum belly trim for constant light winds, the Point-7 relies on a profile that is already stabilised almost to the maximum via battens and luff tension. Here the clew is always trimmed very loosely, with noticeable tension you would only cut off the sail's air in planing conditions without significantly affecting the very good controllability. There are numerous hybrids between these two concepts.
Equipment
The equipment lists of the individual brands are as varied as the design concepts. From the fully equipped membrane (Avanti) to the weight-optimised ("slimmed down") version from RRD, everything is included. Ezzy, Goya, Loftsails and Sailloft also stand out as being particularly well equipped in terms of material and reinforcements. We go into this in detail in our video, in which all the sails are shown and presented on land.
ON THE WATER
Sliding properties
A wide board, a whopping seven square metres of surface area and 80 kilos of test weight - with these key data, all sail combos set off similarly early. The more noticeable differences lie in the subsequent acceleration and planing. Sails with a little more "emphasis", i.e. pull on the sail hand, have an advantage here.
Speed & control - camberless top
How well these sails perform in strong winds not only surprised us, but also convinced us. Sails such as the Point-7, Avanti or Severne in particular combine the best control and a sporty, fast feel even when powered up correctly - you don't necessarily have to go for a camber sail just for supposedly better suitability for strong winds.
Manoeuvre
Lots of jibes, the occasional tack and maybe a duck jibe - that's probably what the manoeuvre programme in this group and sail size looks like in the wild. All sails can do this well. Sails with less batten contact on the mast and a softer profile, such as Ezzy, Avanti, Loftsails or RRD, are particularly elegant and smooth when shifting and rotating. However, as our average score shows, even the "worst" sail in this discipline is still really good in absolute terms. Compared to the freerace sails with cambers, these sails play in the Champions League instead of the district league when it comes to jibing.
Type recommendation
Despite a range of five to seven battens, the camberless sails in this group are recognisably different in terms of measurable performance, but not overwhelmingly so. The ideal boards used in the freeride class also make the differences less important. The riding experience also plays an important role in whether the overall package is more "very performance-orientated", or rather "comfortably sporty" or "classically versatile". We have tried to sort the sails into three groups according to these requirements.
- Performance plus
For freeriders who don't like being overtaken or simply enjoy almost unlimited speed with camberless sails, we particularly recommend Avanti Poweride V2, GunSails Zoom, Goya Mark Pro, Point-7 ACX Slalom, Loftsails Oxygen, Sailloft Cross and Severne NCX. These sails are suitable for freeride and freerace boards. - Performance comfort
Performance is also important to you, but control and damping are more important to you than a robust sporty feeling? Avanti Poweride V2, Ezzy Cheetah, Goya Mark Pro, GunSails Zoom, Loftsails Oxygen, NeilPryde Ryde, Severne NCX offer this in very good form. The ideal base is the classic freeride board. - Freeride Classic
If good planing, a comfortable ride and smooth handling are to come together, then Avanti Poweride V2, Ezzy Cheetah, GA Matrix, Goya Mark Pro, NeilPryde Ryde, RRD Evolution and Severne NCX come into play. The most suitable boards tend to be comfortable, easy-to-control freeriders.
Freeriding - what exactly is it?
The manoeuvring session where every successful jibe releases happiness hormones (Point-7 ACX Slalom, above and RRD Evolution, below) or exuberant jumps over the boat wave (Avanti Poweride)? But the thrill can also lie in speed duels with friends (NeilPryde Ryde and Ezzy Cheetah). In any case, it's not just one characteristic of a sail that counts. In any case, these sails offer a particularly successful mix for intermediates and sporty freeriders. By the way, you can find the best boards in surf 5/2021 .
Spotted
As expected, the Ezzy gets the most "clicks" in the detailed photos: The mast protector is worth seeing, the trim aid on the pulley block is unique and the equipment with only X-Ply and even PVC windows is also unique. Protectors with pockets like GA's are standard, whereas the long motocross version from Loftsails is luxury class. Two sail eyelets offer the option for more power or large surfers (top) and for more control or smaller people (bottom). The Severne block with four pulleys works excellently with a matching Severne extension (three pulleys), but even as it is here it can still be threaded quite neatly with any pulley configuration. With only five battens, a flat profile and few reinforcements, the RRD looks light and easy to handle, while the GunSails uses a lot of loose leech (loosely folded sail at the rear) to optimise aerodynamics for top speed.
