We used GPS to measure our speeds riding each board. The speed reflects the speeds at which the board was comfortable to the rider, so not necessarily the absolute top or bottom speed a foil is capable of.
Does the foil want to go fast and does it feel comfortable traveling at higher speeds? Obviously not all foils are designed for speed, but if they are then they should get a high score here.
How comfortable is the foil on its ‘forward and backwards’ axis? The higher the score here, the more stable it is when it lifts and the easier it is to keep perfectly on track when you are riding.
How comfortable is the foil on its ‘side to side’ axis? The higher the score here, the more stable the foil is when riding at an angle or when moving through transitions.
This score shows a foil that is comfortable moving into turns at slower speeds. So for switching from heel to toeside riding or for riding rolling swell.
An overall judgement of how balanced and stable you feel riding the foil. A low score does not necessarily mean a bad foil (a race winning foil would probably get a 1), but a high score will be a better option if you are just starting out.
For foiling tacks, can you slow down to make the tack easier, or do you need to go into the tack at speed? A high score shows a foil that is more forgiving and lets you tack at slower speeds.
How good are the upwind angles on the foil? Clearly all foils will out-perform your twintip, but this score shows how tight the foil was happy to go to the wind while still maintaining speed.
An assessment of how easy and comfortable the foil was to set in a straight line and to hold that angle and increase speed. A high score shows a foil that you could comfortably lock in and put the pedal down.
Was there any whistling or humming in the foil set up or was it completely silent? A score of 10 indicates that there was no noise at all from the foil.
How easy was it to assemble the foil and attach it to the board? A high score shows that minimal tools were required and assembly was quick, easy and relatively obvious without referring closely to instructions…
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