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A lot has happened to foiling in the last year or so, probably most notably the steady growth and implementation of parawing. Boards have adapted in parallel with midlengths becoming somewhat of a necessity. Many of those adopting or transitioning into parawing are weaving it in alongside their wingfoiling gear when the conditions are appropriate. Selecting a board that works well for both disciplines is quite critical, with a primary focus on the board accelerating and initiating the foil as easily as possible. People want to upsize slightly from their wing board to maximize that occasionally (very) tricky parawing low end, but not then feel like they are riding a massive barge to ride once foiling.
If you’re not aware, Appletree have their own bespoke factory in Portugal, and have the agility to react fast to the market trends we’re currently experiencing. In the case of the Midlength they’ve updated it quite promptly and significantly from the previous version.
Volumes all end with a 7 as previously, and 10l increments stretch from 37l to 107l covering a multitude of potential disciplines, smaller boards being prone and foil assist friendly, and mid sizes branching into wing and parawing, and one extra size over last year on the 107l.
The Midlength V2 is a significant update from the previous model, and on close inspection is both visually and technically quite a different beast. The hull shape has a gentle three-stage flat section around the long foil box, which has been moved further towards the nose of the board; the beveling is less aggressively angled as it runs into the nose section, meaning it catches less if a wave glances it sideways.
The top of the deck now sports a more pronounced concave which helps bury your front foot, and makes an agreeable relative angle to the foil, the nose has a gentle domed shape with some volume hidden here. The deck pad has been upgraded yet again and is a 3mm thick EVA with the corduroy grip running nose to tail direction; in the front area it has a gentle slope to let you know where the front of the pad is, without looking down. Footstrap inserts are optional, arranged in a Y configuration and are placed relatively centrally combined with the long foil box for maximum cross-brand foil compatibility.
Appletree have long been known for their vacuum-infused full carbon construction, with waterproof closed-cell foam, however they’ve recently implemented a new surface coating they’ve coined Coat 25. This replaces the previous hot coat (saving 8-10% weight wise) and improves durability and scratch resistance. After dragging it in and out of a sandy Sprinter for several weeks it still looks pristine, and this is quite a big improvement over the previous finish. Near the leash point is a NFC tag to register your board to a database in case it’s lost or stolen.
Our test board came in 87l, ideal as a wing and intermediate parawing crossover for a 92kg rider. It sinks enough to avoid the corky feeling but there’s still some meat to stand on if you’re a little underpowered. Knee starting the board, as soon as there’s a little pull from your chosen propulsion method, it shoots forward eagerly like a miniature canoe. It’s easy to get to your feet and the board accelerates in an efficient manner engaging the foil as quickly as possible. Once up and foiling, due to a combination of the minimal width and forward foil box position, it’s a board that disguises its volume impressively. In flight it feels like a much smaller and livelier board than it should. The volume distribution means the nose sits a little higher in the water than the previous model, which means much less chance of sinking it with bad technique or frantic parawing leg pumping. We were blown away with how balanced the board felt through foot switches; get your foil position right, and it flies true in pitch when unweighted, making your life easier in more disturbed water states. The innate stiffness of the vacuum-infused construction translates the feeling of the foil immaculately and with the plethora of UHM masts available at the moment, it would be rude not to pair it with something unashamedly high end. Throwing the board into wind through tack or riding a wave in the offshore, the streamlined nose shape noticeably pierces the wind and minimizes your drag on the wave face.
Elegant to look at, and elegant to ride, the Midlength V2 is a masterpiece of an update, broadening its use across disciplines and aligning perfectly with the evolution of our sport.
