In full disclosure, along with another rider on Oahu, I've been doing some R&D for Ezzy wings over the last year. Part of David Ezzy's model for design is having non-pro riders put time in on the wings and give feedback. I consider myself an advanced intermediate. I live on Oahu and typically get out on the water at least 10 days per month. My focus is on waves and speed. The other rider is a solid advanced rider who is aggressively riding in big surf on the N. Shore as well as free riding and down-winding in other areas.
In return for our time testing and giving feedback, we get deals on our wings. As I've posted before, at this point in my life, I could ride any wing I wanted to. I got involved with Ezzy because I love having the opportunity to be involved with someone who is so dedicated to making an excellent product while also having a good overall vision for other parts of his business that includes treating his factory workers (Sri Lanka) with dignity, good working conditions, and fair wages plus being conscientious about the impact of his construction methods on the environment (why there are minimal dyes used for aesthetics). Over the last year, we've gone through a number of prototypes in the surf, free riding, and (more recently) on speed runs. The first version of the Ezzy Flight wings were solid wings, but these are a whole new level. We played around with different canopy materials, panel layouts, handle positions, strut designs and angles, canopy shapes, stabilizer angles and positions, and ways to cut weight while maintaining a balance with durability. There's even a small feature we've been calling the
"Ezzy loop" that changed the way the canopy is attached to the end of the boom strut that I all but guarantee will be copied by other manufacturers. This feature brings more stability to the trailing edge and more low end. If you look closely at the second photo you will see a small black strap at the end of the boom. For those of you who windsurf, the difference in feel is like going from a boom that is too long for your sail (the way most canopies are currently attached) to having a properly fitted boom (with the Ezzy loop). It can be flipped on and off easily so the difference is very clear. It solves an issue that most won't even realize is an issue until you have one of these on the end of your boom strut.
Canopy: For the V2 wings, the new panel layout has significantly eliminated canopy stretch on the main part of the wing. This is true even on a 5.5 that I've ridden since July including on several 20-30mph days. The new stabilizer position does a fantastic job keeping the wing quiet and flutter free (another thing that will keep the wing lasting a long time). Most other wings are running the stabilizers in the same direction as the panels, when David switched to the current configuration, it made it possible to cut the number of stabilizers while at the same time improving performance and almost completely eliminating trailing edge flutter. These wings fly quiet.
Range and speed: At 175 to 180lbs, I've ridden the 5.5 in winds from 10-30mph. When it's really light, there's a pumping technique that will be posted on the website soon that can generate a surprising amount of power. When properly powered, these wings have grunt and don't top out. On recent speed runs, I'm consistently hitting 22-24 knots in choppy water and the V2 stays stable and just continues to generate more and more power as you turn off the wind. I'm planning to get some speed sessions in on flat water in the next few weeks. I'm confident I'll be setting some personal records. The 6M I just picked up feels like a windsurfing sail in terms of power. I tried riding it in 10-15 mph conditions without a harness (lost my hook) and it was a handful. In these conditions, I was able to get a Mikeslab 700 foil cruising sustained at 22-23 knots (60L board). These wings create a ton of apparent wind. If you get up on foil and don't fall, you can still be ripping even when the wind drops below 10mph.
Flagging: The V2 is very stable flagging on waves and will follow you wherever you go. We're going to have some video out in the next few weeks so people can see this. The wing weighs a little more than some, but it flies light. You can pretty much manage it with finger tips when flagging. On the beach, these do have some side to side, but that completely disappears when flagging on a wave.
Upwind: This goes upwind with the very best of them. No question.
Handles: I'll post better photos, but Ezzy improved the mounting system for the handles so they are very stiff and feel like one piece with the wing. The front handle is shaped in a way that pistol grip flying is very comfortable. Power is very balanced between the two handles and there is enough room to move progressively back on the handles when turning off wind to a broad reach for speed.
Transitions: One of the big challenges in wing design (I've learned) is making a wing that has great upwind ability that also doesn't push down on you during transitions or backwind. While these will eventually backwind like any wing if you push them too high, the point where this happens is beyond most other wings. After a number of different prototypes, I think David found an excellent balance between these points. The V2 are very stable and easy to manage in transitions. I use a "pizza spinning" technique during gybes (keeping the wing parallel to the water) that works fantastic even in light wind. My testing partner is far more advanced than me with his tacks and he's been very pleased with how the V2 performs.
Who are they for: The Ezzy Flight V2 is an excellent all around wing that flags well, has massive range, goes upwind really well, and is incredibly fast at the top end. While there may be certain wings that are more dedicated to low end (baggy canopy), lighter in weight, and focus on pure-wave performance, that comes at the expense of durability, top end performance (speed), and upwind. As someone who rides 90% of the time in waves and rollers from waist to double overhead but also likes to hit the flats for high speed, I absolutely love the V2 and appreciate that all of our prototypes were staying fresh and crisp even after heavy wind sessions.
There's a lot of excellent wings out there and I suspect the more these get into the hands of riders, the more they will be recognized as one of the better options available.
