Well I didn't get to test any of Nuzzo's gear yesterday, but i saw the 3.5m / 1000 in action a lot yesterday in solid 30-35mph while following Nuzzo around in solid bumps. The wing looked super solid and stable. My 3M OR hybrid was all over the place in the gusty conditions and I saw Nuzzo just one arming it at one point to mess with his GoPro. He was also noticeably faster than me.and I was on the 800.

Regatta today with the boys. Should be fun!

Let us know how the new XPS wings feel in hand once you get the chance to try. I'm keen to upgrade my current 18 month old and well worn 5m wing to either an Armstrong XPS or an F-One Strike V3. Both are similarly priced and seem to be top quality wings.

Didn't get a chance to feel out the XPS yesterday given the race chaos. Offshore and shifty winds made for a difficult testing scenario. On a positive note I did take home the W after a 3 way tie was vetted out. Nuzzo got second. Was actually pretty fun! Biggest group of wingers we've had at one spot so far at around 16.

Is there any info on the Armstrong XPS wing low end? I remember the v1 and v2 wings having an amazing low end. But heard the new XPS have less power on the lower end but higher range on the upper range. I'm riding high aspect foils and weigh approx 90kg. On the fence between the Armstrong XPS 6.1 or the new v3 North Nova. I have the Duotone unit v2 6 meter but been having too many bladder issues plus the canopy material is getting thin so time to retire it ??Aloha

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N2foiling said..
Is there any info on the Armstrong XPS wing low end? I remember the v1 and v2 wings having an amazing low end. But heard the new XPS have less power on the lower end but higher range on the upper range. I'm riding high aspect foils and weigh approx 90kg. On the fence between the Armstrong XPS 6.1 or the new v3 North Nova. I have the Duotone unit v2 6 meter but been having too many bladder issues plus the canopy material is getting thin so time to retire it ??Aloha

They have not (yet) released recommended wind ranges. In one of the videos, Armie says to go up a half or full size (i.e. 05. to 1 m2) compared to the existing Armstrong wings. He then goes on to say that the XPS runs true to many other brands in terms of sizing.

Clearly the upper end is improved over previous versions of the wing. They are less clear on the low end.

Same question here regarding the low end ? Anyone received their wing yet ? Do you have photos of the bag ?

hope to get first impressions by next week if there will be wind.
North Nova V3 and NP Fly are my competitors for me. Where the Fly should have an excellent low end, but still have a good high end, most likely because you can fly the Fly 0.5 to 1 smaller compared to most. Where the XPS seems to be the opposite, 0.5 bigger compared to most, what the rumors are telling, but let's see and try.

You can fly the Fly smaller just because it has much more canopy than the other wings, when compared withbmy Strike 5 v3 the Fly 5mt has at least 0,5mq more

Confirmed that I'll be getting my XPS next week. Should be testing on Friday and all weekend. Hoping to test with and without battens. Will report back.

did someone know the wingspan of the 5.3 ?

I felt up the 3.5M inside yesterday and it felt really really nice. Very light and rigid. Think i'm going to get that size.

Some useful comments regarding wind range from someone who has used both the 6.1 and the 5.3. He is 88kg and rides a 60 L board.

- 5.3 was good in 10-15 knots, MA 1000 foil
- 6.1 was good in 8 - 10 knots using the MA 1475 foil.

He also added:

"A good winger will be able to pump up easily but beginner could struggle as the canopy is tighter but in a few hours they would get it. 6.1 is a winner can still ride into the 20 knot range and tack easily at that wind speed. Personally for Me at 88kg and if I had to buy two u would get a 6.1 and 4.6. I've used a 4.6 in 35 knots and was still manageable where as using the old v2 3.5 in same wind was barely manageable."

Any feedback from riders? Really looking forward to these wings.

I had my first session with the 4.6 yesterday in 16-33kts. I'm 82kg so I knew that I was going to be grossly overpowered at times but I was just itching to give it a go. Some context: I've had the A-Wing V2s, Strike V2s, have used the Unit V2 and V3, and have been dabbling with the Strike V3s over the past month or so.

