Foil Freedom Awaits : Grab a Parawing!

Parawinging 101

Parawing is an innovative water sport that combines elements of wing foiling, downwind foiling, kite foiling, and paragliding. This new discipline uses a small, compact wing similar to those used in paragliding to capture wind power, enabling riders to either travel upwind or simply get up on the foil and ride waves and swell downwind without continuous wind or paddle assistance, yes you heard me - hands free!! The parawing is designed to be stowed in a waist-attachable pouch when not in use.

Origin and Inspiration

The first prototypes emerged in Hawaii, born from foil surfers looking for an alternative to paddle downwinding (paddle-ups). Downwind paddling is notoriously challenging, requiring extensive stamina and skill. The goal was to eliminate paddling from the downwinding equation. Wing foiling was already an alternative, but it presented its own challenges : constant wing management; hand switching, getting backwinded and interrupted wave riding… 

The breakthrough came when they pioneered parachutes designed to swiftly lift riders onto foil, then cleverly stow away – and thus, the parawing was born. Another alternative was also invented during this journey to simplify foil surfing/downwinding, the Foildrive. A battery powered foil assist to get you on foil without a paddle or wind assistance! We’ll go into foil assist in the next blog 🙂

Key Features of Parawing

Equipment 

• Parawing 

  • Typically around 3 to 5 square meters, which is connected to a short bar via lines. 
  • Designed to be compact and lightweight making it easy to pack away once you get on foil.
  • For beginners, we recommend a smaller parawing paired with an oversized board and foil.

• Foilboard Options

  • Beginners: Large, buoyant boards like a SUP or downwind foilboard for  stability and reduce drag
  • Intermediates/Advanced: Smaller midlength boards ranging (45 to 80 liters) based on skill and body weight.
    

Unlike traditional wing foiling, the parawing can be easily stowed in a waist pouch, freeing your hands and allowing for uninterrupted wave and swell riding. The parawing can be quickly relaunched after a fall, providing immediate power to get back on foil.

Benefits and Advantages

1. Efficiency: Enables surf foiling without extensive paddling
2. Freedom and Glide: Provides pure and unobstructed gliding experience
3. Accessibility: It offers an alternative to paddling, wing foiling and foil assist as an entry point for downwind foiling.
4. Versatility:  Use it like a kite or a wing; have the ability to go upwind and jibe!
   

Challenges and Considerations

Wind & Learning Conditions

• Best learned in winds of at least 15 knots (16 mph)
• Recommended wing size:  3-4 meters depending on your size; so there isn’t too much canopy to manage. 
• Requires multiple wing sizes to adapt to varying wind conditions

Safety 

While relatively safe due to its compact nature and proximity to the rider, ongoing developments to improve safety features like Parawing leashes. We recommend you wear a helmet and an impact vest or approved floatation device as well as a board leash during your sessions.

Target Audience

Parawing is currently a niche discipline primarily focused on wave and swell  catching. As the sport continues to evolve, the Parawing's full potential is still unfolding – and with top kitesurfing brands embracing this innovation in 2025, it's poised to revolutionize the game! 

Will people just sail around like in wing foiling or kite foiling? Maybe. It is much less efficient than kite and wing foiling in conditions without waves. Nonetheless, Parawinging could have interesting applications in snow sports like an alternative to snowkiting and winging on the snow.

• Competent Foilers
• Downwind enthusiasts
• Those with wind knowledge (Kiter/Windsurfer/Winger)
• Those seeking a unique wave riding experience

Wing foiling VS. Parawing | Why One Over the Other?

Conclusion

Parawinging represents an innovative approach to wind and wave sports, providing you with a unique, hands-free riding experience. As technology and techniques develop, this emerging discipline promises exciting possibilities for foiling enthusiasts. Head to greenhatkiteboarding.com or beach and get involved in this new sport, we think you'll be stoked about it!