Up On Foil

Ever since I've seen that foldable board on the socials, I was curious: Is this for real? Is this really better than an inflatable board? How does someone come up with that? In this episode, I had the chance to chat with Nigel about the story of the waka board.
Check them out on waka.surf on the Internet and on @windwaterwaka on Youtube and Instagram.
You'll get €100 off your purchase with the code: MATTONFOIL
Thanks to Jens of the Foilsessions App for supporting the show. Get your Foiling App here: https://foilsessions.app
Thanks to the team around SurfEars for their commitment. Get yours here: https://6cZKVD.short.gy/surfears
Thanks to the newest sponsor of the Podcast: www.vaikobi.com - You’ll find great watersports apparel here!
Thank you for helping me out and get some hidden episodes: patreon.com/UpOnFoil Check out my Website: www.uponfoil.com
Chapters
00:00 The Journey to Creating Waka Glide
06:11 Challenges in Board Design and Development
09:11 Innovative Solutions and Material Choices
12:02 Testing and Refinement Process
14:53 Market Positioning and Product Features
18:24 Design Philosophy and Future Directions
36:45 The Origins of Waka: A Cultural Connection
38:01 Innovating with AI: Business Automation in Manufacturing
41:28 Launching Waka Glide: From Concept to Production
44:50 Market Validation: Feedback and Industry Response
47:27 Balancing Functionality and Aesthetics
54:15 Travel-Friendly Design and Custom Bags
01:01:08 Foil Drive Compatibility: Enhancing User Experience
01:05:00 Next Generation Boards: Innovations on the Horizon
01:09:57 Community and Adventure: The Waka Experience

Omen makes such nice products but they always seemed inaccessible to me. They look expensive, maybe too difficult, who knows - So I wanted to get a better look at it and wanted to learn all about it from the man himself - Greg Falck, Founder of Omen.
Thanks to Jens of the Foilsessions App for supporting the show. Get your Foiling App here: https://foilsessions.app Jens is such a fan of Omen that he wanted to be part of it as well :)
Thanks to the team around SurfEars for their commitment. Get yours here: https://6cZKVD.short.gy/surfears
Thanks to the newest sponsor of the Podcast: www.vaikobi.com - You’ll find great watersports apparel here!
Thank you for helping me out and get some hidden episodes: patreon.com/UpOnFoil Check out my Website: www.uponfoil.com

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene
03:45 Reflections on AWSI and Community Engagement
07:38 Exploring Foiling Equipment and Preferences
16:46 Diving into Omen Foils and Products and the Company
26:22 Optimizing Board Design
33:10 Prototyping and Production Process
45:10 Future Innovations in Foil Technology
54:50 Aesthetic Choices in Board Design
01:03:22 Understanding Board Volume and Foil Dynamics
01:13:41 The Philosophy Behind Omen Foils
01:26:18 Navigating Beginner Foil Choices
01:37:21 Closing Thoughts and Future Conversations

Dominic is always on for a chat about foiling. Today, next to all the parawing chatter, we also talked about what FoilDrive brought to the table in 2026.
Check it out for yourself: https://foildrive.com
Thanks to Jens of the Foilsessions App for supporting the show. Get your Foiling App here: https://foilsessions.app
Thanks to the team around SurfEars for their commitment. Get yours here: https://6cZKVD.short.gy/surfears
Thanks to the newest sponsor of the Podcast: www.vaikobi.com - You’ll find great watersports apparel here!
Thank you for helping me out and get some hidden episodes: patreon.com/UpOnFoil
Check out my Website: www.uponfoil.com
Chapters
00:00 Catch-Up and Recent Experiences
06:04 Parawinging and Downwinding Adventures
08:55 Foil Drive Innovations and Product Releases
11:55 The Fusion and Its Impact
15:03 Prop Variations and Their Benefits
18:12 E-Foil Racing Insights
20:48 Mini Pod and Integrated Mast Discussion
23:50 Upcoming Product Launches and Features
43:22 Exploring the Slim and Max Foils
50:54 Advancements in Battery Technology
53:50 Navigating Airline Regulations for Batteries
01:01:21 Competition in the Foil Assist Market
01:03:23 Upcoming Events and Races
01:06:54 The Future of Parawings

I've wanted to chat with Guy for a while. But when he did a crossing from the Scilly Islands to the mainland, I knew this was the time!
If you try to find the most enthusiastic foiler on the planet, Guy Bridge might be the one.
Check him out on his Youtube: @guy_bridge or on his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guy_bridge/
Thanks to Jens of the Foilsessions App for supporting the show.
Get your Foiling App here: https://foilsessions.app
Thanks to the team around SurfEars for their commitment.
Get yours here: https://6cZKVD.short.gy/surfears
Thanks to the newest sponsor of the Podcast:
www.vaikobi.com - You’ll find great watersports apparel here!
Thank you for helping me out and get some hidden episodes: patreon.com/UpOnFoil
Check out my Website: www.uponfoil.com

Chapters
00:00 We didn't even start yet
09:00 Start of the episode
12:06 Life Changes as a New Parent
15:06 Safety Precautions in Foiling
26:20 Planning and Logistics for Downwinders
32:02 Content Creation and Video Planning
38:15 Balancing Life and Foiling
50:03 Future Adventures and Goals

The Foil Assist market has been dominated by FoilDrive, or at least that's what it feels like from the outside. So when competitors come along, I'm super interested what drives them, how it looks and if it is good.
In this episode I chatted with Seth who started to work for Manta Foils just a couple of months ago and got an insight into the brand and product.

check them out here: https://www.mantafoils.com
or here: https://www.instagram.com/mantafoils/

Thanks to Jens of the Foilsessions App for supporting the show.
Get your Foiling App here: https://foilsessions.app

Thanks to the team around SurfEars for their commitment.
Get yours here: https://6cZKVD.short.gy/surfears

Thanks to the newest sponsor of the Podcast:
www.vaikobi.com - You’ll find great watersports apparel here!

Thank you for helping me out and get some hidden episodes: patreon.com/UpOnFoil
Check out my Website: www.uponfoil.com

Chapters
00:00 Seth's Background and Journey to Hawaii
05:56 Transition to Foiling and Its Impact
08:51 Evolution of Foiling Techniques
12:08 Manta Foils: Innovations and Features
17:55 User Experience with Manta Foils
20:59 Remote Control and Session Tracking
26:55 Mantafoils: A Community-Driven Approach
46:37 Global Reach and Market Expansion
54:56 Safety and Sustainability in E-Foiling