Not really a review, just my opinion .but first wing I ever tried that actually feels very different in a good way. Specially for me coming from wave sailing.Demoed this wing a few weeks ago, loved it and bought one.Feels very different than all the wings I tried, owned and tested many, liked a bunch of them but after 1 year, if you are lucky, they stretched and start behaving poorly. I never really liked wings around the 5m size until this one, feels a lot smaller. I currently use 3 and 4 KTs, really nice wings but canopies are stretching, still good after 1 year but they will get worse. My 5 is a smik v2 with handles, used to feel great and this one really stretched out and lost all power.now it's very chattery and dead.
The Mode Ultra is all fancy materials, specially the canopy that is "x ply", it is a race wing and I was sure I was not going to like it. But the idea of a long lasting canopy made me try it any way.
first impressions, very light in the hands, felt very connected and direct almost like a windsurfing sail, some people could hate this feel. For me it felt familiar and easy. It is definitely not super powerful but you get on foil easy and behaves incredibly well on the hands. If you are learning won't help you getting on foil, requires good technique, but if you do you can get away using a wing that feels smaller.in transitions I was very surprised, jibes and tacks really well, actually a lot better than my other wings. Very nimble and it doesn't chutter or make any noise due to the canopy material. It has an on and off feel like a wave sail which I really like and makes it easy to throw it around. Leading edge is quite small and super rigid, pumps to 9psi.it's hard to describe, but it's not powerful but feels so direct that without a harness it will work you out. With a harness it flies with no effort like a good wave sail.but not a soft feeling.
I mainly ride in the surf and like jumping when in flat water. For jumping is amazing, the stiffness and lift makes you go higher and with much better control. In the surf, flags really well and feels very neutral.
it also handles wind really well, even super overpowered it remains comfortable and well behaved.
I am sold and loving it, we will see how all these fancy materials hold up.that's the real test.to early to know.
Pros: well priced given the materials, light, mute, incredible upwind angles, nimble, fast and comfortable, great handles.feels and looks really well made.
Cons: low end, high aspect could be an issue for some, windsurfing bag, not for everyone.

Very cool looking sail. Is it almost transparent? It looks like you can see through it a bit.

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BWalnut said..
Very cool looking sail. Is it almost transparent? It looks like you can see through it a bit.

Alas, wings with windows are becoming an endangered species. There are exceptions though:
www.aqueouswing.com/wings/

I'm selling this exact wing on seabreeze if anyone is interested! Thanks for the great review!!www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Foiling-Wind-Wings/~munhn/2024-North-48M-North-Mode-Ultra-48-metre.aspx

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bolocom said..
Not really a review, just my opinion .but first wing I ever tried that actually feels very different in a good way. Specially for me coming from wave sailing.Demoed this wing a few weeks ago, loved it and bought one.Feels very different than all the wings I tried, owned and tested many, liked a bunch of them but after 1 year, if you are lucky, they stretched and start behaving poorly. I never really liked wings around the 5m size until this one, feels a lot smaller. I currently use 3 and 4 KTs, really nice wings but canopies are stretching, still good after 1 year but they will get worse. My 5 is a smik v2 with handles, used to feel great and this one really stretched out and lost all power.now it's very chattery and dead.
The Mode Ultra is all fancy materials, specially the canopy that is "x ply", it is a race wing and I was sure I was not going to like it. But the idea of a long lasting canopy made me try it any way.
first impressions, very light in the hands, felt very connected and direct almost like a windsurfing sail, some people could hate this feel. For me it felt familiar and easy. It is definitely not super powerful but you get on foil easy and behaves incredibly well on the hands. If you are learning won't help you getting on foil, requires good technique, but if you do you can get away using a wing that feels smaller.in transitions I was very surprised, jibes and tacks really well, actually a lot better than my other wings. Very nimble and it doesn't chutter or make any noise due to the canopy material. It has an on and off feel like a wave sail which I really like and makes it easy to throw it around. Leading edge is quite small and super rigid, pumps to 9psi.it's hard to describe, but it's not powerful but feels so direct that without a harness it will work you out. With a harness it flies with no effort like a good wave sail.but not a soft feeling.
I mainly ride in the surf and like jumping when in flat water. For jumping is amazing, the stiffness and lift makes you go higher and with much better control. In the surf, flags really well and feels very neutral.
it also handles wind really well, even super overpowered it remains comfortable and well behaved.
I am sold and loving it, we will see how all these fancy materials hold up.that's the real test.to early to know.
Pros: well priced given the materials, light, mute, incredible upwind angles, nimble, fast and comfortable, great handles.feels and looks really well made.
Cons: low end, high aspect could be an issue for some, windsurfing bag, not for everyone.

