Duotone Skybrid 2027: D/LAB vs SLS vs the 2026 — What Changed and Which One to Buy
Quick answer: The 2027 Duotone Skybrid gets a new shape — narrower bottom, bigger rail bevels, wider deck at the tail — and comes in two constructions from September 2026: the Skybrid D/LAB (hollow-shell carbon, 3.38–4.08 kg and about 1.3–1.9 kg lighter than the current SLS in Duotone's published size tables) and the Skybrid SLS (Biax Carbon PVC sandwich). Both come in five sizes, 60–100 litres. That's a narrower size range than the 2026 Skybrid SLS, which runs from 45 to 130 litres — so if you specifically need 45, 115 or 130 litres, the 2026 board we have in stock is the one that fits. The standard (non-SLS) 2027 Skybrid isn't due until spring 2027. If you want a mid-length for parawinging or downwinding rather than winging, look at the Paradox SLS instead.
In stock now: 2026 Skybrid SLS from £1,749 (45, 60, 70, 80, 100 and 115 L on the rack; 90 and 130 L to order) · 2026 Skybrid from £1,449 (80–115 L). 2027 Skybrid SLS: £1,899 (60/70 L) and £1,999 (80/90/100 L) · 2027 Skybrid D/LAB: £2,599 in every size. Both are listed for September 2026.
The Skybrid is Duotone's mid-length foil board — the shape that sits between a short, boxy wing board and a long downwind board, and that's made mid-lengths the default choice for a lot of wing foilers over the last couple of seasons. For 2027 Duotone has reshaped it and added a hollow-shell D/LAB version. This guide covers what changed, what the numbers actually are, how it compares with the Paradox and Midfish, and — because we've got a rack of 2026 Skybrids in the shop — an honest take on when the older board is the better buy.
Specs and quotes are checked against Duotone's official Skybrid D/LAB 2027 product page, Skybrid SLS 2027 product page and its 2026 product data. Where it's our opinion, we say so.
On this page
- What changed for 2027
- Skybrid D/LAB 2027 · Skybrid SLS 2027 · Skybrid 2027 and Skybrid Air
- Is D/LAB worth £600–£700 more?
- Sizes, volumes and weights — 2027 vs 2026
- Skybrid vs Paradox vs Midfish
- Which one for Whitstable and north Kent
- Prices and what's in stock
- FAQ
What changed for 2027
The 2027 Skybrid is a new shape, and the SLS is built on it too — Duotone says the SLS is "based on the proven 2027 Skybrid D/LAB shape". Three things moved:
- Narrower bottom surface. Less board in the water means an earlier take-off and a better ability to pump the board up onto the foil. Duotone says it makes it easier to get flying "even in marginal conditions".
- Bigger rail bevels. The edges of the bottom are chamfered more, so touch-downs are smoother and more forgiving — a bevel that clips the water skips off it rather than catching. On the SLS the bevels are rounder and the rail apex is lower, which Duotone credits with added stability and control.
- Wider deck at the tail. The standing area now extends all the way to the rails. That gives you room for an offset stance when you're riding waves or bumps, while the bottom stays pulled in for take-off.
The diamond tail, the recessed deck (feet closer to the foil) and the long carbon foil tracks carry over. The D/LAB gets a 3 mm deck pad and a ventilation system (air vent and drain plug); the SLS gets a thin, responsive pad and rear track openings for quick foil mounting.
Skybrid D/LAB 2027 — the hollow one
- Construction: Hollow Shell Composite — a monocoque carbon sandwich shell over a composite-stringer-supported hollow core
- Weight: 3.38 kg (60 L), 3.56 kg (70 L), 3.72 kg (80 L), 3.91 kg (90 L) and 4.08 kg (100 L). Against the current SLS figures of 4.70–6.00 kg, the published size tables show a saving of about 1.3–1.9 kg
- Sizes: 5'5" × 19.5" (60 L), 5'7" × 20.5" (70 L), 5'9" × 21" (80 L), 5'11" × 21.5" (90 L), 6'1" × 22" (100 L)
- Disciplines: freeride / freefly / parawing
- Available: September 2026
- UK RRP: £2,599 in every size
The D/LAB is new to the Skybrid for 2027, and it's the reason for the weight numbers above. Duotone's hollow-shell boards have no foam core: the carbon shell and internal stringers carry the load, which they say takes around 30% out of the overall weight compared with a sandwich build. On the water that's less swing weight, so the board is more responsive to a pump and quicker to react in turns — Duotone describes it as "a highly responsive feel close to a prone board while maintaining the volume and buoyancy needed for versatile performance". The foil tracks are reinforced with the internal stringer system, the inserts are sealed into the shell, and there's a vent and drain plug for safe decompression. Duotone says it's been in development at one of its production facilities for about two years.
