F-ONE ROCKET wingfoil boards: which one to choose?

Wings and foils get most of the attention, the board much less. Yet it decides how easily you take off, how comfortable you are in the air and what you can do in the waves. F-ONE offers four rigid wingfoil boards in its ROCKET family, each with a clear programme. Here is how to choose between them.

• 4 shapesS, CROSSOVER, MIDLENGTH and FREE SURF
• 44 to 150 Lfrom wave board to light-wind longboard
• Bamboo or carbontwo constructions for most models
• F-ONE ratingseach board's official profile, as bars

The four ROCKET boards at a glance

The bars show the ratings F-ONE gives each board, out of 100%. They compare the boards with each other, not with other brands.

Freeride

ROCKET WING CROSSOVER

The “quiver killer”: one board to do it all, from flat water to waves and downwind. Enough volume and width for a stable start, slimmer nose and tail to keep it lively.

• Foil placed slightly further forward: better pumping
• Good glide at take-off, little drag on touchdowns
• The most forgiving board to progress

5'2 to 6'4 · 65 to 133 L · 4.9 to 7.2 kg

Take-off beginner80 %

Take-off advanced65 %

Pitch stability70 %

Manoeuvrability60 %

Waves50 %

Downwind60 %

Freeride80 %

See the board

Light wind / Downwind / Surf

ROCKET WING MIDLENGTH

The light-wind board. Longer and slimmer, it glides early, takes off smoothly and stays manoeuvrable in the air. Advanced riders also use it for short paddle downwinds.

• Parallel rails and slim outline: speed at take-off
• Foil Drive compatible
• The old 5'10 (120 L) equals the new 6'2 (95 L)

5'10 to 6'10 · 72 to 150 L · 4.8 to 7.0 kg

Take-off beginner90 %

Take-off advanced80 %

Pitch stability80 %

Manoeuvrability90 %

Waves70 %

Downwind90 %

Freeride90 %

See the board

Surf / Freeride

ROCKET WING S

For winging in waves and bumps. Longer and narrower than the previous version for the same volume, it takes off more easily and is very playful in the turns.

• Round-pin tail for committed carving
• Recessed cockpit: direct pressure on the foil
• Double concave hull, bevelled rails, rear step

4'10 to 5'10 · 44 to 80 L · 4.8 to 6.9 kg

Take-off beginner50 %

Take-off advanced80 %

Pitch stability50 %

Manoeuvrability100 %

Waves100 %

Downwind70 %

Freeride60 %

See the board

Surf foil / Pocket wing

ROCKET FREE SURF

Built to surf swell, bumps or chop, with or without a wing: prone, pocket wing, K-Wing or foil assist. More agile than the FREE DOWNWIND thanks to its reduced thickness and pointed nose.

• Flat rocker for quick acceleration
• Rear step and kicktail: more pumping amplitude
• Carry handle from 6'2

5'2 to 6'11 · 47 to 91 L · 4.1 to 6.1 kg

Take-off beginner60 %

Take-off advanced80 %

Pitch stability80 %

Manoeuvrability100 %

Waves90 %

Downwind100 %

Freeride70 %

See the board

The boards on video

Videos: F-ONE.

Which one to choose?

• You are starting out or want a single board: the CROSSOVER, the most stable at take-off and the most versatile.
• Your lakes often have little wind: the MIDLENGTH, which glides and takes off before the others. It is also the closest to a downwind board.
• You are after waves and turns: the ROCKET WING S, short and very manoeuvrable.
• You ride pocket wing, K-Wing or prone: the FREE SURF.

What volume?

Volume depends on your weight, your level and the wind at your spot. A common rule of thumb: to learn, a board 20 to 40 litres above your body weight; once your take-offs are reliable, a volume close to your weight; experienced riders go below. On Swiss lakes, where the wind is often gusty, a little extra volume makes sessions easier.

CROSSOVER or MIDLENGTH: how to decide?

This is the most common dilemma in the range: both boards are versatile, but for different reasons. The CROSSOVER is about balance: enough width and volume for a relaxed start, and a foil position slightly further forward than on the other ROCKET WING boards, which helps pumping and livens up the turns. It is the board to keep if you want one board for flat water, small waves and the odd downwind.

The MIDLENGTH has a different priority: riding when the wind is light. Its long, slim outline glides earlier and takes off smoothly. For the same volume it asks for a little more balance at the start than the CROSSOVER, but it opens up sessions you would otherwise have missed. In short: all-round versatility with the CROSSOVER, light wind with the MIDLENGTH.

Which ROCKET for Swiss lakes?

On a lake the wind is rarely as steady as at sea: gusts, lulls and shifts make take-offs more demanding, and the chop is short. On bise days on Lake Geneva or Lake Neuchâtel, a stable board that gets going again easily after a lull makes all the difference: the CROSSOVER is the most relaxed choice, the MIDLENGTH the one for days when the bise drops.

For summer thermals, at Silvaplana or on the Urnersee, glide before take-off matters most: the MIDLENGTH is in its element. If you would rather play with chop and bumps once flying, the ROCKET WING S and FREE SURF are the most manoeuvrable. Do not choose for the perfect day, but for most of your sessions.

Length, width, shape: litres are not everything

Two boards with the same volume can feel very different. Length helps glide and acceleration before take-off: that is the whole point of the MIDLENGTH. Width gives stability when standing still and while preparing the start, which is reassuring when learning. A slimmer nose and tail reduce catching on touchdowns and in turns, like the round-pin tail of the ROCKET WING S.

So compare the length and width of each size in the table, not just the volume. And check your foil mounting with us: we confirm compatibility with your gear before shipping.

Sizes and volumes

Bamboo or carbon?

The ROCKET WING S, CROSSOVER and MIDLENGTH come in bamboo and carbon constructions (S CARBON, CROSSOVER CARBON, MIDLENGTH CARBON), as does the FREE SURF CARBON. Carbon makes the board lighter and stiffer: pumping is more efficient and it accelerates faster. Bamboo offers a good balance between durability and budget. For school lessons or light travel, there is also the inflatable ROCKET AIR.

All the brand's boards are on our F-ONE wingfoil boards page.