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Colleen Carroll & Bruna Kajiya - "Rendez-Vous" Colleen Carroll & Bruna Kajiya are not only two influential kiteboarders, but they are also huge advocates for having fun (no matter your gender). What was once considered a "gentleman's" sport is now available for everyone, and we're excited to see Bruna & Colleen team up and create an edit that shows that when you say "ride like a girl" it actually means "ride tough". From our friend, Colleen: "I am very happy to share with you my  …

Bret Sullivan & Best Kiteboarding - "African Vibes" Africa can be considered the "wildlands". It's where people go to help, to find themselves, and to experience a new type of freedom. Freedom can be found in many ways. One way we experience freedom is through kiteboarding. Bret Sullivan experiences the same thrills behind the kite that we do, but only in a much more picturesque location. Lions, kitesurfing, and warm weather (oh, my) fill this video. While you're watching from your office or ho …

Jake M has seen his fair share of kiteboarding blows. Last summer, after winds had topped around 30-knots, Jake ran to the beach for his "lunch break". Not only did the wind die, but he ended up having to swim a quarter of a mile back to shore as a result. With a rip current and five-to-eight-foot waves to fight against and no floatation vest, Mitchell found himself red-faced, short of breath and wishing that he had worn a vest.  What Jake Recommends Since my incident last summer, I've foun …

Craig Cunningham - "Habitual" in Taiba, Brazil When you're traveling, the rush of being out from your office and into the world can have your vacation missing out on the little things, like fishing villages. These little villages and pit-stops may look run-down or abandoned, but they may be some of the best areas to stop (especially for kiteboarding). Every year, Craig Cunningham jumps down to Taiba, Brazil (a little fishing town) to grab some wind. Watch as North's rider Craig Cunningham shows …

The Slider Project It's pretty rare to find a kiteboarding Indiegogo campaign. At MACkite, we wanted to help promote this campaign for The Slider Project's installation of a shorter kicker and a new entry-level slider. Not only does The Slider Project create public awareness of kiteboarding, it also has helped develop the sport and has supported riders like Colleen Carroll, Craig Cunningham, Sam Light, and James Ropner.  Donations start at $10 and move up from there. Each donation offers …

2016 North Mono Kiteboarding KiteNew for 2016, North Kiteboarding is debuting the Mono, a one strut kite that finds itself in the company of the Airush Lithium One and Liquid Force Solo. Able to be flown on both a 4-line and 5-line control bar, you can expect a light-weight, quick turning kite that’s perfectly suited for light to medium winds. With one strut, expect some canopy flutter. This will make the kite slightly more difficult to handle in heavy winds that require consistent depowering. …

Nathan's Fireside Chat: 2016 Slingshot Foils With foiling taking center stage lately in the kiteboarding world, a few companies have either started to include foils to their lineup or expanded their current offerings. For Slingshot in 2016, we've been introduced to a program that will take you from true beginner to advanced, and everything in between. Slingshot's "Learn to Fly" Program Slingshot's "Learn to Fly" program features the all-new Hover Glide aluminum-masted foil aimed at tho …

Best Kiteboarding - East Coast Snowkiting While winter may mean February kiteboarding in some areas of the world, us Midwest folks get to experience the thrill and the beauty that is snow. In Michigan, almost half of our year has the anticipation of snowfall. That leaves us with two options: go outside and play, or stay inside with cocoa. While I like to do both, there's no question in my mind that there wouldn't be at least three guys out snowboarding or snowkiting if given the chance.  T …

Brazil Through RyGo's Eyes About 5 years ago I discovered the sport of kiteboarding through a lesson at MACkite no less. I took a lesson with a young kid named Chris Bobryk. We formed a solid friendship chasing the wind over the next year. Eventually, Chris moved to Hatteras, North Carolina to pursue kiteboarding.  While I spent my days working my 9 to 5 (that more often than not was a 7 to 7 kind of job), I started dreaming of a better life - by a better life I mean one where I could spen …

Red Bull's King of the Air 2016 Highlights Two weeks ago marked one of the most incredible spectated events in kiteboarding - Red Bull's King of the Air. This year, Aaron Hadlow made it to the top for the second year in a row. While we were sitting in our offices, we had the live stream playing in the background. This year, it seemed like we could not take the event off of our screens. We laughed, we cried a little, and we said, " ooh" during the crashes. Here, Red Bull has given us a little …

Mystic's Welcome to 2016 We've carried Mystic for a number of years. We love their dramatic styles and their user-friendly gear. In this stunning video, Mystic showcases their 2016 gear and gives a, "hello" (not quite Adele style) to the new year (even though it's February). Enjoy calming waters, sunny beaches, and a soothing voiceover to give your dreams new meaning. Mystic has accelerated kiteboarding to a new level, and we are excited what they will bring in the following years to the indust …

What stood out the most to you this year, overall? Nate: I would say that the outstanding product was quite surprising to me. Nitro came up with a really solid deal - a no-compromise board/binding combo for $399. I took a bunch of laps on this setup and was very surprised with how well it handled a variety of conditions. Whether bombing groomers or taking park laps, the 2017 Nitro SFU is a solid combo for an insane price. RyGo: While I didn't get to ride this year as I was running a camera the …

Learning to Foilboard Using Slingshot's "Foil Flight School" Foilboarding is an experience unlike anything else in kiteboarding. No matter your riding or your style, there is nothing like gliding silently and efficiently across the water (in fact, it's almost addicting). But learning how to foilboard can be a difficult experience, and it can take months or years to become proficient in riding. To some, it can be intimidating, painful, and frustrating. Sometimes people do not take the plunge due …

Brandon Scheid - Below Zero Brandon Scheid in Quebec, Canada? That can only mean (cue the dramatic movie pause)...snowkiting. Of course, Scheid would have such an awesome adventure in Canada, who wouldn't? Our northerly brothers and sisters are having some snow, and they're willing to share its pleasures with us - how thoughtful! Enjoy as Brandon Scheid rides some Liquid Force gear and pounces on the crystallized waves.  Would you like to learn how to snowkite like Scheid?  Why …

Embracing the Future of Kiteboarding With Drones We've all experienced those windless spells that have us looking at other ways to get a session in and keep our sanity. Newest on the list for windless days is drone boarding! It may not have the power or speed of a kite and may limit your sessions to easy cruising right now, but a sessions a session right?  So am I looking to trade my kites in and grab a drone to start riding behind? Not yet. It has a while to go before drones will ha …