The honest caveat, from us: a hollow board is a premium object. It's the lightest, most responsive Skybrid you can buy, and it needs the vent managed and dings dealt with promptly. If you're the sort of rider who feels a 1.3–1.9 kg reduction on the board — you'll know if you are — it's a meaningful step. If you're still learning your take-off, the weight saving is real but it's not the thing holding you back.
Skybrid SLS 2027 — the related shape, sandwich-built
- Construction: Biax Carbon PVC Sandwich — full biax carbon layers top and bottom, high-density PVC wrap on deck and rails, bamboo and carbon patches in the stance area, light EPS core
- Sizes: the same five as the D/LAB — 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 L
- Disciplines: freeride / allround — Duotone also lists it for parawinging and Foil Assist
- Available: September 2026
- UK RRP: £1,899 for 60 and 70 L; £1,999 for 80, 90 and 100 L
Duotone calls the 2027 SLS "one of the most versatile and accessible performance boards in the Duotone range". It is based on the D/LAB shape but uses a conventional carbon-sandwich build, so it is heavier, more suitable for jumping and cheaper. The published widths match in most sizes; at 70 L, Duotone lists the SLS at 20.25 inches and the D/LAB at 20.5 inches. The 2027-specific changes are the rounder, bigger rail bevels, the lower rail apex and the wider stance area. If the 2027 shape appeals and the D/LAB price doesn't, this is the board.
Is the 2027 Skybrid D/LAB worth £600–£700 more than the SLS?
Short answer: it can be for an experienced rider who will benefit from minimum swing weight and maximum responsiveness, but the SLS is the better-value choice for many wing foilers.
| 2027 model | Sizes | UK RRP | D/LAB premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skybrid SLS | 60 and 70 L | £1,899 | — |
| Skybrid SLS | 80, 90 and 100 L | £1,999 | — |
| Skybrid D/LAB | 60 and 70 L | £2,599 | £700 |
| Skybrid D/LAB | 80, 90 and 100 L | £2,599 | £600 |
The extra money buys Duotone's Hollow Shell Composite construction and a published weight saving of roughly 1.3–1.9 kg compared with the corresponding 2027 SLS sizes. That lower swing weight should matter most to efficient riders who already pump cleanly and want a more immediate, prone-board-like response.
Choose the SLS if you want the new 2027 shape in a conventional carbon-sandwich construction, want to spend £600–£700 less, or intend to jump. Duotone specifically notes that the hollow D/LAB construction is not intended for jumping. For learners and recreational freeriders, the SLS is likely to offer the more sensible balance of performance, durability and price.
Skybrid 2027 (Original) and Skybrid Air
Skybrid (Original) 2027: the vacuum-sandwich version of the new shape is listed for spring 2027, with sizes to be confirmed. Until then, the 2026 Skybrid — Vacuum Epoxy Bamboo Sandwich, 80 to 115 L — is the current standard-construction Skybrid, and it's on the rack.
Skybrid Air: the inflatable Skybrid carries over unchanged — 6'0" × 22.25" (95 L) and 6'4" × 23.25" (110 L), Fusion laminated drop-stitch with welded rails, travel bag and pump included. It's the one for the boot of a small car or a flight.
Sizes, volumes and weights — 2027 vs 2026
This is the part that matters if you're deciding between the new board and the one in stock. The 2027 D/LAB and SLS come in five sizes. The 2026 Skybrid SLS came in eight.
| Length | Volume | 2027 D/LAB | 2027 SLS | 2026 SLS | 2026 SLS weight | Duotone's rider weight guide (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5'2" | 45 L | – | – | Yes | 4.62 kg | under 55 kg |
| 5'5" | 60 L | Yes (3.38 kg) | Yes (4.70 kg) | Yes | 5.15 kg | under 70 kg |
| 5'7" | 70 L | Yes (3.56 kg) | Yes (5.10 kg) | Yes | 5.56 kg | under 80 kg |
| 5'9" | 80 L | Yes (3.72 kg) | Yes (5.40 kg) | Yes | 5.84 kg | under 90 kg |
| 5'11" | 90 L | Yes (3.91 kg) | Yes (5.70 kg) | Yes (to order) | 6.20 kg | under 100 kg |
| 6'1" | 100 L | Yes (4.08 kg) | Yes (6.00 kg) | Yes | 6.47 kg | under 110 kg |
| 6'4" | 115 L | – | – | Yes | 6.93 kg | under 125 kg |
| 6'7" | 130 L | – | – | Yes (to order) | 7.51 kg | under 140 kg |
The 2027 SLS widths are 19.5" (60 L), 20.25" (70 L), 21" (80 L), 21.5" (90 L) and 22" (100 L). The D/LAB is listed at 20.5" for the 70 L and otherwise matches those widths. The 2026 SLS at the same volumes is 20", 20.5", 21", 21.5" and 22", so the "narrower bottom surface" is mainly about the bevels and shape of the planing area rather than outline width alone. The rider-weight column shows Duotone's 2026 guidance. For the 2027 SLS, Duotone now recommends 45–75 kg (60 L), 55–85 kg (70 L), 65–95 kg (80 L), 75–100 kg (90 L) and 80–110 kg (100 L); the D/LAB lists upper guidance of under 70, 80, 90, 100 and 110 kg respectively.
