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Shaping3263 said..
Which size would I get at 75kg intermediate skill? Something that can run in the 15-25kn range. I already have a Strike V1 5m and I think it's overkill for my weight once the wind starts going. Was thinking of getting XPS mk2 4.0?

Even a 3.5 would do >18 if you ride midlength board

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Shaping3263 said..
Which size would I get at 75kg intermediate skill? Something that can run in the 15-25kn range. I already have a Strike V1 5m and I think it's overkill for my weight once the wind starts going. Was thinking of getting XPS mk2 4.0?

I saw that SlowlyButSurely also answered yout question so consider this a supplementary perspective.

As written before I have a 3, 4 and 5. I use a boom on the 4 and 5. Have had equal number of sessions on the 4 and 5, only 1 session on the 3.

Yesterday I had a 2h session with the 4 in exactly the conditions you describe (15 - 25 knots). I used a 72L 6'2" ML, I am 85 kg.

The Mk II is growing on me. The more I use it, the more I like it. Yesterday I know that I would have been overpowered in the last hour of the session - solid 25 knots, probably stronger in the gusts. But the 4 handled it very well. I also use a harness.

Initially I didn't like the low end, but after several sessions I agree with another poster who wrote that the low end is similar to the Mk I. I had to make some adjustments, but now I am feel no difference in low end. Top end of the Mk II is significantly improved. The wing is more stable and with the boom and a harness it fees like a windsurf sail when you need to go on long upwind reaches like I have to at my local to get back to the line-up again. It just flies upwind.

So my advice would be a 4. I suspect a 3.5 would be just a bit too small in 15 knots. Even using a mid-length. The 4 was my favourite Mk I size and I suspect the same size in the Mk II will be the same again.

I also only use a 690/130 foil and stab combination.

In my humble opinion the 2026 equipment (Mk II wings and new MAs) did not initially blow me away. But the more I use them, the more I like them. Coming from MK iI and HA v2 foils. It's very much a refinement over major improvement. And it took me a while to start appreciating the refinements.

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ArthurAlston said..

Shaping3263 said..
Which size would I get at 75kg intermediate skill? Something that can run in the 15-25kn range. I already have a Strike V1 5m and I think it's overkill for my weight once the wind starts going. Was thinking of getting XPS mk2 4.0?

I saw that SlowlyButSurely also answered yout question so consider this a supplementary perspective.

As written before I have a 3, 4 and 5. I use a boom on the 4 and 5. Have had equal number of sessions on the 4 and 5, only 1 session on the 3.

Yesterday I had a 2h session with the 4 in exactly the conditions you describe (15 - 25 knots). I used a 72L 6'2" ML, I am 85 kg.

The Mk II is growing on me. The more I use it, the more I like it. Yesterday I know that I would have been overpowered in the last hour of the session - solid 25 knots, probably stronger in the gusts. But the 4 handled it very well. I also use a harness.

Initially I didn't like the low end, but after several sessions I agree with another poster who wrote that the low end is similar to the Mk I. I had to make some adjustments, but now I am feel no difference in low end. Top end of the Mk II is significantly improved. The wing is more stable and with the boom and a harness it fees like a windsurf sail when you need to go on long upwind reaches like I have to at my local to get back to the line-up again. It just flies upwind.

So my advice would be a 4. I suspect a 3.5 would be just a bit too small in 15 knots. Even using a mid-length. The 4 was my favourite Mk I size and I suspect the same size in the Mk II will be the same again.

I also only use a 690/130 foil and stab combination.

In my humble opinion the 2026 equipment (Mk II wings and new MAs) did not initially blow me away. But the more I use them, the more I like them. Coming from MK iI and HA v2 foils. It's very much a refinement over major improvement. And it took me a while to start appreciating the refinements.

Are the MK II canopies flatter?

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Faff said..


Are the MK II canopies flatter?

No sure, I've never compared them side by side. I will have a look at the beach next time, The canopy is much stiffer overall and holds it's shape very well. The Mk I already did that well too, the new version improves on that again.

