Axis recently released the new Surge front wing, and after my very first session on the Surge 890, I knew right away this was going to be one of my favorite foils. Axis designed it to sit right between the Spitfire and the ART v2, and honestly, you can feel that immediately on the water. It fits perfectly in that gap, while still bringing some unique characteristics of its own.
Even though it’s now my favorite foil, I’ll definitely continue using the others as well, since conditions are never the same. In this comparison video, I’ll explain where I think the Surge really excels and when I’d choose the other foils instead.
Where the Axis Surge shines:
- It’s a great wave foil with a lively feel. On fast-breaking waves, where snappy turns are limited, I’d go with the ART v2.
- The foil is very forgiving and stable when you want it to be. You can continuously adjust your line and foil angle without stalling, even in messy water.
- Because it’s so forgiving, the foil really shines when you push it hard in turns. Using the energy from waves, bumps, and swell, you can throw and kick this foil around and truly get the most out of it.
- The foil isn’t as fast as the ART v2, but it offers a similar glide. Once up on foil, it can ride at lower speeds in the same size. “Slower” and “faster” are relative here—we’re talking about small differences in average top speed.
- The pop for jumping feels excellent
- With the Spitfire, the power build-up when dropping into a steep wave can sometimes feel like too much. I experienced a similar sensation with the Surge. With the Spitfire, choosing the correct size solved this issue. I still need to test larger Surge front wings, but I expect it will be similar.
- I had to position the Surge slightly farther forward in the board tracks compared to the ART and Spitfire.
When to Choose the ART v2:
- The ART can keep up with fast-moving waves and still allows for fairly tight turns. Compared to the Spitfire and Surge, however, it feels a bit less snappy. It really excels at riding swell, but it also feels good when staying in the pocket of fast-breaking waves.
- For me, the 879 is the standout. On smaller days, though, I switch back to the ART 939 or even the 999, as they glide better at lower speeds. If you’re an active rider, the Surge 890 also works in these conditions, but you need to stay engaged and throw the foil around to keep it alive.
- Because you can generate a lot of speed with the ART—especially the 879—it’s a great foil for jumping. The 999 feels a bit slower compared to the v1, and with the v2s you’ll generally want to size down by one.
When to choose the Spitfire:
- The larger Spitfire front wings have always impressed me with how easy they are to get up on foil. They do feel slower, but that also makes them excellent for riders who are new to foiling.
- On a wave, the Spitfire has great turning ability. However, because it has less glide than the Surge, I would now choose the Surge over the Spitfire. The Surge 890 feels more forgiving than a Spitfire 780.
- I would still choose the Spitfire in overhead, powerful waves, where you don’t need as much glide. In these conditions, choosing the right size is critical—go too big and it will just spit you out. For me, the Spitfire 780 is perfect.
- When the waves are fast and I can’t keep up with them on a Spitfire, I’d switch to an ART v2.
Where the Fireball, fires:
- This has never been my favorite foil in the smaller sizes, mainly because my local conditions don’t really suit them. However, the larger Fireball 1250 has been an amazing favorite lightw-ind downwind/parawing foil for me.
- Where I ride, there’s usually a lot of water movement when the wind is on. In those conditions, very high-aspect foils don’t seem to lock in as well when going upwind while wingfoiling—they tend to stall more quickly.
- The Fireball really excels in glide and gets up on foil at very low speeds. It’s ideal for downwinders or calm-water sessions where you can bump-ride endlessly.
- This front wing does turn, but it prefers smooth, drawn-out turns rather than snappy ones.
- With a smaller size like the 880, I had to move the mast farther back in the board tracks, whereas the Fireball 1250 sits in a similar position to the ART v2 and Spitfire.
Then there’s something we like to call the foil journey. Most of the foils mentioned here aren’t where you actually learn to foil. For most riders, something like a Spitfire 1180 is a much better starting point—depending on your weight and where you’re learning.
Once you’ve progressed a bit on foils like the SES or the larger BSC wings, all of these become great options. They work really well from intermediate all the way to expert level. That said, everyone’s journey is different. We’re all different riders, and we foil in different conditions, so it’s impossible to lay out one single path that works for everyone.
That’s also why, as a beginner, the Axis range can look huge and pretty confusing. With this breakdown, I hope I can help guide you in the right direction on your foil journey with these Axis front wings. And if you need advice, just drop a comment, send a message, or give us a call—I’m always happy to help, because it’s not always easy to figure this stuff out.