What that table tells you: if you're a lighter rider who'd be on a 45 L, or a bigger rider who needs 115 or 130 L, the 2027 board doesn't come in your size. The 2026 SLS does, and it's in stock. That's not a consolation prize — it's the same construction, a very similar shape, and Duotone's own description of it (improved take-off efficiency, more clearance, diamond tail, recessed deck) reads almost identically to the 2027 copy.
Skybrid vs Paradox vs Midfish
Duotone makes two other mid-lengths that overlap with the Skybrid, and the brochure has a useful side-by-side that we've condensed here. All three work for winging, parawinging and Foil Assist; the differences are about where each one is best.
Paradox SLS — the parawing and downwind specialist
The Paradox SLS carries over for 2027 in five sizes: 5'1" (45 L), 5'5" (60 L), 5'9" (75 L), 6'2" (90 L), 6'7" (105 L). Compared with the Skybrid, Duotone says it has:
- Lower rocker — takes off earlier and pumps more efficiently, which matters when you're downwinding; less controlled when you're going fast with a wing, where the Skybrid's higher front-foot position helps
- Reduced bottom surface — more bevelled, pointy nose, step tail — so it can be pumped out of the water through your legs; the Skybrid's wider bottom gives more stability and an easier return
- More manoeuvrable and agile — the surfier option for the more advanced rider
- Longer, especially in the bigger sizes — adds glide for an earlier take-off when parawinging
- Lighter construction (more like the Crush and Midfish) with a front-strap option only — Duotone says this is "to avoid jumping"; the Skybrid SLS can be used with both feet in straps, while Duotone states that the hollow Skybrid D/LAB is not intended for jumping
Duotone's summary: parawingers, and advanced wing foilers riding with the wing flagged out in small surf or river bumps and mostly strapless, will prefer the Paradox. Wing foilers of all levels, and anyone going faster, will benefit from the Skybrid family's stability and control. For riders doing the occasional jump, choose the SLS rather than the hollow D/LAB.
Midfish — the Foil Assist board that also parawings
The Midfish is Duotone's dedicated Foil Assist board (seven sizes, 32 to 98 L) and it doubles as a parawing board, particularly in windier conditions, with what Duotone calls "great control in turns". The Paradox gets up on foil earlier than the wider Midfish, so it lets you ride less powered and more efficiently when parawinging, and it works for Foil Assist downwind runs for the same reason.
Which one for Whitstable and the north Kent coast?
This is our recommendation, not Duotone's. It draws on the specs above and on the conditions in our guide to The Street, Long Rock and Seasalter.
For winging here, the Skybrid is the right family. Foiling at Tankerton lives inside about 2.5 hours either side of high water, and Seasalter is where you go in a southerly. On both you're winging with a wing in your hands, often in chop, sometimes with a jump in mind — that's the "stability and control, especially with footstraps" case Duotone makes for the Skybrid over the Paradox.
Buy the 2026 SLS if it fits you and you want it now. It's on the rack in 45, 60, 70, 80, 100 and 115 litres (90 and 130 to order), it's the same construction as the 2027 SLS, and it's a very similar shape. If you specifically need 45, 115 or 130 litres, it is also the only Skybrid offered in that volume this season. Our advice: don't wait for a board that isn't made in your volume.
Wait for the 2027 SLS if you're in the 60–100 L band and you specifically want the new bottom shape — the narrower planing surface and bigger bevels are aimed at earlier take-off and cleaner touch-downs, which is exactly what helps on a marginal day. It's due in September.
Go D/LAB if weight is your thing. The current published tables show about 1.3–1.9 kg less than the equivalent SLS, depending on size. It's the board for the rider who's already efficient and wants the most responsive mid-length Duotone makes; Duotone says the hollow construction is not intended for jumping.
Thinking about parawinging? The downwind run from Long Rock to The Street at low water is a local favourite, and it's the kind of riding the Paradox was designed for. We stock the Duotone Stash parawing; the Skybrid will do the job on it, but if parawinging is going to be the main event rather than a sideline, talk to us about the Paradox.