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ArthurAlston said..

Faff said..


Are the MK II canopies flatter?

No sure, I've never compared them side by side. I will have a look at the beach next time, The canopy is much stiffer overall and holds it's shape very well. The Mk I already did that well too, the new version improves on that again.

You mentioned not liking the bottom end initially. I found the same with a DLAB Unit 2026. The canopy looks flatter than 2025. I think flatter canopies are the general trend in wing design now.

I went out in mid 20's gusting to low 30 knots yesterday with my old 4.0 wing and found it quite unstable compared to my XPS Mk2 5.5 which I've recently been using almost exclusively in everything up to about 30 knot gusts. So I thought I'd come in and swap to the XPS Mk2 5.5. This is the first time I've done a back to back comparison between the wings. Almost unbelievably the 5.5m XPS Mk2 was easier to control and much nicer to use than my old 4.0. I did 10km on the 4.0 early in the session and then did 30km on the 5.5m after swapping. The wind speeds & gusts were consistent during that time.

I keep being so impressed by the stability of these wings, I feel like the wind range is massive. I've been trying to work out a quiver size to get another 1 or 2 XPS wings and have been unsure if I want to go bigger than 5.5m for the light days, or smaller than 4.0 for big days, so options might be like 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, or 4.0, 5.5, 7. I've just got my midlength which I expect to improve my low end but I'm yet to actually try it in "low wind" for my skills & setup, so no idea how much it helps. But what's clear is that I can run my 5.5m within a range of about 14/15 kt up to about 30-32 kt gusts (not sure how that would go in sustained speed of 30 though), and I could probably use a 4.0 from between about 22-23kt up to who knows but surely something mid 30s at least.

Looking to replace a north Nova Pro '25 4.2 for an XPS Mk2. Mostly freeride/freestyle. I was aiming towards a 4.5 for 85kg. No midlength. Or should i go for a 4 ?. Also, has anyone ridden both?

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larsdegroot said..
Looking to replace a north Nova Pro '25 4.2 for an XPS Mk2. Mostly freeride/freestyle. I was aiming towards a 4.5 for 85kg. No midlength. Or should i go for a 4 ?. Also, has anyone ridden both?

the low end on the Nova Pro 25 is terribile hence you will welcome better low end with the XPS MKII.You havent specified wind range. With the 4.5m I go 12 to 30kt fyi and I am 90kg

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SlowlyButSurely said..

larsdegroot said..
Looking to replace a north Nova Pro '25 4.2 for an XPS Mk2. Mostly freeride/freestyle. I was aiming towards a 4.5 for 85kg. No midlength. Or should i go for a 4 ?. Also, has anyone ridden both?

the low end on the Nova Pro 25 is terribile hence you will welcome better low end with the XPS MKII.You havent specified wind range. With the 4.5m I go 12 to 30kt fyi and I am 90kg

I'm looking for a range 16-25 knots. I have a nova pro 3.5 from '24, that one is much better then the '25. Did you use North prior to Armstrong?

Hi there, does anyone know the diameter of the XPS boom / handles? Cheers, Shaun

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Shaunger said..
Hi there, does anyone know the diameter of the XPS boom / handles? Cheers, Shaun

I have a L and M and they are about 85 mm at the point where I attach the harness line. I just used tape, so give or take a mm or two .Hope that helps.

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ArthurAlston said..

Shaunger said..
Hi there, does anyone know the diameter of the XPS boom / handles? Cheers, Shaun

I have a L and M and they are about 85 mm at the point where I attach the harness line. I just used tape, so give or take a mm or two .Hope that helps.

So that's 27 mm diameter?

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Faff said..

ArthurAlston said..

Shaunger said..
Hi there, does anyone know the diameter of the XPS boom / handles? Cheers, Shaun

I have a L and M and they are about 85 mm at the point where I attach the harness line. I just used tape, so give or take a mm or two .Hope that helps.

So that's 27 mm diameter?

I should have been more clear, circumference of around 85 mm. So yes, diameter around 27 mm.

Thanks guys !