Wingsurf BasicsHow pressure influences the handling characteristics of your wing

Manuel Vogel

 · 14.08.2023

Wingsurf Basics: How pressure influences the handling characteristics of your wing
Photo: Sebastian Kanzler
"Inflate to 7-9 psi" - The recommendations printed on many Wings look something like this. But what changes when you inflate wings to the upper or lower limit of the recommended pressure range? During our tests of various wings, we tried this out time and again - here we tell you how much pressure makes sense.

Less wind, less pressure!

At the lower wind limit - when you have to pump in order to get on the foil at all - many wings benefit from being filled a little less tightly. If the manufacturer specifies a pressure range for wings, the lower limit should be selected. With specifications such as"inflate to max. 8psi" you can confidently inflate 1 psi less hard. The advantage: the reduced inflation pressure usually gives the wing a little more "life" and ensures that it charges up better when pumped up - this then provides a noticeable extra boost for light wind performance.

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Pumping brings control

The exact opposite is true at the upper wind limit - the main aim here is to stabilise the pressure point and the profile of the wing as much as possible. This is best achieved by increasing the pressure of the wing, which increases the stiffness and thus the profile stability. In strong winds, you can confidently inflate to the upper end of the recommended range. However, deliberately exceeding the pressure specification is not a good idea, as the seams can then suffer over time.

The pressure in the wing noticeably changes the riding characteristicsPhoto: Stephan GölnitzThe pressure in the wing noticeably changes the riding characteristics

The rider's body weight is also a factor: if you are rather light and weigh less than 70 kilos, you can often live with a little less inflation pressure than a 95-kilo lump, regardless of the wind force. Try it out!

You will find the most important basics about the most common terms, the structure and correct handling of the wing HERE .

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