Prices and what's in stock at Boardworx
- Duotone Skybrid SLS 2026 — 5'2" (45 L) £1,749 · 5'5" (60 L) and 5'7" (70 L) £1,849 · 5'9" (80 L) and 6'4" (115 L) £1,949 · one 6'1" (100 L) at £1,461. Five of most sizes in stock; 5'11" (90 L) and 6'7" (130 L) to order.
- Duotone Skybrid 2026 (Vacuum Epoxy Bamboo Sandwich) — 5'9" (80 L) £1,449 · 6'1" (100 L) and 6'4" (115 L) £1,549. In stock.
- Skybrid SLS 2027 — UK RRP £1,899 for 5'5\" (60 L) and 5'7\" (70 L); £1,999 for 5'9\" (80 L), 5'11\" (90 L) and 6'1\" (100 L). Listed for September 2026; ring to reserve a size.
- Skybrid D/LAB 2027 — UK RRP £2,599 in all five sizes from 60 to 100 L. Listed for September 2026; ring to reserve a size.
- Duotone Stash parawing — £779 to £879, most sizes in stock.
See all wing foil boards, foils, wings and the full Duotone range. Our Unit 2027 guide covers the wing side of the same decision.
We're on Beach Walk, Whitstable, CT5 2BP, a couple of hundred yards from the water. Ring 01227 276566 with your weight and what you're riding and we'll tell you which size — and which year — makes sense.
FAQ
What's new on the 2027 Duotone Skybrid?
A new shape with a narrower bottom surface for earlier take-off and easier pumping, bigger rail bevels for smoother touch-downs, and a wider deck at the tail for an offset stance. It comes in a new hollow-shell D/LAB construction and in SLS, both in five sizes from 60 to 100 litres, from September 2026.
What's the difference between the Skybrid D/LAB and Skybrid SLS?
Closely related shape, different build. The D/LAB is a hollow-shell carbon board weighing 3.38–4.08 kg; the SLS is a Biax Carbon PVC sandwich with a foam core and weighs 4.70–6.00 kg. Duotone's current size tables therefore show the D/LAB about 1.3–1.9 kg lighter. The SLS costs less and is the choice if you intend to jump; Duotone says the hollow D/LAB is not intended for jumping.
How much are the 2027 Duotone Skybrid boards?
The UK RRP for the 2027 Skybrid SLS is £1,899 in 60 and 70 L, and £1,999 in 80, 90 and 100 L. The 2027 Skybrid D/LAB is £2,599 in every size.
Is the Skybrid D/LAB worth £600–£700 more than the SLS?
It can be for experienced riders who value the lowest possible swing weight and the most immediate response. The published weight saving is about 1.3–1.9 kg depending on size. For many recreational riders—and anyone intending to jump—the lower-priced SLS is the more practical choice.
What sizes does the 2027 Skybrid come in?
5'5" (60 L), 5'7" (70 L), 5'9" (80 L), 5'11" (90 L) and 6'1" (100 L), in both D/LAB and SLS. The 2026 Skybrid SLS came in eight sizes from 45 to 130 litres.
Is the 2026 Skybrid SLS still worth buying?
Yes. It's the same Biax Carbon PVC construction as the 2027 SLS with a very similar shape, and it's the only Skybrid available in 45, 115 and 130 litres. If one of those is your size, it's the board to buy.
Skybrid or Paradox for parawinging?
Duotone says parawingers and advanced riders who ride mostly strapless in small surf and bumps will prefer the Paradox — lower rocker, reduced bottom surface, longer glide and lighter build. Wing foilers wanting more stability, footstraps or occasional jumps should look at the Skybrid SLS; Duotone states that the hollow Skybrid D/LAB is not intended for jumping.
How much does the Duotone Skybrid D/LAB weigh?
Duotone quotes roughly 3.4 kg for the 60 L and 4.1 kg for the 100 L, with the 5'7" 70 L at 3.56 kg.
When is the 2027 Skybrid available?
The Skybrid D/LAB and Skybrid SLS from September 2026. The standard-construction Skybrid is listed for spring 2027. The inflatable Skybrid Air is available now.
What size Skybrid do I need?
For the 2027 Skybrid SLS, Duotone recommends 60 L for 45–75 kg, 70 L for 55–85 kg, 80 L for 65–95 kg, 90 L for 75–100 kg and 100 L for 80–110 kg. The 2027 D/LAB lists upper guidance of under 70, 80, 90, 100 and 110 kg respectively. The 2026 range additionally offers 45, 115 and 130 L. Treat these as starting points and ring us if you are near a boundary.