GONG updates HIPE foil board line with lighter, more coherent 2026 range

Are inflatable wing boards finally close enough to rigid performance that travel riders can stop apologizing for the tradeoff? GONG’s answer, delivered in its June 9 HIPE update, was a clear push toward “yes,” with the 2026 range built to feel more coherent, more specialized and more credible on the water.

The brand said the new lineup builds on a major 2025 step forward, when ICS Woven Fusion Light technology helped cut weight by up to 2 kilograms depending on the model. For 2026, GONG added an integrated flush-mounted footstrap insert system, a redesigned rigid tail rail, a new travel bag and larger deck pads, while also pushing complete packages as part of the value pitch. The company’s message is that the board still packs and stores like an inflatable, but now behaves more like a hard board once it is underfoot.

The changes are not just cosmetic. GONG says the HIPE range uses a carbon plate under the inflatable structure and can reach performance levels close to rigid boards, up to 95%. That figure matters because it puts the fight exactly where riders care most: takeoff speed, stiffness, control and transfer of power through the tail. The original HIPE launch in 2020 was framed as the result of about a year of prototyping and hundreds of hours of testing, and the 2026 refresh reads like the latest checkpoint in that same project rather than a simple seasonal facelift.

Model targeting got sharper, too. The new HIPE Like is aimed at light-wind sessions and earlier lift, making it the most obvious fit for riders who want easier takeoffs when conditions are weak or inconsistent. The updated HIPE Freefly is meant to be more performance-oriented, while the HIPE Diamond keeps its glide-focused mid-length identity for wing foiling and lowkite. The HIPE Cruzader also returns with targeted revisions, while the HIPE Pro comes back into the mix for higher-end riders. GONG’s collection page now spans HIPE First, HIPE Like, HIPE Learn, HIPE Perf, HIPE Cruzader, HIPE Diamond, HIPE Freefly and HIPE Pro, with prices listed from €299 for the HIPE First to €669 for some models.

That breadth is the real story. GONG is no longer selling inflatables as a beginner-only compromise. It is building a ladder from entry-level learning boards to light-wind specialist shapes and surf-freeride crossover options, with the goal of making one travel-friendly platform cover more of a rider’s quiver. The performance gap with rigid boards still exists, but the 2026 HIPE line shows how much narrower GONG thinks that gap has become.