” A major material change in our wings is not to be taken lightly. Adding any new material with a fancy name is not helpful if it is not well suited to our needs. That’s why we took the time to have our own exclusive fabric made. “
Introducing HITEX, a brand new high tenacity polyester engineered by F-ONE.
Available in 158g and 178g, this fabric exclusive to F-ONE offers great resistance to elongation and therefore greater durability and performances.
Moving away from kite fabrics
The efforts on a kite and on a wing are completely different.
Here, we are talking about the structure of our products. Even if the canopy is the surface that receives the wind, the leading edge and the struts of a kite or a wing make up the main structure, and therefore guarantee their qualities in flight.
On a kite, the “C” shape and the bridles spread over the whole span ensure a perfect distribution of tensions. It’s not the same for a wing. Held by two central handles, its two sides tend to deform under wind pressure. This is why the leading edge of a 5m² kite is between 10-15cm in diameter, while the leading edge of a wing with the same surface is about twice as big.
The larger the diameter of the leading edge, the larger the surface area of the fabric.
The air pressure in a volume is applied to the cm², under the formula:
pressure (Pa) = Force (N) / Surface (m²).
With the same inflation, the material of the leading edge of a wing receives a much higher pressure than that of a kite.
Moreover, in normal use, a wing is more often left flapping, dragged on abrasive surfaces, soaked in salt water, etc.
The stresses applied to the fabric of a kite and that of a wing are therefore very different.
The ideal fabric for a wing has increased pressure resistance, limited deformation, and outstanding durability.
The High Tenacity Polyester: HITEX.
After working with our fabric manufacturer partners for a long time, we decided to use High Tenacity Polyester, a technical material offering a high resistance to elongation and superior durability.
Because each part of a wing does not require the same resistance to deformation, we developed two weights: 178g for the center of the wing and 158g for the wingtips.
The center of the wing must not deform in any way; it is the direct link between the user’s hands and the wind, and its rigidity guarantees stability of the wing while riding.
It is however interesting to keep the wingtips less rigid. Indeed, a controlled deformation of the wingtips allows to pump more efficiently, to absorb strong wind gusts, and thus to offer an increased comfort throughout the ride.
The use of this high tenacity fibre, in weights perfectly adapted to our sport and our designs, has allowed us to reduce the diameter of the leading edge and to limit the use of additional reinforcements. This results in improved aerodynamics and reduced weight, offering better performances.
The HITEX is coated with PLASMA, an innovation exclusive to our supplier, which guarantees increased durability of the fabric. Coupled with high tenacity polyester fibres, it makes HITEX the most durable material on the market. Our wings stay in good shape much longer and thus retain their original design and performance over time.
