Latest News, Blog & Videos
MACkite Recommends: Set Sail
At MACkite, we're grateful to be part of the amazing watersports community. Sometimes we learn about a customer that we think other watersports enthusiasts might be interested in hearing about. Tyler and Valentina are a perfect example. They're living the dream, and they're making it possible for others to experience it as well.We asked Tyler and Valentina to tell us a little bit about themselves and their company, Vive L'Amour (Long Live Love), and how they can take your watersports adventure t
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22nd Feb 2024
Cheers to Pat - Thanks for All the Sessions
After bringing the MACkite crew and customers the boardsports stoke for 10 years, Pat is moving on join the North/Mystic team. Thanks for everything, Pat, and cheers to your new adventure! Check out the video to see just some of the reasons we love Pat! He'll put a smile on your face just like he has ours.
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Contact MACkite Below:
800.622.4655 | Kiteboa
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12th Feb 2024
How To Size Your Ride Engine Harness | A Quick Guide
With the amount of harness and spreader bar combinations, getting the right size Ride Engine can feel daunting. The good news is when you nail it, you get a precise, comfortable fit that translates to more time on the water. As a general rule, the size chart below gets you 80% of the way there. Here are a few sizing tips from the hundreds of Ride Engine harnesses we've sold over the years.
What's Your Body Type?
Consider your body shape. Leaner bodies are best represented by the abov
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5th Feb 2024
Kiteboarding Through Ice Chunks | Lake Michigan in January
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
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29th Jan 2024
2024 North Navigator Short Throw Kite Control Bar | On-Water Review
Kristen Cooper is back with a look at a new offering from North that shorter riders, women, and kids may find interesting, if not long overdue. The 2024 North Navigator Short Throw bar is out, and Kristen has had a chance to ride it in the Florida Keys. If you have ever had trouble reaching the bar when it's fully sheeted out, this may be worth a look.Who's It For?
In addition to shorter riders, it's also a nice bar for beginners. It can be frustrating and even intimidating to have
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29th Jan 2024
The Evolution of Excellence | 2024 Cabrinha Switchblade's Innovative Features
The Cabrinha Switchblade has been a cornerstone in the kiting world, renowned for its performance and versatility. The latest iteration, the Switchblade, marks its 17th year with significant advancements, promising to elevate the kiting experience for enthusiasts around the globe.
A Legacy Reinvented: The New Switchblade
The Switchblade is not just an update—it's a complete overhaul of its predecessor. By incorporating new technologies and construction techniques, the Cabrinha team h
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23rd Jan 2024
Ride Engine Air Box Electric Pump for Kiteboarding and Wing Foiling
Jeff and Tucker are excited to share one of their favorite accessories: the Ride Engine Air Box, an electric pump.
...Wait. They're excited about an electric pump? Are they really that old?? Perhaps, but that's not why they're willing to forego the traditional pre-session warm-up. Here's what's great about this magic box and why you might want one, too.
Accessories
Let's first dive in to what you get with your pump. Tucker's favorite accessory that comes with the pump is the c
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18th Jan 2024
Big Air Kiteboarding Basics, Episode 1: Learning and Perfecting Your Kiteloop
David is kicking off a new series focusing on big air. He's not an expert in big air, but rather an experienced kiteboarder who's ready to progress his skills. If you're ready to delve into big air yourself, come along for the ride as David shares any tricks, tips, and lessons learned along the way.Kiteloops: The Foundation of Big AirBig air builds on your kiteloops. If you're just getting into kiteloops, Blake has a great intro. Here, I'm going to share what I've learned about kiteloops
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27th Dec 2023
2023 Cabrinha Moto X | Session Impression
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
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26th Dec 2023
Reedin HyperModel vs. Duotone Evo D/Lab
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
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19th Dec 2023
The Aluula Kites Breakthrough | Who Should Make the Switch?
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
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29th Nov 2023
2024 Naish Pivot NVision Review
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.
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29th Nov 2023
2024 Dakine Renegade Ultralight and Pyro Harnesses with Connect Spreader Bars
Aaron has caught up with Daniel Ware from Cabrinha at the King of the Great Lakes Test Fest to chat about some new harness offerings from Dakine.
Aaron: Daniel, what have you got for us, buddy? What are we talking about?
Daniel: I've got a new product from Dakine that we're really excited about. This is the all-new Connect bar. This is a brand new spreader bar system from Dakine for 2023. It's a fully modular system. The kite bar has a fully molded hook with no welds, so it's supe
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27th Oct 2023
Slingshot Sentry V2 and Joystick V1 Control Bars, with Fred Hope
Pat is at King of the Great Lakes with Fred Hope from Slingshot, checking out the new bars for 2024.
Fred: Thanks for having me! This year we brought out a whole new bar, and we changed from the white lines to the new SK99 lines. They're a little thinner and a bit stronger. You can really notice it in the air because they have a lot less drag through the air and you don't have that wobbling from side to side feeling like you have with the square lines. These are perfectly round, so
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25th Oct 2023
2024 Slingshot Ghost V3 with Fred Hope
Pat is at King of the Great Lakes with Fred Hope from Slingshot. They're checking out the new 2024 Ghost V3.
Fred: The Ghost is our one-strut kite for the new year. You tried it today, right?
Pat: Yeah, I got out and had a nice foil session on it today. It's a pretty grunty kite, actually, with good sheet-and-go power. It's really quite fast-turning, and the relaunch on the thing was amazing. I was in really crappy, gusty offshore wind, and the kite just wouldn't stay on the water
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24th Oct 2023