Latest News, Blog & Videos
Q & A with Tucker: F-One Plane EAGLE HM Carbon vs. Armstrong HA Foils
Q: I've been riding an Armstrong 1550v2 with a HA195 tail. I enjoy it, but could I get better speed and glide out of something like an F-One Eagle HM or another foil?A: I've ridden Armstrong foils and they are great, but they aren't known for their glide efficiency or mast stiffness. By comparison, F-one foils are top of the class in both glide efficiency and stiffness through the entire system. That is mostly due to the sleek mast/fuse connection, monocoque front wing/fuse design, and high-modu
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11th Oct 2022
2022 North Atmos vs. Astra Kiteboard Review
Hey guys, Kristen here with MACkite, and today I want to cover the North Atmos vs. the Astra board.North Atmos Kiteboard
If you've been looking at North boards, you might have heard of, or you might even be familiar with, the Atmos. It's their big air freeride board, and it's pretty popular. It's a little bit stiffer, so it really allows you to cut through the chop and hold down the edge you need to have explosive pop off the water, which is what you want for big air and to g
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15th Jul 2022
Which Reedin Bar Is Right for Me?
Dreamstick V2
The Reedin Dreamstick V2 is simplicity supercharged. Everyone here at MACkite gravitates towards this bar for a plethora of reasons. Auto untwist technology for the super loopers, so you never have to spend half of your tack untwisting those pesky center lines. Coming in at 21mm in diameter, the skinny bar feels like you’re cupping a butterfly. Every once in a while you need to untwist the flag line in the auto swivel. The ease of use with this bar is incredible, all the wa
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12th Apr 2022
Waydoo Flyer One eFoil - Soft Deck vs. Hard Deck
“Is that foam?”
“That won’t last very long.”
“Six grand for a foam deck? No way.”
“It’s probably made of foam to keep it cheap.”
These are the regular comments we receive from people when they see the Waydoo Flyer One eFoil. As a result, many of our potential Waydoo customers quickly focus on the Waydoo Flyer One Carbon for its high-end appeal and finish. The old adage about judging a book by its cover definitely applies in the Waydoo foam-versus-carbon debate.
The Waydoo Flyer
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7th Apr 2022
North Orbit Versus North Reach—Mr. Jeff's Take
I have had over 300+ sessions over the past two years on North kites and the Reach is what sold me on the “new” North brand. I would like to share the top 3 characteristics of the Orbit and Reach, do a comparison, and why both should be in your quiver.
The North Reach is a one-kite wonder. It truly does it all very well.
Medium to light bar pressure that delivers a direct and intuitive fast flying kite. Loops very fast and can be directed with very little bar input. Light 3 strut constr
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17th Mar 2022
F-One Strike V2 vs. V1 Wings - Worth the Upgrade?
Out on the water riding, the experience, how the wing delivers power, what kind of power it has, what it's best suited for, how the stability is, how intuitive the wing is... I think that's really what makes a phenomenal wing and makes one stand out from another. Because there are so many in the industry now, it can be hard to pick. The Strike v1 made a name for itself by having that lift. It wanted to lift you off your feet, drag you downwind, and create that momentum immediately. I
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9th Mar 2022
F-One Strike V2 vs. Duotone Unit V2 - An Icy Cage Match
Being a cooler than typical winter here in Michigan, I’ve been jonesing for a session far too long. Fresh new goodies were just sitting unused like a pile of visible regrets. After hunting for weeks for an opening in the ice, I was finally blessed with a pool which was large enough to ride in. Furthermore, the weather was actually nice at 40 deg air, 34 deg water, and sunshine.
I’ll have some more formal video reviews coming in the next few weeks but wanted to get the info out ASAP for
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24th Feb 2022
Cabrinha Moto Vs. Duotone Evo | Do You Prefer Agility or Power?
One of the most common requests I get is to compare the Cabrinha Moto vs. the Duotone Evo. I was always hesitant to do this comparison because, while there are overlapping elements, these kites are aimed at different disciplines and different kitesurfers.
Like the Evo, the Moto is Cabrinha's all-around, 3-strut freeride kite. Where it differs is that it was designed for the waves and hydrofoiling. This means the Moto is going to have some wave characteristics. For example, the M
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27th Apr 2021
Duotone Clickbar vs Trust
Do a pros and cons right away in the description.... to add to the conversation
This video has been done before but its a topic that comes up daily here so I thought it would merit a fresh video for the year. I’ll try to get as detailed as possible with the differences, what you can expect, why you might like either and which I prefer.
Reno Romeu using the standard Trust bar
Line Lengths and Bar Widths
The Click bar comes with adjustable line lengths thanks to stock
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30th Jun 2020
Kite Boots Vs Straps & my Favorite Boots
We’ve had a lot of requests for a video on my favorite boots and the difference between boots and straps. The truth is kiteboarding is a diverse sport and what works for one person might not be best for another. Boots and straps have their place and are here to stay. It’s funny, in the early days, the first kiteboarders were actually wearing wakeboarding boots and building features. Just check out films like Auotofocus with Andre Philip and Jason Slezac. Or google Lou Wainman from the
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25th May 2020
Duotone Select Vs Jaime
So you’re looking to pick up your next board. You’ve looked around and heard good things about the Duotone twintips. Supposedly they are lighter, snappier and unique on the water. You went online, did some research and came across a few models. They all look good but you’re just not sure what one is the right choice for you.
As you run through all the product descriptions you’re bombarded with words like high performance. The ultimate pop, unmatched torsional flex. You’re pro
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21st Apr 2020
Cabrinha Switchblade Vs AV8
For 2020, Cabrinha has two kites that might interest the same rider. They are both aimed at big air riders who want to jump high and enjoy a kite with good hangtime: the Cabrinha Switchblade and the new AV8. While they have some cross-over characteristics, these are different kites designed for a different purpose and a different kiteboarder. I've noticed some people get annoyed while watching the product videos that claim the AV8 is a boosting machine or that the Switchblade has even lighter
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19th Aug 2019
Comparing Versions 8 and 9 of the 2019 Liquid Force NV
A complete review of the 2018 and 2019 Liquid Force NV
In 2010 the Liquid Force Envy led the charge with a bold new three-strut hybrid design. It was faster than the standard bow kites of the time. It bridged the gap between the heavy freeride kites and the fast performance kites. It was something special as it was user-friendly and performance oriented, something hard to find in one kite back then.
In 2019 we have two versions available, the V8 and the V9. The NV led the ch
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27th Feb 2019
2019 Slingshot RPM VS 2018 - Complete review
A review of the 2019 Slingshot RPM
Slingshot is hyping up the new RPM hard and their videos are hilarious. However, they do leave some questions at hand. Namely, what can you expect from the new RPM, and how does it differ from the original? More importantly, are they fixing something that's not broken to get it back on your radar? We'll cover all of that and more in this complete review. If I had to sum up the new RPM in three words it would be, "smooth, consistent and gru
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18th Feb 2019
Wakestyle Kiteboarding Vs Freestyle
All wakestyle is freestyle but not all freestyle is wakestyle.
This is a video I’ve been meaning to do for a long while now, but I’ve put Versus on hold the last few months. It’s a common question I hear and there are a few opinions floating around on the topic. Kiteboarding borrows from a lot of sports! There are plenty of crossovers, from surfing and wakeboarding to snowboarding. And of course there is the unique big air aspect of our sport. It’s one of the most versatile spor
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29th Jan 2019