I have one of the first 4.2s that after 3 warranty swaps I finally received one correctly made and it still in excellent condition.
Only thing I didn't like was how it behaved in gusty conditions, so I reduced the pressure from 9 to 8psi on my electric pump, and now it's very good and still feels rigid.

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warwickl said..

bolocom said..
Not really a review, just my opinion .but first wing I ever tried that actually feels very different in a good way. Specially for me coming from wave sailing.Demoed this wing a few weeks ago, loved it and bought one.Feels very different than all the wings I tried, owned and tested many, liked a bunch of them but after 1 year, if you are lucky, they stretched and start behaving poorly. I never really liked wings around the 5m size until this one, feels a lot smaller. I currently use 3 and 4 KTs, really nice wings but canopies are stretching, still good after 1 year but they will get worse. My 5 is a smik v2 with handles, used to feel great and this one really stretched out and lost all power.now it's very chattery and dead.
The Mode Ultra is all fancy materials, specially the canopy that is "x ply", it is a race wing and I was sure I was not going to like it. But the idea of a long lasting canopy made me try it any way.
first impressions, very light in the hands, felt very connected and direct almost like a windsurfing sail, some people could hate this feel. For me it felt familiar and easy. It is definitely not super powerful but you get on foil easy and behaves incredibly well on the hands. If you are learning won't help you getting on foil, requires good technique, but if you do you can get away using a wing that feels smaller.in transitions I was very surprised, jibes and tacks really well, actually a lot better than my other wings. Very nimble and it doesn't chutter or make any noise due to the canopy material. It has an on and off feel like a wave sail which I really like and makes it easy to throw it around. Leading edge is quite small and super rigid, pumps to 9psi.it's hard to describe, but it's not powerful but feels so direct that without a harness it will work you out. With a harness it flies with no effort like a good wave sail.but not a soft feeling.
I mainly ride in the surf and like jumping when in flat water. For jumping is amazing, the stiffness and lift makes you go higher and with much better control. In the surf, flags really well and feels very neutral.
it also handles wind really well, even super overpowered it remains comfortable and well behaved.
I am sold and loving it, we will see how all these fancy materials hold up.that's the real test.to early to know.
Pros: well priced given the materials, light, mute, incredible upwind angles, nimble, fast and comfortable, great handles.feels and looks really well made.
Cons: low end, high aspect could be an issue for some, windsurfing bag, not for everyone.

I have one of the first 4.2s that after 3 warranty swaps I finally received one correctly made and it still in excellent condition.
Only thing I didn't like was how it behaved in gusty conditions, so I reduced the pressure from 9 to 8psi on my electric pump, and now it's very good and still feels rigid.

Just out of curiosity, was it the same issue each time or different issues for each warranty?

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BWalnut said..
Very cool looking sail. Is it almost transparent? It looks like you can see through it a bit.

Yes you see shadows through. Has windows that are useful for racing. I don't really use them

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warwickl said..

bolocom said..
Not really a review, just my opinion .but first wing I ever tried that actually feels very different in a good way. Specially for me coming from wave sailing.Demoed this wing a few weeks ago, loved it and bought one.Feels very different than all the wings I tried, owned and tested many, liked a bunch of them but after 1 year, if you are lucky, they stretched and start behaving poorly. I never really liked wings around the 5m size until this one, feels a lot smaller. I currently use 3 and 4 KTs, really nice wings but canopies are stretching, still good after 1 year but they will get worse. My 5 is a smik v2 with handles, used to feel great and this one really stretched out and lost all power.now it's very chattery and dead.
The Mode Ultra is all fancy materials, specially the canopy that is "x ply", it is a race wing and I was sure I was not going to like it. But the idea of a long lasting canopy made me try it any way.
first impressions, very light in the hands, felt very connected and direct almost like a windsurfing sail, some people could hate this feel. For me it felt familiar and easy. It is definitely not super powerful but you get on foil easy and behaves incredibly well on the hands. If you are learning won't help you getting on foil, requires good technique, but if you do you can get away using a wing that feels smaller.in transitions I was very surprised, jibes and tacks really well, actually a lot better than my other wings. Very nimble and it doesn't chutter or make any noise due to the canopy material. It has an on and off feel like a wave sail which I really like and makes it easy to throw it around. Leading edge is quite small and super rigid, pumps to 9psi.it's hard to describe, but it's not powerful but feels so direct that without a harness it will work you out. With a harness it flies with no effort like a good wave sail.but not a soft feeling.
I mainly ride in the surf and like jumping when in flat water. For jumping is amazing, the stiffness and lift makes you go higher and with much better control. In the surf, flags really well and feels very neutral.
it also handles wind really well, even super overpowered it remains comfortable and well behaved.
I am sold and loving it, we will see how all these fancy materials hold up.that's the real test.to early to know.
Pros: well priced given the materials, light, mute, incredible upwind angles, nimble, fast and comfortable, great handles.feels and looks really well made.
Cons: low end, high aspect could be an issue for some, windsurfing bag, not for everyone.

