Test Report - Wing Ding V4 5.0m² by Wingsurfers Magazin
The following test report of the SMIK Wing Ding V4 5.0m² was originally published in the fall 2024 edition of Wingsurfers Magazin. It has been translated from German to English.
SMIK Wing V4 - A good vintage?
Wine and waves. That's what Margaret River, the home spot of SMIK designer Scott McKercher, former windsurfing wave world champion, is known for, far beyond the borders of Australia. It is therefore only logical that the SMIK Wing Ding has been tailored for good wave performance since its birth. What about the 4th generation? Is it still good for slashing waves?
ON LAND
The outline of the 4th generation of the Australian wing is as compact as possible. With a wingspan of 3.10 meters, it saves around 10 centimeters compared to all other 5.0s in the test. Combined with the 2.04 meter long strut, which is also quite short, this results in the compact outline mentioned above.
In contrast to many other brands, SMIK uses a straight strut. And of course Scott McKercher continues to rely on a lot of pretension in the canopy, as was the case with the earlier models. Only the trailing edge has been tweaked a little on the current wing so that it can twist and release a little better. As a result, it is now softer, more breathable in gusts. To ensure that the airflow does not cause turbulence, four small darts ensure that the canopy does not flap in the upper wind range.
Significantly more seams ensure an even more precisely profiled profile and a longer service life for the shape in the wing. The same applies to the new, harder and slightly thicker canopy cloth. Only the part near the leading edge has retained the familiar, slightly softer cloth, as a little flex is desired here.
Overall, the profile is a little flatter than its predecessor, which should result in even less lateral forces. For the handles, there is still the option of a semi-rigid handle or a completely rigid one. Last year the handles were made of aluminum, but this year they are lighter and made of carbon. The position of the handles on the strut has also been slightly revised. And to make the wing even more robust and direct, the leading edge has been given an extra segment in the strut area.
As befits a wing that should shine in the waves, the handle on the leading edge is hard but still comfortable and the area underneath has been lined with thick neoprene.
ON THE WATER
Compact and flat, the wing is easy to pull towards you when launching and then releases easily from the water surface. As with its predecessor, the current Aussie Wing Ding requires decent technique when pumping. After the start phase, it is quite easy to feel the sweet spot of the neutral wing, and the SMIK gets you up to speed quickly and harmoniously. It achieves good speeds on all courses and, with its mixture of a lot of preload in a flat profile, is very well suited to fast, flat front wings, as it produces little lateral force. Tuned in this way, straight maneuvers are still its strength. It flies cleanly in the jibe, and in the turn you can steer it upwind in a very controlled manner and then quickly close up again on the new tack.
In terms of pop, it has a little less to offer than the Harlem Pace and the NXT from Slingshot. However, thanks to the very good speed and the high level of control it offers, it is completely convincing jumping in the air when you take off over a smaller or larger kicker.
And how do the changes to the design affect its suitability for waves? Perfectly, in neutral on the wave it is clean and calm and has no tendency to rock up even in stronger gusts due to its balanced flight behavior. As usual, the handle on the leading edge is hard enough to guide the wing well, but also has enough neoprene padding so that even a few days of waves in a row won't leave a lasting impression, at least not on the knuckles.
When it comes to the handles, it's a matter of taste whether you prefer the slightly more cushioned version with the slightly flexing semi-rigid handles or the stiffness of rigid handles, which allow even more direct contact with the wing. In the waves, we really liked the semi-rigid handles, as they sort out the problem of hard edges hitting the board or rider.
FOR WHOM?
A great upgrade from the SMIK Wing Ding V3, the V4 has kept is its wave DNA. Going straight is actually too boring with the very fast SMIK Wing Ding V4, but its neutral handling is incredibly pleasant. The successful updates now make it even more robust and somewhat more direct than its predecessor. Another good year, Scotty!