Is the Foil Scoot the easiest way to learn pump foiling, or even foiling in general? Could it be the beginning of something new? Let’s find out in this review.
Last year, I pushed myself to learn how to dockstart. Although I had already been foiling for many years, it took me a long time to get the start right. Even now, I can only do one type of start, and the conditions at the takeoff point—the dock—need to be just right.
I’m one of those many people out there with a stiff lower back who would probably need to jump a million times before getting it right. Then I saw a funny video of a guy “cheating.” He had added a handlebar to a dockstart board: the Foil Scoot.
“Oh no,” I thought. Surely he was going to get some heat from me, and from most of the hardcore pump foilers out there. But after a while, I started to see the potential.
Yes, it’s not exactly the same. Your stance is different, and you’re holding onto something. But for most people, foiling is about spending time on the water and having fun. If the learning curve is too steep, many people simply won’t have the time or patience to get into it. And if there’s a safer and more accessible way to learn, more people are likely to give it a try.
So, this winter, I got in touch with the guys behind the original Foil Scoot.
In simple terms, the Foil Scoot is a small board with a handlebar. That sounds straightforward, but there’s actually much more to it than meets the eye. Most importantly, it makes pump foiling accessible.
In this review, I’ll share my personal journey with the Foil Scoot, how difficult it is to learn, how safe it is, where you can use it, which gear you should choose, and my thoughts on the Foil Scoot versus regular dockstarting.
How Difficult Is It to Learn the Foil Scoot?
Maybe it was the cold winter water—I definitely didn’t want to fall in too often—but it took me about half an hour to get going and complete three to five pumps.
Although I already knew how to dockstart, I don’t think that gave me a huge advantage. The only thing I didn’t have to overcome was the fear of jumping onto something this small from a height, which can be a real barrier for some people.
During the second half hour, I was already able to complete my first full laps around the small lake.
Since then, I’ve taught quite a few people how to ride it, and the speed at which people progress can vary a lot. The good news is that most adults can learn to do their first pumps within a single session—and that’s starting from a deadstart position.
By deadstart, I mean jumping directly from a dock without running. The success rate is definitely much higher compared with regular dockstarting.
Of course, there are always exceptions. Some people are already pumping after just three attempts and can ride around shortly afterwards.
Kids between eight and twelve years old have also tried it. The main problem for them was having enough strength to jump away from the dock with sufficient speed. That’s something you need to master when doing a deadstart on the Foil Scoot.
However, with the right type of dock—a floating dock, for example—I’ve seen videos of kids learning just as quickly, if not faster, than adults. From a floating dock, you can run and jump straight onto the Scoot, which makes getting started much easier.
Kids aged 12 and up have absolutely blown the older generation away after just a few attempts.
How Safe Is the Foil Scoot?
Based on my personal experience over the past six months, I’ve only injured myself once: I hit my shin on the rear wing of the foil.
We’ve also had events where many people showed up to try the Foil Scoot, including plenty of people with no previous foil experience. Even though many of them dropped into the water like rocks on their first attempt—and space was sometimes limited—nothing serious happened.
The handlebar gives you a lot of control. You know where the board is, and, especially if you keep hold of the bar, you always have control over where the board and foil are moving. Compare that with my first dockstart attempt, after which I was limping for an entire week.
That said, some people can make a slightly awkward jump on their first attempt. So I recommend wearing a helmet, especially because falling backwards towards the dock is possible.
An impact vest can also be useful, if only to give you more confidence while learning. And I would always recommend wearing surf boots, mainly because of sharp objects on the bottom when you need to walk in the water or move around on a dock.
Where Can You Use the Foil Scoot?
This is where I think the Foil Scoot becomes really interesting—and a lot of fun. I can now start it from almost any height or platform. With regular dockstarting, I always need a certain starting height. On my second session with the Foil Scoot, I learned to start from the dock at its existing height, without adding any extra height.
I also learned to run-start, even though the available space was limited because a pole was positioned underneath the dock. From there, I learned to start from the edge of a lake. You simply hold the handlebar at an angle, run, and jump onto the board.
