Code Foils Product Review - Stand Up Magazin

Codes unique foil designs offer exceptional versatility in maneuverability and superior glide. Dedicated to relentless testing and innovation, they proudly deliver the world’s finest hydrofoils. As an Australian-owned company, their products are designed for uncompromising performance, ensuring that every hydrofoil meets the highest standards of quality and excellence.

As the foiling season kicks into high gear, we caught up with Marcus Tardrew from CODE Foils to talk about their latest developments, gear recommendations for European conditions, and where you can get your hands on their equipment this summer.

We last met Marcus at the Boot Show in Düsseldorf, and it was high time to get an update!

Aloha Marcus,

Thank you for your time. It was back in January when we saw you in Germany at the Boot Show. Now that the dust has settled, can you tell us how CODE was received in Central Europe?

G’day Mike, CODE was received really well! We had a bunch of people visit who had never seen or tried CODE but had heard a lot about it. Quite a few tried it in the pool and were blown away — that will definitely help spread the word. We also met Kai from Foilit, who is our latest dealer in Germany. We can’t wait for the gear to be available for testing and purchase in this area!

Now that summer is here and people are getting out there, downwind foiling has really captured the attention of ocean enthusiasts as well as lake foilers. What product are you recommending for ambitious riders looking to step up their game?

We’ve been working really hard on our bigger foils to help beginners get into dock starts and paddle-ups in flat water, or for their first downwind experience. The 1540 S has proven to be a great option for both of these. And if you’re not a complete beginner and you’re looking for even more efficiency — something that pumps forever or works great for super light downwind conditions — then the 1250 is the weapon of choice.

You have two major front foil lines. Can you describe them both and tell us what style of foiling each is best suited for? Let’s talk about the R and S series.

The S series is our all-rounder. It does everything well — it has enough glide for downwinding but also surfs really well. Its efficiency makes it great for learning how to link up waves in the surf, and the huge low-end power makes it forgiving and easy to use for dock starts too. Personally, the S series is my favorite for wing foiling because you can flag it out and surf wind bumps easily, carve tight in the waves, and it’s also great for freestyle.

The R series is higher aspect, so it’s all about efficiency. It doesn’t turn quite as well as the S series, but it has a lot of lift for its size and will pump all day long. You’ll want to use the R series for downwind racing and for more advanced dock starting.

Can you give a recommendation for a setup that would suit the shorter wave intervals of Northern Germany and lake waves?

For pure glide efficiency, it’s all about the R series. However, the small, tight, and slow bumps you get on lakes might actually be better suited to the S series. It lets you maneuver more easily around the tight troughs and prevents you from outrunning the waves all the time. Speed isn’t really a beginner’s friend in these slow conditions, because they’ll just end up pumping in a straight line trying to stay on foil. A slower, more maneuverable foil matches the speed of these slow bumps, so you can ride them for longer without getting too tired.

Are you currently working on any new foils?

Yes, we have a lot of projects in the pipeline, and many of them are in the later stages of testing. We’re getting very close to some exciting announcements — stay tuned!

Anything you can share with us and our readers?

Unfortunately, not much for now — but what I can say is that nothing new will replace or make our current range obsolete. We’re simply adding more options to cater to different price points and specific foiling disciplines.

Finally, if someone is in Europe and wants to test CODE Foils in action, where should they go?

Yes! Get in touch with Kai at Foilit in Germany, or Xavi at Wind Paradise in Spain — they’re your best bets for demos. Foilit is about to launch their webstore, but you can already find their contact details on our website: codefoils.com.

Thank you very much for your time, Marcus. We’re looking forward to seeing more CODE action this summer!

S Series Front Wing

Available in eight sizes, each offering unique characteristics to enhance the rider’s quiver, this foil is the ultimate all-round wing, suitable for beginners to advanced riders. It excels in prone, wing, SUP, and downwind foiling, demonstrating versatility across all disciplines.

Adept in critical sections, it can draw smooth, flowing lines, making it suitable for all levels of riders. The High Modulus wings, specifically the 1130 and 1300, are ideal for heavier riders in all disciplines.

500S

Span: 695mm / 27.3in
Area: 500 cm² / 77.5 in²
A/R: 9.5

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S Series Front Wing

R Series Front Wing

Watch our Interview from the boot in Düsseldorf in January of 2025.