Gong review thread.

sozzle

Michael Peterson status
Feb 23, 2009
1,959
283
83
Poetry.

Basically Gregfoil is being proven more and more right about Gong :)
At the price point gong is bang on, you can’t bash it for that alone,
it’s using the same mast/baseplate and fuse pretty much as the new takuma lol setup.

For a ton of people it’s all they’re ever going to need.

I was outsurfing friends on considerably more expensive wings on my old medium gong last session at home.
 
Last edited:

Clamsmasher

Michael Peterson status
Apr 22, 2013
1,855
926
113
Nar
I was just thinking back to my pre short stab days. Was definitely more tracky, harder to roll over. Definitely hack that stab up soz, they are big bastards to begin with.
 

sozzle

Michael Peterson status
Feb 23, 2009
1,959
283
83
I was just thinking back to my pre short stab days. Was definitely more tracky, harder to roll over. Definitely hack that stab up soz, they are big bastards to begin with.
yeh it was a serious faux pas not bringing my cutdown gong stab,

the newer surf stab is 400mm wide but narrower on the chord than the original one by quite a lot, surprised the lower area 250cm2 is still having such an effect.
 

sozzle

Michael Peterson status
Feb 23, 2009
1,959
283
83
does the takuma lol wing fit on the gong fuse???
Possibly a bit misleading on my part,

they changed the spigot shape, but the mast/baseplate are interchangeable,
the takuma fuse is still heavy aluminium but is more shaped to lose weight.
 

sozzle

Michael Peterson status
Feb 23, 2009
1,959
283
83
the cut down stab has worked pretty well so far on the pro large, pumps great, turns a lot better, and the speed is up from losing a few inches of the stab,

i've got a takuma stab to try from the lol wing, i've had to drill it out to change the hole spacings but it will fit on the gong fuse at a slightly shorter distance than the Axis ultra short fuse does, that should really liven up the turning radius from standard which although not that bad, i definitely feel i'd like it to come round tighter.
 
Jan 12, 2020
24
14
3
Updating this thread with my info about 12 sessions in.

I’m 138lbs (63kg) rank beginner foiler. Bought a Gong rig to learn on and at my size haven’t been disappointed. Also in the states there’s a good resale market for Gong stuff so risk is low. I’m sure I might move on someday but for around $300 per wing and with the 3 different lines I’m buying a few to play with and learn on.

Started with the XL Surf or Rise model. It’s giant for me but was super mellow to learn on. If anyone my size is starting though, you might consider the L, as for me I struggled to keep it in the water. I’d not have known this was the gear until I bought a Curve (Pro) M wing which is about half the surface area after 8 or 9 sessions. Immediately I was stoked as the wing still took off and lifted but I could keep it in the water. For smaller guys or women, maybe don’t take their standard advice of “go XL to learn.”

However, I’m learning to wing foil now and the XL is reanimated to have as its stable and flies in almost no wind. I’m about to add another wing in between for small days without the rocket boost of the XL if there’s a set wave. I’m thinking Curve L for this as it will likely make a good high wind wing wing (weird) as well.

Longer term, maybe 6 months out I’ll test their high aspect wings before deciding to move on or stay.

As to the mast, at my size, who cares? I’m likely not going to flex anything, especially without the big wing. It was great to have the short mast (45cm) to start on and have the 65 to move up to. I’ll likely get a 75 or 90 for winging.

For another $100 I can have another plate and fuselage so I won’t have to break down gear for surf and wing. So for maybe $1,400 all in I’ll have 3 wings, 3 masts, and in all 2 complete sets of gear. If I like the wings and I want to add a carbon mast and fuse, I can for $500.

Could you do this with used gear? Sure, but you’d have to hunt and it’s harder to have a $200-$300 bump to try a new wing and you mostly have to choose aluminum or carbon up front. So maybe I could have gotten a starter set for similar price as my first rig, but few lines have 12 wings across 3 styles with aluminum and carbon options to try (maybe Axis At way more money?) so for my educational period this is good.

I can see that Gong might have been weird/bad when it was a China wing in 4 sizes. But all wings are Chinese and it seems that they have put some design time and money in now. If you’re a big boy in the States, maybe not. But if you’re looking to learn and experiment and you aren’t too heavy I feel like this is a decent path. If you hate it you can get almost your whole investment back. Anyone on here will tell you that the expensive foils are all over the place at bargain prices. Someone lost on those deals, right?

I’ll update this after a few months once I’m better and have ridden other foils. I’d be stoked to be wrong but I am not sure I would have taken the plunge without this deal and if I’d bought too big of a wing from many other brands it would have been an expensive mistake. As it is for $300 I got that sorted, learned something about wing size, and kept my big wing for winging.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sozzle

sozzle

Michael Peterson status
Feb 23, 2009
1,959
283
83
Ive got the medium ‘curve’/pro front and the newer veloce medium front.
The curve is really good and has reasonable low end for its size, turns really nice.

The veloce medium is like riding a shortboard with the kite tail setup but is super hard in really small(knee high) weak waves as it stalls on takeoff a lot if you don’t get it right,
I’m working on pumping and it gives me two for ones but haven’t done full runs back out on it yet.

Everyone talks about the flex in the cheaper aluminium stuff but I tried a unifoil the other day and was amazed by how floppy that was.
 
Jan 12, 2020
24
14
3
Sozzle, mind if I ask what you weigh? I’m trying to figure out my next wing and am wondering if I should go bigger but in the Veloce HA? Or stay with the Curve and go L.

Ideally I’d surf it on small days and wing it when the wind was strong. What’s your take, L or XL Veloce at my size? I’m not ready for it but Gong takes so long I might as well order it for Winter lol.
 

sozzle

Michael Peterson status
Feb 23, 2009
1,959
283
83
i'm 65-67kg,
personally i found the curve large to be a reasonably good pumper but sh!tty to turn, until i cut the tips off, then it was great to turn but a sh!tty pumper...
hard to say whether to go for the large or xl, the xl veloce could be epic for pumping around the lineup on tiny day like my friend does on a gl210, my other friend has just got the large veloce that i need to try so will report back when i get the chance.

the curves definitely have a more user friendly low end with the thicker profile but the speed and liveliness of the veloce is pretty epic if you can handle it.
 
Jan 12, 2020
24
14
3
Ok so for now then, it’s the Curve for me. lol. Veloce seems awesome for downwind but for a while I’m going to use the wind wing so I don’t have to worry about heavy glide and I need stability more than anything.

Still figuring out this M in the surf. I think it’s fine for a long time. But the learning curve for winging feels shorter and I think I’ll outgrow the big wing soon. Thx for the 411.
 

sozzle

Michael Peterson status
Feb 23, 2009
1,959
283
83
my friend with the large veloce says it pumps well but definitely doesn't turn as well as he would like compared to the old rise medium, plus it gets a bit wild in anything over chest high, ,maybe needs to try some different stabs.

yeh the curve large will get up and going a lot easier than the veloce, the thin profile is super hard work in small weak waves compared to the curves,

i'm also finding that the higher aspect gongs you def lose some of the top to bottom flow element that the medium curve has from a surfing standpoint.
 
Jan 12, 2020
24
14
3
Yeah, I think I’ll surf the Curves for a while and get my skills up. I think my order is set.

Veloce XL seems like my next step for winging, just want that long fast glide.