AXIS Fireball 940

There’s no denying it, the AXIS range is absolutely massive and historically they’ve adapted well to market trends and offered a foil for every discipline conceivable. Their latest offering is the Fireball which has been designed initially as a downwind race foil but certainly has a wider usage case. After the initial four sizes were released, as we go to press, by popular demand two more larger sizes have been added to cater for larger riders and smaller, lighter conditions. Seven sizes are now available measured in spans between 880 and 1350mm.

Across the range as it stands, the aspect ratio hovers around 13, setting it firmly in the true high-aspect foil category by industry standards. Construction on the Fireball is all in UHM carbon, to maintain the stiffness across the wide span with such a thin profile. Carrying over from other more recent AXIS creations, it has the straight median line design, which means the thickest part of the wing carries across the entire span in a straight line. They’ve also ramped up the camber, increasing the lift characteristics, which is particularly noticeable in the low end, as well as smoothing out stall characteristics. In fact, if you’re on the existing ART Pro range we’d say size down a foil to get comparative lift. From the front there’s a relatively flat curve across the span, and the thickness fades a little into the tips with no moustache reflex.

So one of the most important questions you’ll get from any rider on the AXIS ecosystem is: ‘where does it sit in relation to the massively comprehensive existing range?’. We’d say somewhere between the ART Pro and the ART v2, it’s got a wide speed range, oodles of glide, but in practice is far easier to use than the ART Pro. In roll terms, it perhaps feels a little more locked in than the ART v2, but exceeds it in glide and carry, suiting a more roll-ey unbreaking wave. Its efficiency really shines when pumping, which was extremely easy on the 940 we tested, it was simple enough to recover and stay high on the foil. In comparison to the ART Pro, the low end is far more forgiving and less choppy in its stall characteristics.

The Fireball has an obvious crossover into winging, pumping or anyone wanting a load of easy-to-access glide and extended speed range in any application really. On the wing, which realistically could be its biggest market, it's far more all-terrain than the ART Pro, less fussy and more capable in disturbed water states that are often associated with higher wind conditions, with a solid feeling under the feet. Tip breach is predictable and easy to manage, and the wide speed bandwidth really shone with inflatable propulsion.

In terms of fuselage and tail pairing with the 940 with 90kgs, for a foil with this much glide and its riding focus unlikely to be steep wave faces, for most it’s probably best to head to the larger sizes in the AXIS range, with the Ultrashort or Short aiding pitch stability and great for carving wider arcing turns. A foil this efficient with a wide speed band deserves a fast tail and a skinny tail of your choice; we were provided with the 362, which balanced well with the Fireball 940.

It’s unfair to label the Fireball a pure DW foil; it has a far wider application than the ART Pro for your average user and seems more user friendly in real world downwind conditions, with real world skill levels. Also if you were on the ART v2 and wanted something more efficient and glidey in a larger size this could be an excellent pairing. What shines here is effortless glide, a smooth and progressive low end with plenty of speed and performance on tap. The Fireball balances the high lift characteristics of a more cambered wing with the speed, range and glide of an efficient high-aspect foil without the aggro, and proves extremely fun to ride in a multitude of situations.