I've been winging for about a year and now do far more winging than Windfoiling - wonder what options there are for better protect your neck & face from the foil? . with Windfoiling you can at least hang on to the boom & therefore, in the main, stay well away from the foil but throwing yourself into wing foil gybes, tacks & jumps, a few too many times I feel I've missed falling onto the foil by inches. I'm all 'helmeted-up' so is it just 'fingers-crossed' for the face & neck or do helmet visors work eg Gath Retractable Visor Helmet?Even considered making up a Kevlar neck protector! . better safe than sorry and only a few foil cuts to the wetsuit so far but want to keep it that way!

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WWUK said..
I've been winging for about a year and now do far more winging than Windfoiling - wonder what options there are for better protect your neck & face from the foil? . with Windfoiling you can at least hang on to the boom & therefore, in the main, stay well away from the foil but throwing yourself into wing foil gybes, tacks & jumps, a few too many times I feel I've missed falling onto the foil by inches. I'm all 'helmeted-up' so is it just 'fingers-crossed' for the face & neck or do helmet visors work eg Gath Retractable Visor Helmet?Even considered making up a Kevlar neck protector! . better safe than sorry and only a few foil cuts to the wetsuit so far but want to keep it that way!

You could look into ice hockey neck guards as an off-the-shelf option. Something like this:

www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/shock-doctor-ultra-2-0-neck-guard-21skraltr20nckgrdhkp/21skraltr20nckgrdhkp?sku=22287645&camp=CSE:DSG_92700053446960260_pla_aud-1231866930227:pla-508053857937&segment=&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_8OPBhDtARIsAKQu0gaa-9hQghKnFaolOXIBeWrSvlG9_gwaLsQMdi4ytvsIZv5DAYJMyKYaAhSdEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

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DavidJohn said..


Nah, those high aspect foils Gunna go straight through that eye slot!

Foil is a confusing word, "double sided sword"would be more memorable :-)

We could be wingdueling ..

Note: I do wear a Gath helmet with visor.

simbasurf.com

haven't tried it but seen a few wingers wearing them

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windtruck said..
simbasurf.com

haven't tried it but seen a few wingers wearing them

That thing needs a Magneto paint job.

dmcfins.com.au/products/dmc-soft-surf-helmet-black

Thanks guys, some good suggestions.

Those first few days foiling were so scary, once you experience the taco/switchblade wipeout and are nearly certain to see it again. It happens so fast, you don't even have time to block it. For the next few years, it's pretty rare towards never, you learn not to do it or when you wipeout you know to jump away. Where I've had a few scary moments lately is trying to get to next level, committing to dropping in on bigger, steeper waves ... when you wipeout, you're right in the mix with the foil. I got pitched and had foil hit me in the head, stitches, and luckily nothing more (and no, I was not wearing my helmet).

So, for a beginner, I think face protection is not a bad idea at all for first few sessions. For intermediate / expert, probably the risk is manabeable to point that maybe not worth it.

From other threads where people talked this one option was kayak face protector:
www.outdoorplay.com/paddling/paddling-gear/paddle-helmets

All you really need though is a single bar across football style, or like this:
www.thelasthunt.com/products/poc-artic-sl-spin-helmet-llll-poc-10497?gclid=Cj0KCQiArt6PBhCoARIsAMF5wajABZ4tCtmgCi0Q3C-RA4JR-qIZF85NMqvv0Azn4IIYd7WuZPxO1E8aAmcqEALw_wcB

Could probably jerry rig an equivalent with an aluminum tube bolted on.