It’s just Walt and I — a long-overdue catch-up and a high-demand review on the new F4 foils. We dive into first impressions, and how these foils fit into the evolving landscape. We also chat about Foildrive, and what ever else pops into our head!

Nothing fancy, just classic energy and some gear talk everyone’s been asking for. Always a good time catching up with Walt.

🎙️ Sponsored by Kite Puerto Rico + the N1 Surf Shop.Support the podcast by subscribing, dropping a 5⭐ review, and grabbing your gear from someone you trust: www.KitePuertoRico.com

📲 Follow along: @TheXFoils

In Case 56, Walt and I sit down with Mike Raper, North’s Brand Director — and yes, I give him a hard time for being too good at promoting the North lineup. The man is proudly dialed into every product, every update, and every detail… and honestly, rightfully so.We run through a quick overview of what North has been up to, some of the standouts in the current range, and how the brand continues to push design and performance forward. Mike’s schedule during AWSI is chaos, so we’re stoked we managed to sneak him in for a van chat between meetings and demos.Short, fun, and full of North energy.🎙️ Sponsored by Kite Puerto Rico + the N1 Surf Shop.Support the podcast by subscribing, dropping a 5⭐ review, and grabbing your gear from someone you trust: www.KitePuertoRico.comBoost Trench and FD masts with us. 📲 Follow along: @TheXFoils#XFoils #Case56 #MikeRaper #NorthFoils #NorthKiteboarding #FoilTalk #AWSI #FoilDesign #Wingfoil #Kitefoil #N1SurfShop

In Case 55, Walt and I sit down with Keith Teboul for a super insightful chat about the current KT lineup and what’s on the horizon. Keith needs no intro, but this time we skip the history lesson and get right into what’s relevant now—from refinements across the range to the new shapes and design philosophies driving KT forward.

We talk about how performance goals, materials, and feel all come together in the shaping bay, and how Keith keeps evolving his boards to match the fast-moving foiling and surf scenes. Keith also shares how important worldwide feedback is to the process—while Maui is an incubator for some of the best designs in the world, the KT crew stays tuned in globally to avoid making boards that feel “Maui-specific.”

With an amazing team of riders and testers providing constant, honest feedback, Keith continues to fine-tune the balance between art, innovation, and performance.

It’s a refreshing look at what’s coming, how it rides, and what makes KT’s gear stand out in today’s lineup.

🎙️ Sponsored by Kite Puerto Rico + the N1 Surf Shop.
Support the podcast by subscribing, dropping a 5⭐ review, and grabbing your gear from someone you trust: www.KitePuertoRico.com

📲 Follow along: @TheXFoils

In Case 54, Walt and I were lucky enough to steal a bit of time from Nicolas Caillou, the designer of the F-One Frigate Parawing. Nicolas has a seriously deep background — he’s the founder of ZEEKO, a PhD in mathematical modeling, and a rider who actually pushes the limits of the products he designs. Where most brands need both a test pilot and an engineer, Nicolas is both.

We focus this chat on the F-One Frigate, its development, and what makes it stand out in the growing parawing world. But honestly, we wish we had hours just to talk to Nicolas the person, because there are so many layers to what he does — from R&D to marketing, innovation, and his constant drive to make products that are high-performance, reliable, and fun.

It’s a rare glimpse into the mind of one of foiling’s most technical yet passionate designers — and how science and feel come together to make flight possible.

🎙️ Sponsored by Kite Puerto Rico + the N1 Surf Shop.
Support the podcast by subscribing, dropping a 5⭐ review, and grabbing your gear from someone you trust: www.KitePuertoRico.com.

📲 Follow along: @Thexfoils

#XFoils #Case55 #Fone #FrigateParawing #NicolasCaillou #Zeeko #FoilDesign #FoilTalk #FoilingInnovation #Parawing

In Case 53, Walt and I sit down with Magnito from the Gorge to talk about a major change in the Downwind foiling scene — the shutdown of Tunnel 4 parking, the iconic access point for one of the most beloved shuttle runs in the area.

For years, Tunnel 4 has been a gateway for countless downwinders visiting the Gorge, but with this closure, we ask the big questions:

💭 Will this change how visitors experience the Gorge?

💭 Could it spark a stronger community push to preserve access and establish more common-sense rules for the future?

We talk about the impact this could have on the local scene, what riders should know if they’re planning to visit, and how important it is to protect access to this beautiful and iconic spot and spots around the world for the next generation of foilers.

This should spark some conversation.

🎙️ Sponsored by Kite Puerto Rico + the N1 Surf Shop. Support the podcast by subscribing, dropping a 5⭐ review, and grabbing your gear from someone you trust:

www.KitePuertoRico.com

.📲 Follow along: @xfoils

#XFoils #Case53 #TheGorge #DownwindFoiling #AccessMatters #Tunnel4 #FoilTalk #FoilCommunity #PreserveTheStoke

