Hydrofoil, Foil Surfing How To: Pop and Wave Selection 

Thank you for coming back the second time! Hope these tips helped and you're now shredding the waves! Best Half-Life

Thanks Steve -- really appreciate it. Share with your friends :-) and buy some Armstrong gear from us :-) Cheers, Tim

That's awesome to hear Aaron! Get out there enjoy and send us some pictures/videos! Instagram: @halflifet.5 Cheers, Tim

Hi Flying Beaver -- Great comments -- thank you. Best, Tim

Hi Eric -- I'd say whichever method works is great. As you saw in the video, Bones (72 years young!) will use the knee method on some waves. Other times he'll pop directly up. For me - I've spent a ton of time trying to improve my pop on a surf board - which means eliminating any knee stages - because it allows me to get on edge more quickly and to stay in the green part of the wave. For foiling I've found that when I use the knee method, I don't get control of the foil as quickly and sometimes 'run out' further in front of the wave while I stabilize. It's not the end of the world but it shortens the ride. In general for folks who are able, I'd recommend the scorpion pop (as you called it above) stabilized by the hands on the front to enable them to get control more quickly and maximize the wave ride. All of that said - #1 is to have fun and to have fun you have to get up so if the knee works - do it! Thanks for checking out the video! Hopefully you subscribed to the channel and follow us on Instagram @halflifet.5. Cheers, Tim

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO Already a subscriber on YT and follower on IG. Awesome content! One more thought on this pop up topic :)... sharing is caring, right?! Just like with boards and foils, it's good to have a quiver of pop ups and use the best one to fit the circumstances. I have seen some young team riders from Cloud IX and Signature that are pulling airs and bashing whitewater who sometimes push off the front knee, place the rear foot first, then put the front foot through the arms to make sure they have a super stable, consistent take off with the foil - they get stability and consistency of foot placement. In most cases popping directly to the feet is the way to go (esp steeper waves when the board is pitched down), but in others, when the board is flatter or destabilized (e.g. flatter waves; powerful whitewater takeoffs when the water is turbulent; when learning) it's good to have the increased stability from the knee to rear foot method. It also increases the likelihood of getting the front foot planted far enough forward on the front of the board - that is the #1 priority IMO. Just thought I'd add the extra bit of context that using the knee method can help beginners and more advanced folks when appropriate. Overall agree that being able to pop directly to the feet is the priority though.

Sharing is indeed caring! Thanks Eric -- good stuff! Best, Tim

Thank you Ben. Where are you going to be foiling? Hopefully you subscribed to our channel and follow us on Instagram @halflifet.5 Cheers, Tim

Thanks John -- really appreciate it brutha! Cheers, The Half-Life Crew

Hey Muller -- that's great. May you have many, many awesome rides! Cheers, The Half-Life Crew

Thanks Brian -- we really appreciate it. Hopefully we'll be able to share a lineup this spring. Aloha!

You bet mark - happy foiling.

Hey Anthony -- so glad it helped. Get ready for our next video in this progression. I think you'll love it. Cheers, The Half-Life Crew

Thanks Aaron - hope this gets you up and shredding! Best, Tim

Hey Chase -- so glad it helped. Have a great time out there in the water. Cheers, Tim

Hi Mark -- thanks so much. Really appreciate it. Enjoy the water! Tim

Thank you - hope it helps. Get out there, be safe, and have fun!

Right on J Tech -- have a great time out there!

Nice Alex! Enjoy and don't hesitate to reach out with questions down the road. Cheers, Tim

Thank you Leonardo. We really appreciate you checking out our video. Hopefully you subscribed to our channel and will follow us on Instagram @halflifet.5 Cheers, Tim

Awesome! We hope you subscribed to our channel and that you have killer prone foil sessions! Best, The Half-Life Crew

Thanks Randy. Hopefully you're able to get out there and catch some killer waves. Enjoy the process and share the stoke! Shoot us some pics for our insta @halflifet.5 Cheers, Tim

Right on! Glad it helped you. Get out there and have a great time. Cheers, The Half-Life Team

Thanks Jesse! Get after it! Cheers, Tim and John

Thank you -- we hope this is the start of many, many, many foil wave rides for you! Cheers, Tim

Thank you Tristan! Glad it help you out. Shoot us some pics foil surfing that we can post on our instagram @halflifet.5 Cheers, Tim

Thank you so much -- the feedback is definitely valued and keeps us moving along! Cheers, Tim

Thank you Blue Sky. Cheers, Tim

Awesome! So great to hear. Keep after it -- you'll get it! Cheers, The Half-Life Crew

Thanks Andrew -- hopefully we see you on the water. Best, The Half-Life Crew

Thanks JJGMAIL -- love seeing you in the lineup. Glad this video helped. Cheers, Johnny

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO thumbs up!

