Flight Design
As Omen’s first foil, we wanted the Operator to exceed expectations in the widest range of applications. Extensive testing, iterative design, and feedback from all levels of rider increased our understanding of the interaction between various aspects of the design, and how they create the sensations felt while riding. This open mindset enabled us to optimize performance while mitigating compromises.
Stall speed and angle, minimum power requirement, cruising speed, and top speed stability were focal points of the airfoil design. Everything from light wind ocean swell on a downwind SUP to well overhead waves are well within the Operator’s comfort zone. Choosing what foil to ride is easier than ever.
Turning Performance
Another central design goal was to maximize glide without compromising roll response. Pushing the wingspan out to 90cm for efficiency, it was clear that a unique design would be required to keep turning feeling natural. Through many iterations, the variables contributing to roll response have been teased out and incorporated into the profile of the Operator. The 850 strikes a natural feeling balance between unreactive and over-tuned.
The next problem with the higher aspect design was wingtip breaches in hard carves or sailing upwind through waves. Investigation of this phenomena led to the discovery that the combination of upturned wingtips and certain airfoil pressure distributions mitigate unpredictable loss of control during breaching. Adjusting these factors led to the ventilation resistance and minimal control change characteristic of the final variation of the Operator design. This is a wing you can push to your limit with confidence.
Uncompromised Mast
Omen worked alongside NoLimitz to design an incredibly stiff, efficient, responsive, and light mast. The foil section has been refined to minimize drag across all AoAs while resisting ventilation during aggressive turns and upwind tacks. The subtle rake reduces yaw stability change at different ride-heights, increasing the sweet spot in the water column.
Built at the ICE aerospace facility by skilled technicians, the mast represents a union of precision manufacturing technology, materials engineering, and years of foiling experience.
Streamlined Fuselage
Foils fly at a positive angle of attack at low speed and transition through neutral to a negative angle at high speed. Because of this, the fuselage has a much greater impact on drag than conventionally thought. Since the primary goal of the operator series was to achieve the greatest possible efficiency over the widest possible range, the shape and size of the fuselage is as streamlined and small as possible.
Using 316 stainless steel for the highest load areas and forged carbon fiber for the stiffness critical extension, the Operator maintains an ultra low profile and glides further across an unprecedented range of speeds.
This efficiency combined with the low drag connections and fairings created a positive feedback loop. Since the tail doesn’t need to provide as much stabilizing downforce, more efficient designs can be used. This further reduces the system’s overall drag and stabilization requirement. The end result is greater glide, easier takeoff, and less effort in pumping without sacrificing control at high speed.
Customer Reviews
Based on 6 reviews
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M
I started riding the Operator foils early December 2023. Today (June 19th) was my 100th session (63rd day) winging on the foils. It's hard to know where to start when describing the 850 (build quality, speed range, carve-ability, pump-ability, etc..). I've done back-to-back sessions with other high performance brands, but for the type of riding I'm doing (river swell, bay chop, flat river flood, etc) nothing feels as good as the 850. At 86 Kg, I ride it with the 87 mast and Flux 60L board - it's a perfect combo. If the wind drops below 16 mph, I'll switch to the 1050 and maybe the larger Flux 84L board if it's really low (13-14 mph).
What makes it great? It is so smooth and predictable - to the point where you feel confident really pushing it. You know exactly what it's going to do. It's not the fastest foil, but its range is amazing with a great low end that takes care of you during those occasional sloppy gybes and tacks - it can almost come to a stop and not drop off foil. That's not a feeling I've had on any other foil. The result for me has been major progression this season. Mastering tacks, carving hard, and just having a blast on the water. I can't recommend this foil enough - or the 1050 if you're a heaver rider, looking for more stability, or riding in lower winds...
T
85 kg 3rd season winger.
I also have the 1050. I love ripping around in flat water on the 850. Where I really have to respect the foil is when on a bigger, say over head wave face and the foil invites you to make the manoeuvre you need to. I haven’t had this feeling on another foil. It’s speed lets a person chase through a wave train to the wave you saw a minute ago, then zip around to the next wave in front or behind. It doesn’t do weird stuff when you are pushing it so that lets you play hard with it, ride higher on the mast, drop steeper etc. It’s not a foil that will hold a person back either through bad manners, breaching, lack of speed, too high a stall speed. It’s also a great foil for cruising and learning, which is perhaps the bit about the foil that you wouldn’t expect. I say it’s a good second foil to get, either that or the 1050 depending on what conditions you mostly have and your weight. The 850 is my choice on faster bigger waves or flatter water, whereas the 1050 is super fun on medium to small waves/big chop. Build is exceptional.
S
90kg plus winter suit winging on the Omen 60l and 87mast. The 850 seems dialed right out of the box. Great top end and very slow stall. For me, I need a little more speed for pumping it than the 1050 but it's soo light and smooth to push around that it's the 'go to' for everything over 2'. Fair number of sessions now on the 1050 and the 850 and really love both. Very predictable feel in the turns. Great build quality.
S
The 850 is one of the most versatile foils I have ever rode. Its range is outstanding and its in the that bread and better zone of AR and size where it can be used for any discipline of foiling. I have Downwinded it on a SUP, Proned in Knee High - Shoulder High waves, Wanged it in everything even played behind a boat with it. One of this foils best attributes in my opinion is how from stall to basically max speed your weight distribution between your front foot and back goes nearly unchanged. This is very rare to find in a foil and it allows you to have consistency in maneuvers throughout its speed range. Overall its a pretty special foil.
C
The 850 Operator is something special. Straight out of the box , the system delivers incredible performance that is genuinely easy to tap into. Omen has achieved a very balanced, fluid feel to their 850 rig. Turns feel incredibly pitch stable compared to other foil systems I've ridden. One of the highest praises I can give to a piece of equipment is that it simply becomes an extension of your body and there's little to no thought of how it's behaving underneath you. The efficiency, speed range, turning ability and low end are all exceptional. The 850 accelerates onto foil easily and eagerly and begs to be pushed without revealing any quirks. This is such an incredibly well-rounded foil, but more than anything, the performance from this system equates to profound levels of FUN.
