Inbound: NP 2025 WING RANGE

NeilPryde’s 2025 wing range has pretty much something for everyone, and – with a dive deeper into contemporary material tech – their top of the range option is about as top as it’s currently possible to get. The team at NP wholeheartedly indulged our questions…

Firstly, with NeilPryde’s rich history in windsurfing, it must have been a smooth transition into inflatable wing design. Who are the key players in the design team, and what are their backgrounds?

Our head designer is Nils Rosenblad, who may be familiar to many from the earlier NeilPryde windsurfing days. He began developing windsurfing sails for us in the 90s. Now, he is our wing designer and, together with his team, develops the wings on Maui. He brings a wealth of expertise, including experience from his work for Red Bull in the America’s Cup.

Alongside Nils, we have Daniel Schenk as a product manager on our team. He has been with us for many years, contributing to the product management of the windsurf collections and now also the wing range. In addition to his expertise as an engineer, he is a passionate and highly skilled winger, which significantly drives the development forward in Austria.

Both in Austria and on Maui, we have test teams that support Daniel and Nils and test everything to the limit. Of course, our team riders – Vinnicius Martins, Kylie Belloeuvre, and Riccardo Zorzi – also play a crucial role in the development process. Their experience and feedback in a wide range of conditions are incredibly valuable to the R&D team.

So firstly we have the FLY III Pro. There’s Aluula in this one, right? Talk us through it!

Yes, the Fly III Pro is an evolution of the first Pro generation introduced last year. The entire NeilPryde Wing range has been updated across all models to reflect the latest advancements, and the Pro model features several additional improvements that we have implemented.

Regarding the fabrics of the Fly III Pro: yes, this model is our full-on Aluula product. We use 100% Aluula Aeris and Aluula Aeris X in the leading edge and middle strut. Those two materials are exceptionally durable, abrasion resistant and ultralight, which allows a thinner and stiffer leading edge. Due to the lightweight Aluula Aeris implemented in the wingtips, the balance of the wing is extraordinary.

As the Fly III Pro is a high performance wing, we decided to use our Drop Grip Carbon Mono Handle, which optimizes the hand position due to its shape and in combination with our strut design puts the lifting surface a little further from the rider. Both measures increase efficiency.

Did you have to augment the design to accommodate the Aluula materials?

Rather than altering the design to accommodate the materials, we approached it the other way around. The Pro wings are specifically built to leverage the properties of Aluula. Its superior strength-to-weight ratio allowed us to innovate further, using thinner diameters for the leading edge and center strut. This refinement not only reduced weight but also enhanced the overall balance and aerodynamic performance of the wing. That’s also exactly why we didn’t rely on just one Aluula material but strategically used two different ones, enabling us to place the best material exactly where it performs best. These materials offer superior characteristics compared to the more familiar gold/yellow Aluula. In essence, Aluula enabled us to perfect the shape and handling characteristics, delivering a wing that feels lighter, more responsive, and better tuned.

You also have a new FLY III. Tell us how this compares to the Pro version, and which rider this one is targeted at…

The Fly has always been at the heart of our range. It’s the basic shape for all development and with the new collection we came up with some overall changes throughout the range – which means, starting with the Fly III. To cover a few upgrades, we carefully refined the shape and twist which was balanced with the increased stiffness of the leading edge to boost the overall performance while also making the ride more stable and controlled. The window shape was strategically redesigned for optimal window placement while matching perfectly with the new panel layout, the 100% transverse paneling, which aligns with the load paths especially in critical, high-tension areas, and with the extended fill panel which balances the pressure from one side of the wing to the other, we gain more control and stability in the wing

So, with this model, we deliver a perfect wing for everyone, with perfectly curated fabrics and all the development we can possibly put into a balanced wing shape. The Fly III is for the rider, who is looking for a well-designed and performing all-round wing for all conditions.

The FireFly PRO is your freestyle and surf focused wing. What features have optimized this wing for the waves? 

The FireFly Pro is the real gamechanger in the 2025 collection. We already released a small quantity as part of a limited edition during the end of last season and it was an absolute bestseller – it was already sold out at the day of the launch. The secret of this model is the perfectly balanced material mixture of light 5×5 and 6×6 ripstop canopy, our new Aerotex in the front part of the leading edge and Aluula Aeris in the wingtips and middle strut. This with all the shape updates results in a wing which is super light, very reactive, high performing and all this for an affordable price amongst all other wings in the high-performance category.

In waves and freestyle as well, it is important to have a wing with a smaller span, which feels very direct and reactive, and this was the goal when developing the FireFly shape. On these models we decided to only use the Carbon Mono Handle as it just makes sense to have infinite possibilities. 

We understand this is Vinni Martins and Kylie Belloeuvre’s wing of choice. What has their feedback been like? 

Vinni and Kylie are both part of the NeilPryde wing development. After a few weeks of testing last year, they and the R&D team finalized this wing with some last changes on the prototypes. As soon as they received the final product and were on the water for the first session, they were really stoked with the outcome. Vinni said that this wing helped him to bring his freestyle and wave game to a new level, due to the combination of the compact and easy to handle shape of the FireFly along with the stiffness, power and response of the Pro materials. Kylie’s impression was similar, she felt it as a very easy and maneuverable wing which is super comfortable and has lots of power.  

And tell us about what improvements you’ve made to the standard FireFly? 

Like all other models in the collection, we gave the FireFly an update regarding shape, materials, stiffness, weight and features. It now also comes with the full Carbon Mono Handle, which we think is a really nice upgrade for a wing in this price range. All these measures result in improved speed and over-powered performance while maintaining early takeoff and light in the hands ‘feel’. The FireFly is designed for riders who want it all – speed, control, and durability in one versatile package. Whether they are mastering rotational moves, carving through waves or just starting their wingfoiling journey.

You’re also introducing your new lightwind option this season, the Fly SL. Please tell us what to expect with this wing, and what kind of winds it’s going to favor…

Designing a lightwind wing presents unique challenges, particularly in maintaining manageable handling despite the naturally large sizes required. If a wing becomes too bulky, its larger size becomes counterproductive, as riders can’t effectively pump or angle it to achieve early planing, killing the purpose of a lightwind-specific design.

For the SL wing, we focused a lot on keeping the span and overall size compact and manageable, ensuring it remains easy to pump and position for optimal performance. Weight is another critical factor in lightwind wings, as excessive weight reduces the handling, the maneuverability and eliminates the benefits of a larger surface area.

To maintain this balance, we opted to limit the SL wing’s size to a maximum of 8m2. Larger sizes would require additional structural reinforcements, such as battens or extra struts, which would add weight and compromise the wing’s handling. While such reinforcements might be acceptable for competitive racing wings, they’re not ideal for recreational riders who simply want to enjoy lightwind sessions and extend their time on the water.

We also incorporated several key features from our other wings to make the SL concept work seamlessly. One standout feature is the ergonomic drop-shaped handles, particularly the angled (or kinked) front handle. This design allows us to predefine the angle of each hand independently, ensuring both hands naturally hold the wing at its optimal angle. Additionally, the angled handle helps position the wing higher and farther from the rider’s body. This increases the clearance between the wingtips and the water, preventing unwanted contact when pumping, and it moves the wing into clearer, less turbulent air, away from the rider’s body. Aerodynamic simulations consistently showed remarkable improvements in performance as the wing is positioned further from the body, reducing turbulence and increasing efficiency.

By addressing these design challenges, we’ve created a lightwind wing that delivers exceptional performance while remaining user-friendly and practical for everyday riders.