Buyers Guide: Armstrong S1 Foils Tested Behind the Boat

Three S1 front wings tested back to back behind the boat, with Ryan riding. Everything below follows the video.

The other thing worth knowing before you read any further: across all three wings, nobody could pick the difference between the alloy mast and fuselage and the carbon equivalent. Behind the boat, the alloy setup is all you need.

What was on the boat

Everything was run on the one base setup so the only thing changing was the front wing:

• Armstrong S1 alloy foil mast — 72 cm
• Armstrong S1 alloy fuselage — 65 cm
• Armstrong S1 300 rear wing
• A 122 cm WKT board
• One foot strap

Front wings: the 1850, the 1550 and the 1250, all from the S1 front wing range.

The S1 1850 — the learning wing

First up, and the setup note matters here. It is a big wing with a lot of lift, so the foil tracks did not want to go far forward. They were set roughly in the middle, if anything a touch further back.

On the water:

• Very stable.
• A remarkably low stall speed — the one thing that surprised everyone. Ryan missed a wave coming across from heelside to toeside, kept going with almost no speed on, and the foil simply carried him.
• A lot of wing. Stable and forgiving, but harder to move around and more than most riders need once they are up and turning.

Who it suits: someone learning. If you want the foil to do as much of the work as possible while you sort out your balance and your lines, this is the one.

The S1 1550 — the all-rounder

The swap most people will feel straight away. Off the 1850 and onto the 1550, it was immediately more enjoyable.

• More nimble, and better matched to an average adult weight.
• Still efficient through the water for a wing that stable.
• Pumps and glides better. The difference was obvious from the boat, not just to the rider.
• Still a genuinely good wing to learn on — you do not give up much forgiveness to get the extra life in it.

Who it suits: most people, most of the time. If you are buying one wing and you want it to still be fun in a year, this is the safe answer.

The S1 1250 — the pick of the three

Asked which of the three he rated, Ryan picked this one.

• A fair amount of lift for a small wing. Ryan rides at 107 kg and still felt like he had plenty in reserve — never in danger of dropping off the back of the wave.
• A tighter turning radius, which made it the best of the three for front-wave foiling.
• Not as advanced as its size suggests. It did not feel like the step up that other small wings have.

Who it suits: riders ready to turn and work the wave, and lighter riders who will find it forgiving enough to learn on.

Between them on the day, Ryan was linking the first wave to the second, and the 1250 was comfortable cruising the first wave, carving tight turns, pumping and gliding.

Alloy or carbon?

This is the question the S1 range exists to answer, and the honest finding was that across the board nobody could pick the difference between the alloy mast and fuselage and the carbon equivalent.

That is the value case: a setup at a beginner-to-intermediate price that is good enough to take you all the way to the 1250, without spending thousands on full carbon to get there.

Changing the rear wing: the Flow 235

The last experiment of the day was swapping the 300 rear wing for a Flow 235 on the 1250.

• It loosened the setup up again — a noticeably freer feel.
• Best suited to a more advanced rider who likes a looser tail.
• That combination — 1250 front wing with the Flow tail — was the quiver pick of the day.

None of which is a criticism of the 300. On the 1250 it was still plenty of fun, and it is the tail doing the work that makes the small wing approachable in the first place.

Which one should you buy?

• Learning to foil behind the boat — the 1850. Most stable, lowest stall speed, most forgiving of a bad line.
• One wing to cover everything — the 1550. Still easy to learn on, and it keeps giving once you can ride.
• Turning, wave work, or a lighter rider — the 1250. Tighter radius, plenty of lift, and the 65 cm fuselage and 300 tail keep it manageable.

Not sure which side of a size you fall on? Your weight and what you want to do on the foil decide it, and we would rather talk it through than guess — give us a call or send us an email, or come in and jump on a demo.

The S1 range at Waterskiers World

• Armstrong S1 Foil Front Wing — the 1250, 1550 and 1850 tested here
• Armstrong S1 Foil Kit — front wing, mast and fuselage together
• Armstrong S1 Foil Kit complete with WKT board — closest to the setup in the video
• Armstrong S1 Alloy Foil Mast
• Armstrong S1 Alloy Fuselage
• Armstrong S1 300 Rear Wing
• Armstrong rear wings — including the Flow 235

The full Armstrong foil range and the rest of our foils are online.

Common questions

Which Armstrong S1 front wing should a beginner get?

The 1850. It was the most stable of the three and had a remarkably low stall speed, which is what makes it forgiving when you are still learning to hold a line. The trade-off is that it is a lot of wing to move around once you start turning.

What is the difference between the S1 1850, 1550 and 1250?

Size, and what that does to lift and turning. The 1850 is the most stable and the slowest to stall, best for learning. The 1550 is more nimble, pumps and glides better, and is still easy enough to learn on. The 1250 turns tightest and suits wave work, while still producing plenty of lift.

Is the alloy S1 setup much worse than full carbon?

Behind the boat, no. Across all three wings nobody could pick the difference between the alloy mast and fuselage and the carbon equivalent. On a performance carbon mast out in the surf you probably would notice it, but that is a different kind of riding.

Is the S1 1250 too small for a heavier rider?

Not on this test. Ryan rides at 107 kg and had plenty of lift on the 1250, with no sense of dropping off the back of the wave. Weight is not the only factor, so talk to us if you are unsure.

Why did a small wing like the 1250 still feel forgiving?

Because of what it was mounted on. The 65 cm fuselage and the 300 rear wing lock the setup in. The same front wing on a shorter fuselage or a looser tail would be a very different ride.

Where should the foil tracks sit on the 1850?

Not far forward. It is a big wing with a lot of lift already, so the tracks were set roughly in the middle, if anything slightly back. Moving a big wing forward as well gives you more lift than you can use.

What does the Flow 235 rear wing change?

It loosens the setup up. Fitted to the 1250 it gave a noticeably freer feel, which suits a more advanced rider who wants a looser tail. The 300 is the more locked-in and more forgiving of the two.

Can I try an Armstrong S1 before buying?

Yes. Come into the shop at Moorooka in Brisbane and ask about a demo, or get in touch and we will sort out what makes sense for your weight and the boat you ride behind.

Related guides

• The Breakdown: Wakefoils — how the parts of a foil work together
• How to set up your foil
• How to get up on a foil
• All our buyer's guides

Tested on the water by our team, with Ryan riding. Waterskiers World — Australia's dedicated towed water sports retailer, family-run for over 20 years from our Brisbane store and online. Talk to our team.