Behind the Design: Duotone Crest D/LAB with Foil Designer Alex Held

In the final episode of our Behind the Design Scenes series, I sit down with Duotone foil designer Alex Held, with Nik Baker joining on the water, to unpack the thinking behind the all-new Duotone Crest D/LAB. We tested this foil while it was still in development; in this post and the video above, Alex explains why the Crest was created, where it fits in the Duotone range, and how the shape delivers more control and drive at speed.

Where the Crest Sits in the Range

• Glide — excels on unbroken bumps and straight-line efficiency, but can feel twitchy when banked hard.
• Carve 3.0 — locked-in, powerful turns for critical sections; more aggressive lift.
• Whizz (SLS) — lively feel in SLS construction and compatible with other fuselage setups.
• Crest (D/LAB only) — designed between Glide and Carve: happy on rail, adds drive and lift while still carrying speed and pumping efficiently.

In Alex’s words, the Crest is a higher-performance take on the Whizz, but built exclusively in D/LAB HM Carbon for precision response and low drag.

The Design: Moustache Outline & Control at Speed

The Crest uses a subtle moustache-style curvature with upturned wing tips. This improves roll stability when the foil is on its side, giving you control at speed and that planted feel through carves. It recovers smoothly from tip breaches and slides, letting you re-enter with confidence and link the next section.

• Drive on rail — creates lift and forward drive while banked.
• Efficient pumping — positive height feedback yet still carries speed.
• Angles well — you don’t have to be dead straight and level; it pumps at an angle so you can go sideways off a lip to reconnect with the next swell.

Monobloc Tails: The Missing Piece of the Feel

A huge part of what you’ll feel underfoot with Crest comes from pairing it with the new Duotone Monobloc Tails. By integrating the fuselage-to-tail connection in a single, super-stiff unit, Monoblocs reduce flex and hardware drag, giving a more direct, quiet connection to the front wing.

• More direct drive — sharper response, instant feedback.
• Smoother re-entry — helps the Crest recover cleanly from tip breaches and slides.
• Clean hydrodynamics — minimal exposed hardware keeps things fast and silent.

Recommended pairings for Crest (Wing & Assist): MB-PX145 on smaller sizes and MB-PX160 on larger sizes. For prone, the MB-S160 is the go-to.

Shop Duotone Monobloc Tails

Who It’s For

• Wing & prone riders who want high-performance wave foiling without twitchiness on rail.
• Downwinders linking bumps and carving back and forth across swell lines.
• E-foiling / Foil Drive users who value stability on rail with efficient angled pumps.
• Riders stepping up from Glide or wanting a calmer feel than Carve 3.0 in smaller surf.

Sizes & Setups

Crest is D/LAB only (no SLS), in multiple sizes to suit rider weight and conditions. All sizes are compatible with D/LAB Tails, S & PX Stabilisers, and the new Monobloc Tails.

• Crest D/LAB 675 cm² — AR 9.3 / Span 79 cm
• Crest D/LAB 800 cm² — AR 9.0 / Span 85 cm
• Crest D/LAB 925 cm² — AR 8.9 / Span 90 cm
• Crest D/LAB 1050 cm² — AR 8.8 / Span 96 cm

Tails & stabs short list:
Wing & Assist — PX160 (MB-PX145), PX175 (MB-PX160)
Prone — S160 (MB-S160)

Crest vs Glide vs Carve — The Short Take

• Glide: unbroken bumps, flatter/straighter riding, carries forward speed but doesn’t always gain much height without pace.
• Carve 3.0: critical sections, aggressive lift, locked-in turns — fast and wave-driven.
• Crest: the middle ground — drive on rail, smooth lift, efficient angled pumps, excellent wave-to-wave connectivity.

Shop the Setup

• Shop Duotone Crest D/LAB (all sizes)
• Shop Duotone Monobloc Tails
• Shop PX & S Stabilisers
• Shop Foil Drive / e-foil accessories

Need size or tail advice? Call us on 01903 247742 — happy to help.

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