I have one of the first 4.2s that after 3 warranty swaps I finally received one correctly made and it still in excellent condition.
Only thing I didn't like was how it behaved in gusty conditions, so I reduced the pressure from 9 to 8psi on my electric pump, and now it's very good and still feels rigid.

Can I ask what issues did you have? I used the 4.8 in strong gusty conditions and thought it behaved really well. Better than my other wings.

I have similar thoughts. I'm new to winging and using other wings just felt pretty ordinary, granted they were all older wings I was borrowing but I think these days anything pre 2023/24 is going to feel pretty bad as the designs have changed massively in the last few years to heaps stiffer struts and flatter trailing edges on the canopies.

After doing a heap of research, looking at the materials and from my sailing/windsurfing background thinking yep that shouldn't bag out, took the punt on a 5.5m Mode Ultra. As soon as I used it I was like yep....this is the one, as bolocom says, feels very similar to a wave sail so if anyone is coming from a windsurfing background it will feel super familiar. It does take a different technique to pump onto the foil in light air but I reckon it gets going as quick as almost anything if you have the right technique. I also reckon it is more on/off like a wave sail compared to softer wings so probably is less forgiving in that sense. Range is also massive due to the super stiff canopy but I would agree in the big upper range it can get edgy, but anything gets a bit out of control when you're super out of range. I also have the 4.2 and have been thinking about the 3.5 but not sure it's a big enough gap for those huge days....kinda wish they made a 3 or a 3.2 in the Ultra.

I did have a few small quality issues on my 4.2, the leading edge started to pop the inside seam stitching right near the main valve, but I just sewed it up myself as I have all that gear from sailing (#mothlife) and it's been fine since. It also leaked air super slowly (5.5 did too but not as bad) so after say a 2hr session would drop from 9-6psi which didn't feel great. Finally tracked it down, there was a tiny tiny lip (looks like the flashing seam from injection molding) on the main valve seats so I lapped them in with some 400/800/1200 sand paper and it's been sweet since. Not something that should happen on a premium wing and I had the capability to identify and fix them easily but for some it would be a warranty issue I'd guess.

Has anybody used the Monde Pro and Ultra to compare the differences between the 2?

I have a number of 2024 Mode Pro's and have been tempted by an Ultra for a while, but wasn't sure what the actual differences are?

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MilesH said..
Has anybody used the Monde Pro and Ultra to compare the differences between the 2?

I have a number of 2024 Mode Pro's and have been tempted by an Ultra for a while, but wasn't sure what the actual differences are?

I demoed the pro as well. They look similar but ride completely different. The pro rides more like a regular wing, it has more low end, feels bigger.canopy noise and flapping like most wings. Felt similar to my KT's which is a good thing. I rate them.
i didn't read any of the tech, but the leading edge looks like the same material, but thicker and more mid aspect. the canopy is some sort of Dacron that will stretch. I personally liked the ultra way better, buy anyone should try it before buying one, it has a very different feel that could be a deal breaker for some people.

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bolocom said..

MilesH said..
Has anybody used the Monde Pro and Ultra to compare the differences between the 2?

I have a number of 2024 Mode Pro's and have been tempted by an Ultra for a while, but wasn't sure what the actual differences are?

I demoed the pro as well. They look similar but ride completely different. The pro rides more like a regular wing, it has more low end, feels bigger.canopy noise and flapping like most wings. Felt similar to my KT's which is a good thing. I rate them.
i didn't read any of the tech, but the leading edge looks like the same material, but thicker and more mid aspect. the canopy is some sort of Dacron that will stretch. I personally liked the ultra way better, buy anyone should try it before buying one, it has a very different feel that could be a deal breaker for some people.

