CORE Roamer 4’ 11” 2023
Reviews / Wing Foil
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At A Glance
Core exploded onto the wing foil scene last year, having bided their time and working to ensure the products were spot on when they came to market. The hard work has certainly paid off, and the small but focused wing foil line has succeeded incredibly.
The Roamer is the wing board in the range; it’s built using a stiff carbon sandwich construction technique with a lightweight EPS core. The result is a light board that feels very durable. There is some interesting shaping on the deck to reduce your centre of gravity when you are riding, and on the base, there is a double concave with a V in the nose that washes out to a beefed-up foil box section. Equipped with a 90mm extra-long US Box Track System, it should be compatible with most of the foils on the market.
Sizes: 55l 70l 90l 110l 130l
On The Water
I was excited to jump on the Roamer in South Africa at the recent Core launch event; I’d seen the board in the marketing and always thought it looked rather fetching. At 70l, it’s 5l less volume than my go-to wing board, and at 4’11, it’s a good 7 inches shorter too. For me, at 82kg, it’s a semi-sinker at best. Fortunately, there was a bit of wind, despite being very light for the usual SA conditions.
What I loved about the Roamer was the volume distribution; while it was lacking compared to my usual whip, and I was most definitely underwater in the lulls, the board felt stable, and the volume distribution was evenly balanced, making it easy to balance when underpowered.
Once the wind picked up, the double concave base got going quickly, and it was easy to pump the board up onto the foil. As soon as I was flying, the board's stiffness was very apparent, with every movement of my feet translating to the foil quickly. Gybes and tacks came easy, and there was no catching on the bevelled rails even when cranking it hard into turns.
Touchdowns were smooth and controlled, and it was easy to get back up to speed again. I rode the board strapless, as I always do, but there are plenty of inserts if you want to add straps. The hardware and overall finish are of a really high standard.
Overall
Core may be new to the party on the wingfoil game, but they come bringing a keg of beer and a car full of podium dancers. The finish and quality of the equipment are right up there with the best on the market, and you can see lots of thought has gone into the design process too. This board is perfect for anyone wanting to take their wing game up a notch; at 70l, it’s small enough to throw around while still offering good stability when you need it. I would happily ride this as my go-to wing board for the season.
Videos
This review was in Issue 16 of Tonic Mag.
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By Rou Chater
Rou Chater has been kitesurfing for over twenty years, paddleboarding for the last six years, and was there testing the first wingsurfer from Naish in Tarifa when it arrived on the continent. He is passionate about riding waves and exploring new places. As the publishing editor, he oversees everything at Tonic but also our sister magazines IKSURFMAG and IMB. He's been on the water since he was born and has never looked back, in the winter you'll find him chasing swells in the Caribbean and during the summer he can be found all over Europe at various SUP, Kitesurf and Mountain Bike events getting features for the magazines.
