The similarities are obvious: Like an e-bike, an e-foil has a motor, a battery and a remote including software to control it. But instead of rolling over trails, you can fly over the water. Unfortunately, this relatively new sport is banned throughout Switzerland. However, as I live in Basel, the French Rhine is very close by - and the French are very légère about it. With a few exceptions, e-foiling is permitted throughout the Grande Nation.

As mentioned, e-foiling is still a young sport and has only existed since around 2016. However, the market is already broad and deep. As with (kite, wing, windsurf, pump or SUP) foiling without a motor, the choice of wings and masts is large and confusing, not to mention the range of board sizes, which is difficult for beginners to assess. Initially, this very reliably put me off buying an e-foilboard. As an e-bike supplier, you should therefore keep this in mind: Too many highly specialized products depress the buying mood. Just because you are knee-deep in the subject yourself does not mean that the majority of customers appreciate a complicated, barely comprehensible range. A good example is the gravel trend: it is relatively easy to buy a cool, suitable gravel bike. The mountain bike market is far too detailed and confusing. And if the market is already so confusing: a buying guide - for example, good advice and testing options - are essential for making an informed purchase decision.

Bad experience: B2C

To get into the sport, I bought an e-foil from the south of France, directly from the manufacturer. It was relatively cheap, but only really fun for a very short time. As soon as the board was assembled on the banks of the Rhine, the propeller took on a life of its own. In other words, without any movement of the finger on the remote control, the drive started turning. This means that the existing "safety mechanisms" failed several times. Such a wildly spinning propeller can quickly mutate into a meat grinder. The French manufacturer adhered to the aforementioned légère setting and asked me to dismantle parts of the equipment (without instructions, of course) and send it in. The fact that the (14 kg) lithium-ion battery with its 2,200 watt-hour capacity was later ripped out of the board is a completely different anecdote. What I've learned from this: I won't be spending a lot of money with a sports product manufacturer that doesn't have a location in Switzerland and doesn't provide any useful support in the near future. Returning the heavy sports equipment was a logistical nightmare. My conclusion: Hands off B2C.

Buy cheap, buy twice

After the initial bad purchase - which did pave the way for me into the new sport - I learned a lot. I then bought a board from an established supplier in Australia. From a specialist retailer who has a lot of experience with the product, cooperates closely with the manufacturer, offers testing options and excellent service and warranty. The board was even delivered free of charge. For expensive sports equipment, direct sales, as already described, are no longer an option for me. The experience of buying from a specialist retailer was massively better.

Having been mountain biking for well over 35 years and no longer being a beginner, here's what I forgot: If you are enthusiastic about a new sport, you will progress quickly. In the beginning, beginner equipment may be helpful, but it quickly becomes boring. Instead of buying equipment suitable for beginners, it is sometimes smarter to rent it first and then buy really good equipment that can accompany you in your further development in the sport. Or you can buy a bike or a board that is very sporty and challenging to ride, but will last and remain exciting. It may be difficult to get started, but the equipment will have a future, so to speak. It's usually worth spending a little more, as quality - even if it may sound a bit platitudinous - has its price. I spent almost twice as much on my current e-foilboard as I did on the beginner's nightmare board. And I don't regret it for a second.