We have tested these sails:
Avanti Poweride V2 7.0
The most expensive freeride sail you can buy has a lot to offer in return, and you can't accuse the designer - even considering the small sail window - of having used the elaborate membrane material sparingly. The entire sail looks very solid when unfurled and rigged, but also flexible. The profile, which appears rather flat without pressure, gives the Avanti agile handling when it starts to bob; almost like a wave sail, it can be unfurled quickly in gusts and depressurised. Nevertheless, it also sets off early in comparison and then increasingly builds up propulsion without losing control. Very stable, with an even pull on both hands - with a very pleasantly damped effect on the fork - it accelerates confidently into the upper wind range. Even at over 50 km/h on the speedometer, you can still hang relaxed in the harness, the sail lies cleanly on the deck. The pull is almost always evenly distributed between both hands. Soft and, above all, with very gentle, barely noticeable batten rotation, the sail is as convincing as possible in the jibe, and on top of that it seems half a size smaller. The only criticism: The very small window significantly restricts visibility in front of the jibe. surf conclusion: The Avanti also offers noticeable added value - for a hefty surcharge in the laminate version. A high-performance sail that is also comfortable and classy.
Ezzy Cheetah 7.0
Out of your ski boots and into your hut shoes - that's the feeling you get when you switch from the lift-strong, direct and sometimes a little "stiff" sails like the Sailloft or Point-7 to the Ezzy. The sail provides an incredible amount of comfort thanks to the damping and the even load distribution on both hands. It also keeps the board flatter on the water rather than catapulting you into orbit without being asked in strong winds. This ensures a smooth ride - but at top speed it still has to leave one or two representatives behind. The Ezzy achieves all this with an extraordinary sail design, from the outline to the trim concept. No other sail has so much trim travel on the clew; three ropes on the sail indicate the correct fork setting. This is the only way to keep the elastic sail, which completely dispenses with monofilm, so stable. In mid-wind trim, it already covers a very wide wind range, which can also be extended in both directions. The soft setup, the flexible materials - this ensures equally soft manoeuvring in the flat profile without pressure. A pleasant side effect: in the duff, small sail movements are enough to let off steam in gusts. surf conclusion: A very comfortable sail that performs and planes well in "normal" wind conditions with smooth manoeuvring.
GA Sails Matrix 7.2
Particularly good planing plus smooth handling - with these ingredients, the Matrix probably flavours the freeride menu for many freeriders. The sail always requires noticeable outhaul tension, but is still elastically damped and can therefore be pumped very well. But even without the use of arms, it pulls away with a lot of planing power. With a slight emphasis on the back hand at the beginning, which becomes stronger as the wind increases, it achieves top performance in planing and upwind running, especially in light winds. The early onset of a light pull at the back helps to position the board nicely on the fin and to press upwind. In strong winds, the increasing pull on the clew has to be "trimmed away", which is not quite as successful as with the strong wind specialists in the group. Nevertheless, the sail does not generate excessive lift, and even very free-running boards are held nicely on the water, even if you pull hard with the sail hand. The sail always feels somewhat agile in the hand, does not convey a frozen race feeling and impresses above all with its very smooth batten rotation in manoeuvres. It only needs to be adjusted more at the clew than some other cloths. However, if you readjust the boom between "low end" and "high", the GA also covers a wide wind range. surf conclusion: A manoeuvre-friendly and planing freeride sail.
