I Try the Dakine Cyclone & Cabrinha Mantis- Wingfoiling Progression

It has been a few weeks without a post. I have been trying more spin tricks and wave riding and it has taken a toll on my equipment. 4 repairs to Ocean Rodeo Glides, 4 dings in my Armstrong FG 75L, and a Gopro lost in the drink. All the loss in a short time frame caused me to rethink my strategy. The sport needed to be a bit less expensive if my progress was to continue. That is how I landed on working with Adventure Sports and my move to riding more Cabrinha & Dakine products. Quality and Cost had to line up with my financial capability.
While my Ocean Rodeo Glide A-Series wing was getting repaired, I was forced to ride my Slingshot Slingwing V3 6M. What I found out blew me away. The Ocean Rodeo has forced me into a good set up habits that changed the way I ride. Maybe it wasn't the Glide, maybe it was the timing of winter winds. I don't know, but I am finding that I have been getting good jumps out of other wings. Given how expensive the Glides were, I have opted to try the new DAKINE CYCLONE and CABRINHA MANTIS 02 wings.
Because I stand to profit if you click the link below, giving a review seems pointless. Here is what I will say: The Dakine Cyclone and the Cabrinha Mantis 02 seem to be cut from the same cloth and might be. The Cyclone certainly took some obvious cues from that product line. Both share the same split mini-boom handles. Both appear to be built like a tank but don't have the weight of one. They are light and easy to flag out in the waves. They have a low end grunt that makes them easy to get on foil and they jump very well. The 5M and 6M are both relatively nimble and easy to throw around.
In comparison to the Glide, I think they jump better and are easier to get on foil. In overpowered conditions, the Glide is easier on the forearms. Neither the Glide nor these two wings seemed overly prone to backwinding when going hard upwind in overpowered conditions.
Handles- I may add more padding to the handles. I also rigged my 32cm Glide handle between the two mini-boom handles on the Mantis for easier one handed flight.
Bags- The Dakine and Mantis both come with a no zip, Gym bag, style duffel bag. I am so tired of stuffing a wing into a tiny opening on wing bags. One bag seems big enough to hold both wings in a pinch. I like it.
Who are these wings for? These wings perform very well in a variety of conditions. The windows are huge. They are easy on foil. They look durable. They are stable in the waves. There are other wings that might be slightly easier to get on foil in light wind, slightly faster and quicker to get to speed, or lighter weight, but hardly any do all of it this well. It really makes me wonder why Cabrinha has the X3. Eventually, I will buy one to find out. I will be getting more Cabrinha gear soon.
I have doubts that the H-Series Foils perform as well as the Armstrong foils. Regardless, I will be giving them a try. I have ridden with Gwen Let on a few occasions and he uses the equipment very well. If there was a single reason I have considered switch to 100 percent Cabrinha it would be his influence.
So if you would like to help the Channel out, check out Adventure Sports. They carry a good variety of gear and specialize in Cabrinha & Dakine gear. If you need help with gear selection feel free to shoot me an DM on Instagram, ask the question in the comments below, or post the question in the Florida Wide Wing Foiling Group on Facebook. Here is the link to ASI
adventuresportsusa.com/?ref=W...
*William Leady is a participant in the GoAffPro Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to the partner site.

[@joebenjamin6139]

Good information, looking forward to more tests.

[@foilfanatic]

I have now put about 10 hours on these wings. I rode the 5M in gusts up to 40 mph in the flats and then again today in the waves at Fort Pierce. Super happy with the performance. Today, I bounced the foil off of the canopy and once on the leading edge. I fully expected holes and blow outs. Not a scratch. Sold.

[@raghuram2815]

Are the 2 wings essentially the same? They look so similar other than just the graphics. So wondering if I should buy the Dakine Cyclone if it's available for a slightly steeper discount than the Mantis?

[@foilfanatic]

The Cyclone appears to be a mash up of 01 & 02 Mantis designs. I ride the 6 & 7M Mantis and the 5M Cyclone. I don't think you can go wrong with either year Mantis or the Cyclone. I would go with the best deal you can find.