Lift 3 eFoil - Review 2023

The Inventor of the Modern eFoil

Across the industry Lift is known for their precision wings and the variety of options they have for all of their eFoil models. They currently offer a versatile line up of six options for the larger front wing, four Surf V2 in sizes 150-300 and High Aspect in sizes 170-200, the latter is specifically designed for higher performance and speed. A great aspect about Lift eFoils is the range of customization their boards are capable of. As your skills and confidence grow, so can your board.

When it comes to board design and function the Lift 3 eFoil offers a luxury design and lengthy ride time. When tested in the water, the side handles were essential for reboarding after falls and the padded and textured platform was just soft enough to feel grippy underfoot but tough enough to offer a surface to dig into when carving.

The standard Light Battery can supply you with a ride time of around 40-90 minutes and the Full Range Battery offers about 60-120 minutes of flight time, all depending on the weight of the rider and power level used.

Assembly of the Lift 3 eFoil is relatively simple and comes together in under 30 minutes with a handful of screws to make getting in the water a breeze. Maintenance of the board and all of its components is also straightforward but does take some extra time and care after you pull it out of the water.

A top concern amongst most individuals interested in eFoiling is safety and the Lift 3 5’4” eFoil delivers a range of safety features to satisfy everyone’s preferences.

The different power modes and the safety sensors in the hand controller, as well as the large volume of the board, keep beginner riders afloat with minimal effort. And we can’t forget the Lift 3’s shielded propeller when speaking about safety.

There are a few other efoils that have even safer jet options. Aerofoils (Audi e-tron tech) have only jets. The same for Awake’s Vinga 3 and S efoils. Those companies claim superior safety and some rental shops might agree. But there is a performance compromise, less torque at the initial lift-off point.

As far as this watercraft’s cost, the Lift 3 Efoil 5’4” board lists at $11,995 for the standard model with the Light Battery. This sits on the higher end of the industry but you can feel the difference in quality when soaring across the water.

Let’s dive deeper into what else makes this personal watercraft a leading model out on the water and a reasonably priced one at that.

Battery Design & Flight Time

Lift’s eFoil batteries can give riders a wide range of playtime, around 40-90 minutes for the Light Battery and 60-120 minutes for the Full Range Battery. The average ride time can vary greatly based on the weight of the rider and how much power you use during your ride. For example, after around an hour of being in the water, I still had 60% battery, while my instructor only had 20% battery left in the same amount of time. He was zooming around me at the highest power level, while I was falling frequently and only reaching power level 3 or 4.

What makes the Lift 3 5’4” eFoil a great option for beginners is the high volume and stability it offers. With 88 liters of volume and a large platform, riders of all sizes and weight can experience eFoiling across the water. And for larger riders, the 5’9” eFoil will provide even more buoyancy and space.

The Lift eFoil Remote

To control the propeller power, you set the power mode to a level between 1 and 15 you are comfortable with and squeeze the trigger on the hand remote. As a petite person, I found the strap on the hand controller wasn’t very effective at keeping the controller in my hand, but for normal sized people this won’t be a problem.

A cool trick to make managing the trigger a bit easier was to hold the trigger all the way down, always. And then switch to higher power modes when you feel confident to do so. This takes away the extra learning curve to figure out how to “feather” the throttle. However, it’s equally important to let go of the trigger when falling so that there is less of a chance of the propeller coming into contact with you and the eFoil won’t travel as far away from you when you fall from it.

When falling off the Lift 3 5’4” eFoil, I was never worried about potential injury, thanks to the shielded propeller. Lift does make regular propellers that can increase performance and speed, but the standard model comes with a shielded propeller to offer the higher safety standards.

Another factor I didn’t consider before hopping on the Lift 3 5’4” eFoil was if it created any sound when riding. To my surprise the Lift 3 was nearly silent, minus a slight high pitched hum that made me feel like I was truly diving into the future of water transportation.

From my experience, the Lift 3 5’4” eFoil was the perfect beginner board to learn on. That being said, it did feel a little large once I got the hang of it, making carving turns long and energy depleting. Next time I would choose a shorter board, like the Lift 3 eFoil 4’9”, to get a more playful experience.

Near Soundless eFoiling Performance

The Lift 3 5’4” eFoil comes standard with a nearly inaudible shielded propeller, even when reaching higher speeds. Thanks to Lift’s precision-designed front and rear wings and shielded propeller that sits behind the carbon fiber mast. As soon as you lift out of the water, you only hear the wind and feel the occasional water spray when touching back down on the water to find stability.

To give riders the most control, Lift has a range of power modes to make learning easy and carving effortless. From level 1 all the way to 15, you can customize your eFoiling experience to fit your riding style. This is standard across all serious efoil models.

Riders can reach a max speed of around 30 mph / 48 km h at the highest setting with the light battery. This speed is greatly affected by the weight of the rider as well; higher weight equalling lower top speed.

But, in all honesty, there’s little reason to go beyond 20 mph unless your racing. The zen and beauty and grace of an efoil is best experienced at easy-going cruising speeds. In our opinion, at least, and the batteries last longer at slower speeds too.

For riders with more experience seeking a more playful, agile, and energy efficient eFoiling experience, Lift offers interchangeable propeller options. Folding aluminum and non aluminum propeller blades can quickly fold back when the throttle is released to conserve battery and decrease drag when catching waves. These upgrades are designed with the more experienced rider in mind, making them a more risky option for beginner riders.

