Ozone Liteforce Wing Review | A Detailed Look at the 7.7m Model

It's time for another Wing Wednesdays with Tucker, and today he's looking at Ozone's light wind wing, the Liteforce. It's a brand new model for 2024 and comes in 6.6 and 7.7m sizes. Tucker is a larger rider and has been testing the 7.7m the past few weeks. Spoiler alert: He loves it. It captures what a lot of light wind riders are looking for. So what are those things, and is this the light wind wing for you?

Features

Surf/Tow/Luff Handle

The surf handle is nice and large but still lightweight. It's medium stiff and has enough torque to give you control over the wing. It's also got a nice patch underneath to save your knuckles.

Leash

Under the surf handle is the leash attachment point. The wing comes with a leash included, as well as a waist strap. A wrist cuff is not included, but the leash is detachable from the belt so that you can attach it to yourself however you prefer. The leash itself has a lightweight swivel to keep it from getting twisted up.

Handles

The new and improved hard handles have a very narrow diameter, so they're easy to grip. They have a direct connection to the strut, and once it's pumped up hard, the connection is really tight. The front handle is a bit angled with a nice pistol grip, and it's got a pad that helps a bit if it hits you or your board.

The rear handle is also a bit angled, which puts your wrists and arms in a more natural position for less fatigue and longer sessions.

Harness Line

Although a harness line isn't included, it works very well on the handles. Tucker attached his to the front of the rear handle and then a couple inches up on the front handle. It was easy to adjust with the wind speed.

Strut

The strut has a very large diameter and is incredibly stiff. That's what you want on a big wing to transfer the power and keep it from deforming while you're out riding. Even a small increase in the wind speed is going to add a lot of torque with so much sail. Although the strut is large, it's still sleek and aerodynamic.

Inflation

The leading edge and strut inflate independently through the two Ozone Boston-style valves. These inflate with either a screw-on connection or the fat pressure-fit tip. There are no connecting tubes between the leading edge and strut, which means one less thing to catch on or need replacing. With the independent inflation, you have some added security on the water since one will still be inflated if the other goes bad while you're riding.

Frame

At first glance, it looks like the Liteforce is framed in traditional Dacron, but it's actually an upgraded version that's lighter and stiffer, similar to Duotone's SLS line. It's the perfect material to frame a light wind wing since it helps keep the weight down while the wing stays snappy and responsive, yet not too expensive like such a large wing would be in Aluula.

Canopy

The canopy uses a 3x3 ripstop, which is strong and tear-resistant. The horizontal panels and adjoining overlap flat seams really optimize load distribution and minimize stretch.

Windows

The windows are small but well-placed for a variety of situations. It can be challenging to get a good view with such a large wing without adding big windows, which would of course add weight and the potential to stretch out prematurely. The placement of these windows along the strut does a good job of letting you see through the wing.

Trailing Edge

The hard fiberglass battens are replaceable and help reduce flutter in the trailing edge, especially as you get towards the top end of the wind range. This wing has a lot of canopy, so those battens go a long way towards smoothing things out as it moves through the air and keeping it as efficient as possible.

At the bottom of the strut is a load panel to help transfer some of the energy. The bottom foot-and-a-half of the strut is attached to the canopy and does a nice job of supporting it without needing to use heavy materials on the trailing edge.

Leading Edge

Ozone has started using the same high-performance Dacron as the leading edge uses on the top portion of the canopy. This has a couple advantages. First, it stiffens the top of the canopy to smooth out the transition from the leading edge and keep the airflow smooth with that tight, stiff airframe. This contributes to its high-end performance and upwind ability. Second, it reduces wear to a part of your wing that's often in contact with the ground while you're pumping up and tearing down. It's a nice innovation that should improve not only performance but longevity as well.

Shape

The wing has decent dihedral, which is helpful to keep its wide span manageable. It also improves the wing's stability in light wind, helps you to roll such a large wing when you're transitioning or riding waves, and makes pumping easier. It's just the right amount of dihedral to help out without being too much.

Tucker's Review

All those features sound great, but is this a good light wind wing once it's actually out on the water? Absolutely. It's phenomenal for its size. It's got adequate power and amazing speed and performance for such a big, light wind wing.

Still, you should look at sizing up on this wing. You can certainly ride a smaller size, but the Liteforce rides most happily with just a bit more power. It's just that much easier to get up and build speed and apparent wind when you have that extra canopy, and that makes it more fun to ride.

Some light wind wings are great at getting you up on foil, but then they're slow and draggy with horrible upwind. This wing, however, is a superstar. It's a blast in light wind, and it's so light it feels like a smaller wing. It flies cleanly into the wind and handles very well in jibes, tacks and other maneuvers.

It feels smaller than it is, and is quite responsive. The lighter weight, sleekness of the frame, and speedier design all contribute to that. It's a ton of fun and definitely one of Tucker's favorite wings for light wind days- in any price bracket, which speaks volumes since he gets to ride it all.

The Liteforce not only has the grunt and power to get you up on foil, but it also offers a lot of performance and surf-ability. Light wind days tend to be a bit mellow, but if you're in the mood for pushing your limits a bit more and ripping past your buddies even on the light days, this is the wing to let you do that.

Who's It For?

Newer riders can appreciate this wing as well. It's not as pull-and-go as some others, and you might need a bit more wind as a beginner, but once you are on foil, you won't immediately get overpowered with those gusts you tend to find on the light days. It's a comfortable, manageable wing to ride. The power delivery through the handles is not overly technical, even though it also offers some higher level performance. It's easy, intuitive, and a pleasure to ride.

The price is really fair for the performance and technology that's going into this wing. It compares to $2400-$3000 wings, but costs half that. It will be no surprise if this is a hugely popular wing for those light wind sessions, and for heavier riders as well. The upgraded frame isn't going to deform the way some other light wind wing frames can. And its design is going to retain a lot of the performance smaller wings have for lighter riders.

Tucker's Nitpicks

The Ozone valves work great and have been around for a long time. They're reliable and do the job. However, a lot of brands are moving to something faster and more universal like the hose end bayonet fitting or the high pressure valves you find on inflatable SUPs. Those adapters and pumps can be found many other places besides specialty shops, which would be a nice option to have in case your pump breaks or has wandered off since the last session. The HP valves also don't protrude as much, so you're less likely to snag your leash or something on it.

Ozone's use of a belt rather than a wrist cuff is also less than ideal for Tucker. The leash itself is really nice, and it can be detached to use with any connection you prefer, but the belt with its plastic clip seems a bit cheap. It's hard to complain since some brands don't include a leash at all, though.

Summary

This wing does a better job than most of offering performance even in light wind, and the price makes it very accessible to the average rider. Tucker's definitely going to have the Ozone Liteforce in his truck all summer long.

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