Every product launches with a marketing pitch. What matters is what happens six months later, when a real rider has taken it out every weekend, tested it hard in real conditions, and either fallen in love with it or moved on. This is that kind of Manta TakeOff Evo review — from a rider who has now done 27 sessions on the platform and has the GPS data, the battery logs, and the board changes to prove it.
The reviewer is Luke from Flukes Kitesurfing on YouTube, an experienced foiler and Manta Foils ambassador who publishes technical, data-driven reviews on his own channel with full editorial independence over what he covers and how he covers it. His 27-session breakdown is one of the most detailed real-world reviews of the TakeOff Evo published in 2026. It covers what actually happens over months of ownership — the power, the speed, the distance per battery, the charging times, the small setup lessons, and the board progression that unlocks the platform. You can watch the full Flukes Kitesurfing review on YouTube — this article summarises the key findings and explains what they mean for anyone considering the Manta TakeOff Evo Foil Assist platform.
Key takeaways from Luke’s 27 sessions on the Manta TakeOff Evo
- Zero maintenance in 27 sessions. Plug the battery in, ride, take the battery out, put it on the charger, repeat. No cabling checks, no service, no issues.
- Power confirmed as the standout. Luke can hold the trigger at level 4 out of 10 on a 900 cm² Omen Agent front wing and stay flying comfortably. Level 3 is the minimum needed to get up on a 65 L board. There is significant headroom above what most riders will ever use.
- **Cruising speed around 18 km/h at level 4. On waves, top speeds of 24-27 km/h across multiple sessions. **
- Range per battery is highly predictable. ~5 km per Endurance battery (518 Wh), ~2 km per Evo Air battery (~200 Wh), ~10 km per session using all three batteries.
- Wave count per session: around 25. Best individual rides in the 170-200 m range. All logged via the built-in GPS in the Manta remote and read in the Manta app.
- Charging times: ~45 min for an Evo Air battery, 1-1.5 hours for the Endurance battery on the standard charger. Fast enough that Luke could charge back-to-back and ride indefinitely with the three-battery kit.
- Board progression tested: 95 L → 65 L → 25 L kite foil board → new 45 L custom carbon build. The TakeOff Evo motor has enough thrust to get a rider up on a 25 L sinker board — Luke did it — though a 45 L board is the sweet spot for full foil-assist sessions.
Who is Flukes Kitesurfing?
Flukes Kitesurfing is a YouTube channel run by Luke, an experienced foiler and kite rider who publishes technical, data-driven reviews of foiling gear. His TakeOff Evo review is now in its second video, following the initial impressions from earlier in 2026.
Full disclosure: Luke is an official Manta Foils ambassador. Manta Foils does not review, approve, or edit his videos before publication, and Luke retains full editorial independence over his content — including which products he covers, what he says about them, and which friction points he chooses to surface (like the battery-fitting learning documented in this review). The relationship exists because Luke’s data-driven approach to testing matches how Manta thinks about product design; it does not exist as a paid promotion arrangement.
Every claim in this article is drawn directly from Luke’s own on-water testing, with the Manta app and remote GPS data as the source. The channel is worth subscribing to if this is your gear category.
Manta TakeOff Evo review: power and take-off performance
The single point Luke calls out first is power. He describes the TakeOff Evo motor’s output as “continues to blow me away how much thrust and energy it produces.” Two specific data points from his testing:
- Level 3 out of 10 is the minimum needed to get up on a 65 L board with a 900 cm² Omen Agent front wing. Below level 3, Luke has to pump. At level 3, the motor delivers just enough sustained power that he can slowly pump onto foil.
- Level 4 out of 10 is the maximum he can hold and stay flying comfortably. Above level 4 on a 900 cm² wing, the motor is producing more thrust than the setup can carry — a smaller wing would be needed to use the higher levels.
This is a meaningful data point for buyers. Most Foil Assist reviews describe motor power in vague terms. Luke gives a specific, testable threshold: a mid-weight rider on a mid-size foil uses only 30-40% of the motor’s rated output for normal riding. The remaining headroom exists for heavier riders, smaller high-aspect foils, marginal wind assists (the wing-foil take-off use case covered in our guide to the best Foil Assist for wing foiling), and higher-cruise applications like flat-water eFoil-mode riding.
The Performance motor’s thrust characteristics — strong, controllable, and efficient — are what let the TakeOff Evo work across so many disciplines on a single platform without any of them feeling underpowered.
Speed, distance, and wave-count data from the Manta app
Luke’s remote has built-in GPS. He downloads the session logs to the Manta app on his phone after each ride and reads back the full data set. Over 27 sessions, the patterns are consistent:
- Cruising speed at level 4 on the 900 Omen Agent: around 18 km/h. Comfortable standing, steady flight, no fight against the foil.