Walt catches up with Frank Foilboards right in the shaping bay for a chat about his latest creations — the Mini Dart and the Dart. These new designs are the result of a collaboration with Axis, aimed at building a Parawing-friendly mid-length that also crosses over beautifully into wing and prone foiling.Walt was one of the main testers on this project, helping refine the board before it went straight into full production for the lineup. They get deep into the design process — how the mid-length evolved, how it feels under the Parawing, and why it works as such an all-rounder.Frank also shares insights on the new SUP surf board The Dart — maybe inspired for a shorter, surf-style downwind foiling sessions that keep things fun and surfy. 🎯 It’s safe to say… they hit the bullseye on this one.🎙️ Sponsored by Kite Puerto Rico + the N1 Surf Shop. Support the podcast by subscribing, dropping a 5⭐ review, and grabbing your gear from someone you trust: www.KitePuertoRico.comhttps://www.kitepuertorico.com/products/frank-mini-dart-axis-foilboards-pre-order?_pos=1&_sid=398f796b3&_ss=r📲 Follow along: @xfoils#XFoils #Case52 #FrankFoilboards #FoilDesign #Parawing #AxisFoils #MiniDart #TheDart #SUPFoiling #FoilTalk

Set up in the van at AWSI, Walt and I sit down with Josh Ku to talk about his upcoming film documenting his Uluwatu-to-G-Land crossing in Bali—a bold mission that turns pretty dicey at one point, and trust us, you’ll want to hear the story. The project, filmed by Dane Wilson (not Dan!), aims to show where surfing has come from and how many new forms of surfing have emerged through today’s dynamic foil scene. Keep and Eye out for the release to watch it yourself.

We accidentally get into foil and surf etiquette, the ongoing debate around local bans, and that frustration Josh is clearly passionate about, as he is continually pushing the sport forward. A true ambassador for foiling.

🎙️ Sponsored by Kite Puerto Rico + the N1 Surf Shop. Support the podcast by subscribing, dropping a 5⭐ review, and grabbing your gear from someone you trust: www.KitePuertoRico.com.

📲 Follow along: @xfoils

#XFoils #Case51 #JoshKu #FoilTalk #UluwatuToGLand #FoilFilm #AWSI2025 #FoilEtiquette #FoilAdventure #FoilCommunity

For our Half Hundredth episode, Walt and I sit down with Matt Elsasser, co-founder of Hydrocraft Systems, a new foil company stepping into the space. Matt needs no introduction to the foil world—his riding and design chops are well-known—but launching a brand in 2025? That’s a whole different challenge.

Matt jokes, “I don’t think people are waking up in the morning saying, ‘aww man, I need a new foil company.’” He might be right, but he is wrong! Once Hydrocraft drops their first lineup, people will. The foils aren’t released yet, but with the fine-tuning of their first range underway, it’s clear there’s room for brands that’s small, nimble, and customer-focused—able to pivot faster than the larger players in the industry. That flexibility is exactly what gives Hydrocraft a shot to carve out their own space and make some spray.

We dig into Hydrocraft’s approach to design, where Matt sees the gaps in the current market, and how staying agile as a small brand could be the key to pushing foiling forward.

🎙️ Sponsored by Kite Puerto Rico + the N1 Surf Shop. Support the podcast by subscribing, dropping a 5⭐ review, and grabbing your gear from someone you trust: www.KitePuertoRico.com.

📲 Follow along: @xfoils

#XFoils #Case50 #HydrocraftSystems #MattElsasser #FoilTalk #FoilInnovation #FoilDesign #NimbleFoiling #CustomerFocused #FoilCommunity

In Case 49, Walt and I sit down with Adam Bennetts from FliteLab to dive into the highly anticipated Flux foil range. Bennetts’ unique and powerful surf style really shines through in this lineup—and you can feel it the moment you step on the foil.

We chat about his design input, the development journey, and what makes Flux foils stand out in terms of pitch stability, performance, and feel in the surf. There’s plenty of geek-out talk here: power wings, gear preferences, the unique conditions of the Gorge, and how extensive prototyping/testing shaped the final product.

We also loved hanging with the FliteLab crew, and Bennetts is full froth all the time—his energy is contagious both in the water and in conversation. The chat drifts into the future of foil design, the role of assistive tech in foiling, and the responsibility we all share to keep surf lineups positive and welcoming.

This one’s equal parts foil nerding, surf philosophy, and product insight—straight from the source.

🎙️ Sponsored by Kite Puerto Rico + the N1 Surf Shop. Support the podcast by subscribing, dropping a 5⭐ review, and grabbing your gear from someone you trust: www.KitePuertoRico.com.

📲 Follow along: @xfoils

#XFoils #Case49 #AdamBennetts #FliteLab #FluxFoils #FoilDesign #FoilTalk #DownwindFoiling #SurfFoils #FoilInnovation

In Case 48, Walt and I catch up with Chris Radkowski, the designer behind F4 Foils. While Walt was in Maui, he picked up a setup from Guido and could not stop raving about the new Orca line for downwind—so of course, I had to try it too. Spoiler: they did not disappoint.

What makes F4 stand out is that they’re not afraid to throw carbon at an idea. Constantly reviewing designs, experimenting with different stiffness layups, and fine-tuning wing concepts, they landed on something special with the Orca—exactly what we’ve been looking for in a downwind foil.

And they’re not stopping there. Expect Orca surf foils soon, along with expanded 11mm mast sizes. The foil world is looking brighter with F4, and we’re genuinely excited to be working with them.

📲 Follow along: @xfoils
🎙️ Sponsored by Kite Puerto Rico + the N1 Surf Shop in San Juan. Support the podcast by subscribing, leaving a 5⭐ review, and getting your gear from someone you trust: www.KitePuertoRico.com

#XFoils #Case48 #F4Foils #OrcaLine #ChrisRadkowski #FoilDesign #DownwindFoiling #OrcaSurf #FoilTalk #FoilingInnovation