Goya Mark Pro 7.2
Only a small difference on paper - but one that is noticeable on the water. With 7.2 square metres, a long boom (incl. "jag") and a lot of material, the Goya looks a little bigger than usual in the group. With a lot of shape in the battens, it pulls away well, has a fuller feel in the hand and when manoeuvring before planing, the necessary sail path is always a little further than with an Avanti, for example. Very comfortable and with noticeable profile damping, it accelerates well and is as fast as the Sailloft "on the top". All alone on the lake, you might not feel so fast, but direct comparisons reveal the Goya to be a super sports bike in a designer suit. When it comes down to it, the sail can unleash very good top speed, but the acceleration in light winds is not quite as powerful compared to a Sailloft. Even though the sail always has a noticeable emphasis on the sail hand from the medium wind range, it does not lift the board uncomfortably and the overall set-up remains easy to control for a very long time. The RDM test mast is already under a lot of strain, and in choppy water the mast should support the centre of the sail even better. We would advise surfers weighing well over 80 kilos to use the presumably stiffer SDM. surf conclusion: A sail that is very easy to surf fast and has above-average material features.
GunSails Zoom 6.9
A gene test would be really interesting here. Because the latest generation of freeride sails from GunSails consistently shows the same mixture of good characteristics - sporty, crisp performance with very stable behaviour. Every breath of wind can be utilised well, from planing to top speed. In the test, we usually only had the sail loosely hooked in at the clew, and the control remains very good right up to the top end of the range, with maximum planing performance. Only the strongly pre-profiled battens with a full belly - even without wind pressure - then push past the side of the mast and require a little more courageous shifting in the jibe in order to flip over completely at the first attempt. When jibing, the sail is solid and stable over the board, the mixture of power and control is sporty but also easy to control. The light pull on the back hand helps with acceleration, planing and levelling, but never becomes excessive in strong winds. This makes it a very versatile, rather sporty freeride sail, which also has no disadvantageous characteristics for relaxed cruising. surf conclusion: A nice mix of sporty feeling with easy handling. Only the more pre-tensioned battens are not ideal for manoeuvre freaks and for duck jibes and the like.
Loftsails Oxygen 7.0
The 430 mast is record-breakingly light at 1.5 kilos. In this combination, the sail is pleasantly light - although not as extreme as a Severne NCX - and always comfortably cushioned. The robust equipment and reinforcements leave a very high-quality impression. In the optimum trim (folds to the front trim point), the battens are behind the mast and do not touch it noticeably even in the jibe, which ensures a smooth rotation, so you have to look closely - you can't hear or feel the batten change during manoeuvres. The sail is also very comfortable on the straight, the ample slack in the sail does not flutter, but rather bounces more. Acceleration tends to be more measured, but once at cruising speed it keeps up well with the fast Sailloft, only in the peak gusts of our comparison rides do the very fastest cloths accelerate a tiny bit more for a short time. The sail is very stable and unperturbed by gusts in front of you, less playful, but also very easy to surf fast, here you don't have to correct anything on the boom, simply hang on tight, the sail already reaches almost its maximum performance without much sensitivity required. surf conclusion: Very solid looking, well planing sail with decent average speed and very good handling.
Neilpryde Ryde 7.2
Despite its large surface area, the Ryde appears light and manoeuvrable with its relatively compact boom. The sparse reinforcements in the leech of the sail also ensure that the swing mass feels low when manoeuvring. The lack of trim markings requires a little feeling for the correct luff tension, the "slack" in the leech never runs as far down as with most sails in the group. On the water, the NeilPryde is a pleasantly unobtrusive representative, neither fidgety nor extremely fixed over the board, always with a slight pull on the back hand, which never gets out of hand. This makes it easy to surf, but it won't fully convince the top speed-orientated surfer, but rather the classic freerider who isn't constantly surfing at the limit. The Ryde harmonises better with a Magic Ride than with a Super Sport or Super Ride - if you take the in-house JP board range as a benchmark. Intermediates and freeriders looking for a light sail with good mid-wind speed will certainly be happy with this sail - those who like to aim for maximum performance when powered up are probably better off with the stable mate Speedster. surf conclusion: A light freeride sail with very good handling and good performance in the lower and medium planing wind range.
