Latest News, Blog & Videos
Hydrofoiling: 2020 Slingshot's new wings
Heads up, this blog will be updated this week. We aim to keep these more extensive. Tuckers trying to catch up at the shop here.
This will be the second part of this discussion. Last year we looked at 7 of Slingshots wing options. Those are all the same for 2020, so we will just focus on the three new designs to keep it concise.
Apollo 60 cm
2020 Slingshot Apollo hydrofoil wing
The 2020 Slingshot Apollo 60 foil wing will undoubtedly be a top choice for kiteboarder
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30th Aug 2019
Cabrinha Moto Vs the Drifter
We’ve had the new Moto for a full year now and we wanted to give you an updated review. This is going to be a shorter video but, unlike the Switchblade, there are some new insights we wanted to share. If you’re not familiar with the Moto, last year Cabrinha released a new kite in the lineup- something not to replace, but to complement the Switchblade, essentially a lighter and faster 3-strut version with characteristics of its own. This was a clever solution to a big problem for Cabr
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26th Aug 2019
2020 Duotone Jaime & Textreme Review
Today I will review the Duotone Jamie Textreme twintip, going over its strengths and weaknesses, and explain why it’s been my board of choice for the past three years.
This June, Hilary, Rygo and I went to Bolonia, Spain for the Duotone distributor meeting and had the opportunity to try out the new 2020 gear. There we met Jaime Herraiz and Manu Manuel, the two masterminds behind my favorite board, and got to pick their brains about what goes into making this product so great.
First off,
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15th Aug 2019
Duotone Dice Vs the Rebel
The Duotone Dice and Rebel are two kites that are completely different in design, on the water and in their approach to the different disciplines. There are aspects that cross over, leaving people confused on which kite is right for them, like big air, high performance and a "rip you off the water" feel. In 2020 the Dice has some re-designs while, aside from material changes, the Rebel is the same.
Rather than doing reviews, I thought it would be more valuable to cover the changes... all the dif
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12th Aug 2019
2020 North Kiteboarding Overview
In 2020, the name North Kiteboarding is coming back. While this is a completely new brand, they have assembled top players from across the industry and created a new lineup. In a time when products have become ridiculously over-complicated with a multitude of options, North has taken an elegant, simple, yet masterful approach to every facet of their brand, from form to function. In a way, they are like the Apple of kiteboarding.
Now before we go any further, we wanted to clear some things up. Th
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8th Aug 2019
Duotone Pace VS Free: Hydrofoil Board Comparison - Foil Fridays
Duotone has really stepped up their Hydrofoil and Foil board game for the 2019/2020 season. Two of our favorite new Duotone hydrofoil products are the Pace and Free foil boards. They both feature a quality design and construction for beginner to advanced riders. In this video blog, we will walk through their similarities and differences and point out how that will affect your foilboard experience.
Surfboard or Twintip construction
The easiest difference to spot on these boards is the constru
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2nd Aug 2019
Slingshot Raptor Vs Rally GT
Slingshot went back to the drawing board for 2020 and has brought us two brand-new kites - the Rally GT and the Raptor. Many are wondering - who are these kites for, and what is the difference? We've spent some time on both kites and have developed opinions on what we feel the differences are. In this short comparison, we'll sort out those differences and help you make the decision - Rally GT or Raptor?
We'll cover some basic flying characteristics of each kite, broken down by category below.
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24th Jul 2019
2020 Slingshot Rally GT Review
What is the Rally GT?
Let's start with what the Rally GT is not. The 2020 Slingshot Rally GT is not the same Rally that you've used before. It's entirely new for 2020. They (Slingshot) went back and forth, deliberating a complete name change and landed on Rally GT (rather than an entirely new name, which could make sense with a kite that is such a far cry from the original Rally design). What is the Rally GT, then?
The Rally GT is Slingshot's "Do-it-all" kite for 2020. Every brand has one of t
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18th Jul 2019
2020 Slingshot Raptor Review
What is the Raptor?
The all-new Raptor from Slingshot for 2020 is their new user-friendly big booster, capable of taking you to heights you've never achieved!
According to Slingshot, the Raptor is their dedicated high-performance freestyle/freeride crossover kite, tuned for big boosts, lofty airs, and aggressive performance. We tend to agree with this - it's a five-strut jumping powerhouse! The Raptor, although excellent at jumping, tends to really lean its focus in that direction and f
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17th Jul 2019
Liquid Force NV VS Cabrinha FX a Comprehensive Review
Two freestyle kites that at first glance look similar, yet are noticeably different on the water... the long-standing Cabrinha FX and the even-longer-standing, yet new to the category Liquid Force NV. If you’re looking for a kite to take your kiteloops or unhooked riding to a new level, these will get it done. The question is, which kite is right for you? Today we’ll break it all down and dive into everything you need to know.
Let’s dive into some common attributes between
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17th Jun 2019
Freestyle Kiting With Christophe Tack - Sessions with Rygo EP 10
Last time on Sessions we explored Key West and the Canary Islands with our team rider Blake Olsen. We were filming for our kiteloop playlist and just enjoying the islands with good friends. It was so much fun visiting what has become one of my favorite cities for kiteboarding in the USA. The only downside was that I had just injured my knee snowboarding and I had to sit out on most of the riding on both of these trips!
Testing the Liquid Force NV V9
Getting back on the wa
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28th May 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
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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
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12th Apr 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 charge with the
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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 grunty", but that do
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18th Feb 2019