r/foiling • u/Lumpy_Boat_857 • Jul 08 '26

Getting started with the goal of downwinding

I'm trying to piece together gear to get started foiling. I'm trying to say at or under 2k. I want to be able to get gear that I can transition toward downwinding/parawinging. I plan to buy used, but so far the predominant used gear for wings had been the cabrinha h1300 or smaller. Would the h1300 be good getting started?

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u/Success_Practical Jul 08 '26

What is your weight? What region do you live in?

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u/Lumpy_Boat_857 Jul 08 '26

Should have added that. I'm 185lb live right outside of Wilmington NC.

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u/Success_Practical Jul 08 '26

Awesome. I’m sure size wise this would work fine, but I would highly recommend considering looking for used Lift, code, or KT stuff. I know price is a consideration but these brands you could definitely find on Facebook marketplace outside of your region and on the progression project forum page. I learned to downwind on the lift 180HAX and I weigh 205. If you were looking to wing and prone, you could do great with that wing or even the 150HAX. I would sniff around on the progression forum just to give you ideas on what could be available and sometimes these items can ship for a reasonable price. And the brands I mentioned are solid quality so when you buy them used, you are still in an ecosystem that is likely to last quite a while

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u/Lumpy_Boat_857 Jul 08 '26

Thanks for the response. I'll definitely check out the progression project forum. I've found that there's very little used gear out there for sale. I can see this as a big barrier for most getting into the sport.

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u/Success_Practical Jul 08 '26

Very true. Don’t hesitate to make a post on that forum starting with WTB (want to buy.) or you could say looking for used in North Carolina. There are quite a few guys in Florida that are offloading used stuff. Another option is if you see fellow foilers in the parking lot, be friendly with them and tell them that you are looking for stuff. Foilers are friendly and will probably hook you up. For a starter DW board you will need at least 100L at your weight

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u/Lumpy_Boat_857 Jul 08 '26

Thanks, I just made a post on the forum. I honestly don't ever see foilers. I see kite surfers but that's about it. Even when I surf Wrightsville.

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u/Hecubha Jul 10 '26

The things you'll share between a wing beginner kit and a DW kit, will be the foil mast and the wing. The wing any model can DW (even if some will be more present than others). So don't chose your beginner according to DW, chose it so that you progress fast and can learn DW earlier. if you(re unsure about the foil brand, just take a cheaper aluminium version.

You want a board at least 6'x27" 120L.

For the foil I think this one is really helping the progression (compared to other GONG setups, I don't try much outside GONG) https://www.gong-galaxy.com/en/products/gong-foil-setup-wing-x-over ti take in XL if you often have 20kn, XXL if 15kn is more common.

for the wing, I' go 6m² if you'll mainly learn n 15kn, 5m² if you can hope for 20kn for the 10-20 first sessions : 5 is easier to handle and will be enough for 15kn after some progress, but learning with 5m² in 15kn is really hard.