Wing Wednesdays: 2024 F-One Strike CWC V4 Aluula Wing Review

Tucker's back with another Wing Wednesdays review. Today he's got the F-One Strike CWC V4 Aluula, which is one of the most anticipated wings for the summer. In a lot of areas, including along the shores of the Great Lakes, summer brings beautiful weather, but also light wind. Will this year's Strike CWC let you get out on those lovely but light days?

Year after year, the Strike CWC has been regarded as one of the best light wind wings on the market. This year, rather than going with the full Aluula treatment on the entire frame, it's been limited to the struts and boom. That's going to save a lot on the cost while delivering most of the benefits of Aluula.

Features

Surf Handle

The surf handle has been redesigned for 2024. It's a lot stiffer, which will give you more control over the wing while holding just that handle. It's also a bit larger, so you can get your whole hand in there, even with gloves on. If you're a rider with larger hands or you ride in cold water, this is a nice improvement. The handle also has the standard neoprene patch underneath for comfort and to prevent wear to the leading edge.

Leash

Just below the surf handle is an attachment point for the leash. A wrist leash is included, and it's quite a nice one. It attaches to the cuff with a lark's head knot, so it's easy to connect it to a harness or a quick release. But if you like to use a wrist leash, this cuff is very flexible and comfortable. It's got a metal D-ring, so you won't need to worry about any plastic becoming brittle in the cold.

Handles

The handles have been redesigned for 2024. You can now swap out for different handles to fit your style and preferences. Included is the "soft handle", which is actually stiffer than in previous years. It's got a narrow diameter and is square, so it's very ergonomic to hold onto, even with just your fingertips.

A semi-rigid handle and two hard handles will also be available. The semi-rigid handle has stiffer plastic in the first portion of it. The front angled hard handle has a pistol grip, and the rear one is straighter. Each handle is purchased separately, so you can use any combination that suits you. In addition to the handles, there will also be a boom option. If you decide to try the boom, be sure to buy the correct length for your wing since the larger wings do use a longer boom.

If you're not sure what to go with, definitely give the included soft handles a try. They're lightweight, work very well, and are up to F-One's high quality standards. If you want to try something else, the hard handles and boom should be available by summer 2024.

Harness Line

A harness line isn't included, but you can easily rig one between the handles and it will be quite balanced there. Tucker has been using the Ozone V2 harness line.

Inflation

The Strike CWC V4 Aluula uses a two-point inflation system. This is great for isolating your chambers and keeping the wing clean without any hoses to catch on. The micro struts do pump up with the leading edge and so will be the same pressure, but the center boom strut can pump up to a higher pressure since it's made with Aluula.

Wing Design

The idea of the CWC design is to get a lot of canopy area in as small a wingspan as possible. Larger wings can become very cumbersome to maneuver, but this 7m has a wingspan similar to the 6m, and it even handles like a 5m on the water.

The secret to this are the micro struts that extend the canopy. The wingtips are also cut out at a 45-degree angle to help keep them off the water when you're pumping. It's a great thing to get a big wing that handles like a much smaller wing.

The CWC has been a go-to wing for light wind year after year as improvements are continually made, and this one is no different. Last year a bit of low-end was sacrificed to gain a ton of high-end performance, but this year that has been scaled back somewhat to make the wing more accessible for riders to get out in the lightest winds possible.

F-One accomplished that by increasing the foil section with a deeper baffle behind the center strut. This makes the wing more powerful with more lift on the low end before you're able to get moving very fast.

The Aluula struts are stiff and lightweight, so when you're pumping and snapping the wing, it doesn't feel heavy. It's reactive and contributes to the overall sense of the wing being bigger than it feels.

Compared to previous years, the V4 has accessible, user-friendly pull-and-go low end. Despite this, F-One has managed to maintain the excellent top end range. It's got very efficient apparent wind generation, so once you get up and riding, it's really fun and maximizes your board speed, which turns into forward speed, compounding your speed so that you feel like you're riding in more wind than you actually are.

