Best Made Product Test: The Sporting-Sail

In June 2010 Best Made enlisted photographer Nate Bressler and skateboard luminary and fabricator DeWitt Cannon to put the Sporting-Sail to the test on the steep and winding hills of Malibu, California. The results were spectacular. DeWitt, a longboard downhill rider had never deployed a Sporting-Sail and Bressler was there to capture the proceeding magic in the unmistakable California light.

We got the pictures in and discovered just how much the Sporting-Sail, like our axes, can not only serve a valuable purpose (and look good), but it gets you back out with mother nature. You run your hand out the window of a moving car, or intercept a gust of wind in your jacket walking down a busy street: either way we all know what fun it can be to just catch wind. And now you don’t need a fancy rig, a sailboat or a surf kite to make this happen. You can guarantee we’ll be packing the Sporting-Sail along for the ride on all our adventures from now on.

Product Specifications

Fabric: 1.15oz Nylon Rip-Stop + Dual-Silicone Soar Coat Finish (Developed by SPORTING-SAILS in collaboration with U.S. parachute manufacturers)

CFM Rating: Zero

Tear Strength: 6,000+ (Warp & Weft)

Webbing: Recycled Polyester & Nylon - 25mm & 50mm (Hot Cut Edges)

Velcro: ”Octopus” Velcro - Hook & Loop

Thread: Nylon Bonded “E-Thread” Tex 69 (Coated with UV Inhibitors)

Sewing: Double Needle Top Stitch at 8 SPI (Stitches Per Inch) with a 2.5mm seam allowance

Reinforcements: Recycled Polyester Ribbon (Inner Swallow Tail), Double and Triple Faced Fabric (High Stress Points - Legs and Hand Straps, 6 Additional 3/4” Bar-Tacks (Critical Seam Locations)

Safety: Ultra-Bright 3M 50mm Reflective Tape (Hand Straps & Leg Straps)

Note: SPORTING-SAILS are built to be the best - using only the highest quality materials and transparent production processes available

Product Dimensions

Height: 76” (From Longest Point of Swallow Tail to Top Corner of Hand-Loop)

Width: 66” (From the Widest Point at Center Panel)

Hand Loops: 14” (Circumference) - Fixed

Leg Straps: 26” (Length) - Adjustable

Swallow Tail: 52” (Length) - Fixed