Choosing the right mast

Having the right mast in the sail is much more important than you might think.

Most often, you might change your sail for a new one and keep your old mast, or you have a bunch of sails, but need a new mast.
Is it just a matter of buying the first thing that comes to mind, as long as it's the right length/size, or is there anything special you should consider?

The answer to that question is actually no. Don't buy the first best/cheapest.
The mast is the backbone of the sail. Is it too soft or maybe the wrong bend curve? The sail will lose its properties if it is wrong. It can feel heavy and have a very strange profile.

The masters are built on 3 criteria. Length , stiffness (IMCS) and bending curve . Length and stiffness are always stated on the masts (e.g. 460/25). These numbers are easy to compare with what is stated on the sail for which it will be used.
This way it is easy to buy the right mast/sail based on what you have. The bending curve, on the other hand, is something completely different. It is not stated anywhere, it is just something you have to find out.
A fourth thing to consider is carbon content. More advanced racing sails usually want 100% carbon masts, while simpler freeride sails require a little less.

The bending curve is in turn also divided into 3: Hard Top , Constant Curve and Flex Top .
It is important to get it right here. Of course, if you have a sail from a brand, that brand's masts will fit the sail best. The sail is sewn to those masts and you can guarantee that the sail will behave as it should.
But for various reasons, you may not always have the opportunity to buy that particular brand, and then it is good to know which other masts are compatible.

We have therefore compiled a list of the masters we have. Here you can get a little insight into where on the "scale" they lie:

Here you can see that, for example, Powerex is a good alternative to most things. Not the best anywhere, but perfectly ok.
Challenger and Goya's short ones are quite similar while Severne's mast is more towards the Hard Top.

* Master which has quite similar properties and is therefore quite suitable as an alternative.

Conclusion: If you are really sensitive and want to get the most out of your sail – buy from the same manufacturer as your sail. If you are not as sensitive, the options are even more numerous.
Please note that this is just a guideline. It is a lot about taste and preference and type of sail.