The Fly by Neil Pryde - A Wingfoil Wing Worth Celebrating

It's about time for our impressions after six months of using the production version of the Fly.
The Fly made its entry into the market this year, marking a historic moment as Neil Pryde's first foray into the world of wingfoiling. Designed by Nils Rosenblad, known for his work on Pryde sails and equipment used in the America's Cup, it's no surprise that the Fly incorporates technical solutions and concepts that have been tried and tested in windsurfing sails for years.

The Fly consists of two separately inflatable tubes without any connection between them. You first inflate the cross tube and then the main tube, each to 8.5 psi for the 4.7m size. Since Pryde has used Halkey Roberts valves in the wing, which are standard in inflatable SUP boards, you can use any SUP pump here. It's strange that so few companies adopt a similar solution. Here we encounter a change compared to the pre-production model – the valve cap has been significantly reduced in size, no longer causing problems with leash entanglement.

Once inflated, the Fly takes on a sleek shape defined by the short cross tube. The main tube, with a small diameter and noticeable taper at the ends, adds to its agility. This shape aims to enhance wind efficiency and facilitate easy wing opening and releasing of excess wind. You can also observe two tension zones in the material. The front of the wing is tightly stretched, creating a slightly bulging, elliptical leading edge, while the rear part of the material loosens, resembling the wrinkles in a well-chosen windsurfing sail. Six small permanently sewn-in battens stabilize the rear edge of the wing.

On the short, highly curved cross tube, you'll find two rigid handles, almost entirely covered with soft foam. Even the front faces of the handles are protected with special foam inserts to prevent damage to the board during impact with the wing. It's incredible how many manufacturers use handles with hard edges, completely disregarding the fate of the boards. However, Fly owners need not worry. With rigid handles, they enjoy a plethora of advantages: significantly greater comfort, direct power transmission, and a more precise steering and feel for the wing. An interesting feature is the shape of the front handle. Its front is noticeably higher than the rear part of it, enhancing comfort and performance when winging close-hauled. It also allows for a more comfortable wing rotation during horizontal maneuvers and provides an additional option for holding the wing depowered and floating while riding waves. Beginners learning to handle the wing will find it much easier to grip the front part of the tube when getting on the board.

Among other interesting design features, it's worth mentioning special "clips" on the main tube that secure the internal bladder against twisting and a substantial cutout in material between the chassis and the cross tube, which evenly distributes air pressure/wind in the wing. The Fly also comes with small windows, which, despite their small size, often aid in orientation on the other side of the wing.

The Fly is one of the better-made wings we've had the pleasure of holding in our hands. Pryde has managed to strike an excellent balance between the wing's pleasant lightness and maintaining reasonable reinforcements and solid stitching. After six months of use, there are no signs of tearing, or fraying. It's also hard to notice any significant stretching, which is unfortunately a common issue with some lightweight wings made of dacron. All the photos and videos from this test showcase the wing after six months of use.

A lightweight and well-stitched backpack with reinforcement on one of the straps is included in the package, allowing you to carry the foil comfortably while walking. However, one downside is the absence of a leash included in the package, which must be purchased separately (it can be ordered along with the wing, choosing the appropriate leash length).

 

ON-WATER IMPRESSIONS

Super comfortable handles and the lightweight, well-balanced construction with the short cross tube make the wing feel like it's flying by itself. You can feel the agility of the Fly while pumping. At that moment, the unassuming "fly" transforms into a turbocharged machine for early takeoffs. Neil Pryde's marketing materials clearly promote the high lift of their wing and recommend going for a size smaller than "other wings on the market." After switching from my old 5.0 wing, which also had good lift, to the Fly 4.7, I can confidently confirm these claims. The Pryde wing generates excellent power and, combined with its incredible agility, encourages dynamic pumping, allowing for surprisingly early takeoffs. The video below was shot in winds ranging from 9 to 11 knots (according to meteorological station measurements). The board used was 85 liters, GA HP 1750 foil, and the tester's weight was 76 kg.

In its optimal wind range, the Fly 4.7 behaves like a chameleon, capable of changing the way you perceive it at will. One moment, it's like a fast freerace sail, with a tightly closed position and even hand pressure, and then it transforms into a dynamic freestyle wing, inviting you to perform maneuvers. It all depends on the role you assign to it. The Fly doesn't offer a single preset position that it autonomously maintains; it waits for your signal – what will you choose now? Beginner wingsurfers don't need to worry too much because the Fly offers stable and consistent handling in most positions. However, experienced pilots will have the most fun with this wing, fully exploiting all its nuances. And there are plenty of them. Handling the wing on a close-hauled course can be entirely relaxed or dynamically race-oriented. You just need to slightly adjust the wing's angle and shift your hands on the handles accordingly. The Fly's agility shines the most during maneuvers. Even though the 4.7 size isn't particularly large, it still feels even smaller during wing rotations. The angular positioning of the front handle is brilliant, especially when you start rotating the wing while holding the front (more vertical) part of the tube. The wing naturally rotates horizontally, providing minimal resistance during maneuvers. Anyone who tries this solution will have a tough time going back to regular tubular handles, let alone soft straps.

Wave riders will appreciate the large and rigid handle on the main tube. It allows for a secure, controlled grip on the wing, which can comfortably glide in a neutral position, allowing you to focus on riding the wave.

The upper wind range of the Fly 4.7 is excellent, though it must be admitted that some wings may perform slightly better in this regard. Depending on the foil size and the rider's weight, you can comfortably fly it up to about 23-25 knots. However, if you exceed the upper limit too much, the wing becomes a bit twitchy and requires more careful control. My upper limit was around 30 knots. At that point, it was time to change to a smaller wing (which I unfortunately didn't have) and engage in "parasol-style" storm sailing, where I fought just to remain part of the kit. Such sailing is, of course, pointless because I should have switched to a smaller wing long ago, and excessive flapping could weaken the dacron material.

SUMMARY

Neil Pryde's The Fly has proven to be one of the biggest equipment surprises of the 2023 season. Frankly, we didn't expect such a successful wing from the first series, even from such an experienced manufacturer. This wing continually surprises with its energy and makes you want to reach for it again and again. The Fly possesses much of the character of a good windsurfing sail, making it instantly appealing to many windsurfers. The wing performs excellently both on unpredictable inland waters and windy coastlines. Its application depends entirely on you. Its performance aligns with excellent craftsmanship, and its rigid handles offer unparalleled comfort and construction. Neil Pryde has every reason to be proud of this wing. And this is just the beginning of its wing adventure!