Latest News, Blog & Videos
State of Wing Surfing and Gear
Wing Surfing is the hottest new thing for SUP and hydrofoilers. If you are not already familiar, Wing Surfing uses a small inflatable kiteboard kite-looking sail that is handheld similarly to a windsurf sail. This, paired with a paddleboard or foilboard, allows the rider to capture wind power in a unique way for windsport basics, downwinders, flatwater play, and even foil surfing waves. Riders who have experience hydrofoiling, paddleboarding, and windsurfing will have a signific
…
24th May 2019
Kiteloop Back Roll - Ride with Blake
Today we're covering one of the most sought-after tricks in kiteboarding: the backroll kiteloop, also known as the F-16. This doesn’t have to be a scary trick. Actually, most people accidentally do backroll kiteloops as they are learning their first backrolls because it is natural to pull in on your back hand as you throw the rotation.
The only thing that makes this trick scary is when you don’t know what you are doing and it gets out of control. If you can follow thes
…
20th May 2019
Hydrofoiling: Outfit your boat
Hydrofoiling is the fastest growing, tow-behind category for boat owners. A common question we get here is "how do I chose the right hydrofoil or hydrofoils for myself, my family and my boat?" We wanted to do a high-level video helping you understand how to go about choosing the correct setup, and this blog aims to go a little deeper.
We'll be breaking down three different categories of foils to consider as well as recommending different foils that fit into each category. That bein
…
14th May 2019
Down Loop Front Roll Transition - Ride with Blake
Today Rygo and I are going to be covering a very important topic, one that will change the way you transition forever. The reason downloops are so cool is because they're basically a shortcut to more powered transitions, used for riding waves, carving turns and riding in light winds. Make sure to do this while slightly under-powered to minimize risk of injury.
This is one of our more advanced videos. The good news is that we have three tutorials you should master before attempting this trick.
…
2nd May 2019
Kiteboarding Travel Guide: Cape Town - Destinations Ep16
Welcome to Destinations, your one-stop kiteboarding video travel guide. If you have any questions when planning your trip, don't hesitate to reach out.
SPOT GUIDE
There's a place way down in the Southern Hemisphere where the scenery will steal your heart and the wind will knock you off your feet. It sounds intense and it is... in all the best ways! In this edition of Destinations, we're checking out a kite spot that's close to my heart: Cape Town, South Africa.
Cape Town is the home
…
1st May 2019
Filming our Kiteloop playlist - Sessions w/Rygo EP 09
Get to know the crew
Last week on Sessions, we made our way to Orlando, Florida where we caught up with one of MACkite's original team riders and of my closest friends, Steve Lee. Every winter I find myself spending more and more time in Florida. As much as I like snowkiting and snowboarding, spending a couple weeks in the sun and in the water is good for the soul. Steve isn’t our only team rider who migrated to Florida. Blake Olsen has also been living down there for years now, ori
…
1st May 2019
How to Do an Unhooked Back Roll
Unhooked Back Roll
Basics
Difficulty 2
Today we’re going to breakdown a heelside back roll. Learning the back roll is going to open the door to many other more advanced tricks that begin with this rotation. Tricks like the Back to Blind, the KGB or even Back Mobes. Like all sports, it comes down to repetition and practicing the basics.
The Back Roll is often a misunderstood trick. Not because it's overly difficult but because people often mistake it for a flip and while you can
…
25th Apr 2019
How to Kiteloop: Down Loop Landings - Ride with Blake
Down Loops are the first step in learning kiteloops.
Today we are going to be going over how to land with a downloop. A downloop is different from a heli loop because they are more of a transitional loop used at the end of a jump, trick or transition. A heli loop will catch you softly, whereas a downloop will help, but more so pull you into the other direction. You may land hot, but it won’t be the same amount of pull as a kiteloop, Make sure always to land with your board pointed downw
…
22nd Apr 2019
How to do an unhooked raley
The Raley
Level: Basics
Difficulty: 2 of 10
Today we’re going to break down the raley. This is usually the first trick aspiring freestyle or wakestyle riders learn. It’s a must if you hope to progress into any other air tricks as they all stem from this basic maneuver. Best of all, it’s a lot easier than you think. While not overly difficult, the raley is at the heart of most freestyle tricks. Loads of tricks start with the raley and incorporate rolls or spins.
For example, a B
…
17th Apr 2019
First look and review - Cabrinha AV8 Freeride Kiteboarding kite
Freeriders, foilers, jumping junkies, take note....
Newly released from Cabrinha for the 2020 season is the new Freeride kite, the AV8. It is designed for maximum power and efficiency in a user-friendly kiteboarding kite. Taking lessons learned from Cabrinha's previous powerhouse kites such as the Contra, Crossbow, Velocity, and Apollo, the AV8 kitesurf kite is a two decade long pursuit of easy-to-use power combined with cutting edge hydrofoiling concepts.
With a 5-strut, du
…
16th Apr 2019
Foil Fridays - Foilmount Moses / Slingshot Adapter Review
Let's cut right to the chase with this one. There are a few reasons why we are excited about the Moses Fuselage to Slingshot Mast Adapter plate.
Slingshot / Ride Engine masts are proven to be efficient, durable, and affordable. Their masts are quite rigid and high-quality with a starting price of only $59 or the three mast Flight School for only $168. Many riders already own their mast and pedestal as they are the leader in hydrofoils across all foiling boardsports.
Moses arguably makes th
…
12th Apr 2019
Kiteboarding - How to pop unhooked
This blog will eventually be made into a complete beginners' unhooked playlist. Stand by while we film this spring.
This week we're going to break down the most fundamental move in kiteboarding: the pop. In freestyle kiteboarding, all advanced kiteboarding tricks can be broken down into smaller tricks. That means you have to master the basics, and it doesn’t get any more basic than a good pop. Think of this as your foundation whether you want to progress into air tricks, the park or just g
…
10th Apr 2019
Kiteloops you need to know - Ride with Blake
In season three of Ride with Blake we decided to focus on producing themed playlists. Blake and I took an RV road trip along Michigan's west coast to produce a "Jump with Style" playlist. Our aim was to teach kiteboarders how to improve the way they jumped and to help them develop a large bag of easy, yet awesome-looking kiteboarding tricks.
For season four we decided to build on that idea. We'll be producing the ultimate kiteloop playlist- a progressive kiteloop playlist starting with the b
…
8th Apr 2019
Neil Pryde Glide Surf Foil Extended Review
UPDATE... Nine months of testing later. Jump down 10 paragraphs to the red heading
We have a new foil offering here at the shop that is getting everyone pretty excited. The Neil Pryde Glide Surf foil brings a lot to the plate for riders looking for a foil on a budget with excellent performance and room to grow. Thoughtfully designed, the Glide foil also provides some unique benefits that enhance the user experience, durability, and rigidity of the system.
The Glide has an aluminum top p
…
3rd Apr 2019
Hydrofoiling: Lift Hydrofoil Product Overview
Lift Hydrofoils have been in the foil game for a long time. Their commitment to building quality carbon foils has made them a favorite of many foilers, and their latest designs are next level. Let's take a quick look at how their foils differ from others.
Wings and Fuselages
Lift is the only brand I am aware of using a one-piece wing, fuselage, stabilizer type design. The primary benefits are efficiency, rigidity, simplicity, and weight. This all results in a more efficient foil that is easier
…
21st Mar 2019