- Peak speed on a wave: 24-27 km/h. Every session log shows maximum speeds in this band — max 24, max 25, max 26, max 26, max 27. The consistency across sessions is what stands out.
- Session distance on the Endurance battery (518 Wh) alone: around 5 km. This is riding waves plus cruising back out to the lineup, with the motor engaged roughly two-thirds of the session time.
- Session distance on two Evo Air batteries (~200 Wh each): around 2 km.
- Total session distance using all three batteries: around 10 km.
Luke notes that the 500 Wh ≈ 5 km relationship holds consistently in his conditions, which gives future buyers a useful rule of thumb: on the Endurance battery, expect roughly 1 km per 100 Wh of capacity for a mixed surf-and-cruise session profile. Actual figures vary with rider weight, foil, and cruise time versus wave time, but the ratio holds as a starting benchmark.
- Wave count per session: around 25. For a rider taking a full inside-outside loop on each wave and using the motor to return to the lineup between rides, 25 waves is roughly 3-5x what a paddle surfer at the same spot would catch in the same time.
- Best single rides: 170-200 metres. This is the length of Luke’s best runs at his local spot.
This kind of quantitative data is what future buyers actually need. The full breakdown is visible session-by-session in the Manta app.
Battery handling, charging times, and the “less grease” fix
Luke tested the full three-battery cycle across multiple sessions. His finding: the batteries charge about as fast as he can deplete them.
- Endurance battery charging time: 1 to 1.5 hours on the standard charger. Actual time depends on how deep the previous session drew the battery down and ambient temperature.
- Evo Air battery charging time: ~45 minutes each.
In one full test day, Luke plugged the Endurance battery in before leaving for a session, rode both Air batteries until they were dead (about an hour of riding), and returned to find the Endurance battery fully charged. He then rode the Endurance battery for another session while the Air batteries recharged. In principle, this cycle repeats indefinitely with the three-battery kit — the total charge-time is well matched to the discharge time.
On the battery-fitting friction Luke reported in his previous video: he confirms the fix. Following feedback from Manta and comments on his earlier video, he reduced the amount of grease used on the connectors and removed the white O-rings (leaving only the yellow O-ring). The batteries now slide in cleanly and clip into position with a small kink to the side. No water intrusion after 27 sessions with the corrected setup. This is the kind of small user-error learning that surfaces in real long-term testing — worth flagging for future owners: less grease, yellow O-ring only.
Board progression: from 95 L to a 25 L sinker to a new 45 L custom carbon
Over the 27 sessions, Luke has tested the TakeOff Evo across a wide board volume range:
- 95 L board: starting point, plenty of stability, easy first sessions.
- 65 L board: the setup shown throughout the review, works well for most riders.
- 25 L kite foil board: the extreme test. Luke was able to get up on a 25 L sinker board using the TakeOff Evo motor at level 5. The take-off technique required is a “Superman” prone position with the throttle pinned, pumping up to knees, then feet, all while on foil. Once flying, riding is normal. The demand it places on the motor is significant — the battery drains faster on the small board because the initial take-off consumes more energy — but the fact that a 25 L sinker takes off at all is a testament to the motor’s thrust.
- New 45 L custom carbon build (session 28 onward): Luke has built a lightweight 45 L board specifically as the sweet spot for TakeOff Evo. Full carbon construction, chambered foam blank to reduce weight, and a fibreglass signal window that allows the remote signal to pass through the board and reach the motor unit even in prone position.
The signal window detail is worth understanding. On very small boards where the rider is prone in the water on take-off, the remote signal to the motor unit can be blocked by the board and the surrounding water. Manta’s guidance is to hold the remote against the chest and press it toward the board surface. Luke’s signal window is his own solution — a small fibreglass panel in the board that lets the signal pass through — and he will test it on the next video.
For a mid-weight rider looking at the TakeOff Evo, the takeaway is: the platform works across a wide board volume range. 45-65 L is the practical sweet spot for most riders in most disciplines. 95 L is beginner-friendly. 25 L is only for advanced riders willing to work for the take-off, and offers the most fun ride once flying.
What 27 sessions tell us about the Manta TakeOff Evo
Three structural conclusions come out of Luke’s testing that matter for any buyer considering the platform.
The reliability is real. 27 sessions with zero maintenance, zero cable checks, zero water intrusion (after the grease correction), and no missed sessions is the kind of longitudinal data that no marketing brochure can deliver. This is what “plug and play” actually looks like in practice.
The motor is genuinely over-specced for most use cases — deliberately. Luke uses level 4 for normal riding. The motor scales to level 10. That headroom is what allows the TakeOff Evo to work for heavier riders, smaller high-aspect foils, wing take-offs in light wind, and eventual e-foil-style continuous cruising once the Omen fuselage adapter is finalised. Buyers underestimate the value of this headroom until they progress into it.
