First Impression

During my first test of the new Roamer 2 and Halo Pro 2, I mainly wanted to find out what had changed compared to my previous setup.

For my first session, I paired the 4 m² Halo Pro 2 with the new 70-litre Roamer 2. I already knew the foil very well, which allowed me to focus entirely on the changes to the board and wing.

And although I really liked the new Roamer 2 from the very first moment, it was the Halo Pro 2 that surprised me the most.

My Setup

For my first session, I went out on the water with the following setup:

• CORE Halo Pro 2 – 4 m²

• CORE Roamer 2 – 70 litres

• 74 cm CFS Carbon Mast

• 850 cm² Vert Front Wing

• 190 cm² Vert Stabilizer

The 4 m² Halo Pro has been one of my preferred sizes for quite some time. That meant I had a very good reference point with my previous Halo Pro 1 to compare it to the new model.

The New Design of the Halo Pro 2

One of the most interesting new features for me is the separate inflation of the front tube and center strut.

Unlike a traditional one-pump system, the Halo Pro 2 has no connection between the two. This means the pressure in the center strut can be adjusted independently from the pressure in the front tube.

In my opinion, another advantage is that there is no air transfer between the two sections while riding.

Especially when pumping, jumping or putting the wing under high loads, this should help keep the individual sections of the wing more stable and rigid.

Additional Struts Across the Entire Range

What I find even more interesting, however, are the additional struts.

CORE uses them across the entire Halo Pro 2 range – not just on the larger wing sizes.

Until now, I had mainly seen this type of construction on larger wings from other manufacturers. Seeing it on a small 4 m² wing was new to me.

And I believe this construction plays a big role in the way the Halo Pro 2 feels on the water.

The additional struts allow the shape of the wing’s trailing edge to be controlled much more precisely.

As a result, the trailing edge stays extremely tight and clean. What really stands out is the way it initially runs relatively flat before changing its shape towards the center strut.

This might sound like a small technical detail, but in my opinion, it makes a big difference on the water.

Aluula and XLT Ultra-Rich Laminate

There have also been some changes to the materials used.

The front tube is made from Aluula in the front section and transitions into CORE’s XLT Ultra-Rich Laminate further out towards the tips. The center strut is also made from Aluula.

The additional struts, on the other hand, are made from the proven EXO-Tech material.

You can immediately feel how stiff the entire construction is, even just by handling the wing.

In my opinion, the combination of the very stiff front tube and the extremely tight trailing edge is key to the way the wing feels on the water.

The New Roamer 2

The Roamer 2 also caught my attention from the very first moment.

When I picked up the 70-litre board for the first time, I immediately had the feeling that it was noticeably lighter. Whether it actually is lighter or whether it simply felt that way, I can't say for sure at this point.

What I definitely noticed, though, was the shape.

The board looks slightly thinner and has a very clean, streamlined appearance. To me, the outline and overall shape look very modern and almost aerodynamic.

That first impression was confirmed on the water.

The Roamer 2 feels very loose and releases from the water incredibly easily.

Especially when accelerating and during manoeuvres, I never felt like the board was slowing me down or sticking unnecessarily to the water.

For me, the Roamer 2 was therefore already a very successful board from the very first test.

The First Ride with the Halo Pro 2

Once I had left the seaweed area close to shore behind me and finally got onto the foil, I immediately noticed how precise the wing feels.

I could easily ride it one-handed while still having a very clear feeling of where the wing's pressure point was at all times.

And then came the next thing that really surprised me:

The wing is incredibly stiff.

For a 4 m² wing, the Halo Pro 2 feels extremely powerful and direct.

There is very little unnecessary movement in the construction. This creates a very direct connection between my movements and the response of the wing.

There is virtually no delay between my input and the wing's reaction.

Almost No Resistance When Riding Downwind

One thing in particular really surprised me.

When I hold the wing with one hand while riding downwind, surfing a wave or during a manoeuvre, it almost feels like I'm barely holding anything at all.

The wing creates remarkably little resistance.

And that's exactly what I find so interesting:

On the one hand, the Halo Pro 2 feels extremely stiff and powerful whenever I need performance from the wing. On the other hand, when riding neutrally, it feels incredibly light and free.

Extremely Fast Response

I really noticed just how direct the wing is when I tried my first frontside 360.

I completely over-rotated.

That wasn't because the wing was difficult to control – quite the opposite.

It simply reacted so directly to my input that I first had to get used to how quickly it responded.

Especially during fast manoeuvres, pumping and changes of direction, the Halo Pro 2 therefore feels extremely precise.

Halo Pro 2 vs. Halo Pro 1

Since the 4 m² Halo Pro 1 has been my preferred size so far, comparing it to the new Halo Pro 2 in the same size was particularly interesting for me.

Even after this first session, the new Halo Pro 2 already felt like a wing I've been riding for years.

The response to my steering input is faster, and the trailing edge stays much more controlled. At the same time, the wing doesn't feel heavy or sluggish at all.

Normally, you might expect a significantly stiffer construction to make a wing feel less light and playful.

With the Halo Pro 2, however, I had exactly the opposite impression.

To me, the new Halo Pro 2 feels like a big step towards the future: more precision, less drag and a significantly more direct response.