2023 F-One Strike V3 Wing

Technology

HITEX

To meet the specific needs of the development of wings and kites, and to offer a high-performance and durable product without using inaccessible materials, F-One developed HITEX, a new high tenacity polyester. Available in 158g, and exclusively for F-One in 178g, this new material is incredibly resistant to elongation and increases the durability of wings and kites. 

HITEX is an innovative, high tenacity polyester fiber with an enhanced high-quality weaving and coating that increases the fabric's resistance. The 178g is. new weight and perfectly matches the needs of the center struts and center of its leading edge. The lighter158g is used in the leading edge tips. 

Used throughout the inflatable structure of the wings and kites and designed to handle the high pressures when inflating, HITEX offers performance and resistance. Thanks to extensive Sail Engineering work, the R&D team has placed each weight of HITEX is different areas, allowing absolute control of the shape session after session. 

Moving away from kite fabrics.
The efforts on a kite and on a wing are completely different.
Here, F-One is talking about the structure of their products. Even if the canopy is the surface that receives the wind, the leading edge and the struts of a kite or a wing make up the main structure, and therefore guarantee their qualities in flight.

Held by two central handles, its two sides tend to deform under wind pressure. This is why the leading edge of a 5m² kite is between 10-15cm in diameter, while the leading edge of a wing with the same surface is about twice as big.

The larger the diameter of the leading edge, the larger the surface area of the fabric.
The air pressure in a volume is applied to the cm², under the formula:
pressure (Pa) = Force (N) / Surface (m²).
With the same inflation, the material of the leading edge of a wing receives a much higher pressure than that of a kite.
Moreover, in normal use, a wing is more often left flapping, dragged on abrasive surfaces, soaked in salt water, etc.

The ideal fabric for a wing has increased pressure resistance, limited deformation, and outstanding durability.

The High Tenacity Polyester: HITEX.

After working with our fabric manufacturer partners for a long time, we decided to use High Tenacity Polyester, a technical material offering a high resistance to elongation and superior durability.

Because each part of a wing does not require the same resistance to deformation, F-One developed two weights: 178g for the center of the wing and 158g for the wingtips.
The center of the wing must not deform in any way; it is the direct link between the user’s hands and the wind, and its rigidity guarantees stability of the wing while riding.

It is however interesting to keep the wingtips less rigid. Indeed, a controlled deformation of the wingtips allows to pump more efficiently, to absorb strong wind gusts, and thus to offer an increased comfort throughout the ride.

The use of this high tenacity fibre, in weights perfectly adapted to this sport and F-One's designs, has allowed us to reduce the diameter of the leading edge and to limit the use of additional reinforcements. This results in improved aerodynamics and reduced weight, offering better performances.

The HITEX is coated with PLASMA, an innovation exclusive to our supplier, which guarantees increased durability of the fabric. Coupled with high tenacity polyester fibres, it makes HITEX the most durable material on the market. F-One wings stay in good shape much longer and thus retain their original design and performance over time.

SAIL ENGINEERING

Sail engineering is the science of controlling the design and its behavior while flying. These features have been created with one goal in mind: Mastering the kite's loads to maintain the desired shape for the longest time. 

1 – WARP TENSION LINE
Woven fabrics feature a longitudinal 0° yarn (Warp) and a transversal 90° yarn (Weft). Therefore, a fabric has great elongation resistance and strength capacities if you apply tension at 0° or 90° along the yarns. But it will deform and stretch when tension is applied at, let’s say, 45°.

2 – LOAD CONTROL PANELING
When engineering the load control paneling, F-One makes sure that fabrics panels are warp/weft oriented, meaning that the load path runs through the yarns. Fabric and seams are then in the best position to receive tensions and maintain the original kite shape.

3 – STAGGERED SEAMS
Most of the kite’s back lines tension is distributed through the trailing-edge panels and seams. As seams are significantly stiffer than the fabric they join, they tend to strain under loads and therefore deform the profile. The staggered seams break that line of tension by balancing the stiffness between seams and cloth, which helps distribute the load over a wider area and maintain the original shape even under high loads.

4 – FABRIC WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
F-One sails feature four different cloth weights, from 52 up to 155gr/m². Sail engineering allows us to control our shape and drive load tensions without using heavy fabrics or bulky designs, therefore we can reduce fabric’s weight and use. It results in a lighter, optimized kite.

TECHNOFORCE
TEIJIN's TECHNOFORCE is the most reliable high-density polyester fabric. Ut's tear-stopping structure using thin and hight tension yarn make the fabric ultra durable. 

It has a great proven track record of lightness and durability.

REACTOR VALVE
The reactor valve offers a hight flow connection that twist locks the pump hose to the kite for an easy and super-fast inflation and deflations at the push of a button. 

It provides a high air flow rate between the struts and leading edge.

PRE LOADED CANOPY
From the beginning, F-One wings have had a unique canopy tension that can be compared to that of a harden up windsurfing rig. F-One wings are therefore “pre-tensioned” and made to adapt. This ideal tension of the trailing edge when riding guarantees much better performances upwind and in light winds.

ADAPTIVE WING DESIGN
While the industry trends towards the "all-rigid", F-One developed the Adaptive Wing Design, a unique concept offering the perfect balance between performance and comfort. 

It is difficult and uncomfortable to handle a stiff, handheld wing in the high end, especially without a harness. A wing must be able to absorb that power, just like the mast bend or the opening of the leech in windsurfing or the depower in kitesurfing.
The Adaptive Wing Design transforms every gust into positive energy and enables a perfect control of the traction. This new wing is designed to adapt through a controlled deformation that allows the preservation of a high-performance profile and unprecedented stability throughout the entire range of use.
To reach this result, F-One worked on the leading edge and modified the shape of the central strut. Its cut is now segmented, allowing for an improved control of its curve and its deformations. We also enhanced the wing’s twist.

LOAD DIFFUSER
Located on the back of the strut, F-One innovative Load Diffuser made of overlapping panels of hard Mylar and Dacron further helps maintaining the profile sleek and efficient, leading Theo the ultimate stability, performances, and longevity. 

RADICAL TIPS
Small radical cuts are also implemented on the wingtips and on the back of the strut to spread tensions. Aligning the fibre exactly along the load paths mean the stretch can be controlled to a never-before-seen level on a wing. 

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