Safe and Steady Riding

Power Mode Governor

A safety feature that is easily applied to the battery before getting into the water is the power mode governor. For newer riders or to reduce the risk of injury, you can manually set the power to only reach a level the rider is comfortable with, like levels 3 or 4, a speed that is just enough to get riders out of the water and foiling but not fast enough to accidentally lose control.

Shielded Propeller

One of the biggest safety features on the Lift 3 5’4” eFoil is the shielded propeller. As falling is inevitable when eFoiling, having a guarded propeller offers peace of mind if you are unable to jump away from the machine when you take a spill. Without a shielded propeller a simple fall can turn into a serious injury.

Auto Shut Off 

Another almost unknown safety feature of the Lift 3 eFoil is its automatic electrical shut-off when either the hand controller or the nose of the board is submerged in the water. I found this to happen frequently when trying to get the hang of lifting out of the water to foil, I’d dip the board back down a little too sharply and all of sudden come to a stop.

For riders going a bit faster, I can see this function being a welcome feature to avoid having the board drive right into the rider if they were to fall forward off the board.

Hand Controller and Board Range

Similar to the automatic shut-off when the board or hand controller is submerged, the energy will be shut off to the propeller if the hand controller is over 10 feet away from the board or vice versa.

Gravity Fed Battery Cooling

A significant problem that some eFoil boards have come across is the battery overheating during extended use. The Lift 3 eFoil doesn’t experience this hazard of overheating since it is cooled continuously by a gravity-fed cooling system that carries water from near the propeller up through the mast into the electrical system and out a spout underneath the hull of the board.

It’s worth mentioning that if you are using your eFoil in the ocean, you must flush this out after each use to prevent the salt from degrading the water line.

A Customizable and Intuitive eFoiling Experience

Lift has made eFoiling a customizable and intuitive experience that is easy to learn and equally as easy to upgrade. With the standard features that come with the Lift 3 5’4” eFoil like the larger Surf V2 250 front wings and shielded propeller, you can expect conditions that are perfect for beginners who are looking for a super stable eFoiling ride. The drawback to the learning models is you can quickly outgrow them and crave a more playful and agile ride.

The good news with a Lift eFoil is that you can easily change some components to give you exactly the ride you’re looking for! All of Lift’s eFoil models can interchange front and rear wings as well as propellers, so the possibilities are truly limitless when it comes to customizing your eFoil.

Accessories / Add-Ons / Extras

Out of the box, the Lift 3 5’4” eFoil comes with the board, mast propeller and front and rear wings, Light Battery with a charger and all necessary adapters, a hand controller with charger, as well as padded transport bags for the chargers, board and wings. The added transport bags make storage and taking care of your eFoil that much easier and safer.

In addition to all included parts, there are still plenty of add-ons and extras that you can choose to take your eFoiling to the next level. As discussed in the section above, Lift offers a wide variety of front and rear wing options that range in price (from $769 – $999 for front wings, $295 – $330 for rear wings).

You can also upgrade your watercraft with higher performance propellers. Lift currently has five different propeller options, some with folding propellers and some stationary, that range in price from $499 – $990.

Lift also has a Full Range Battery ($3,495) that can give riders almost double the ride time in the water, depending on weight, and is compatible with all models. As well as an aluminium battery case ($700) that Lift recommends for those who are storing their eFoils on a boat or outside to minimize battery damage from the elements.

They also have an eFoil stand that would be perfect for garage storage ($150) and an Elite board bag with all terrain wheels to make transporting your eFoil that much easier ($990).

How Does it Compare?

Compared to other industry competitors like the Waydoo Flyer One+, the Lift 3 5’4” eFoil feels like a luxury watercraft. The Lift 3 eFoil offers riders a much more buoyant board that may be easier for larger riders to find their footing upon take off. Although, you can get almost two Waydoo eFoils for the same price as the Lift 3 5’4” eFoil.

Next to the Fliteboard 3, the Lift 3 offers a much larger padded platform and larger easier to grab handles for reboarding. The Fliteboard has a jet propulsion system and a slimmer price tag of $9,995.

Flite and Lift have been two of the companies that duke it out for the top spot in terms of premium boards. Add the Swedish firm, Awake, with their Vinga efoils, and the newer Aerofoils to the list of premium companies. The differences are definitely there, but they become more nuanced.

High-Quality for a Higher Price

Up against industry competitors, the Lift 3 5’4” eFoil may be on the higher end of price ranges with a starting price of $11,995, but it more than makes up for that price with its high-quality build, precision engineering, and included transport bags.

The Vinga boards cost a little more, justifiably so we think. But if you’re looking for a premium eFoiling experience that can grow as you do, the Lift 3 5’4” eFoil is a great option!

Learning How to eFoil on the Lift

Upon entry into the water with the Lift 3 5’4” eFoil, it feels similar to a kneeboard, buoyant and padded. As soon as you’re in position (all the way up to the nose of the board) and pull the trigger, you feel the energy of the motor, and that’s just on the first power mode out of 15 levels.

As a new rider, I started kneeling to get the feel of being propelled through the water from underneath. After I received the go-ahead, I started finding my footing and began to stand. As I am only as tall as the board is long, standing up was relatively easy and with the trigger held all the way down on power level two, and felt like a slow surfing experience.

To get the board to fully lift up and out of the water, I transferred some of my weight into my back foot, but not too much, or else the propeller will breach the water and you’ll quickly lose control of the eFoil. From there, it’s all about finding a steady balance and having fun!

The Lift 3 5’4” eFoil is one of the most popular eFoil boards you will find out on the water in sunny southern California. Lift’s high-quality design and customizable wing and propeller options make it a top choice for riders of all styles and skill levels for a good reason.