I then realized I could potentially ride around a large lake, taking short breaks at various locations along the way.
Later, I learned to deadstart from a quay only 20 cm above the water, without any overhang. I can now even jump from spots that are higher than my mast.
I’ve also done short run starts from the back of a boat.
The most important thing, however, is making sure the water is deep enough. If it isn’t and you hit the bottom, you could seriously damage your foil.
Which Foil Scoot Should I Choose?
The Foil Scoot comes in two versions: the Pro Carbon and the Origin Wood.
Both look very well made, and the finish is excellent.
The Wood is extremely impact-resistant and is probably the best choice for people who are learning to foil or who want to let lots of other people try the Scoot.
The Wood does flex a little while pumping, though. It simply doesn’t feel quite as direct as the Pro Carbon. The Pro Carbon is also the lighter of the two. If you bump it against a dock, it’s not going to be completely unscathed, so you do need to treat it with a little more care.
Another noticeable difference is the scoop in the board. On the Pro Carbon, it gives the handlebar a nice angle that helps direct your pumping motion forward rather than simply up and down.
The scoop also helps when recovering from touchdowns.
Because the front of the board has short tracks, you can fine-tune the handlebar position and find your personal sweet spot. On the Wood, the handlebar position is fixed.
Since the Wood doesn’t have the same scoop, it uses an angled handlebar mount to help create that forward pumping motion.
Which Foil Should I Choose?
This one can be a little tricky because everyone is different, particularly when it comes to weight and how you start the Foil Scoot.
Most people between 70 and 100 kg will benefit from a relatively large front wing, somewhere around 1,800–1,900 cm². A wider foil is also helpful because it gives you more stability and makes pumping easier.
A 100 kg rider will naturally have to work harder than someone weighing 70 kg, but the Foil Scoot Rise 1900 worked well for me. If you want more options as you progress, you can put any foil brand under the foil Scoot.
Lighter riders, particularly women and children, will benefit from a smaller front wing. Foil Scoot offers a Rise 1400 for this group, but other brands also have suitable smaller front wings.
How small you can go ultimately depends on how much speed you can generate when starting the Foil Scoot.
When starting from a fixed point, height is your friend. But you also need to learn a good takeoff technique to generate enough speed.
Jumping inverted helps a lot, but there’s a limit to how much speed you can generate from a fixed dock. So if you really want to use a smaller front wing, you’ll probably need to run with the Foil Scoot and jump onto it.
My View: Foil Scoot vs. Regular Dockstarting
Let’s start by saying that my personal journey with the Foil Scoot progressed very quickly.
I also shared videos of the process, and it has been interesting to see the different feedback and opinions I received. Most of it has been very positive, but there is definitely some resistance from people who can already dockstart and from those with a skateboarding background.
And honestly, I think that resistance is a sign that there is something interesting here.
Just look at kids. They can learn to ride a scooter with ease, whereas learning to skateboard can be much more difficult. And many of them will happily stick with the scooter.
With the Foil Scoot, I’ve seen many people get their first few meters on foil after only a handful of attempts. That builds confidence and makes you want to keep trying.
Some people will have the same experience with regular dockstarting. But I think most people simply don’t have the time—or the patience—to jump, fail, and repeat the process hundreds of times.
And if regular dockstarting is ultimately your goal, the Foil Scoot can be a great stepping stone. You can even work on both during the same session. That means you can experience success while still having something challenging to learn.
In the end, it’s all about getting people onto a foil and letting them experience something that those of us who foil already know and love. I think the Foil Scoot is one of the best tools out there for making that happen.
Perhaps the best thing is that people are using the Foil Scoot in public places near their homes, where it quickly attracts attention and creates new interest in foiling. More people see it, ask questions, and want to give it a try.
Compared with other foil sports, pump foiling can create a surprisingly social atmosphere, with people constantly interacting, watching and helping each other.
And with the Foil Scoot, I think that social side of foiling is only going to grow.