Tkb Review: 2021 AK Surf Foil 1600

AK Surf Foil 1600
Sizes Available: Front Wing 1600cm2, Back Wing 300cm2, Mast 70cm
Sizes Tested: Front Wing 1600cm2, Back Wing 300cm2, Mast 70cm

AK Says:

The AK Surf Foil Large was developed specifically as a surf foil to perform in small to medium size waves, or for heavier riders over 80kg / 200LBS, in all-around surf or for light wind kite foiling.

The intermediate aspect ratio wings with updated profiles provide the perfect balance between maneuverability, speed, and pumping.

Visit for more info: www.akdurablesupplyco.com/product/foils/surf-foil-1600/

Tkb Says:

The AK Surf Foil 1600 is back with its medium to lower aspect Delta shape with swept down wingtips that is marketed to larger foilsurfers and light wind freeride kite foiling. The AK combines carbon wings with an aluminum fuselage and mast with all connections streamlined and molded for a clean fit. The Stealth fuselage is designed to give the rider crisp pumping action with its aluminum composition and is fast and efficient with its streamlined surfaces. The tail wing comes with three settings for neutral, negative and positive lift, which is interesting because foilsurfers have been talking more and more about the importance of shimming to get the exact amount of lift based on the type of wave being ridden. The AK system gives you that adjustment without purchasing expensive aftermarket shims. The wings are built with pre-preg carbon wrapped around foam cores to keep the weight down and give you stiff and reactive foils. The AK system is completely modular, so you can swap out wings and masts to suit your needs. The mast plate system features open slots for mounting to the board that offer two key features. First, if you are bolting your mast directly to a board that is saving weight by not using tracks, plus, there’s room in those slots for the mast to be bolted forward or back for micro adjustments (we really like this idea for high caliber riders who set it and never change mast mounting position). Second, if you are using a board with tracks, the open ended slots allow you to remove the mast without completely loosening the bolts. These little details make for big impacts in the day to day use of your equipment and your quality of riding.

Our first impression with the 1600 is that it offers a nice slow foil-up speed that feels really smooth, making for an effortless transition from early lift into the wing’s core speed window. The Surf Foil 1600 package felt fairly active on the yaw axis and a little more stable on the roll axis, with the pitch being somewhere in between. Side to side turning felt really nimble with a bit more toe and heel pressure needed to initiate roll which provided a fun playful feeling while still being quite predictable and user-friendly. When the foil is set to the neutral setting on the tail stabilizer you get an even amount of lift but some riders may want to experiment with the positive position to get a bit more lift pushing against your front foot. The 1600 allows you to slow down and match the speed of waves while carving in the face and dialing in nice and tight pivotal turns. Since this is more of a carving surf wing it doesn’t have a ton of high-end speed but for the more carve-minded kite foiler it has all the giddyup you need to explore the waves just around the next corner. If you’re looking for a light wind user-friendly freeride foil as well as something that can get you into foilsurfing, the AK 1600 offers wide-ranging performance with solid durability and good weight.