Liquid Force Kites Galaxy 4’ 8” 2020
Reviews / Hydrofoil Boards
12,160
At A Glance
Foiling is booming across many watersports. We are seeing crossover boards, high-performance boards, low volume, high volume, race and more varieties. For this issue, we had the chance to try out the Liquid Force Galaxy foilboard. This board is a high performance, high volume foilboard with a track attachment system.
The Galaxy lies at the larger end of the lineup unless you’re looking for a crossover or more basic foilboard. The Galaxy is constructed out of an EPS CNC core, carbon vector net, and this year it has the addition of a carbon stringer through the centre of the board. The rear of the boards base is flat with a double concaved swept nose and bevelled edges, aimed at giving this board an early plane with great absorption when touching down. The deck is fully padded, with a concaved deck for riding comfort.
The Galaxy comes in two sizes: 4’ 2” and 4’ 8” and is supplied with 3 straps for multiple configuration options. The Galaxy can be paired with any of Liquid Force’s foils, check these out and make a note of the Quick Release collar which makes pack-down super easy.
Sizes: 4’ 2” Width 19.5” Volume 16.4L, 4’ 8”
Width 20.5” Volume 20.2L
On The Water
Getting up taxiing on the Galaxy was super easy and very stable. The board picks up speed quickly, and the volume is appreciated in lighter wind conditions, with the board soaking up chop. The size of this board is ideal, it’s fat and short, creating a compact feel without a loss in volume, which is always worth considering with foiling, perfect for those occasional swims back in! The shape gives this board a ton of performance. You’re up early thanks to the flat rear, the rocker and double concaved swept up nose help you deal with any unplanned touchdowns or chop and swell. The Galaxy’s tapered edges are a great addition; these allow you to just skip through the chop when banked over without a thin rail digging in - something that can be found on twin tip construction foil boards.
The board fully padded deck feels grippy underfoot, and the concaved deck makes a solid yet comfortable position for your feet. The variety of options available for the pads and straps allow you to play between a 2 strap set up, 3 strap set up, 1 strap or strapless: you decide. I like foiling with either the 3 or 2 strap set-ups when heading out planning to pop a few tricks. However, I prefer to opt for strapless when a light wind cruise in some small waves or swell is on the cards. The deck pad has plenty of grip when strapless and the concaved deck excels again here, allowing you to feel where your feet are on the board without taking the focus off your kite or the wave. Slipping off or misplacing your feet is a thing of the past.
Overall
The Liquid Force Galaxy foilboard is a really solid bit of kit, in both construction and design. It’s rammed with design features which give the board a high-performance feel, yet despite the short size it’s still got the volume needed for incredibly light winds – or, dare we say it, a long swim! The board is made to last, it’s comfortable underfoot and has so many options when it comes to footstrap and mast position. The Galaxy would be a great choice for someone looking for a high volume kite foil board, whether you’re a beginner through to accomplished rider. Advanced riders may want to opt for the shorter, with beginners opting for the larger size. Equally paired with a short mast and a glide wing, I’m sure this board would hold its own as a crossover to a wakefoil board!
Videos
This review was in Issue 81 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit Liquid Force KitesRelated
By Robin and Sukie
With years of kite sport experience combined, you can be sure you’ll be receiving the highest quality of knowledge on the best equipment the industry has to offer.
