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2021 North Kites Overview This is a good look at the 2021 North kites compared to the 2020 North kites. We'll be taking a look at what the changes are and how it will impact you as a rider in this blog.  The Orbit  The ORBIT changed the game when it came to big air kiteboarding. It's one of the most successful kites at KOTA. With swept wingtips and a flatter canopy you get a very unique kite. It has the turning possibilities of a freestyle kite, but the flat canopy allows you to …

Once in a while, I come across some gear that its difficult to deliver a neutral review on. I've been using these boots for the past year and I'm hooked. In this video I will explain why these are my favorite boot but I will make a point to give a detailed review of what you are getting and the considerations. Form and function  Right out of the gate, Vadatek is a smaller family owned company. These boots are made by a kiteboarder / wakeboarder who is passionate about making the best boot …

Quick Reference Guide Pro Voke - Best for Strapless Freestyle Pro Fish - Best for Progression & lightwind Pro Whip - Best all Around Pro Wam - Best Surf Feel and Wave Variety Pro Session - Big Wave Performance The Voke is as good as it gets with strapless freestyle Pro Voke The Voke is unique in the sense that it rides more like a high volume twintip. It has a wakestyle board outline and is made to pop hard, stay on your feet and not boot you during hard landings. The board stays locke …

Is it an airplane, jet, or weather balloon? To many conspiracists’ delight, what we are looking at is a real UFO. Rather than an “Unidentified Flying Object” that you would see at Area 51, we are looking at Slingshots strutless kite known as the “Unlimited Foiling Object.” This is Slingshot’s only strutless kite in their lineup, and one of the few strutless kites in the market today. Due to the fact that it is so light and completely dedicated to foiling, it …

Do a pros and cons right away in the description.... to add to the conversation  This video has been done before but its a topic that comes up daily here so I thought it would merit a fresh video for the year. I’ll try to get as detailed as possible with the differences, what you can expect, why you might like either and which I prefer. Reno Romeu using the standard Trust bar Line Lengths and Bar Widths The Click bar comes with adjustable line lengths thanks to stock removable …

So you’re looking to pick up your next board. You’ve looked around and heard good things about the Duotone twintips. Supposedly they are lighter, snappier and unique on the water. You went online, did some research and came across a few models. They all look good but you’re just not sure what one is the right choice for you. As you run through all the product descriptions you’re bombarded with words like high performance. The ultimate pop, unmatched torsional flex. …

I’ll be going over the differences and updates to their light wind kite the Juice and their single Strut kite, the Mono. We've done an in-depth comparison video on these kites a couple years back. Over the years these kites have evolved and there's actually been a lot of changes since that first video. The core design for both of these kites remains the same so much of that original video still stands in 2020. Yet, you can expect the 2020 versions to perform better in some areas an …

  Rygo: In years past we've often touted the Neo as more than just a wave kite, but also an awesome freeride kite. While this is true, it occurred to me that we've almost done this kite an injustice in regards to its surfing capabilities. This year, I'm committed to going the extra mile with these reviews. We'll be diving in to everything you might want to know about the Neo, and why this may or may not be the right kite for you. The Neo is a good fit for a specific type of kitesurfer. W …

The goal of this video is to help you decide if the Vegas is right for you. I’ve done videos on C-kites in the past and when checking the forums, a lot of people got the impression that I am completely against C-kites like the Vegas. That’s not the case. That video was meant to deter beginners from starting out on a kite that would hold them back. The Vegas is an incredible kite but it does have some drawbacks for inexperienced riders. The grey area comes into play when you hit t …

Hey guys, it’s Nathan here from MACkite, and today, I’m going to talk to you about the 2020 North Orbit. 2020 NORTH ORBIT We’ve not had a chance to thoroughly review the North Orbit at this time, so this post contains more of our first impressions as a reviewing team. Because we had limited time on it, and were testing it in some conditions that we weren’t necessarily used to, we want to get some more time on the kite to further develop our opinions on what we think thi …

For 2020, Cabrinha has two kites that might interest the same rider. They are both aimed at big air riders who want to jump high and enjoy a kite with good hangtime: the Cabrinha Switchblade and the new AV8. While they have some cross-over characteristics, these are different kites designed for a different purpose and a different kiteboarder. I've noticed some people get annoyed while watching the product videos that claim the AV8 is a boosting machine or that the Switchblade has even lighte …

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, …

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 …

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 …

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. …