The XPS is phenomenal, especially since its performance is achieved with 'traditional' materials. The XPS is the best wing I've ever used in terms of upwind drive, forward pull, loft (for jumping), and overall balance. I was grossly overpowered at times but was able to compensate by going almost directly into the wind. The handles are incredible. The Strike V3 comes in at a close second, in my opinion (FOne missed out by not opting for an integrated rigid handle system--the Strike V3 handles are firmer but there's still enough give for them not to be considered rigid). The weight of the 4.6 is comparable to Strike V3 4.5. The carbon battens go in without issue--keen to have a lighter day to test the wing without them. A standout feature of the XPS is its intuitiveness. The Strike V3 has such a specific pumping technique that those who are used to the V2 get stumped for a bit. The XPS is plug and play. I'll be out with the XPS every day this week. I'll report back.

Oh yeah. There's a new bag. Nothing special--it could've been a lot nicer but I think Armstrong opted to save a bit on materials. Not a dealbreaker, obviously.

I am looking for a new 4m current strike user (v1). How do you compare the Armstrong to the v3 unit ?

what is the wingspan, of the 5.3?

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paulweller2 said..
I had my first session with the 4.6 yesterday in 16-33kts. I'm 82kg so I knew that I was going to be grossly overpowered at times but I was just itching to give it a go. Some context: I've had the A-Wing V2s, Strike V2s, have used the Unit V2 and V3, and have been dabbling with the Strike V3s over the past month or so.

The XPS is phenomenal, especially since its performance is achieved with 'traditional' materials. The XPS is the best wing I've ever used in terms of upwind drive, forward pull, loft (for jumping), and overall balance. I was grossly overpowered at times but was able to compensate by going almost directly into the wind. The handles are incredible. The Strike V3 comes in at a close second, in my opinion (FOne missed out by not opting for an integrated rigid handle system--the Strike V3 handles are firmer but there's still enough give for them not to be considered rigid). The weight of the 4.6 is comparable to Strike V3 4.5. The carbon battens go in without issue--keen to have a lighter day to test the wing without them. A standout feature of the XPS is its intuitiveness. The Strike V3 has such a specific pumping technique that those who are used to the V2 get stumped for a bit. The XPS is plug and play. I'll be out with the XPS every day this week. I'll report back.

Oh yeah. There's a new bag. Nothing special--it could've been a lot nicer but I think Armstrong opted to save a bit on materials. Not a dealbreaker, obviously.

Paul, thanks for the review. Sounds great. Does the leash have a swivel on it so it does not bunch up doing tacks?

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Foilnut said..

paulweller2 said..
I had my first session with the 4.6 yesterday in 16-33kts. I'm 82kg so I knew that I was going to be grossly overpowered at times but I was just itching to give it a go. Some context: I've had the A-Wing V2s, Strike V2s, have used the Unit V2 and V3, and have been dabbling with the Strike V3s over the past month or so.

The XPS is phenomenal, especially since its performance is achieved with 'traditional' materials. The XPS is the best wing I've ever used in terms of upwind drive, forward pull, loft (for jumping), and overall balance. I was grossly overpowered at times but was able to compensate by going almost directly into the wind. The handles are incredible. The Strike V3 comes in at a close second, in my opinion (FOne missed out by not opting for an integrated rigid handle system--the Strike V3 handles are firmer but there's still enough give for them not to be considered rigid). The weight of the 4.6 is comparable to Strike V3 4.5. The carbon battens go in without issue--keen to have a lighter day to test the wing without them. A standout feature of the XPS is its intuitiveness. The Strike V3 has such a specific pumping technique that those who are used to the V2 get stumped for a bit. The XPS is plug and play. I'll be out with the XPS every day this week. I'll report back.

Oh yeah. There's a new bag. Nothing special--it could've been a lot nicer but I think Armstrong opted to save a bit on materials. Not a dealbreaker, obviously.

Paul, thanks for the review. Sounds great. Does the leash have a swivel on it so it does not bunch up doing tacks?

Yes. The leash is great!

Some nice tidbits for those who have not seen the wing yet.

Great tips from Armie.Looking forward to trying them.

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ArthurAlston said..
Some nice tidbits for those who have not seen the wing yet.

Do you reckon lower pressures better for light winds as gives more camber also applies to other tight canopy wings?

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patronus said..

Do you reckon lower pressures better for light winds as gives more camber also applies to other tight canopy wings?

possibly

2023 REAL Armstrong Foil Clinic: A Wing XPS - some nice background on the design from Armie

Any more rider feedback? On the V1 wing it backwinded pretty early, How is the V3?

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Foilnut said..

Any more rider feedback? On the V1 wing it backwinded pretty early, How is the V3?

Very little to no real world experience yet. I check daily as I am also interested. It's mostly sponsored riders posting on Instagram. The wings have not made their way into the commercial channels. It should be happening very soon, if not this week already.