Thanks, that's helpful

Interesting that you find it so much like a wavesail, even though North positions the Mode Ultra as a race wing. Not a wave wing. They also recommend that it is used with a harness, which is not something you see often from a wing manufacturer. Speaks to the direct feel you describe.

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MilesH said..
Has anybody used the Monde Pro and Ultra to compare the differences between the 2?

I have a number of 2024 Mode Pro's and have been tempted by an Ultra for a while, but wasn't sure what the actual differences are?

I've got both 2024 Mode Pro and 2024 Mode Ultra wings, and they do have many similarities.They are similar in that they both go upwind well, and are fast and well constructed from good materials, and both feel more direct than some other wings I have used (slick, unit, flux). Both wings I found harder to tack than my other boom wings (but I'm only 1 year in..). Both wings have great top end range, carbon handles and a well built feel.

Differences for me are the materials used, Ultra is stiffer and pumps better, Ultra feels lighter in the hands, more direct due to stiffness, Ultra goes upwind higher/faster/better VMG, Ultra never gives up in gusts or high end of range and it just keeps pushing faster and faster without deforming (Pro is good but hit's its limit earlier), Ultra material has better visibility to see others. I could ride this 4.8m when I ride my 3.5m if my balls were bigger, it's soooo fast..

I'm actually selling both my North Mode Ultra and North Mode Pro as I prefer boom wings for my transitions and am doing more in the surf.. for good riders I think these are great wings made from leading materials that don't bag out as quickly as my duotones etc.

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kitebored said..

MilesH said..
Has anybody used the Monde Pro and Ultra to compare the differences between the 2?

I have a number of 2024 Mode Pro's and have been tempted by an Ultra for a while, but wasn't sure what the actual differences are?

I've got both 2024 Mode Pro and 2024 Mode Ultra wings, and they do have many similarities.They are similar in that they both go upwind well, and are fast and well constructed from good materials, and both feel more direct than some other wings I have used (slick, unit, flux). Both wings I found harder to tack than my other boom wings (but I'm only 1 year in..). Both wings have great top end range, carbon handles and a well built feel.

Differences for me are the materials used, Ultra is stiffer and pumps better, Ultra feels lighter in the hands, more direct due to stiffness, Ultra goes upwind higher/faster/better VMG, Ultra never gives up in gusts or high end of range and it just keeps pushing faster and faster without deforming (Pro is good but hit's its limit earlier), Ultra material has better visibility to see others. I could ride this 4.8m when I ride my 3.5m if my balls were bigger, it's soooo fast..

I'm actually selling both my North Mode Ultra and North Mode Pro as I prefer boom wings for my transitions and am doing more in the surf.. for good riders I think these are great wings made from leading materials that don't bag out as quickly as my duotones etc.

I actually found them easier to tack due to the tight canopy. It does require commitment and speed. But they are quiet and predictable. I really like them in transition.

I stand corrected.. 3rd session on the Ultra and I got 48 of 52 tacks.. good going for me having learnt tacks a couple of months ago..

It was windier this session which may have helped, and once you get the feel for what it wants it's reliably there for you coming out the other side.

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kitebored said..
I stand corrected.. 3rd session on the Ultra and I got 48 of 52 tacks.. good going for me having learnt tacks a couple of months ago..

It was windier this session which may have helped, and once you get the feel for what it wants it's reliably there for you coming out the other side.

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kitebored said..
I stand corrected.. 3rd session on the Ultra and I got 48 of 52 tacks.. good going for me having learnt tacks a couple of months ago..

It was windier this session which may have helped, and once you get the feel for what it wants it's reliably there for you coming out the other side.

Quick update:
used the 4.8 many more times in all sort of conditions, waves and flat water. I really rate it, flags really well, feels super easy in transition with an on/off feel that never experienced before in a wing. But it is not forgiving, being so direct and stiff it's either committed and fast or it will punish you, but when you are, everything feels amazing, fast and smooth. It also likes to be fully powered, in super gusty conditions with a sinker board it's not great. The wing feels a lot smaller than a 4.8 and this is great with steady wind, but hard work in gusty conditions, should be fine with a mid length board but haven't tried it.

I have a mode ultra 4.8 and would echo these sentiments. In consistent breeze and flat water it's an amazing wing, but you definitely wants to be overpowered, and a harness is almost a must. However in gusty overpowered conditions I've literally had this wing pull me up in the air and down wind. Curious to try using it at a lower pressure. I do love my mode pros in all conditions.. think it's a bit of a better all around wing for most.