Please can I get a opinion on sails brands.
I have always been a North Sails fan. Easy to rig, and seems to agree with plain b&j where I sail.(they don't last long though) I do like the look of the Ezzy's though. Is anyone in a position to give a fair comparison? Do they justify the extra bucks?
4 seasons ago while living in Gero i went from Ezzy SE's to North Voodoo's. IMHO i reckon the norths are better /nicer to sail and the Ezzy's are stronger.
The Voodoo's have the same bullet proof construction as the Ezzy's but feel lighter in the hands while sailing.
I now use Tushy Rocks as my wave sails. They fell better / more responsive to use and have a huge wind range/tuneable and are very competiitve in price. The build quality is second to none.
Forget North and Ezzy get a Rock
I will happily let you take my rocks for a spin. Iv'e got a 4.7m, 5.5m and a 6.0m. let me know when and i will chuck them in the trailer.
My 2 cents anyway.
I don't think there is much price difference between an ezzy wave panther and the wavesails from the north range these days (except the ego), I think its only about $50 across the rest of the range.
Demo both if you can, buy the one you like.
I have exactly the opposite opinion to Bender...
First brand new sail that I owned was a North Ice. Spent heaps of money on it, after six months it had worn through the luff sleeve where the battens rub on the mast when rotating, it was gutless, I traded it in for an Ezzy and couldn't be happier 
Would be glad to let you have a go as well.
Have mainly used Ezzy's the last 9 years...have been very happy with them , design and durability. Sailed a few Norths recently in Greece..wasn't that impressed..a very general comment I know but it either feels right or it doesn't...but as I say I'm no sail technician.
I agree with the North longevity issue.
Look at the hardcore wave spots and you won't see many Norths amongst the local crew. Seems to be a real Euro thing only.
Ezzy will last waaay longer but their feel is a bit love 'em or hate 'em sort of thing.
Also consider Simmer X-Flex or Icon, Tushingham Rocks, Severne (what is the full x-ply model now?) , Goya, Maui Sails Legend.
I have a North 5.3 Voodoo, 6.2 Natural and Ezzy 8.5 Freeride. Hard to compare because of the massive size differance but I can say my Ezzy 8.5 is HEAPS stronger than my North 6.2 because of the large % of X-ply in the Ezzy whereas the North natural only has X-ply on the edges and tears easily.
Worth noting that I bought my Ezzy 8.5 new to replace a weak NP V8 of the same size.
On the other hand, the Voodoo is mostly X-ply and seems to be a lot tougher than the Natural. So if you're looking for a larger sail, Ezzy might be the better option if you want durability. But for smaller sails 6.0 and less, all wave sails are pretty tough.
As for performance I am not in a position to compare for the same sail size.
Lots of stockists over the country for ezzy, can usually buy last years model and save a couple of hundred,
This Quote from David Ezzy's History Web page was enough to convince me never to buy a North Product - Good or bad.
The early nineties saw the sale of the German-based North Sails Windsurfing and new management took over the head office in Germany and at the factory in Sri Lanka. Ezzy tried to maintain his close involvement in the operation of the factory, but cost-cutting decisions began to take precedence over sail quality and even took precedence over the human rights of the Sri Lankan factory workers. The conflict over the treatment of workers vs. corporate profits reached a head in the summer of '92, when upon arriving at the factory to put his designs into production, Ezzy found the air in the factory to be filled with the fumes of toxic spray glue. His attempts to help the workers by notifying management and North Sails' owners, sending for product specifications from the glue manufacturer, brainstorming ideas for a construction of air vents to carry out the fumes, were all met with a curt, "mind your own business": the 50 gallon drums of spray glue would stay and David Ezzy resigned in protest.
A lot of time has passed since then and things may have changed over time, but I don't need to be part of it - not in the spirit of windsurfing.
See the full history herehttp://www.ezzy.com/company/history.php
Once you finish comparing North vs Ezzy and you get a winner then compare that one to a Naish. The Force & Session are in another league altogether.
AB....
I haven't sailed north sails for a few years now so icant really comment on them. My sails are all ezzy wave sails, and im more than happy with them. I bought them with the mindset that they will last me 4 seasons, maybe longer and i can be confident they will serve me well in the surf. The wind range you can use them is is also good, the outhaul setting are pretty big, preventing you from changing up/down a lot of the time. They do seem quite a heavy sail though. They were slighty cheaper a year or two ago but pricing seems pretty similar now. You cant really go that wrong with an ezzy in my opinion...
Thanks guys. Ezzy it is. Got a 3 week windsurfing trip coming up so I want to go with new gear!! (followed by 6 weeks of work then another 3week windsurfing road trip)