As a current Strike v2 rider i was going to go Strike v3, but the new XPS has definatley got me interested
Any feedback on how it rides flagged out / works in waves and swell compared to the V3?

I received my new 4.6 XPS on monday .

my history, not sponsored ( wish I was ) and my normal wings are Ensis spins although I own a 2022 Duotone unit and a 2022 Cabrinha mantis .
I have also ridden ozone wasps , core , f one , vayu and north modes .

first session out was probably the low end for wind for my weight at 82kg at about 16 mph rising to about 20 with small waist high waves .( most people where on 5-6 M wings )
pumped up onto the foil easily, handled well with tacks and gybes , 360's and back winding with no problems.
initial stand out points are it points up wind really well and is also a very fast wing . I only had opportunity to flag out a couple of times due to the wind direction but it did feel a little " Tippy " ,but that might have been either the wind strength or direction .
other pluses , I loved the rigid handles as they have a soft covering that'll not damage either your head or board and also really liked the fact it came with a quality leash and spare carbon battens . There's more wind and better waves due over the weekend , so I'll be able To give it a better run out and these are only initial impressions .

if you have any specific questions about it just ask as I don't normally due reviews .

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Foilnut said..
2023 REAL Armstrong Foil Clinic: A Wing XPS - some nice background on the design from Armie

Any more rider feedback? On the V1 wing it backwinded pretty early, How is the V3?

the V3? there was no V3 - just a V2. and it was better than the V1 but still was punchy, backwinded etc.


the XPS is a completely different wing - doesn't share any lineage with V1 or V2.


ground up design.

OK. I've been using the 4.6 every day for the past week in 15-35kts. 82kg. I would of course prefer to use a 3 or 3.5 in 28kts+ but it's still doable. I did not expect the low-end to be so good. I've been able to get up without any issue on my 39L FG and 925/180/60/795 in 15kts--I would've used a Strike V2 5.5 previously. And this is with the longer battens. I still need to push the low-end by taking the battens out, as advertised. I also need to play with the adjustable plastic load plate.

The XPS is incredibly balanced, when riding or luffing. It goes upwind incredibly well with no trailing edge flutter (yet). It also just goes... it's fast! I've been hitting 45kmh with a 800/180/60/795 without much effort. The 4.6 weighs about the same as a Strike V3. The two wings are very similar in terms of performance. The weight of the XPS seems to be concentrated in the LE and strut (including handles) whereas the weight of the Strike V3 is more evenly distributed across the LE and strut and canopy areas with heavier weight HITEX (as well as the large load diffuser). The Strike V3 is fantastic but the handles and lack of intuitive pumping (for most) are potential dealbreakers, which made me all the more excited about the XPS.

The handles are brilliant. They're the perfect shape and size for my hands--Armie noted that he chose what would work best for him. Some will prefer a rounder and/or softer handle. Heineken jibes and tacks are made so much easier. And it's so comfortable to hang when jumping. And about jumping... the XPS has so much lift that I'm going higher and recovering from jumps better than ever before. The lift also means that it takes so much less effort to get a sinker going. I've been using the 34L FG a lot more with the XPS (side note: the 39L FG is significantly easier to start given the board shape).

Happy to answer any questions.

interesting that you mention the low end.
so you take the 4.6 where you before used a 5.5 V2 Strike?did you just used the 5.5 Strike because you don't have a 5.0 or 4.5 Strike? or really because the 4.6XPS have the same power in low and high end as a 5.5 Strike V2?I asked Matt what he would recommend me as something in between my Strikes V1 6 and 4.2, and he recommend me the 5.3 XPS.
Would you follow this?

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WST said..
interesting that you mention the low end.
so you take the 4.6 where you before used a 5.5 V2 Strike?did you just used the 5.5 Strike because you don't have a 5.0 or 4.5 Strike? or really because the 4.6XPS have the same power in low and high end as a 5.5 Strike V2?I asked Matt what he would recommend me as something in between my Strikes V1 6 and 4.2, and he recommend me the 5.3 XPS.
Would you follow this?

I only have one XPS so I'm trying to make it work for all days My Strike V2 quiver was 3.5, 4.5, 5.5. I would say that the low end, with the battens, is more like a V2 5. I need a lighter day to take out the battens and see how low I can go. I asked Matt as well... he was bang on with the 4.6 recommendation. I agree about the 5.3. I will probably get a 6.1 eventually.