The three-battery kit is the practical setup. Luke’s finding that the batteries charge about as fast as he can deplete them means the three-battery configuration effectively removes the “how long can I ride today” question. It also means, per the Foil Assist battery airline travel guide, that a rider travelling with all three 97 Wh Air packs plus the Endurance in a checked bag has the full range of the platform anywhere in the world — the Air packs fly in carry-on, and the Endurance charges quickly on arrival.
Frequently asked questions from Luke’s Manta TakeOff Evo review
How much range does a Manta TakeOff Evo battery actually give in real conditions?
Based on 27 sessions of GPS-logged data by Flukes Kitesurfing: approximately 5 km per Endurance battery (518 Wh), 2 km per Evo Air battery (~200 Wh), and ~10 km total using all three batteries in a full session. The rule of thumb is roughly 1 km per 100 Wh of capacity for a mixed surf-and-cruise session at cruising speed.
What is the cruising speed on the Manta TakeOff Evo?
Cruising speed at level 4 out of 10 on the throttle, on a 900 cm² Omen Agent front wing, is around 18 km/h. This is a comfortable standing cruise. Wave sessions peak at 24-27 km/h consistently across Flukes Kitesurfing’s session logs.
How long does the Manta TakeOff Evo battery take to charge?
On the standard charger: Endurance battery (518 Wh) takes 1 to 1.5 hours; each Evo Air battery (~200 Wh, made of two 97 Wh packs) takes approximately 45 minutes. Charging times scale with ambient temperature and depth of discharge.
Does the TakeOff Evo work on a small sinker board?
Yes, but with technique. Flukes Kitesurfing tested it on a 25 L kite foil board and was able to get up on foil using level 5 throttle with a Superman prone position and remote held under the chest. It works, but it is demanding — the initial take-off consumes more battery than on a larger board, and signal transmission from the remote to the motor is harder because the board sinks deep on start-up. Most riders will be happier on a 45-65 L board for the TakeOff Evo.
Has the reviewer had any reliability issues with the Manta TakeOff Evo?
No. Across 27 sessions, Flukes Kitesurfing reports zero maintenance, zero cabling issues, zero water intrusion, and no missed sessions. The battery-fitting friction reported in his first video was resolved by reducing the amount of grease used and removing the white O-rings (leaving only the yellow O-ring) per Manta’s guidance.
Which motor power level does a normal rider actually use?
Level 3 out of 10 is the minimum to slowly pump onto foil on a 65 L board. Level 4 is the practical cruise setting. Levels 5-10 exist as headroom for heavier riders, smaller high-aspect foils, wing-foil take-off assist, and future e-foil-style continuous power use.
Can you ride the Manta TakeOff Evo like an e-foil for flat-water cruising?
The platform is designed to support this use case with an integrated mast configuration. Flukes Kitesurfing is currently waiting on an adapter that bridges the Manta integrated mast to the Omen fuselage, which will allow full e-foil-style flat-water testing. This is planned for a future video. For the surf-and-cruise use case Luke has already tested, the platform works exactly as designed as a Foil Assist.
Is the Manta TakeOff Evo good for downwind foiling?
Luke tested one downwind session (session 25) and found the platform used minimal battery power because he only needed short bursts to catch swirls and ride them. For future big downwinder days, the platform is well-suited — one burst on take-off, then ride the bumps for kilometres with the motor off. This is a use case Luke plans to explore further in future videos.
Where can I watch the full Flukes Kitesurfing review?
The full 11-minute review is on Luke’s YouTube channel: watch the full Flukes Kitesurfing review on YouTube. It is worth watching in full for the on-water footage, the app screenshots, and the board-building context.
Why this Manta TakeOff Evo review matters
Long-term, data-driven testing is rare in a young sport. Most foiling reviews are first-impression pieces filmed within days of receiving a product, when the honeymoon is still on. Flukes Kitesurfing’s 27-session review is a genuinely different kind of data — the kind that surfaces the small friction points (like the battery-grease fix) alongside the structural strengths (the motor power, the range consistency, the reliability). That Luke is an ambassador does not change the data; it does mean the relationship with Manta is a long-term one, which is why the testing goes deeper than a launch review would.
For anyone still deciding whether the Manta TakeOff Evo is the right Foil Assist platform for their riding, this is the review to watch and read. And for anyone considering how the platform fits into the wider decision between eFoil and Foil Assist, our companion piece on the eFoil vs Foil Assist comparison covers the broader landscape.
Thank you to Luke and Flukes Kitesurfing for the depth of the testing. The next video in the series — with the new 45 L carbon board and the signal window under test — will be worth watching for.