Hi Jack -- so glad it helped you. Thanks for checking out the video - hopefully you subscribed to the channel and follow us on Instagram @halflifet.5 Are you snow kiting in your profile pic? Always wanted to try that. Cheers, Tim

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO sure am. Red Bull Ragnarok, Norway 👍

@@jakgdnb That's the coolest. I've been to Norway once -- I'd love to come back to surf and wing! Thank you Jack. Tim

Hi Robert, Thanks so much. Hope you're getting some killer rides! Best, Tim

so glad to have potentially helped. Get out there and have a great time.

Aloha, Thank you so much for the kind words and encouragement. Glad this video was useful for you and we hope you stick around by subscribing to our RU-vid channel and following us on Instagram @halflifet.5 Cheers, Tim

Thank you. Yes - you can add a wing 1) wing foiler pulls prone foiler up -- this is quite difficult. The wing foiler needs to be very good. 2) a jet ski or other pulls rider up with wing in hand. Very doable but more challenging that you'd think. We did this a ton when learning to wing foil. Hope you get out there and shred it. Best Half-Life Crew

Thank you James -- you're totally right! Angle of attack on the boat when on the second wave --> eyes on the corner of the swim step. In the waves if you're roughing into the wave -- go with the whitewater, pop up, then break to the clean water. Angle of attack in a rough in is a little less critical than in surfing where you're trying to get right into the green wall. Thanks so much for checking out our video. Good feedback - we'll include that moving forward. Best, Tim

Hi Steve -- Thanks so much for checking out our video. Very glad it helped you out -- hopefully you subscribed to the channel and follow us on Instagram @halflifet.5 Where are you surf foiling? Cheers, Tim

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO Hey Tim , I have been learning in Mexico on the Caribbean side south of Cancun. Back in cold Canada now waiting for the warm weather to come back!! I am definitely subscribed!!

Thanks Steve -- It's beautiful down there. Hopefully you got a day of kiting at Isla Blanca -- such a cool spot to kite. Thanks for the note! Cheers, Tim

Thank you - hopefully you're out there catching some waves! Best, Tim

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO Awesome surf at Sunset Cliffs in SD yesterday and today!!! Cheers

Nice! Where are you foiling?

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO Maine (York area …just look for the leftist massholes and you can’t miss it) and Cocoa Beach for the winter

Right on -- we really want to hit both those spots some time.

Nice! We look forward to hearing how your progression comes along. Please drop us a note periodically - Instagram @halflifet.5 Best Tim & Johnny

Hey Rob! That's so great to hear. Good luck tomorrow -- let us know how it's going. Are you getting good tacs on both sides with the wing? Cheers, Tim

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO my switchfoot side (goofy) needs work but yes, got some good runs on both sides. I recently did an efoil demo. They look lame but are loads of fun. I spent some time at the end doing goofy foot stance, which was very helpful.

haha! Yep - eFoils look lame until you hop on them and ride. So fun. @bleehawaii8 (on instagram) let me ride his pimped out Lift eFoil in Maui and it was like a dream....no really...like I was dreaming. Just flying over coral formations with a beautiful blue water. So fun. Great to hear that the progression is coming along. If you're up and going on that goofy side, it will come around pretty quickly. One tip for you is to pay particular attention to where your feet are on the board when you're on the regular side and use that as a starting point of reference for when you place your goofy stance. I know....seems basic but I was surprised how differently I placed them at first. Keep after it Rob! Cheers, Tim

Nice! Look for Johnny in the line up. Bottom line is get up any way you can. If dragging the knee is what you have to do - do it. That said - we recommend popping as quickly as you can to your feet for better control and stability. When the waves get bigger and faster moving - this becomes much more essential. Practice at home so that your pop is ready when you hit the ocean. Stay Stoked! Tim