Point-7 ACX Slalom 7.0
An extreme amount of "slack" and a lot of visible profile in the battens makes every amateur stoker's pulse curve beat hopefully when rigging up. With the clew loosely attached, the comparison trip begins. The sail is not as light as an NCX, but not heavy either. It planes quite stably when standing upright and gets going immediately. In the lowest planing wind, you might want a little more pull on the back hand to get upwind and planing, because despite the lack of clew tension, the pressure point is at the front and remains there even as the wind increases - up to the upper limit of what you would expect from a 7.0. From the middle planing range onwards, the concept ignites the second, third and fourth drive stages - the Point-7 is top class in terms of speed. And in control too. Even when it is hooked in more loosely on the clew - now it offers a little more pull "out the bottom" - it is only slightly backhanded, offers more power upwind and remains top class in terms of control. In this trim - the sail is now even in contact with the boom - it is very stable even in light winds. Once you have found the right clew trim for you, you hardly ever have to re-trim it and it covers a very wide wind range, which knows hardly any limits, especially when it comes to speed surfing in high winds. surf conclusion: A tight, very sporty and fast sail for high-performance freeriding.
RRD Evolution 7.0
With only five battens, RRD is fully committed to a weight diet and this works, sometimes even quite well. Visually it looks light and airy - due to the large amount of monofilm - but not quite as solid (the sizes under 6.5 square metres are in full X-Ply). For good handling characteristics, the profile also needs to be well tensioned on the clew. Then it can keep up well with the group in the lower and medium wind range. With a really light feeling in the duff, when planing and in manoeuvres, it requires very little effort. With enough tension on the clew, it can also be trimmed neutrally for stronger winds and surfed quickly with technique and power, but it is not made for overpowered speed runs. Then you can feel how the sail compresses slightly in the centre, it simply lacks the subjectively sporty, direct feel and the "steering", the control on the boom, is no longer as precise. The overall set-up is more muted and soft. However, the objective controllability remains perfectly fine and requires no more effort than the GA Matrix. surf conclusion: A handling-orientated sail that is well suited for freeriding, best with comfortable rather than very performance-orientated boards. With a clearer price advantage, the RRD would certainly also be a good intermediate sail.
Sailloft Hamburg Cross 7.0
Sports suspension as standard - you could write this in the adverts without hesitation. The Cross is the tightest sail that gives you the most intense feeling of speed. With a loosely attached clew, the sail offers enormous lift, accelerates subjectively - and objectively - vehemently and provides a lot of speed and very good planing in light to medium winds, even on heavier boards. Free boards become even freer as a result, which should provide a speed thrill even in medium winds. At the upper wind limit, this may be a bit much for the inexperienced surfer. Because even if the sail doesn't make any problems, it makes sporty boards dance on the fin. If you can control this, the run becomes super fast. For the mast foot, you can also choose a position two to three centimetres further forward than usual for more board control. As long as you keep your back hand close, the sail is as stable as if it had been shock-frozen over the board, taut and direct. The clear profile, which the battens already show on land, also turns noticeably and audibly in gybes, the X-Ply luff track has little dampening effect. The actual rotation of the sail is fast and quite light. surf conclusion: A very sporty, direct sail that appeals to committed freeriders who want to take things a little faster on the water. A perfect match for sporty freeride and freerace boards.
Severne NCX 7.0
The endurance athlete of the group is the Severne NCX. The sail is light, stable and comfortable in the hands, and hours of heating - together with one or two other sails - take the least energy. However, it must first be rigged correctly. This is not possible with the printed dimensions, as the boom and luff need to be set around four to five centimetres shorter. Some RDM extensions do not offer this short adjustment option. The 7-batten sail is stabilised with high trim forces on the luff, but this pays off: In top control even in really strong winds and equally very good top speed. The pressure point, which is located far forward (in light winds, a little more pull at the back to press upwind would be helpful), remains firmly in place, and the sail can be manoeuvred with little force even at the upper wind limit. It feels rather playful in the hand throughout the wind range, even with low clew tension. It is easy to lay down on the deck and keeps the board more under control than it lifts. The low tension allows the battens to slide far past the mast. This leads to an audible flip in manoeuvres - but the light weight and fast sail rotation still ensure very good jibe handling. surf conclusion: Full throttle surfing with a fun factor - that's the NCX. But also for freeriders who just want to glide in a relaxed manner.
