Latest News, Blog & Videos

Dustin is here to share his thoughts about the new 2024 Slingshot Code NXT, along with... Jeff? As you may know, Jeff used to kite a lot, but now is primarily a wingfoiler. So what's so special about this kite that it was able to pull him away from his wing for a session?What is the Code NXT?The Code NXT is Slingshot's new school big air Aluula kite. What's so new about it? Big air is dominated by five-strut kites, but the use of Aluula allows the Code to move to just three struts. It's …

Pat's back for a guest appearance! Now with North Kiteboarding, he's on the beach to chat with MACkite's Dustin about the new North Orbit Ultra Aluula big air kite. What's new, does the Aluula make that much of a difference for big air, and is it right for you? Pat: The North Orbit Ultra is our big jumper this year. We took the tried and true DNA of the Orbit, one of the bestselling big air kites over the last couple years, and added Aluula. Last year we added the Orbit Pro to the l …

Jake and Dustin had a chance to get out on a pre-release 2025 Moto X Design Works kite from Cabrinha, and it left them stoked. "Design Works" is the name Cabrinha has chosen for their premium line, and they started by giving the Moto X the Aluula treatment on both the leading edge and its three struts.Flight CharacteristicsThe Moto X Design Works is very user-friendly, even for beginners. Thanks to the Aluula being stiffer, it's going to have an incredible wind range on each size. It's …

Reedin has a fairly modest kite lineup with only 3 models, but they're essentially different versions of the same kite, so Dustin and Jake are here to explain what the differences are and which one might be right for you.Out with the Old, In with the New Although the Reedin kite range has been expanded for 2024, they did retire the original SuperModel in favor of the SuperModel HTF2. HTF stands for Hybrid Torsion Frame, and it's a significant upgrade to the leading edge that allows …

Dustin has been riding the new 2024 North Navigator Pro control bar, and he's super stoked on it. Is a control bar really something to get that excited about? What makes it so special?Auto-UnswivelThe auto-unswivel feature is absolutely amazing. The ceramic bearings are like butter, and nothing's going to get caught up there. There isn't going to be any wear and tear on it.Quick Release and LoopThe release is rock solid. It's got 20mm of travel before it releases, so you won't accident …

Dustin from MACkite got a chance to get out on the 2024 Reedin Supermodel HTF V2. It's had some tweaks and upgrades, but do they make a difference?What Is the Supermodel? The Supermodel is Reedin's 3-strut do-it-all kiteboarding kite. If you like to cross over disciplines but want just one kite, this is one you should look at. You can get big air, foil, it's fast, and it even drifts so well you can ride right at it, so you'll be very happy if you like to surf in the waves. Although …

Don't try this at home, kids! Pat and DC brave the frigid Lake Michigan water to ride among floating chunks of ice. ...Wait. You can do that? Well, sort of. It's a bit of a trick to get in and out past the densely-packed area of iceballs near the ice shelf, and both guys take a refreshing dip. Once out a bit further, it becomes a thrilling game of dodge-the-asteroids. Hey, no fair jumping over them! Would we recommend trying this adventure? Pat readily admits this is one of his …

This is Dustin and Cado here with the all new Cabrinha Moto X. We just got off the water with it, and we're going to do a quick session impression with beginner vs. advanced viewpoints on the kite.Dustin: It was a windy day, and I was out on the 12m. It was blowing a pretty sustained 25-ish knots. It's a super boosty, lofty kite with jumbo jumps. It feels like an old Vector, for the people who've been with Cabrinha forever. It's a tuned-up Moto, and an unbelievable advancement for Cabrin …

The Reedin HyperModel and Duotone Evo D/Lab are both freeride kites made with the premium Aluula material, but is one better for you? Pat and Dustin rode both 9m kites on the same day in order to see how they compare. Dustin: As soon as we swapped kites, I immediately noticed that the Reedin bar pressure was so much lighter than the D/Lab. Pat: I thought the exact same thing. When I got on the D/Lab, I thought the wind had ticked up because the bar pressure on the Evo was that muc …

Dustin and Pat take a look at some kites made with Aluula. What is it, and is it worth the hype? Is it right for you?What is Aluula?Dustin: Aluula is a step up from your normal kites. It's like the carbon bike of the kite world.Pat: Absolutely. It's that carbon fiber frame mountain bike in the kite industry. Is aluminum or steel good for most people out there? Yes. Do you need carbon? Probably not, but is it a nice upgrade and do you get some performance benefits from it? Absolutely.What …

The 2024 Naish Pivot NVsion is here. What's special about this version of the Pivot? Pat and Dustin got some water time with it and are ready to share some insights. Dustin: We got the all new Naish NVision Pivot, and it's pretty sick. It's the Ferrari of the Pivots. Pat: Yeah, it's the Aluula version of the Pivot. It has slight tweaks to the same Pivot we've known and loved for last couple years, but has been brought to the next level with the Aluula material. …

On-the-water review with the MACkite boys, Pat and Dustin, after their Grand Haven session on the new 2024 Rebel SLS from Duotone Kiteboarding.On-the-Water Impressions Pat: The kite feels like a Rebel. It's a five-strut, higher-aspect design with pretty good low end power. It's probably about 20, gusting to 22. I'm on a 12 meter and I'm about 200 pounds. I'm pretty happy with the kite so far in the first couple tacks on it. The kite looks phenomenal in the sky. The new colorway is …

This is Dustin and Pat from MACkiteboarding.com here to talk about the brand new Misfit v11 Carbon from Slingshot. Misfit Carbon Characteristics Dustin: It's a stellar board. Super lightweight, oh my gosh. Pat: Yeah, this has to be the lightest board Slingshot has ever made. Dustin: It definitely has a flatter profile. There's not a crazy amount of rocker. Pat: No, pretty flat rocker, but it has enough flex, even with it being a carbon board. It's not a super stiff carbon. …

This is Dustin and Pat from MACkiteboarding.com here to talk about the brand new Slingshot Asylum V6. Let's get into it.Slingshot Asylum v6 CharacteristicsPat: We both rode this board yesterday.Dustin: It's absolutely stellar. There's nothing crazy new with it, other than some pretty sweet new graphics.Pat: Yeah, this is the tried-and-true Asylum. If you've ridden any of the previous versions, it's more or less been unchanged. It's got a high rocker line, is more of a freestyle board, …

Duotone has introduced the Evo D/LAB, a high-performance all-rounder kite that is designed to take freeriding to the next level. The Evo D/LAB is an improvement of the popular Evo kite, and it offers riders a unique experience on the water that is hard to come by with regular kites. The kite is built using Aluula frame construction technology that reduces its overall weight by up to 30%. This reduction in weight makes the kite incredibly light and ensures it can fly in the lightest …