All these design elements combine to give you a big wing that feels a lot like riding a 5m in good wind, even when you aren't actually riding in good wind. That's what makes this wing so special and popular for light wind riders. The V4 is shaping up to be a leading choice this year for light wind and heavier riders who want performance and fun without the hefty price tag.

F-One likes to keep their canopy as lightweight and uniform as possible, so they tend not to use windows, and the Strike CWC V4 doesn't have any. Most of the canopy is 2x2 ripstop, with the heavier micro ripstop reserved for areas that need the extra durability, like the trailing edge.

At the center of the trailing edge is a radial panel layout to help distribute the load, as well as a load diffuser panel that's a bit lighter weight than on some other wings. All this helps optimize critical areas of the wing for longevity, stiffness and performance.

The rest of the canopy has clean lines with a clean foil section to generate a ton of power on the low end. It's easy to forget you're on such a big wing. You get adequate power without feeling like you're trying to drive a barge, which is just what you want for a fun lightwind session.

Tucker's Review

F-One has really knocked it out of the park with the 4th generation Strike CWC. While last year's may have been a little too performance-oriented, this year's benefits from more grunt and lift. Performance at the high end doesn't matter if you can't get up and going to begin with.

A wing like this lets you ride a smaller board if you want to. You won't need a lightwind downwind board. This wing will lift you up and out of the water. It's so much fun in the lightest of winds.

It likes big, scooping pumps, but once you get moving a bit, it also allows for a quick, snappy pop as well, so it's less finicky about how you pump than some other wings on the market.

It's a very versatile wing that works for a first-time beginner as well as a pro level rider who wants a bigger, more powerful wing for those light wind days. For the novice, it lets you learn on the more calm, mellow days while still having adequate power.

Although this 7m is geared toward lighter days, you can hold it down in surprisingly high winds. At 200lbs on a faster foil, 23 knots is not uncomfortable, though any more wind than that would be outside its range. But with a low end of 8 knots for a skilled rider on a downwind board and the proper foil, that is a massive wind range.

If you want to surf in light winds, this wing is going to be a treat. Wave riding in light wind is a tricky situation, but this wing has a uniquely lightweight, intuitive feel that's very balanced and stable when flagging. Of course, if you charge directly downwind and kill all your apparent wind, no wing is going to hover in that situation, but you can use a pistol grip to control the wing and the angle of the sail to keep it aloft. The hard front handle should work well for that when it's released.

If you want to freeride in light wind, this would also be a good choice since it does feel so much smaller than it is. Handling a large wing can be really challenging, but this one was surprisingly easy to manage.

For a wing with Aluula, the price is not as bad as you might expect due to its strategic placement rather than being used throughout the frame. It's going to be the most affordable Aluula option this year. The leading edge is made with a double layer Dacron, so it's still very stiff and lightweight, and using Aluula there probably wouldn't add much performance compared to the additional cost, outside of being slimmer for race performance. But for the average rider looking to get out and have fun in light wind, this is an optimal combination of Aluula performance and affordability.

Tucker's Nitpicks

In keeping with Tucker's promise to find something that's less than perfect about every wing, this time it's the price. While it's one of the most affordable big wings out there that uses Aluula, it's still an expensive addition to your quiver at around $2,000. If you have to deal with light wind days, it'll pay off in terms of the hours of fun you will get, but many people will have to save up a bit for it. Considering that you might otherwise be sitting at home, wishing there was just a bit more wind, this wing will get you out there on some beautiful, sunny summer days, having a blast and cruising around. As a session saver, this wing will shine, especially in locations like Michigan, or anywhere that sees a lot of light wind days in the summer. You'll need to decide if it's worth the investment.

Summary

Not all large wings are created equal. Some are very cumbersome or don't have the extra power you want for light days. Some even feel full size in terms of handling and wingspan, but pull like a smaller wing. The Strike CWC rides every bit as powerfully as its posted size, if not a bit more because of the extra grunt and ease of pumping. We're excited to get these wings in your hands once stock arrives because we think you'll love them as well.

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