GA Wings Pure Team

Our recent tests of Gaastra (GA) gear over the last few years have found that their gear consistently delivers performance and ease of use at a competitive price point. So, when we heard we’d be testing their new Pure Team wing, we were looking forward to it. The GA Wings Pure Team is their highest-performance all-round wing, and it comes in five different sizes. We’ve been spoiled with this one, testing it extensively over a couple of months, giving us plenty of time to push it to its limits.

While we knew the Pure Team featured a boom, our first surprise came when we saw the bag. Based on its compact size, we expected a wing with handles but instead, we found a split boom system that assembles into a single-piece boom with just one click. It’s a smart design that’s perfect for frequent travelers or anyone short on storage space. Assembly took less than a minute, just tightening a couple of screws and it was ready to go. The standout feature of the wing’s construction is the use of Ultra 80X UPE laminated material for the leading edge and strut. In-hand, it feels exceptionally light yet noticeably more resistant and durable than traditional Dacron. For the rest of the canopy, GA continues its top-tier build with VoltNova triple ripstop and VoltNova+ double layer ripstop for the trailing edge, ensuring long-term minimal stretch and stability.

As we mentioned, we had plenty of time to test this wing, and over the course of our sessions, we encountered just about every type of condition. Let's start with the wind range. One of the standout features of the Pure Team wing is how effortlessly it generates power. Whether we were pumping during a waterstart or transitioning mid-ride, the wing responded almost instantly, especially when there was a bit of motion involved, like coming out of a jump or exiting a wave. This translates into excellent low-wind performance, particularly when paired with the right foil. But low end isn’t the whole story. Thanks to its compact wingspan and the stiff frame provided by the Ultra 80X UPE material, high-end performance is just as impressive. In fact, we’re confident that with just a couple of sizes, we could comfortably cover almost the entire wind range. In freeride, or what we like to call “Sunday cruising mode”, the wing delivers everything we look for: comfortable, intuitive handling (thanks to the boom), effortless power generation, smooth and controlled speed through transitions and remarkable upwind ability.

When we shifted into freestyle mode, the Pure Team really showed its best side. It’s easily the most responsive and agile wing in Gaastra’s lineup. Rotations felt snappy and controlled, lift and hangtime were excellent and there was a consistent sense of control throughout the entire jump. We usually try to take it easy when freestyling, because we all know how quickly a good session can become an expensive one, but this wing made everything feel easier than expected. We often found ourselves saying, “OK, that’s enough,” only to try one more move, because the wing just gave us that kind of confidence. We also had the chance to catch some waves during a couple of sessions, and as expected, the wing truly impressed. Thanks to its lightweight construction and excellent drift capabilities, it’s one of those wings that lets you forget it's there, allowing you to fully focus on the wave or enjoy a smooth glide. Also worth mentioning is its racing potential. While it may not match the raw performance of a fully dedicated race wing, it brings together most of the key ingredients: stiffness, speed and control. It’s more than capable of delivering exciting high-speed sessions or tackling a course, all while retaining the versatility to excel in other disciplines.

So, who is this wing for? The Pure Team wing is a fantastic choice for almost any rider, especially those who enjoy exploring multiple disciplines but don’t want to invest in a different wing for each one. It strikes a rare balance: top-tier performance across freeride, freestyle, waves and even light racing, all in a user-friendly, approachable package.