Hi Christopher -- I love the 411 and prone foil it all the time. Short board surfing has what I'd consider a more 'critical' pop in many ways. It happens quickly. Whereas with foiling you can rough in as mentioned in the video and take your time getting to your feet. Start getting to your feet slowly --- you'll likely shoot way out in front of the wave but that's ok. You'll begin to get more and more comfortable with your pop. If you need to drag a knee at the start - no worries so long as you're getting to your feet. It's obviously better if you can avoid it but that said -- getting up is job 1. Where are your prone foiling? (sorry for the delayed response - your comment got flagged for some reason.) Cheers, Tim

Hi Serge! We are an Armstrong Dealer and would love to hook you up with a great set up. You've asked a bit of a trick question....what is the best mast size? Well....for lessons we put people on ~18" mast for their first foil experience. From there we work through a progression to 46cm, 61cm, and ultimately 72cm. For both surf (in most circumstances) and wake foil, the standard size mast that will work for you is ~70-75cm. Our favorite of all the foils is the Armstrong so I'll share with you what we'd recommend there. - HS1550 Foil Kit (60cm fuselage, 232 tail wing, 72cm mast) - After we connect I'll have the second and third wing suggestion that will depend upon the waves you'll be on and your surf experience. Please email me at halflifet.5@gmail.com I can also talk you through the trade offs with the various foil manufacturers. We've ridden most all of the major brands. Cheers, Tim

Stick with it - you got it Trev!

Hi Vinh -- prone surf is what we all think of as surfing. Grab a surf board, lay on it, paddle, and pop up. With all the different types of foil disciplines, 'foil surfing' was named 'prone foil surfing' to differentiate it from wake foil (which is foil surfing), SUP foil, etc. It is when you lay on the foil board like a surf board, paddle to catch the wave, and then pop to ride that wave.

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO lol so confusing for this old man trying to live the half life. Vocabulary is definitely not my forte but good to know I got you guys to explain in detail my flaws and weaknesses. Again great work and I’ll always be a fan. Cheers

haha -- too funny. you're the man!

Next time you're in Maui - let us know. We have instructors that will be great to help you get going. At 104lb - you have a bunch of options. The Armstrong WS45 would be great but....please tell us more about your surfing experience before we finalize that. We can dialogue via email halflifet.5@gmail.com Thanks Kay, Tim

Too short......not too short -have fun. But - shorter than ideal. Some use the 60cm in shore breaks or shallow breaks. The issue is breaching when you come down the wave face and more 'travel' so that you don't breach when you're pumping back out for a reconnect. I'd say go with the 60cm to see how you like but when you decide to get serious - go w/ either a 725 or 795 performance mast from Armstrong (or equivalent). Best, Tim

Hey Carson -- I'm in Jackson right now! I would NOT attach a foil to a standard glass surfboard. It's just too soft / fragile. I think you'll ruin that board and I think you'll loser your foil. It will be interesting to hear how the 99cm goes for prone. It was designed for downwinding so it may work alright. I have a bunch of other foils that would work better but use what you got right? I would recommend going on craigslist to find an old prone foil board. Folks are progressing through them fairly quickly. If you must convert something you currently own -- go for something more sturdy then a glass fish. make sense? FWIW -- somewhere between 35L-50L will work well for your first prone foil experience. Cheers, Tim

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO Thanks for the solid feedback! I spent a while on the phone with the owner of Houston kiteboarding and he was pretty convincing that these mounts have a strong track record at this point. They have helped a lot of people get into wing foiling without buying a beginner board only to want an upgrade soon. He also helped me to understand what type of boards are appropriate and which aren't. I have an epoxy kitesurf board so it is built stronger than regular poly boards. I totally agree that a typical layer of glass would be too risky but I feel pretty good about trying this out after talking to Phil. It may help me decide to eventually make the jump to a prone board designed for foiling but for now it is a relatively cheap alternative and I can use the thing kiting as well. On the foil side, I will have my 76 with me for bigger waves, just really excited to get on the 99 as well and hopefully pump around linking up some small stuff. Hope you find some nice protected stashes up at JHMR! You are definitely living the Half Life dream Tim!

