Modular and affordable - the Taaroa Wingfoil Freeride on land:
At 1249 euros, the foil from the French brand Taaroa is one of the most affordable models on the market. The foil was developed for wingsurf beginners, freeriders, but also for use in swell waves and as a surf foil. The 1600 front wing is made of carbon fibre and is - typical for a Low-aspect foil - quite thickly profiled. The angle of the 300 rear wing can theoretically still be adjusted.
If you move the rear wing backwards, it becomes steeper, which provides a little more lift - and vice versa. All of Taaroa's components are modular in design, so anyone who wants to can replace the front wing, mast or fuselage and continue to use the other components.
Two M8 screws are used to connect the mast to the fuselage, and the threads can be removed if necessary. This means that if a screw breaks or the thread is damaged, it can be replaced. Conversely, there is also a risk that the thread may fall out, as happened with our test foil - it is best to check that it is tight from time to time and not to mount it in fine sand.
On the water:
The Taaroa Windfoil Freeride gets up to speed very well both passively and with pumping, the take-off is extremely smooth and harmonious - a characteristic that not only suits wingfoil beginners. Around the transverse axis ("nose up, nose down"), the foil is very stable in the water thanks to the relatively long 75 mm aluminium fuselage. The foil is much more agile around the longitudinal axis; it can be steered into a turn with just a little pressure, but requires a little more sensitivity and practice than some other foils. With a wingspan of "only" 90 centimetres, the Taaroa Wingfoil Freeride encourages you to surf small swell waves and also allows for smooth turns.
The speed level of the foil is as you would expect - like most foils with a low aspect ratio, it is not a rocket, but pulls through the water fast enough to hit a jump or first freestyle move with it. However, if you really push for height on the straights or push the speed limit, heavier riders will notice that the mast is a little softer overall than some other foils on the market. Foiled manoeuvres such as jibes or 360s are excellent, as the Taaroa Wingfoil Freeride is extremely stable even at low speeds.
WING conclusion:
The Taaroa Wingfoil Freeride scores as an easy-to-ride, agile foil for freeriding, wave surfing and even for first freestyle tricks - and at a fair price. If you primarily want to ride (swell) waves, you should think about a longer mast, as the 75 is already quite short. The good thing is that all parts are modular and can be replaced and upgraded individually.
Easy to ride; range of use; price-performance ratio
Screw connection mast base position
