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Recently I was tasked with reviewing the ocean Rodeo Flite Aluula 17m. The kite flew so different that it really got me thinking about how different size kites fly and what I’ve come to expect over the years. For this blog, I’ll break down the general characteristics of kites in a size range, conditions and the disciplines they are good for. I’ll also break down techniques for flying these kites and the best use of your time on the water. The 15m North Reach is a faster fun big kite Big k …

This video is for riders who can jump bit would like to go higher. It was fun speaking with Shaun because in a way we both kiteboard but we’re practicing completely different sports. Big air riders do things very differently and they have one goal. Go high and loop the kite! You need to be proficient with the basics and a solid free rider before going for maximum height. That said, Shaun had some great tips to help you take your jumps to new heights. Load those lines up with the bar all th …

This video and blog will hopefully give you an idea of what to expect from the spectrum and help you decide if it's the right kiteboard for you. ANNELOUS LAMMERTS popping a melon grab What kind of kiteboard is the Cabrinha Spectrum  We would classify this as a midrange all around freeride board. This means the Spectrum is made to do a little of everything.  Like any jack of all trades, the spectrum is a master of none. That said, you get a lot more out of this board than yo …

  With wingers getting more advanced, smaller boards are becoming more popular this year. Getting up on a small board can be tricky even if you are a skilled foiler. In this video we'll break down what a small board is, the technique involved and the conditions to learn. What is a Small Wingfoil Board? This comes down to the rider's weight. At 195 pounds, a 75 liter wingsurfing board is small for me; granted, once you get used to it, these become easier. Now I can get down to as low as 45 …

The Roam is Ocean Rodeos Surf kite and if you kite foil, you know up until brands started developing foil specific kites like the UFO, Surf kites were a popular choice among foil enthusiasts. You might be surprised to hear that Surf kites are still the most popular choice at the shop among the team. Mostly because they give you options from surf performance to high-end kite foil performance. For reference, currently, I weigh 185 I was using the Slingshot Infinity 76 and I tested the Roam Al …

Whats up guys, this week, I’m going to cover a fun and easier kiteloop based trick. With hooked in kiteboarding there’s three things that take a trick to the next level, a loop, a rotation and a grab. Moving past down all the download variations, the Bankroll Nose grab kite loop is probably the easiest powered loop trick. Its a little intense but one you can start underpowered and work your way up! Let’s get to it. Get simple Backroll kiteloops dialed first Before attempting this I want t …

These bars are similar in design. They use a clicking system to adjust the steering lines rather than the center lines. The Stick Shift is super soft on the hands The Ocean Rodeo Stick Shift is soft and floaty; while the Duotone Clickbar is a little less soft, it's more refined. The drawback to the Clickbar is that sometimes the centerline can bind. This is due to the automatic swivel feature. The Stick Shift's main drawback is that you must flush it out between each use. Obviously, …

Kitesurfing fins come in a variety of sizes, from 10mm to 50mm or so. Fins are an often-overlooked part of gear, but they can make a huge difference in how your kiteboard responds and how it feels on the water. Small fins: 10 to 15mm These are less common now, but are arguably the most fun fins available. They loosen up the board and make for a skate feel on the water. Imagine your kiteboard feeling more like a snowboard. You can really add some style to your riding, especially on your l …

A question we get daily from new kitesurfers is if you can mix kiteboarding footstrap brands with different boards. The quick answer is most of the time, yes. However, it might not always be a perfect fit. For example the standard spacing is six inch inline inserts. Some brands like Duotone kiteboarding and North kiteboarding do offset inserts. Duotone also opts to use a track system that will hinder the range on some straps.  Kitesurfing footstraps are flexible In general, its …

The carve has a different design than your average wave kite. For perspective, regular waves kites share a few traits. On & off Depower, down the line drift, they also fly a bit smaller as far as power. The Carve is unique. Like the Duotone Neo, they have taken a different approach. You can expect the on and off depower but the real surprise is the low end power of the carve. With this in mind, the on and off depower becomes more important because you can sheet out and still have good control of …

Here's a little write up on my e-foil experience.I was recently fortunate enough to have the guys at Mackite let me try the Takuma Cruising 1600 E-foil. Here's a short take on my initial reactions. I've been kicking around an e-foil for a long time. While the price-point is dropping, we all know that this isn't just another board purchase that you can slide by the wife. Because of that, I've been a little hesitant to jump in. However, after getting on one and feeling the glide and seeing the pos …

The shop asked me to try to compare Duotone's SLS kites and the Aluula kites from Ocean Rodeo. I've decided to do a couple videos on this to share my experience and that of friends who tried it. I was able to get some time on the Neo SLS, and now I've got a Roam Aluula and a Flite Aluula. So far I've tried the Flite and the Neo SLS. Two very different kites, so I'll compare how the lighter materials used impacted the kites in their own respective ways. I do have a Roam that I'll test and comp …

This is a project that has been in development for years and has a lot of R&D into it. I have my hands on the 633 version the larger free rider or even wing foil wing. Fist up, the kit comes in a high end travel case that keeps everything organized well inducing reenforced wing covers that won’t wear out like previous iterations. This all comes included with Hardware, a tool and some lubricant. Heads up this doesn’t use the standard m8x25 board mounting hardware. You’ll need the longer m8 3 …

Today we're going to review the Eleveight FS. Who is this kite good for? Whats it good at and what's it lacking? This is a kite I have gravitated towards for a couple of years. It's known as Eleveight's freestyle / big air kite. It's an open C design, so you can expect more direct input into the kite. This gives you an aggressive pull up on the jumps and aggressive kite loops. Don't expect a ton of loft from the FS. This freestyle-oriented design is made for pop and slack so you will rea …

The Roam has been a favorite in the Ocean Rodeo lineup for several years. This great surf/freeride kite comes in an all-new construction called Aluula. This new material takes this solid kite to the next level by making the kite lighter and stiffer. What this does for the kite's performance is to make it more reactive to bar input and to perform better in lighter winds. Improved Performance What this means for improved surf and foil performance is that the kite stays in the air; you can …