Hi Nathan -- a lot depends upon the type of waves you're out in. For me the Jimmy Lewis Superfly was a great board for my first 5-8 sessions. jimmylewis.com/shop/super-fly/ (I weigh ~175-180 - I was on the 5'4" 44.9L). Cheers, Tim

Hi Jeffrey -- sounds like you're crushing it! You absolutely can give your wing board a try prone...BUT...be careful because there's no duck diving that board. If you have a break that you can get into safely - go for it. On Board selection - did you see this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-672yJNYLmnk.html It all comes down to paddle strength, size, and how you like to catch waves. When I started prone foiling I used the Jimmy Lewis Superfly - jimmylewis.com/shop/super-fly/ (you'll see it in the video - blue). At 52L it paddles fast making it easier to rough into waves. At 218lb and a surfer - I think you have a lot of choices. Personally - I'm all about wave count so I'd error on the bigger size. Both John and I weigh ~175-180lb. John rides the Armstrong 455. I ride the Armstrong 411. John's a better paddler and maybe I'm just a little lazier :-). I'd say go have some fun on your 5'11" - sure it will be a bit of a tanker but it will work. Once you get the bug that you are sure you want to get a prone foil board see if you can demo that Jimmy Lewis and then the Armstrong 411 (or something like them). If you visit Maui - we can dial you in. I'd look at boards 38-52L. Thanks for checking out the video - hopefully you subscribed and follow us on Instagram @halflifet.5 Cheers, Tim

Hey Jeffrey, I definitely get what you're saying. I'm 59, 6'1", 175lbs, very fit, and been surfing since I was 5. I'm torn between the Armstrong FG 4'0" (27L) and the 4'5" (34L). I'm struggling with the tradeoff between the flotation/paddling issue vs the swing weight/pumping efficiency. Armstrong's site suggests the 4'5" for my weight. Just to give you a data point, they recommend the 4'10" (39L) for your weight. One thing I'm starting to see though -- and this video brings it more into focus -- is that the foil board demands are not the same as a surfboard's. If you're just roughing into small white water to get up and riding, and hopefully learn how to pump out to catch clean waves, then the lower volume will probably be much less of an issue compared to catching a green wall. And then, once you're up and pumping, the shorter length and lower weight will make your pumping much more efficient. So, as Tim said in one video, the lower volume gives you more incentive to pump vs paddle!

awesome! get after it!

If you're able to -- straight pop to your feet. Kick your front foot through first. You can practice this on dry land. Best Half-Life Crew

I think it is going to be a real stretch....even if you are a good surfer with strong paddling skills. It's only 13.9 liters (unless I'm finding the wrong model). For example - Sky (who is a great paddler and surfer) typically rides the Armstrong SKT311 25L, John from the video the SKT455 33.5L, and I ride the SKT 411 38L. You may be a super human paddler OR someone willing to go deep in the drop but ideally, we'd steer you to a board with more volume. Thanks so much for checking out our video. Hopefully you subscribed to our channel and follow us on Instagram @halflifet.5 With your kite foiling skills - you're on your way but we'd recommend a board with more liters to make it easier on your paddling. We are a Armstrong and Slingshot dealer if either of those brands have something you're interested in - we'd love to help you out. All the best, Tim

By far, I am not super human paddler. Kiting makes it too easy to catch waves here in Ocracoke, NC so I get spoiled. Thanks for the advice, I will try a higher volume board.

Nice! I spend as much time as possible at Avon NC -- I know Ocracoke pretty well. Spoiled indeed! Best, Tim

Hi Martial -- awesome. Time to hit the water! Cheers, Tim

It's tough....especially before you have expertise in both. The foils transfer no problem. For example I love my Armstrong quiver for wakefoil, prone surf foil, and for wingfoil. I make minor adjustments to the shim and tail wing but it's a one quiver does it all set up. Typically I rotate through the HS1850, HS1550, and HS1250. For wake you really want a smaller board -- our favorite right now is the SKT311 from Armstrong with the Freedom Foil Board Whip as a close second. They're both stiff and super responsive....but....for winging they're only 25L and down. I have seen some very experienced waterman use a 40L for prone and for wing -- for prone no brainer but for winging -- you need a consistently strong wind to get that 40L going. Quite difficult in lighter winds. So....a really long winded answer to tell you that as of now (it may change), there's not a one board quiver where you wouldn't be making a performance trade off one way or another for the other discipline. The closest -- SKT311 -- phenomenal wake and prone surf board. At 25L challenging for Wing but good for kite foil. Please keep in touch and let us know if you find the ultimate crossover! Cheers, Tim

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO thanks for all your detailed explanations. I am 143lbs and use the SKT311 for winging and kiting. I am now getting comfortable at pumping. Do you think I would be able to learn prone and pop up on this board? I use a 55L for lightwind winging that may be a better option but once dialing in the start my plan is to use the SKT311

