The Naish Hover is almost a classic among wingfoil boards. With the model of the past, which we also tested for youHowever, the new Hover Ascend has little to do with this.
On land
Longer, narrower and with a new underwater hull - hardly a stone has been left unturned in the Naish Hover Ascend compared to its predecessor. The model is available in ten sizes between 42 and 142 litres. The 92 litre that we tested and the larger sizes now have a significantly longer waterline than before and a hard trailing edge in the tail area. The outline is less rounded overall and therefore much more elongated. At 6.78 kilos, the board is absolutely competitive in terms of weight. Carrying handles are built into both the deck and the underwater hull and are easy to grip. The board is supplied without straps, but there are enough plugs on deck to allow you to choose different stance positions and adjust the position of the foil and straps to suit each other.
On the water
With its wide tail, the Naish Hover Ascend is perfectly balanced in the water. With a length of 5'6'', it is also slightly longer than typical wingfoil boards in the 90-litre class, giving the board above-average stability when you first stand up. The numerous shape modifications then unfold their effect when the board is started up: While the predecessor model still needed to be actively revved up due to its rather round outline, the new model reaches the required take-off speed noticeably more harmoniously and easily even without pumping - thus successfully eliminating the main criticism of its predecessor.
Once in the air, the board hangs lightly and well-trimmed on the foot, the flat and wide deck gives a lot of control over the foil and offers enough space to change over in manoeuvres - even if not every step is perfect yet. We also liked the touchdown behaviour: If you unintentionally touch down on the surface of the water, you are gently steered back up without the edges cutting in. First jumps are easy with the Naish Hover Ascend, but compared to other 90-litre models, the board seems slightly larger and less compact and playful in rotations.
Naish Hover Ascend - the conclusion
Thanks to modifications to the shape, the Hover Ascend is now one of the wingfoil boards with the best and most harmonious take-off behaviour. This makes it suitable for beginners as well as experienced freeriders who are looking for a board for foil manoeuvres and relaxed cruising. If you like jumping and are also aiming for freestyle rotations, you should choose a size smaller if in doubt.
Takeoff; Tipping stability; Easy handling
Appears slightly larger
No loops included in the scope of delivery
Naish Hover Ascend - technical data
- Test model: Naish Hover Ascend 92
- Length: 5'6'' (168 cm)
- Width: 27.5'' (69.9 cm)
- Weight (own measurement, without loops): 6.78 kilos
- Volume: 92 litres
- Available sizes: 4'6''x42//4'9''x52//4'11''x62//5'1''x72//5'3''x82 //5'6''x92// 5'7''x102 // 5'9''x112//6'3''x122 // 6'5''x142 litres
- Scope of delivery: Board
- Price: 1549 Euro
- Special features: -