Hi Alan -- 215 is no problem. As you're starting out you'll just want to adjust your liter count up. Something like the Jimmy Lewis Superfly would work well. Ultimately you'll need to match the liter to your weight, paddle strength, and conditions. Best, Tim & John

Thanks for sharing! And - thanks for checking out our video. Cheers, Tim

Not exactly clear on the question. You can do foil lessons here in Seattle. If you want to order a boat that hydrofoils...Let me know and we'll try to find one. Where are you inquiring this from? Best Half-Life

Not sure which boat you're referring to. Best Half-Life

Hi Jeff -- sorry to hear that. What break do you surf? Tim

I live on the southeast side of Kauai. These things have taken over my homebreak at Kalapaki Beach. And now electronic foils. I work in the Emergency room. I've seen more than one head injury due to collisions with these things, shipped out to Oahu. These people hit and damage the reef with their foils boasting of scraping the reef. Alot of these idiots are super aggresive on these contraptions, trying to do airs with them And way out of control. Why do they surf the same places as conventional surfers. It's so dangerous. What will come next?

Hi Jeff -- I totally hear where you're coming from. I know for the breaks we foil being respectful of the surfing crew (many of us are surfers) is first and foremost. And we always talk about ocean safety and respect which absolutely includes not taking off on waves with folks down wave from you and honoring wave position/priority and form of surfing (SUP/Prone/Foil). There are plenty of breaks, we just need to ensure that everyone shares and rides respectfully and be mindful of the safety of those around them. Prone foil surfing is an amazing sport and something that should and can coexist in the ocean with other forms of water sport recreation. Given that many of us are surfers, it is something we should be able to achieve. Please know that anyone we introduce into the sport, and those we spend time with in the lineup do share this perspective. It sounds like there's still some work to do on Kauai (I'm sure other places as well). I'm thinking we should do a follow up video that talks about wave etiquette with the dos and don'ts of sharing a lineup to ensure we're all as safe as we can be and that we all can share and preserve the ocean we love. Tim

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO an etiquette video would be great I remember being so bent out of shape when sups starting invading the line up. But part of that was bc it allowed people with 0 surf experience to get out. I feel like with foiling, the crew is more knowledgeable. Most likely if you’re prone surf foiling, you’ve surfed before and know the etiquette. But what are the rules if you’ve caught a wave and pump out to catch another and you’re on it before another surfer, whose paddling in, gets up? I can foresee some tricky scenarios. When I kite surf-and I do mean surf, I appreciate that. I have immensely more mobility than surfers do and try to avoid waves that are being paddled for even if I have priority. Because I don’t want to piss people off. Our mayor in Melbourne Beach happens to be an avid surfer. So I don’t want him to get the idea to ban kiting. Same thing with foiling. Appreciate you have better mobility and be gracious. Give up a wave, and wave to them, let them know you’re deferring to them. It goes a long way towards building respect and just being cordial. There will always be that dickhead that catches everything he can, just because he’s can-but those guys exist across all genres. But honestly, I don’t see much overlap with surfers and foilers anyway. For the most part I’m looking for weak rollers, the exact opposite of what I’d surf. Some guys do like to be seen though, and I can certainly imagine some guys gravitating to crowded surf spots. That is foolish. So...I wonder if this commenter has seen 1 or 2 unruly disrespectful guys and developed an image of foiling based off that. To be honest, I was a bit envious of foilers when I first saw them in the line up. That envy can easily turn to malice. But since I couldn’t beat em... No one wants to hit the reef while foiling. Sure it can happen, but most often such breaks are avoided by foilers. Gear is expensive and falling is not fun. So I seriously doubt there is much reef damage going on. I was a dive instructor in Lahaina for years, I can tell you personally almost all these inshore reefs are dead anyway. Not that I’m saying it’s ok to hit the reef. Place called Shark Pit just south of Lahaina harbor. It has a reef cut out about 6 ft wide to get out to the break (I think it’s man made). Anyway, the reef is shallow there and surfers are dragging their fins all over the reef either paddling out/in, or while surfing. There’s barely a foot of water over the reef at low tide. So reef damage is by no means limited to foilers. You could say the same thing about windsurfers with their massive skegs.

highly unlikely unless you are a fantastic paddler. Also depends upon the board you choose. An Armstrong WS4.0 for example could be surfed if you are a very strong paddler. Whereas a Armstrong WKT109 doesn't have the liter count. Hope that helps. Tim

@@HALFLIFEVIDEO this does! Thank you very much!